Idea generation through computer‐mediated communication : The effects of anonymity

Purpose – Brainstorming is a well‐known group process for generating new ideas and stimulating creativity. Important as well as robust findings have been achieved in determining which factors contribute most to facilitating or hindering the group's ideas productivity. Research aimed at comparing face‐to‐face (FTF) with computer‐mediated communication (CMC) led to the conclusion that this latter shared with the nominal group technique the advantages of avoiding either the blocking effect or the identification of the source. More recently, attention has turned to the possible effects of group support system (GSS) in the mediating cognitive processes of generating new ideas. The present study aims to examine the effects of the type of tool and of the anonymity condition on the quality, quantity and diversity of the generated ideas, as well as on group members' satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – Uses a 2 × 2 factorial design combining two different GSS tools (topic commenter vs EBS) with anonymity versus non‐anonymity. Findings – It was found that anonymity generated more satisfaction among the group members. A marginal effect on satisfaction was also found to be related with the type of tools. Contrary to expectations, the EBS tool was not found to generate greater diversity of ideas. An interesting finding not anticipated was the impact of technology on the flow of ideas and on the emergence of new conceptual categories, probably due to alternative strategies of task structuring. Research limitations/implications – The use of students as subjects, and the running of the experimental work in a scholarly context, could have contributed to the elimination of fears and to freeing the participants from any inhibition in the anonymity conditions. Within an organisational context with higher social stratification, such anonymous procedures could have significant outcomes. Future research will have to examine whether this effect is relevant to other types of topics and other populations. Another aspect that it is important to re‐examine is the effect of anonymity on the emergence of minority ideas, which could stimulate innovation. Practical implications – The type and characteristics of tools were shown to be a decisive factor in the participants' satisfaction, in the communication process and in the idea generation and clustering processes. Although tenuous, this set of data could mean that the characteristics of the tools interfere with the cognitive mechanisms present in the brainstorming technique. Originality/value – Examines the effect of the technology and anonymity in ideas generation within a group context on the satisfaction of the participants.