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Table 4.1 (Continued)
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Problems:
Flaming: When a user writes incensed angry email expressed in uninhibited language that is much stronger
than normally used when interacting with the same person face to face. This includes the use of impolite
statements, exclamation marks, capitalized sentences or words, swearing, and superlatives. Such "charged"
communication can lead to misunderstandings and bad feelings among the recipients.
Overload: Many people experience message overload, receiving over 30 emails or other messages a day.
They find it difficult to cope and may overlook an important message while working through their ever
increasing pile of email-especially if they have not read it for a few days. Various interface mechanisms
have been designed to help people manage their email better, including filtering, threading, and the use of
signaling to indicate the level of importance of a message (via the sender or recipient), through color coding,
bold font, or exclamation marks placed beside a message.
False expectations: An assumption has evolved that people will read their messages several times a day and
reply to them there and then. However, many people have now reverted to treating email more like postal
mail, replying when they have the time to do so.
iii. CMC combined with other activity
People often talk with each other while carrying out other activities. For example, designing requires people to
brainstorm together in meetings, drawing on whiteboards, making notes, and using existing designs. Teaching
involves talking with students as well as writing on the board and getting students to solve problems
collaboratively. Various meeting- and decision- support systems have been developed to help people work or
learn while talking together.
Examples:
Customized electronic meeting rooms have been built that support people in face-to-face meetings, via the
use of networked workstations, large public displays, and shared software tools, together with various
techniques to help decision-making. One of the earliest systems was the University of Arizona's
Groupsystem (see Figure 4.2).

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White board Wall mounted projectioiscreen White board

Facilitator console
and network
file server

\
Work
/

Figure 4.2 Schematic diagram of a group meeting room, showing relationship of work-
station, whiteboards and video projector.
(Continued)
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