Hu, Shanshan (contact person)

Background:

In recent years, online meetings in professional environments have surged in popularity and frequency. While this shift has facilitated remote work and global collaboration, it has also led to a decline in personal communication. This trend has several negative side effects. Online communication lacks the richness of in-person interactions, where body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice play crucial roles. Additionally, the beginning of online meetings often involves a waiting period until all participants are present, resulting in unproductive time. Innovative applications can address these problems by utilizing the otherwise wasted time with digital content such as videos. These videos can increase awareness of effective communication strategies and mental health. While a single short video may not have an immediate significant impact, it can be thought-provoking and initiate positive changes. Exploring the potential benefits and business value of this approach includes enhancing engagement, improving communication skills, and promoting mental well-being in professional settings.

This thesis is a cooperation with the startup PACK in Karlsruhe. More information about PACK can be found here.

Objective(s):

This is an umbrella topic since topics of interest change rapidly. A specific topic will be selected during the first meeting. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Review on the adaptation of communication for digital life.
• Experimental design on the effects of awareness videos at the start of online meetings.
• Experimental design on the effects of video-supported learning.

Following aspects can be included for the assessment of the (long-term) effectiveness of online meeting intervention on both, communication practices and overall well-being in professional settings:

• Metrics: Tracking metrics such as viewership, duration of engagement, and interaction rates with the digital content to gauge the level of engagement among participants over time.
• Effectiveness of Communication: Assessing the impact of the digital content on improving communication skills and fostering better understanding among participants in online meetings.
• Mental Health Indicators: Monitoring mental health indicators such as stress levels, job satisfaction, and overall well-being of participants to measure the potential positive effects of the intervention on mental health.
• Long-term Behavioral Changes: Examining whether participants demonstrate sustained improvements in communication habits and mental health practices over an extended period.
• Cost-benefit Analysis: Conducting a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis to determine the economic viability and return on investment of implementing our communication solution in professional environments.