CONCENSUS: multi-party negotiation support for conflict resolution in concurrent engineering design

Advances in telematics have led many manufacturing companies in particular to explore the adoption of groupware technology to improve communication between team members. However, complex activities such as conflict resolution are still predominantly facilitated through face-to-face negotiation meetings. Intelligent software agents technology is being applied to support computer-mediated conflict resolution activities, such as information search and retrieval, recording negotiation process history and task allocation – whilst the creative negotiation activities such as generating new solutions, preventing and detecting conflicts are still left to the human experts. This paper describes the development of a framework for the support of multi-party negotiation for multi-agent systems, which will be introduced through a general overview of the requirements of multi-agent negotiation. Finally, the current architecture of the developed prototype for a CONCurrent Engineering Negotiation SUpport System (CONCENSUS) is presented.     

Ecological interface design: supporting fault diagnosis of automated advice in a supervisory air traffic control task

Future air traffic control will have to rely on more advanced automation to support human controllers in their job of safely handling increased traffic volumes. A prerequisite for the success of such automation is that the data driving it are reliable. Current technology, however, still warrants human supervision in coping with (data) uncertainties and consequently in judging the quality and validity of machine decisions. In this study, ecological interface design was used to assist controllers in fault diagnosis of automated advice, using a prototype ecological interface (called the solution space diagram) for tactical conflict detection and resolution in the horizontal plane. Results from a human-in-the-loop simulation, in which sixteen participants were tasked with monitoring automation and intervening whenever required or desired, revealed a significant improvement in fault detection and diagnosis in a complex traffic scenario. Additionally, the experiment also exposed interesting interaction patterns between the participants and the advisory system, which seemed unrelated to the fault diagnosis task. Here, the explicit means-ends links appeared to have affected participants’ control strategy, which was geared toward taking over control from automation, regardless of the fault condition. This result suggests that in realizing effective human-automation teamwork, finding the right balance between offering more insight (e.g., through ecological interfaces) and striving for compliance with single (machine) advice is an avenue worth exploring further.     

Approximate resolution of asynchronous conflicts among sequential collaborations in dynamic virtual environments

Asynchronous collaboration for a networked virtual environment (NVE) has emerged as a promising area in collaborative computer‐aided design applications. The concept of asynchronous collaboration is a sequential collaboration of temporal processes in an NVE where the participants are not required to be present at the time of the collaboration. Conflicts in asynchronous collaboration occur because the preceding task of a participant can influence the output of the ensuing task of another participant. The conflicted tasks must be modified manually. However, it requires considerable time and effort to resolve conflicts in a sequential collaboration. In this paper, we present an asynchronous collaborative framework that converts the conflict states of the shared objects into approximately resolved states. We develop a novel approximate resolution algorithm using a task‐based modeling mechanism to resolve the asynchronous conflicts with their corresponding tasks. Moreover, we propose a visual relation editor for convenient management. The participants can set flexible relations among shared objects using the proposed visual editor. The proposed approximate resolution approach can significantly reduce the average resolution time and the number of required manual task resolutions in a virtual environment compared to a manual resolution approach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of mediation on impression formation: a comparison of face-to-face and video-mediated conditions

It is suggested that communication mediated by video may have an important impact on the way in which individuals are perceived and this might be a result of an attenuation or distortion of visual signals. The current study aimed to test this further by employing a simple mind-reading task, which gave participants an opportunity to interact with one another. Participants completed the task in pairs either face-to-face or via video-mediated technologies. After completing the task, participants filled in a questionnaire which was designed to assess perceptions of how much they liked and how intelligent they believed their partner in the task to be. Results indicate that participants were regarded as significantly less likeable and intelligent in the video-mediated condition. This is probably a consequence of the attenuation of visual signals, in particular eye gaze, which has been shown to be important in impression formation. Findings from this study have practical implications for using this type of technology to assess performance, for example in interviews, especially if comparisons are made with face-to-face interviewees.     

Distributed modeling of use case diagrams with a method based on think-pair-square: Results from two controlled experiments

Objective: In this paper, we present the results of two controlled experiments conducted to assess a new method based on think-pair-square in the distributed modeling of use case diagrams.Methods: This new method has been implemented within an integrated environment, which allows distributed synchronous modeling and communication among team members. To study the effect of the participants׳ familiarity with the method and the integrated environment, the second experiment is a replication conducted with the same participants as the original experiment. The results show a significant difference in favor of face-to-face (i.e., the chosen baseline) for the time to complete modeling tasks, with no significant impact on the quality of the produced models.Results: The results on participants׳ familiarity indicate a significant effect on the task completion time (i.e., more familiar participants spent less time), with no significant impact on quality.Practice: One of the most interesting practical implications of our study is - in case the time difference is not an issue, but moving people might be a problem, the new method and environment could represent a viable alternative to face-to-face. Another significant result is that also people not perfectly trained on our method and environment may benefit from their use: the training phase could be shortened or skipped. In addition, face-to-face is less prone to consolidate participants׳ working style and to develop a shared working habit of participants.Implications: This work is in the direction of the media-effect theories applied to requirements engineering. The results indicate that the participants in the experiments significantly spent less time when modeling use case diagrams using face-to-face. Conversely, no significant difference was observed on the quality of the artifacts produced by the participants in the these tasks.     

Separate but equal? A comparison of participants and data gathered via Amazon’s MTurk,social media,and face-to-face behavioral testing

Recent and emerging technology permits psychologists today to recruit and test participants in more ways than ever before. But to what extent can behavioral scientists trust these varied methods to yield reasonably equivalent results? Here, we took a behavioral, face-to-face task and converted it to an online test. We compared the online responses of participants recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and via social media postings on Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. We also recruited a standard sample of students on a college campus and tested them in person, not via computer interface. The demographics of the three samples differed, with MTurk participants being significantly more socio-economically and ethnically diverse, yet the test results across the three samples were almost indistinguishable. We conclude that for some behavioral tests, online recruitment and testing can be a valid—and sometimes even superior—partner to in-person data collection.     

Evaluating an automated mediator for joint narratives in a conflict situation

ABSTRACT

Joint narratives are often used in the context of reconciliation interventions for people in social conflict situations, which arise, for example, due to ethnic or religious differences. The interventions aim to encourage a change in attitudes of the participants towards each other. Typically, a human mediator is fundamental for achieving a successful intervention. In this work, we present an automated approach to support remote interactions between pairs of participants as they contribute to a shared story in their own language. A key component is an automated cognitive tutor that guides the participants through a controlled escalation/de-escalation process during the development of a joint narrative. We performed a controlled study comparing a trained human mediator to the automated mediator. The results demonstrate that an automated mediator, although simple at this stage, effectively supports interactions and helps to achieve positive outcomes comparable to those attained by the trained human mediator.     

协同工作中冲突消解机制的研究

协同工作就是利用网络技术众多设计者共同合作完成任务,及时更新信息,保证网络信息的一致性与快速响应性。但是在协同工作过程设计成员自身条件差异,不可避免在协同设计中会产生冲突,所以准确及时对冲突检测与消解是协同工作的关键。因此提出一种新的集成化冲突消解模型,给出模型算法,利用模式匹配技术在这个模型中进行冲突检测与消解,采用克莫普匹配法进行冲突消解。通过实验证明,集成化模型和模式匹配技术很有效,对冲突检测准确,对冲突消解效率高,尤其处理大批量冲突时速度很快。效果非常显著,算法复杂度也很低。     

Audio channel constraints in video-mediated communication

This study investigated the effects of two types of audio channels upon the effectiveness of task-based interactions in a video-mediated context (VMC). Forty undergraduates completed a collaborative task (The Map Task) using either a full or half-duplex audio channel. Their performance was compared to face-to-face interactions, taken from the Human Communication Research Centre corpus of Map Task Dialogues. Effects of varying the audio channel were explored by comparing task performance, patterns of speech, and establishment of mutual understanding. Users of the full-duplex VMC made insufficient allowance for the VMC context; they completed the task less accurately than face-to-face participants, and interrupted each other more frequently than other participants. Participants in the half-duplex VMC however performed as well as face-to-face participants. They made sensible adaptations to the constraints imposed by the half-duplex VMC context, producing longer dialogues, with more explicit turn-taking management, and taking greater care in establishing mutual knowledge.     

Evaluation of a Geospatial Annotation Tool for Unmanned Vehicle Specialist Interface

Map-based interfaces have been developed to support collaborative control of unmanned vehicles (i.e., robots). Annotation on the map (or geospatial annotation) has been proposed as an effective way to support team collaboration; however, there is a lack of research focused on the design of geospatial annotation tools to promote usability and task performance. The utility of location reference in geospatial annotations for communication and information sharing is the focus of this article. Two annotation tool designs were developed. The annotation contents were directly anchored on the map in the first design, whereas in the second design annotations were summarized in a separate panel on the interface. Evaluation participants followed instructions from a simulated team leader and assigned unmanned vehicles to different tasks for two simulated scenarios that include searching for victims and collecting hazardous materials samples. The results demonstrate the potential of using geospatial annotations to enrich communication and support map-based unmanned vehicle control. Participants appreciated the direct location reference feature of the first design and had generally shorter response time, but felt that the second design provided better usability and lower task workload. These results suggest that the user experience depends on the manner of obtaining information from the annotation tools, and the integration of the tool with user's task flow and other interface components, such as the map display. The presented results can be used as a basis for designing geospatial annotation tools for team collaboration that better fit user needs and preferences.     

基于入侵杂草蝙蝠双子群优化的装备保障编组协同任务规划

针对装备保障编组协同任务规划问题,构建以时效优先为目标,考虑保障任务时序逻辑关系、任务执行质量和保障编组占用冲突等复杂约束以及保障编组能力更新机制的数学模型,提出一种基于入侵杂草蝙蝠混合算法的双子群任务规划方法.首先,采用佳点集初始化方法,在解空间生成具有均匀分布特征的种群;其次,设计具有修复操作的解编码和任务优先排序,实现任务-编组-时间的匹配和冲突消解;再次,划分双子群,利用入侵杂草优化算法和Fuch混沌蝙蝠优化算法协同进化;最后,应用重组算子引导种群进化,均衡算法全局探索和局部搜索能力.仿真算例表明,所提方法可对大规模复杂任务分配方案进行精确高效的求解.     

Meetings in a distributed group of experts: Comparing face-to-face,chat and collaborative virtual environments

This paper focuses on Collaborative Virtual Environments, and their potential to support work meetings for geographically distributed experts. The research question concerns the difference between face-to-face-, chat-, and CVE- meetings with regard to efficiency, communication process, problems with the technology, enjoyment and competence development. A small group of experts were observed during their natural work meetings. Six of the groups scheduled meetings were held three times in a chat environment and three times in a CVE. Results suggests that chat and CVE meetings are experienced as more task oriented than face-to-face meetings, and that avatars support turn taking and are enjoyable.     

Exception Handling for Conflict Resolution in Cross-Organizational Workflows

Workflow management systems (WfMSs) are being increasingly deployed to deliver e-business transactions across organizational boundaries. To ensure a high service quality in such transactions, exception-handling schemes for conflict resolution are needed. The conflicts primarily arise due to failure of a task in workflow execution because of underlying application, or controlling WfMS component failures or insufficient user input. So far, little progress has been reported in addressing conflict resolution in cross-organizational business processes, though its importance has been recognized. In this paper, we identify the exception handling techniques that support conflict resolution in cross-organizational settings. In particular, we propose a novel, bundled exception-handling approach, which supports (1) exception knowledge sharing--sharing exception specifications and handling experiences, (2) coordinated exception handling, and (3) intelligent problem solving--using case based reasoning to reuse exception handing experiences. A prototype of this exception handling mechanism is developed and integrated as a part of the METEOR Workflow Management System. An evaluation of our approach is also presented through some sample workflow applications.     

Face-to-face contact at the midpoint of an online collaboration: Its impact on the patterns of participation, interaction, affect, and behavior over time

This paper describes some of the consequences of introducing a face-to-face contact during an online collaborative learning session. Previous research on the development of online groups has suggested a critical transition period at the midpoint of a collaborative task in which group members redefine their behavior. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether face-to-face contact between participants during this period influences the patterns of participation, interaction, affect and behavior over time. Results show that a face-to-face contact introduced at the midpoint of a collaborative task has a positive influence on participation. However, a time sequence analysis of interactions revealed a further transition which appears between the face-to-face contact and the deadline. This transition is characterized by a decline of participation and task-focused interactions. At the same time, the analyses revealed an increase of interactions oriented towards emotional regulation and coordination, as well as a greater need of face-to-face contact, desire to drop out, and use of synchronous communications. These findings are based on an in-depth and longitudinal examination of a small sample, which limits their generalizability, but they may have a number of implications for the design of blended learning programs and the facilitation of collaborative tasks in distributed learning environments.     

The relevance of communication media in conflict contexts and their effectiveness: A negotiation experiment

Conflict negotiation is a communication process in which participants exchange huge amounts of cognitive and emotional information interactively to achieve a mutually acceptable solution regarding previous inconsistency. The present paper approaches this issue from the perspective of intervention in emotional negotiation by examining the moderating effect of communication media on the relationships between conflict contexts and their effectiveness. Given the different effectiveness of emotional delivery between face-to-face communication and computer-mediated communication, we hypothesize that the choice of communication media will ultimately affect negotiation effectiveness. A negotiation experiment was designed to test our research hypotheses. We find that face-to-face communication functions effectively in the functional conflict context, whereas computer-mediated communication functions effectively in dysfunctional conflict context.     

The role of user-centered AR instruction in improving novice spatial cognition in a high-precision procedural task

AR instruction is a kind of virtual information presented on a human–computer interface. It allows users to view the geometric state, spatial relationship, operation method, and other information involved in the physical task, to form the spatial cognition of the current interaction process. At present, AR instructions cannot support high-precision procedural tasks. The reason is that the existing research work is to use visual elements to express the spatial relationship of physical tasks, without considering transforming the long-term accumulated potential experience of advanced users into a series of effective visual features and interaction modes, to promote the new users to quickly conceive the task intention. In this paper, a user-centered AR instruction(UcAI) is defined and tested for the first time in a procedural task. The control experiment and behavior analysis of 30 participants designing two tasks with different operation precision show that UcAI is more beneficial to improve the user's spatial cognitive ability than conventional AR instruction. Especially in the high-precision operation task, UcAI plays an important role. Our research results have a certain guiding significance for advanced AR instruction design, which extends AR technology to physical tasks with high cognitive complexity.     

Collaborative video searching on a tabletop

Almost all system and application design for multimedia systems is based around a single user working in isolation to perform some task yet much of the work for which we use computers to help us, is based on working collaboratively with colleagues. Groupware systems do support user collaboration but typically this is supported through software and users still physically work independently. Tabletop systems, such as the DiamondTouch from MERL, are interface devices which support direct user collaboration on a tabletop. When a tabletop is used as the interface for a multimedia system, such as a video search system, then this kind of direct collaboration raises many questions for system design. In this paper we present a tabletop system for supporting a pair of users in a video search task and we evaluate the system not only in terms of search performance but also in terms of user–user interaction and how different user personalities within each pair of searchers impacts search performance and user interaction. Incorporating the user into the system evaluation as we have done here reveals several interesting results and has important ramifications for the design of a multimedia search system.     

Carpeno: interfacing remote collaborative virtual environments with table-top interaction

Creativity is enhanced by communication and collaboration. Thus, the increasing number of distributed creative tasks requires better support from computer-mediated communication and collaborative tools. In this paper we introduce “Carpeno”, a new system for facilitating intuitive face-to-face and remote collaboration on creative tasks. Normally the most popular and efficient way for people to collaborate is face-to-face, sitting around a table. Computer augmented surface environments, in particular interactive table-top environments, are increasingly used to support face-to-face meetings. They help co-located teams to develop new ideas by facilitating the presentation, manipulation, and exchange of shared digital documents displayed on the table-top surface. Users can see each other at the same time as the information they are talking about. In this way the task space and communication space can be brought together in a more natural and intuitive way. The discussion of digital content is redirected from a computer screen, back to a table where people can gather around. In contrast, collaborative virtual environments (CVE) are used to support remote collaboration. They frequently create familiar discussion scenarios for remote interlocutors by utilizing room metaphors. Here, virtual avatars and table metaphors are used, where the participants can get together and communicate with each other in a way that allows behaviour that is as close to face-to-face collaboration as possible. The Carpeno system described here combines table-top interaction with a CVE to support intuitive face-to-face and remote collaboration. This allows for simultaneous co-located and remote collaboration around a common, interactive table.

软件研发中的精细化人力资源管理模型及系统

软件项目研发的成功与否,人力资源的管理起着决定性作用。从实践项目中提出了精细化人力资源管理的模型,将人力资源、软件项目、任务等抽象成具有状态、属性和操作的实体,通过定义任务效率、效率奇点等指标,综合SPI、CPI指标进行项目成本进度偏差分析,为人力资源的计划、调度、冲突处理等提供支撑。基于该模型进行平台研发,并通过在该平台中跟踪和分析真实的精细化人力资源管理案例,验证了模型的有效性。     

Meetings in a distributed group of experts: comparing face-to-face, chat and collaborative virtual environments

This paper focuses on Collaborative Virtual Environments, and their potential to support work meetings for geographically distributed experts. The research question concerns the difference between face-to-face-, chat-, and CVE- meetings with regard to efficiency, communication process, problems with the technology, enjoyment and competence development. A small group of experts were observed during their natural work meetings. Six of the groups scheduled meetings were held three times in a chat environment and three times in a CVE. Results suggests that chat and CVE meetings are experienced as more task oriented than face-to-face meetings, and that avatars support turn taking and are enjoyable.