Foros del IV Congreso de la Cibersociedad

Esperamos vuestros comentarios / esperem els vostres comentaris / we expect your comments / esperamos os vosos comentarios / esperamos vossos comentários

Conducting research in Virtual Worlds is a work that opens a lot of posssibilities regarding new ways of doing research.

I would like to know if you think that prepare the context, the land or the place (into Second Life) with an special set of objects, colours, etc, posters, etc.. helps to have participants focused or comfortable. What kind or place would be the best?

And... are good tools or resources in Second Life for recording the answers and translate them to other platforms.?

These questions are so relevant that we wrote a working paper which address the topic of organizing focus groups in the Second Life metaverse. Unfortunately, it is written in French. Being more and more experienced in the matter, we will probably present an advanced version of the paper at the next annual congress of the CyberSociety. Here we can briefly suggest a couple of advices.

? Find a low traffic sim where you can rez the objects you will use during your focus group and be sure there are enough free prims available there. Get in touch with the owner to get her/his approbation. Alternatively you can rent a place for the duration of your study.
? Among the useful objects, you will find the four ones which are on the picture : a multi chair which will accomodate the number of participants, a chalk noteboard on which one you can write information, a brain board for anonymous brainstorming and a consent ball in order to respect the ethical principles of researching with avatars.

Benny,

Here is the link where I have uploaded the photo you have sent to me for showing to all of us the tools that are you referring.

Thanks a lot!

http://fromcommunication.blogspot.com/2009/1 1/focus-group-set-up-in-sl-made-by-benny.html

I have checked that link doesn´t work. I don´t why.
Perhaps this webpage doesn´t allows to put external links.

No problem. The photo that illustrates the answer made by Benni Rigaux Bricmont is here

http://fromcommunication.blogspot.com/

You must look for a post titled "Focus Group Set up in SL (made by Benny Rigaux-Bricmont)"

Is now the first post that appears on the blog, because it has just been published.