Asynchronous Multimodal Communications about Shared Images: A Comparison between Microsoft's Powerpoint and CWS'S Pointntalk for Creating and using Directional Instructions

Abstract

Ten West Point cadets between the ages of 18 and 24 were tested in their ability to build a complex structure using directions provided by either PointnTalk, a purpose built asynchronous multimodal communications tool developed by Collaborative Work Systems (CWS), Inc., or the well known Microsoft program PowerPoint. Cadets then used the opposite system, PointnTalk or PowerPoint respectively, to create their own presentation of an instructional dialogue directing someone how to complete the same complex structure. The results showed that PointnTalk instructions took longer to administer, but that the tool proved to be better at communicating higher level processes and produced superior performance in successful task completion of the participant built instructions. Results support multimodal communication theories and natural language communication strategies for effective asynchronous communication.