Invisible computer for collaborative design: evaluation of a multimodal sketch-based environment.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Collaborative Design
• Architectural Design Technology

Background:

• Increasing specialization and geographic distribution of design teams necessitate effective remote collaboration tools.
• Traditional remote working tools can interrupt creative workflows, hindering productivity.
• Economic and ecological factors emphasize the need for efficient remote collaboration in design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Distributed Collaborative Digital Studio (DSDC) as a tool to facilitate remote, copresent design meetings.
• To investigate the "invisibility" of the DSDC environment, ensuring it integrates seamlessly into creative processes.
• To propose a framework for operationalizing and testing system invisibility in collaborative design.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Distributed Collaborative Digital Studio (DSDC) based on the "invisible computer" paradigm.
• Proposal of a conceptual framework for operationalizing "invisibility" in collaborative environments.
• Application of a testing methodology through a case study involving 12 hours of remote design sessions.

Main Results:

• The study highlights learning effects associated with using the DSDC system.
• Evidence suggests the DSDC system is effective in supporting remote collaborative design.
• The applied methodology provided insights into testing system invisibility.

Conclusions:

• The DSDC system effectively recreates a sense of copresence for remote design teams.
• The "invisible computer" approach is crucial for maintaining creative flow in digital collaborative environments.
• The proposed framework and methodology offer a valuable approach for evaluating collaborative system usability.