Future Directions

The shape factory paradigm can be used in many settings. So far we have run only three conditions: baseline, doubles, and travel. We are hoping to expand our research to other configurations of the experiment, International distributed teams – which include multi-culture affects, and time zone differences. We also are working on a new simulation.

Configurations:

Other configurations that we are hoping to run include: social intervention, technological intervention, various settings of location and length of study.

Social intervention:

1) Have the group participate in a team building activity before the game starts
2) Having participants who have prior positive history (fraternity and sorority members, social club members) participate.
3) Having breaks between rounds where group could meet and discuss future directions.

Technological interventions:

1) Adding a phone line capability.
2) Adding instant messenger.
3) Adding video conferencing

Setting locations:

1) Virtual team (all players are telecommuters)
2) Two main collocated location and some distributed (for example 3-3-1-1-1-1 or 4-4-1-1)
3) Unbalanced locations - More telecommuters than collocators and vice versa (1-1-1-1-1-1-4 or 6-1-1-1-1).

Varying the length of the study:

1) Playing each round as if it is a full day.
2) Have the simulation last longer (not just five rounds)

As one of our researchers ( Arik Cheshin ) is going to start a program at The Technion , Israel we have a chance of doing a cross national/ cross cultural study.

International distributed teams:

1) Two groups of collocated teams each located in a different country and culture (US and Israel)
a. All American and All Israeli teams
b. Mixed groups in 2 locations.
2) Four collocated groups (two Americans, two Israelis) with telecommuters distributed over both countries.

We are currently working on a new simulation called Tree Town. Tree Town expands on Shape Factory and adds aspects of team work, and optimal performance (there is no zero sum and it is impossible to complete all the tasks) among others.