Transitioning and Navigating Space in Hybrid Collaboration

Abstract

Hybrid collaboration is typically bound to fixed setups and constrained by video conferencing tools. In contrast, co-located collaboration is fluid and mobile, unfolding across different spaces, transitioning between these, and evolving with the needs of the participants and the meeting. To foster more inclusive hybrid work, I argue that hybrid collaboration must also extend into these informal, mobile, and ad-hoc settings, enabling remote participants to take part in collaboration as it naturally occurs within co-located environments. This includes not only supporting hybrid meetings independent of the meeting room setup, but also enabling participation across transitions between spaces. In co-located work, such transitions are seamless, as the shared physical space moves with the collaborators. In hybrid settings, however, these transitions are often not feasible, leaving remote participants behind when collaboration moves outside of the meeting room. In this position paper, I outline key challenges in enabling mobile hybrid collaboration and propose discussion points on how we might design and research hybrid collaboration that goes beyond the meeting room.