Evolution of Interaction Style Using a Multimedia Conferencing Application

Abstract

Multimedia conferencing applications provide all the functional complexity of an audio conference with the added requirement of managing different media: voice, data and video. Such a fully-featured interface can be challenging to learn. In an effort to answer these questions, this study examined the evolution of interaction style as users learned a new multimedia conferencing application. The interface provided menus, an icon toolbar, an outline (tree) viewer, and a conference room metaphor. Results indicate that across sessions, a predominant interaction style was evident for each task. Also, each user developed a preferred interaction style. Deviations from the typical interaction style can be interpreted as instances of particularly intuitive or particularly unusable aspects of the interface.