The Effects of Augmenting Face-to-Face Meetings with Web-Based Asynchronous Group Support Systems

Most group support systems (GSS) laboratory studies compare face-to-face groups with groups assigned to either a synchronous or asynchronous decision support system. Research findings have been inconclusive. Results of a laboratory study of groups that worked on a selection problem are presented. One set of groups shared information using an asynchronous Web-based system before meeting in a face-to-face setting to discuss and make a decision. The other set of groups met, shared information, discussed the problem, and made a decision in a face-to-face meeting exclusively. Groups that shared information using a Web-based asynchronous system and discussed the shared information in a face-to-face meeting environment assembled more information and made higher quality decisions in less time than groups that shared and discussed information in a face-to-face meeting environment