Video calls are not an adequate substitute to in-person communication

Slight inconsistencies in digital communication create incredibly frustrating experiences. With video calls, the lag, and lack of spatial awareness that is central to in-person communication creates a mismatch of expectation and shortens the Opportunity window for spontaneity.

As well, it is not natural to be looking directly at everyone taking part in a conversation. Even in a 1:1 conversation often you'll be sitting or walking side-by-side and not looking straight on at the other person the whole time. Looking directly at each other makes silence awkward. There is also an inability to make eye-contact or properly look away (point your attention to some object in your shared environment), which creates an unnatural situation which can leave you feeling much more exhausted than in-person interaction.

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Learning Groups

Central to researching what kind of platform can enable people to learn together in a digital medium is the idea of building better Conversational Interfaces. Just mashing people together in one room does not facilitate learning, and Video calls are not an adequate substitute to in-person communication. How can the platform itself facilitate conversation and collaboration?

Conversational Interfaces

So much information beyond speech is conveyed through in-person conversation. Translating the multi-faceted experience of conversation to a digital medium can be extremely difficult. Particularly, people are beginning to realize that Video calls are not an adequate substitute to in-person communication. Figuring out how to enable more natural discourse and collaboration is one of my ʘ Open Design Challenges.