Applying Multi-Attribute Utility Technique to Assess Alternative Communication Media

Abstract

This paper illustrates how MAUT (Multi-Attribute Utility Technique) can be used to assess the potential utility of communication media for end-users. Using ordinary telephony and face-to-face communication as reference media the utility of videoconferencing was assessed in three different communication tasks. The results showed that videoconferencing was generally more useful than telephony and less useful than face-to-face communication, and also that these differences depend on the specific nature of the communication activity. For instance, telephony was the best medium when it was necessary to lie. Such findings can be used as a basis for recommending which media are best suited for which aims and activities. A significant strength of the method is that it can quantify and combine not only how suitable a communication medium is for a particular purpose or activity, but also how important that purpose or activity is for the end-user.