In- and Exclusion in Online Meetings

The climate crisis and COVID-19 restrictions have boosted online meetings. To promote sustainability, it is crucial to continue using this form of communication post-pandemic, reducing traffic and pollution. However, online meeting technologies must ensure inclusion and belonging. Virtual communication offers advantages, facilitating participation for people with limited mobility and encouraging shy individuals to engage. Yet, it can also worsen inequalities: women may be overlooked, collectivized cultures may communicate less openly, and language barriers may increase for non-native speakers. Age and education level also affect technology receptiveness. In the FEMtech project FairCom, we examined inclusion and exclusion in online meetings and sought to enhance their inclusivity through a user-centered approach. We selected diverse teams from work, education, and leisure contexts and observed their meetings. Through questionnaires and interviews with facilitators and team members, we explored usage patterns, exclusion mechanisms, challenges, and improvement wishes. Our findings on user needs and exclusion mechanisms confirm inequalities in online meetings. Women, TIN and younger participants find it difficult to engage in online meetings. Accordingly, speaking times are very unevenly distributed, with men and older people taking up significantly more space. This is reinforced by the moderation. Using a Laptop or PC instead of a mobile phone and activate the camera can support participation, but hardware equipment depends on economic resources. The results of the needs assessment were brought into co-creation workshops by means of personas and user-scenarios, which developed ideas for solutions on fair speaking time, non-verbal feedback to the moderator and visibility of diversity