Dustin Stevens-Baier

Comp 449

Assignment #4

The aim of this design activity is for you to analyze the design of collaborative virtual environment (CVE) with respect to how it is designed to support collaboration and communication.

    Visit an existing CVE such as V-Chat, one of the many Worlds Away environments, or the Palace.  Try to work out how they have been designed to take into account the following.

    (a) General issues

             What is the purpose of the CVE?

                To allow people to converse in real time from all over the world.  People are able to communicate with very little needed, just the internet an msn account and a small download that is free.

            What kinds of conversation mechanisms are supported?

            The conversation mechanisms that are provided are the return key that sends the data and symbolizes to everyone that the person is done with what they are typing.  The user ID also symbolizes who said what which allows for communication between the group.  There are also little facial expression guys that are used to show how one feels with what they are saying. There are shortcuts to writing out sentences that are used a lot like lol and brb.    

            What kinds of coordination mechanisms are provided?

            In a situation like a chat room the coordination mechanisms are very similar to the conversation mechanisms.  The happy faces represent the forms of non-verbal communication that is needed in a group like this.  There are also rules and regulations that aren't always enforced that are supposed to help with the coordination of the group.                

            What kinds of social protocols and conventions are used?

            For the most part people try to be polite and respond to each other when asked questions.  Usually someone will say something and wait for the response, however, the response does not always come from the person being asked the question.  

            What kinds of awareness information is provided?

            The awareness information that is provided is letting everyone in the chat room know when someone has left the room or joined the room.  It also keeps an up to date list of everyone that is in the room on the right hand side.  There is also a user id that is associated with every comment made so that when something is said everyone knows who said it.

            Does the mode of communication and interaction seem natural or awkward?

            The mode of communication does seem a little awkward as it allows people to interject whenever they want and say things that are inappropriate.  It also doesn't really enforce any sort of responsibility for what you say.  It makes it difficult for someone to respond to something as anybody in the room can make comments in between.  It basically makes it very unorganized. 

(b) Specific interaction design issues

            What form of interaction and communication is supported?

            The basic form of communication in the V-Chat was just text and some pictures.  There are also other chat rooms that have video conferencing capabilities and audio capabilities.

            What other visualizations are included?   What information do they convey?

            There are happy faces and other emotional faces that are allowed to be concatenated onto the end of the sentences that are being written.  There are also the capabilities to change the color and make the text bold or italics.

            How do users switch between different modes of interaction? Is the switch seamless?

            It doesn't really seem like there are different modes of interaction, just the text one.

            Are there any social phenomena that occur specific to the context of the CVE that wouldn't happen in face to face settings?

            It seems like people are willing to be much ruder than in face to face meetings.  Swear words and obscene comments will be made in a public venue that just doesn't happen otherwise.

(c) Design issues

            What other features might you include in the CVE to improve communication and collaboration?

            I would try to implore a stricter following of the rules in a public venue there should be the dialogue that was being displayed.  This should only be in private chat rooms not in the lobby of msn's V-Chat.  I would also clean up the information box to not show people joining the room and leaving I would make that separate and only show the last couple otherwise the whole chat room is filled with people coming and going and nobody can see what is being said.