Conflict resolution models on usefulness within multi-user collaborative virtual environments

Conflict resolution models play key roles in coordinating simultaneous interactions in multi-user collaborative virtual environments (VEs). Currently, conflict resolution models are first-come-first-serve (FCFS) and dynamic priority (DP). Known to be unfair, the FCFS model grants all interaction opportunities to the agilest user. Instead, the DP model permits all users the perception of equality in interaction. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether the perception of equality in interaction could impact the usefulness of multi-user collaborative VEs. Thus, this present work compared the FCFS and DP models for underlying the usefulness of multi-user collaborative VEs. This comparison was undertaken based on a metrics of usefulness (i.e., task focus, decision time, and consensus), which we defined according to the ISO/IEC 205010:2011 standard. This definition remedied the current metrics of usefulness that measures actually effectiveness and efficiency of target technologies, instead of their usefulness. On our multi-user collaborative VE, we observed that the DP model yielded significantly lower decision time and higher consensus than the FCFS model. There was, however, no significant difference of task focus between both models. These observations imply a potential to improve multi-user collaborative VEs.