Information Technology
Face-to-face
Geoffrey Dick
The University of New South Wales,
School of Information Systems
Why are you here?
- What is the topic area?
- Who else will be here?
- Where is it?
- Who is paying/can it be a vacation
too?
Communication "richness"
- Multiple cues through multiple channels
of communication
- Immediate feedback
- Language variety
- High degree of personalisation
Does a conference require rich communication?
- Sharing information
- Informed (esoteric?) discussion
- Meeting colleagues (old and new)
- Discussion groups
- Setting up collaborative work
- Social interaction
- Arranging sabbaticals
- Developing ideas
If so, will IT provide rich communication?
- Does not feel the same
- Good for sharing information, not
good for enacting a common frame of reference
- Even slight delays cause annoyance
- Best if acquaintances made first
- Best if prepared, focused, minimal
no. of sites and people
Suitable or not?
- Would you need/want/like a break?
- Is travel a status symbol?
- Getting information v participating
- State of the technology (and acceptance)
- Do you know the attendees?
- How big is the conference?
- What interests me?
- How much will it cost?