RDEL #45: What types of meetings are best for in-person vs. virtual collaboration?

This week we review research on the best use cases for in-person vs virtual meetings, and a framework for knowing which format to pick.

Welcome back to Research-Driven Engineering Leadership. Each week, we pose an interesting topic in engineering leadership, and apply the latest research in the field to drive to an answer.

In 2024, most teams are balancing a combination on in-person and remote meetings in their day-to-day. This week, we ask: what types of meetings are most suitable for in-person vs. virtual collaboration?

The context

Ever since COVID-19 catalyzed a significant shift in workplace dynamics, many organizations have balanced some combination of in-person, hybrid, and remote meetings. This transformation has prompted a re-evaluation of how teams collaborate across different meeting spaces, as teams seek to balance convenience of virtual meetings with the inherent benefits of physical collaboration, such as better emotional understanding and spontaneous idea generation. The challenge lies in navigating the practical concerns and personal preferences that influence the decision-making process for meeting formats, while also considering the cognitive and collaborative impacts of each type of meeting space.

The research

Researchers explored the factors that enhance collaboration effectiveness in different meeting environments and developed the Cross-Space Collaboration model, which identifies the main factors that benefit from in-person meetings and examines the meeting aspects that influence these factors. The study involved an extensive review of literature and evaluations with industry professionals.

The meeting aspects (inputs) that impact beneficial factors of in-person meetings (outputs) and how they translate to action (consequences). Green boxes were added after industry collaboration.

After creating a model of the impacts, researchers reported the top factors to impact a meeting location decision and their impact.

Summary of the top aspects and their impact on meeting selection

The application

The research creates structure around when to prioritize an in-person versus virtual meetings.

When to choose in-person format: For high-cognitive-load discussions, strategic planning, or emotionally charged topics, in-person meetings are recommended to leverage the benefits of embodied cognition, context cues, and improved interaction quality.

When to go remote: For routine updates or meetings with well-documented and straightforward information, virtual or hybrid formats may suffice, allowing flexibility and convenience.

Regardless of format, managers can make use of digital and physical tools, clear agendas, and facilitating open communication to enhance collaboration across all meeting spaces.

For companies with an all-in culture (all remote, or all in-person), take note of the potential challenges with your format and find ways to mitigate those strategies through process or tools. For example, for an all-remote culture, consider how you can improve interaction quality so you can minimize the drain of high-cognitive-load discussions.

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Wishing you a week of high-quality, highly-valuable meetings. Happy Research Monday!

Lizzie