ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a conceptual model for investigating the process and consequences of common ground in teamwork. The model integrates concepts from group process theory and activity theory. Activity theory emphasizes that technology should be studied in the context of purposeful work and in a meaningful context. It broadens the scope of the investigation in HCI along three dimensions. The first is context and a level of analysis; the second are development and third is the individual–social dimension. More systematic techniques for studying group process include the analysis of communication structure and content. Such analysis requires verbatim transcripts of conversations with timestamps for each conversation turn. The costs and supports of communication must be explained in terms of the communication medium and participants' purposes. Communication as a goal in itself is qualitatively different from communication as part of group work.
