Creativity in Computer-Mediated Virtual Groups

Virtual teams exist throughout business and society, impacting creative generation in a variety of modalities. This chapter examines research on computer-mediated creativity and draws conclusions about the effects of computer technology across three distinct areas of interest: electronic brainstorming (EBS) groups, individual cognition, and crowdsourcing. This chapter examines EBS performance from the individual level, small group level, and large, distributed group level. It further examines theoretical underpinnings in the exchange of ideas among group members and how computer technology may alter traditional face-to-face approaches to creativity. It considers emergent research on how the computer can be intentionally designed to leverage the creativity of group members in ways that are not easy to implement in traditional face-to-face interactions. Finally, it considers how technology enables creativity on a massive scale through crowdsourcing.