Group Support Systems: The Effects of Mixing Support Systems on Information Pooling, Decision Time, and Decision Quality

Most group support systems (GSS) laboratory studies compare face-to-face groups with groups assigned to either a synchronous or asynchronous decision support system. Research findings have been inconclusive. A laboratory study that compared face-to-face groups with mixed support mode groups was conducted to determine the effectiveness of selectively using information technology to support the group process and explain some of the variability in research findings. Groups that shared information using a Web-based asynchronous system and discussed the shared information in a face-to-face meeting environment, assembled more information and made higher quality decisions in less time than groups that shared and discussed information in a face-to-face meeting environment.