Case Study 3: Promoting trust among remote co-workers by enhancing collaboration tools with visualizations of their work activities.
Process
We did 40 user tests with a prototype designed to promote trust in globally distributed software development teams. We distributed surveys to quantify users’ perceived trustworthiness of their collaborators and the usability of the prototype.
We did 40 user tests with a prototype designed to promote trust in globally distributed software development teams. We distributed surveys to quantify users’ perceived trustworthiness of their collaborators and the usability of the prototype.
I analyzed over 50 interview transcripts with 3 other researchers on my team in order to identify the most frequent situations that lead to mistrust among remote team members. I created the task for the user tests based on my team's findings and presented it to them for feedback. After incorporating their input and finalizing the task, I recruited study participants. I decided to recruit professional developers, who have actually experienced events like this in the workplace, rather than relying entirely on easily accessible university students to try to imagine them. I moderated all user tests and statistically analyzed data collected from the surveys completed by participants.
Results
Users made significantly better trustworthiness judgments (compared to without the prototype) and reported that it was highly usable (84% on the SUS scale). Telecommuters responded to the tool favorably, expressing interest in using it at their jobs.
I reported the findings in a presentation to my managers, and in my dissertation to engineers and other researchers.
Users made significantly better trustworthiness judgments (compared to without the prototype) and reported that it was highly usable (84% on the SUS scale). Telecommuters responded to the tool favorably, expressing interest in using it at their jobs.
I reported the findings in a presentation to my managers, and in my dissertation to engineers and other researchers.