Computer support for meetings: Formalisms for local control?

This paper considers experience of computer supported meeting environments and decision support systems. The benefits are related to the ease with which computer images can be manipulated. The paper argues that the benefits follow from three underlying factors. Cognitive and social processes, and specific, grounded decision situations are not well understood. Acceptable computer support embeds an appropriate manipulable formalism, and avoids the temptation to try to represent social process and situations. This enables participants to construct their own local processes and representations, and then to reconstruct them as needed. The potential of such support is to encourage participants in discussions and meetings to gain greater control over the local synthetic a priori (framework, protocols and procedures) within which their work takes place.