Reviewing the interaction aspects of a line of electronic brainstorming social interfaces

Abstract

Electronic brainstorming (EBS) is one of the most widely studied topics in the fields of information systems (IS) and computer-mediated communication (CMC), but many questions remain as to what is the ideal virtual environment for generating ideas. We review several EBS interfaces originally developed and tested as part of our research over the past 10 years in studying the organization and management of the presentation of users and their content. This includes content spatial partitioning and marking for identifiability or anonymity, as well as certain related social, affective, and cognitive aspects of the user interface. We conclude by discussing the design trends and suggest that IS, human-computer interaction (HCI), and cognitive psychology will benefit from further coalition aimed at improving EBS interfaces.