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Digital Collaboration Hubs for Spatial Planning and Design Teams

Design of collaborative mixed reality settings for distributed teams

Collaborative teamwork is critical to the success of design and planning teams in dynamic contexts. Research on fostering creative and innovative processes in teams has so far focused either on physical settings, or then on technical IT solutions that support specific, creative processes such as brainstorming.

The research project closes this gap with a transdisciplinary focus on the interaction of spatial, technical and team-based factors. From a technological perspective, mixed reality opens up new potentials for collaborative team episodes especially with respect to joint viewing, manipulation and creation of 3D objects.

In the context of a team-centered requirements analysis, critical design factors for collaboration hubs regarding team collaboration, shared objects and environments will be identified. Based on these findings, prototypes are developed and will be evaluated in business contexts.

Project Dates

Lead and Team
Prof. Dr. Oliver Rack, School of Applied Psychology FHNW (Lead)
Cynthia Steiner, School of Applied Psychology FHNW
Milena Rutz, School of Applied Psychology FHNW
Jan Torpus, School of Art and Design FHNW
Prof. Dr. Arzu Cöltekin, School of Engineering FHNW
FundingInnosuisse
CollaborationVitra AG, afca AG, Stadt Zürich
Duration
01.04.2021–31.12.2023
Publications
  • Ryser T., Angerer E., Ganesh M.P., Schulze H. (2016) Towards a Model of Collective Competences for Globally Distributed Collaborations. In: Flecker J. (eds) Space, Place and Global Digital Work. Dynamics of Virtual Work. Palgrave Macmillan, London
  • Flepp, C. et al. (2017). Designing Rooms for Virtual, Informal Communication: Reciprocal Awareness as a Central Criterion. In C. M. Schlick, S. Duckwitz, F. Flemisch, M. Frenz, S. Kuz, A. Mertens & S. Mütze-Niewöhner (Eds.), Advances in Ergonomic Design of Systems, Products and Processes – Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of GfA 2016 (pp. 191-208). Berlin: Springer.
  • Ryser, T. & Flepp, C. (2017). Mixed reality: a new dimension in adult education. Lecture delivered at the continuing education congress Adult & Professional Education. Topic: "The next 25 years – thinking about the future"