Abstract:

Video meetings have become common practice, and an indispensable remote collaboration routine. This holds many advantages, provided, however, the tools are used in an appropriate manner, applying the appropriate methodology. Insufficient breaks in between meetings, the limited range of movement as well as the lack of face-to-face interaction may lead to concentration deficiencies and online fatigue. These factors can significantly reduce the effectiveness of virtual trainings or workshops, as researchers discovered. In studies conducted by the universities of Stanford, U.S., und Gothenburg, Sweden (1, 2), approximately 10,000 participants had been surveyed. The symptoms that were mentioned most often were impatience, poor mental well-being, headache, and a higher level of irritability. Apparently, women are three times more susceptible to these symptoms than men (3).
Stuttgart-based vitero GmbH, a spin-off of Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, has engaged in the field of effective remote communication for nearly 20 years. Thus, the challenges are not new, but now they affect a much larger number of users. This increasing relevance led researchers to investigate this phenomenon using scientific and methodological-didactic approaches. The resources listed below name several measures that anybody can take directly by themselves. In our lecture and paper on the topic of "Defying Zoom fatigue – Boosting the Effectiveness and Sustainability of Online Communication", we explore the interaction between user behaviour and an ergonomic user interface that is optimized for the users’ needs – to render remote communication a more sustainable and effective instrument.

References:
[1] stanford-news: https://courses.cs.washington.edu/courses/cse481p/23sp/readings/W6S2/four-causes-zoom-fatigue-solutions-VigneshRamachandran.pdf
[2] stanford.edu: https://news.stanford.edu/2021/02/23/four-causes-zoom-fatigue-solutions/
[3] University of Gothenburg: https://www.gu.se/en/news/women-more-affected-by-zoom-fatigue

Keywords:

Online fatigue, remote communication, remote collaboration, effective online communication, methodological-didactic approach, sustainable remote communication.