I-Robot to We-Robot: Exploring the Effects of Team Structure on Team Dynamics, Decision Making, and Performance, When Working with a Remote Robot

Abstract

In this study I gave teams of five a team structure, condition or hierarchy, and tasked them with controlling a remote robot through an experimental space with the goal of maximizing exploration and exploitation. They were given 90 minutes, and within that 90 minutes had a series of (max) 10-minute windows to send a series of commands to their robot in bulk consisting of movement and pictures, which were used to help in following planning sessions. Ultimately, three groups emerged, tightly coupled hierarchical and consensus ones, and loosely coupled versions of both. Loosely coupled teams proved to be best suited for the task as they could maintain brief social order centered around their robot teammate where their team structure provided little. They could then neutralize the advantages of their given structure and adopt the advantages of the other.