scope:

The present document presents and discusses initial human factors guidelines developed from the EC IST-1999-11577 project Eye-2-Eye (Fitness-for-Purpose of Person-Person Communication Technologies). The guidelines are primarily generated from the empirical results of the Eye-2-Eye project that mainly address business use of communication services. Whilst some guidelines are drawn from existing published literature this is not extensive and does not address findings for special user groups (e.g., use of videoconferencing and avatar-telephony by deaf persons).

The communication services examined are real-time text, audioconferencing, avatar-telephony, videoconferencing and multimedia conferencing. Service aspects include audio-video synchrony, video resolution, video delay and packet loss for generic networks and specifically IP networks. Data were collected for a range of objective and subjective measures of user behaviour and opinion.

The aim is the development of guidelines of use to network operators, service providers and equipment manufacturers. The report provides initial guidelines and recommendations for their further development.