User experience in video conferencing

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Journal Title

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Volume Title

School of Electrical Engineering | Master's thesis
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Date

2010

Major/Subject

Viestintätekniikka

Mcode

AS-75

Degree programme

Language

en

Pages

vii + 61 s. + liitt. 11

Series

Abstract

In 2009, Outokumpu Oyj invested in a new video conferencing solution delivered by Hewlett-Packard (HP). The solution consisted of six endpoint devices placed at six locations in Europe. Outokumpu had earlier in 1997, invested in a video conferencing solution, but due to technology factors, as well as usability issues, the solution ended in the middle of the 2000s. The user experience of the system was on a low level. In the spring of 2009, however, Outokumpu was ready to try a new, modern and developed solution. Due to the poor experiences of the prior system, Outokumpu wanted information concerning user satisfaction of the new system. The experimental part in this Master's thesis was carried out by a questionnaire. The video conferencing participants were asked about their background regarding video conferencing, about using the system, about how present they felt in the video conferencing environment. They were also asked whether they were ready to use the system again as well as to recommend it to colleagues. According to the questionnaire results, the video conferencing users in Outokumpu are satisfied with the video conferencing system as a meeting tool, but they do not feel very present in the virtual conference environment. They think that video conferencing is a useful replacement for regular face-to-face meetings and that it will save travelling costs and time. The low experience of presence is a consequence of, for example, small picture size. In point-to-point conferences, however, the picture is larger, which also will lead to a greater experience of presence. Regardless of the picture size, the video will bring extra value to the conference that would otherwise possibly be held as an audio conference.

Description

Supervisor

Oittinen, Pirkko

Thesis advisor

Eskola, Mika

Keywords

video conferencing, videokonferens, presence, närvaro, questionaire, frågeformulär, virtual environment, virtuell omgivning

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