Whilethe benefits of Zoom and other videoconferencing tools made them absolutelyessential in the pandemic(疫情), the researchsuggests that heavy reliance on the technology comes at a cost to creativethinking.
Brucksat Columbia University and her team started their investigation when managersreported having trouble innovating with remote workers. Brucks doubted whethervideoconferencing was a factor, suspecting that difficulties coordinating(协调) large, global teams online might be to blame instead.
Tofind out, the researchers analysed ideas for new products generated by 1, 490engineers for a multinational company. The engineers, who were in Finland,Hungary, India, Israel and Portugal, were randomly paired up and given an houror so to brainstorm products either in person or over videoconferencing. Theythen selected their best idea.
Writingin Nature, the researchers reportthat the engineers produced more ideas, and more innovative ideas, when workingface to face. "They are not only generating a larger number of creativeideas, but their best idea is better, " Brucks said. Virtual teams werejust as good at selecting the best ideas from a bunch as those that met inperson.
"Visualfocus is a huge component of cognitive(认知) focus. When you'refocused on the screen and ignoring the rest of the environment, that affectshow you approach the task, " said Brucks. "It's uniquely bad forcreativity because it'sinhibitingbroader exploration."
Bruckssaid the impact on the real world "could be huge", leading to adivision of labour between facetoface and virtual meetings that could "permanentlyreshape the office and work schedules". But she urged businesses to becautious, because if virtual meetings are cheaper than inperson ones, they maystill be more costeffective.
Askedfor tips, Brucks said people could save more creative tasks for inpersonmeetings, or turn off their camera when coming up with ideas. "I think itunlocks more creative thinking, " she said.
