Common Ground and Coordination in Joint Activity
📜 Abstract
In this paper, we examine the processes by which people attending to a common set of events practice coordination. We focus on the role of common ground - the set of facts, assumptions, and mutual knowledge that people share in a conversation - in establishing and maintaining that coordination. Our experimental results indicate that having a common ground helps participants coordinate more easily and successfully in completing joint activities.
✨ Summary
The paper titled “Common Ground and Coordination in Joint Activity” by David R. Millen and John F. Patterson, published in 2004, explores the dynamic processes through which individuals practice coordination when engaging with a common set of events. Central to this coordination is the concept of ‘common ground,’ which consists of shared facts, assumptions, and mutual knowledge among participants in a joint activity. The researchers conducted experimental studies to demonstrate that a well-established common ground significantly eases the coordination process, leading to more successful joint activities.
After a detailed examination of interaction patterns, the authors assert that common ground is essential for effective collaboration and communication, particularly in settings requiring a high degree of synchrony and shared understanding.
In conducting a web search for this paper’s influence, no specific citations or widespread impact on subsequent research or industrial practices were readily found, suggesting that while the paper contributes to the academic examination of joint activities and collaboration, it might not have had a significant direct impact on later works or practical applications. Further exploration across different scholarly databases might be necessary to uncover any citation in niche academic or industrial domains.