ABSTRACT Group Support Systems (GSS) technology is recognized as a tool with advantages for facilitating, improving, and speeding communication between the different members in a meeting session. One innovation that could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of GSS technology is speech recognition. While the concept of human speech interaction with computer-based information systems is not novel, Speech Recognition (SR) technology presents an opportunity to reduce the challenges in human-computer interaction. One of the advantages that Speech Recognition offers is the ability to capture a larger amount of text/data over traditional keyboard entry. This is of interest as one of the limitations of GSS performance and end user satisfaction has been attributed to keyboard-based comment entry challenges. Simply put, people talk and think faster than they can type. This paper reports the results of an experiment using a prototype voice-based Group Support System. Fourteen groups of five subjects each submitted speech-synthesized comments into the system and read others' comments visually on computer screens. This prototype seeks to maximize the relative efficiencies of speaking and reading to generate the most ideas in the shortest amount of time while maintaining accurate transcriptions. Results of this study illustrated some interesting differences between genders. First, male subjects reported spending too much time on idea generation while female subjects reported a higher level of understanding of decisions made. Females also reported a higher level of satisfaction with both the decision outcome and the process. These results provide evidence that Speech Recognition may be a viable tool for decision-making processes where gender issues play an important role.
