Common Frame of reference in collaborative virtual environments and their impact on presence

TL;DR

This study investigates how stable visual landmarks in virtual collaborative environments enhance shared understanding and partner awareness, thereby improving collaborative effectiveness.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence that stable landmarks help build a common environment representation and increase presence awareness.

Findings

Stable landmarks improve shared environment understanding

Landmarks increase partner presence awareness

Enhanced collaboration through better environment comprehension

Abstract

Virtual collaborative environment are 3D shared spaces in which people can work together. To collaborate through these systems, users must have a shared comprehension of the environment. The objective of this experimental study was to determine if visual stable landmarks improve the construction of a common representation of the virtual environment and thus facilitate collaboration. This seems to increase the awareness of the partner's presence.