Forum contact space

摘要

This paper explores whether chance encounters which occur within the workplace can be reproduced within a virtual environment. Participants' interaction in the Forum Contact Space, a networked virtual world designed to support chance encounters, was investigated over a three month period. The initial findings suggest that chance encounters occurred as participants reported examples of interactions which triggered events that may not have occurred otherwise. Future research should explore whether Contact Space chance encounters for distributed team members produce a feeling of group cohesiveness or create an enhanced awareness of one's co-workers.