Backchan.nl: integrating backchannels with physical space

In this paper, we describe backchan.nl, a web based backchannel system that focuses on providing greater audience participation during question and answer sessions. The system allows audience members to use a web-based service to propose questions and comments, and to vote on the questions of others. Top rated submissions are projected into the presentation space where audience members, moderators, and panelists can see them. We discuss the results of deploying this system at many different kinds of conferences and relate those results to the particular design of our system, demonstrating how backchannel systems can be more than just shared chat rooms. From our experience with this work, we discuss the broader implications of configurable mediated social spaces and how subtle design decisions can influence user experience

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