Personal Space Invasion in Collaborative Design

We explore the dynamic process of personal space invasion in collaborative design, and the consequences thereof on team micro-conflicts, minute disagreements in behaviour. Our topic of interest is the pattern of collaboration and micro-conflicts, herein specifically the moments when the teamwork involves physical overcrossing of personal space when conducting physical co-design with LEGO bricks. To study microconflicts in the collaborative practice of teams, we surveyed nine high-school student teams’ activity by coding captured video of their joint activities during a well-defined and an ill-defined LEGO task. Using mixed research methods, we identify the characteristics of micro-conflicts and investigate the relationship between micro-conflicts and personal space invasion. The results suggest that increased patterns of crossing personal space can provoke micro-conflicts during teamwork. But our qualitative results also demonstrate how crossing personal space can be moderated by invitations or requests during collaborative tasks. The results inform the use and design of tools and settings for co-designing for educational and professional purposes.