Designing integrated information facilities to support electronic meetings

Facility design is a major factor contributing to the Electronic Meeting System (EMS) research program at the University of Arizona. The design of work group facilities has been integral to the research program. Beginning in 1984 with Arizona's first workgroup facility, EMS facilities have been designed to complement the vision of the research program. New facilities continue to be designed to respond to a combination of factors including experiences, technological trends, and the direction of the research program. University of Arizona MIS Department experiences provide a case study of the facility design process. This paper presents a set of criteria which the authors feel must be recognized in planning and operating an electronic meeting facility.