The Use of Two Electronic Idea Generation Techniques in Strategy Planning Meetings

Numerous studies have compared groups using oral brainstorming with groups utilizing an electronic technique based upon individual poolwriting, but very few studies have investigated groups using other electronic meeting techniques. Some research, however, indicates that one alternative electronic meeting technique based upon gallery writing may be superior to individual poolwriting in many situations. In this paper, we report a case involving five groups of stakeholders who used the two different electronic meeting techniques to discuss ways of improving a local private school. Survey results from the groups support findings from earlier laboratory experiments. Participants in the case study preferred electronic gallery writing over electronic poolwriting because of the former's ability to show users all of the groups'comments at the same time.