IM here: Public instant messaging on large, shared displays for workgroup interactions

Abstract

Instant messaging (IM) in the workplace has proven to be a valuable tool for facilitating informal communication. Its benefits, however, are generally limited to times when users are in front of their computers. Because so much work takes place while people are mobile within their workplace, we sought to extend the benefits of IM beyond people's personal machines and into publicly accessible groupware. We first conducted a study of large display groupware applications (LDGAs) to understand the affordances that large displays offer for groupware, and the factors surrounding their adoption. We developed the IM Here system for shared IM on large displays using the lessons learned from the study. In this paper, we present the findings of our LDGA study, the design of IM Here and the preliminary results of our evaluation of IM as a public resource for workgroups.