Alternatives to an Open Outcry Market: An Issue of Supporting Cooperation in a Competitive Situation

We present a design exploration for electronic futures exchange which is currently implemented a physical open outcry pit. The goal structure is characterized by competition at the individual level and cooperation at the group level. Individuals compete for trades in order to earn money, but must also agree to undertake a significant number of trades which do not earn them money in order to sustain the market. This goal structure makes the open outcry market an example of a social dilemma. We analyze the social interaction fabric that exists in the open outcry environment and identify a set of intents that characterize the system. We then discuss how the affordances of the physical environment support the satisfaction of the intents. In the design exploration we examine which of these intents are still applicable in an electronic implementation and discuss how the affordances of this medium shape possible designs.