The Application of Virtual Presence Technology to Team Training

Abstract

Knowledge about what to teach teams to improve team-related performance has increased. However, the techniques available to conduct team training are still relatively limited. The most common and most effective form of team training has been to provide teams with an opportunity to practice and receive feedback in realistic simulated team problems. Experience with these methods has increased awareness of the limitations associated with current team-training exercises. Specifically, the feedback provided tends to be over-generalized, and does not sufficiently involve the team members themselves in the process. One possible solution is the application of distributed training technologies that increases the ability of trainers and team members to share, inspect, analyze, and communicate during and after a team exercise.

Human factors of it-based solutions for worldwide manufacturing web

“…Membership in a large concurrent engineering team can result in a sense of being "lost in a crowd" on the part of some members. The use of virtual presence technology can help to improve training for distributed teams (Radtke, 1998), especially the effects of group interactivity that impede collaboration as in face-to-face teams.…”

“…Detailed knowledge about the use of verbal, written, and graphical communication in teamwork can help to increase the efficiency of team sessions (Frankenberger & Auer, 1997), while the use of VR can enhance team training (Radtke, 1998). Human factors research needs to be aimed at helping industry to improve and develop its capabilities in: (a) management of change; (b) technology deployment; (c) integration of people, technology, and organization into a coordinated system; (d) development of computer-based and knowledge-based tools to support analysis of complex organizations; (e) development of skills and competencies in systems strategy, systems architecturing, and systems integration; and (f ) development of technologies that leverage the skills and knowledge of users (Karwowski et al, 1997).…”