Map Sketches Promotes Collaboration

Another reference that might help me to analyse the map drawn by CatchBob! participants:Heiser, J., Tversky, B. and Silverman, M. (2004). Sketches for and from collaboration. In J. S. Gero, B. Tversky, and T. Knight (Editors). Visual and spatial reasoning in design III. Pp. 69-78. Sydney: Key Centre for Design Research.

Pairs of collaborators worked side-by-side using a campus map to design and produce an optimal emergency rescue route. Copresent collaborators shared a map; remote partners were separated by a barrier and used separate maps. In the co-present condition, gestures on the maps, notably pointing and tracing, served to focus attention and to communicate solutions. A shared diagram increased the efficiency of the collaboration, the product of the collaboration, and the enjoyability of the collaboration.

Why do I blog this? We are trying to show (with CatchBob!) that the map annotation feature is very relevant and could support collaboration efficiently (better than just providing a location-awareness tool since it promotes strategy discussion on the map).