@device(postscript)
@libraryfile(Mathematics10)
@libraryfile(Accents)
@style(fontfamily=timesroman,fontscale=11)
@pagefooting(immediate, left "@c<Technical Report 1996>",
center "@c<Computer Science>",
right "@c<Carnegie Mellon>")
@heading(Collaboration in Performance of Physical Tasks:
Effects on Outcomes and Communication)
@heading(CMU-CS-96-117)
@center(@b(Robert E. Kraut, Mark D. Miller, Jane Siegel))
@center(March 1996)
@center(FTP: Unavailable)
@blankspace(1)
@begin(text)

We report an empirical study of people using mobile collaborative systems
to support maintenance tasks on a bicycle.  Results show that field workers
make repairs more quickly and accurately when they have a remote expert
helping them.  Some pairs were connected by a shared video system, where the
video camera focused on the active workspace and they communicated with full
duplex audio.  For other pairs, either the video was eliminated or the audio
was reduced to half duplex (but not both).  Pairs' success at collaboration
did not vary with the communication technology.  However, the manner in which
they coordinated advice-giving did vary with the communication technology.
In particular, help was more proactive and coordination was less explicit when
the pairs had video connections.  The results show the value of collaboration,
but raise questions about the interaction of communication media and
conversational coordination on task performance.

@blankspace(2line)
@begin(transparent,size=10)
@b(Keywords:@ )@c<Wearable computers, empirical studies, collaborative work,
conversation, media effects, vehicle maintenance>
@end(transparent)
@blankspace(1line)
@end(text)
@flushright(@b[(12 pages)])