The impact of computer interfaces on multi-objective negotiation problems

Abstract

Planning a city is a complex task that requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders who have different and often conflicting goals and objectives. Researchers have studied the role of technology in group collaboration for many years. It has been noted that when the task between collaborators increases in complexity, such as in a decision-making process, the use of computer technology could enhance, or disturb, the collaboration process. This thesis evaluates whether a Tangible User Interface (TUI) is more effective for multi-objective group decision-making than a Graphical User Interface (GUI). To examine this question, I designed and developed the CityGame framework, a web-based negotiation and decision-support game with a multi-modal interface for an urban planning scenario. The interfaces were evaluated in a within-subjects study with 31 participants of varying background, who were assigned a planning task in a gameplay session. Results show that tangible interfaces have some observable advantages over digital interfaces in this scenario.