Not Close Enough: Using Google Hangouts for Group Discussions

As I type this, my son and his friends are using Skype to rehearse lines for their production of Shakespeare's "King Lear." This afternoon's practice was cancelled due to icy roads, and given how difficult it usually is to reschedule, an alternative was sought. While the kids can't do anything about the vagaries of New Hampshire weather, new technologies provide a reasonable alternative to meeting in person.

For those who are new to Skype and similar video-chat tools: video chat is faster than email, more personal than instant messaging, and cheaper than long-distance phone calls. Note: "video chat" refers to a one-on-one conversation; video conferencing is conducted with a group.

Google Hangouts uses a multi-user video chat room viewed through a browser. A few weeks ago, I made my first attempt at using Google Hangouts. According to the website, you can "video chat with up to nine friends." Perhaps I was naive, but I thought I would be able to see video images of all the people with whom I would be chatting (as this Google+ video implies). As it turns it, "your 'mileage' may vary."

Getting Started with Google Hangouts, April 2013

My goal was to hold a dynamic class discussion, where everyone would have a chance to talk and contribute, as they do during our usual face-to-face meetings. Of the seven people who participated in our Google Hangout, two were in the same building and five joined from remote locations. We quickly discovered that having two computers in close proximity distorted the audio significantly. To stop the annoying feedback and reverberations, we turned off the audio on one of the computers. That seemed to solve the problem.


After a few attempts, we were able to get everyone into the Hangout, although one person was never able to get his video to work, even though he had a webcam. Unfortunately, the video images for the others were so dark and blurry that they weren't very useful. It was nearly impossible to discern facial features, which meant my attempts at reading expressions were futile: I was unable to assess whether someone was eager to say something or was simply listening attentively.

Even though everyone was using "high-speed" internet connections from their homes, we seemed to be suffering from insufficient bandwidth. In an effort to to reduce the demands on the router and improve the video quality, we experimented with turning off the video for one or more people. We started by having the two of us who were in the same building move to a single laptop, thus reducing the number of videos in the hangout to six. (It was hard to imagine how "up to nine" friends would be able to use Google Hangouts successfully, unless most of them were sharing a screen or using an exceptionally fast internet. For us, it seemed to work best with only two or three people using it at the same time.)

How can we best configure video technology to support different kinds of work at a distance? Here are a few improvements that I'm hoping will enhance my next experience with Google Hangouts:

• Better equipment. If all of the participants in our Google Hangout had had access to reliably fast, advanced networks and high-quality video, I imagine the experience would have been better.
• Adequate lighting. Sitting with a window behind you is the worst location, because it leaves your face in the dark. Choose a spot that sheds light on your face, as if you were going to have your picture taken.
• Multiple modes of communication. In addition to the obvious audio and video channels, Google Hangouts offers a "side chat" feature, which can be used for private texting between a few of the participants who want to avoid disrupting the flow of the main conversation. Chats can also be used to formally structure conversation and designate turns by calling on participants by name. 
• An electronic "whiteboard" area offers a shared screen space for brainstorming ideas. This portion of the screen provides a focus for conversations and can be used for sketching, editing documents, and reviewing slides or videos.  

As we use these new technologies, it's worth reflecting on exactly how and why video-mediated interaction differs from face-to-face interaction. What can we do to improve our feelings of connection and involvement? How can we make the technology work for us when we need it most?