A Systematic Literature Review to Characterize Asymmetric Interaction in Collaborative Systems

Computer-mediated collaboration often relies on symmetrical interactions between users, where all the collaborators use identical devices. However, in some cases, either due to constraints (e.g. users in different environments) or by choice (e.g. using devices with different properties), users engage in asymmetrical interactions. Addressing such asymmetries in heterogeneous systems can be difficult as there has been no systematic analysis of how to define them, or their impact on collaboration. In this paper, we characterize the asymmetries that can arise between users’ interactions within collaborative heterogeneous systems. To this end, we conduct a systematic literature review of asymmetric collaborative systems, coding their properties, including the interaction spaces, their input and output modalities, and shared feedback. We then define the dimensions of asymmetry that emerge from this review. We discuss their impact on collaboration and outline a set of challenges and opportunities for future research.