Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Text-based communication
AI mediation
Disciplinary differences
Team negotiation
Exploring AI-Supported Disciplinary Mediation in Student Project Teams'Text-Based Communication: A Probe-Grounded Co-Design Study
🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the latent semantic tensions arising from divergent terminologies, priorities, and practices in interdisciplinary text-based collaboration. We propose a context-aware AI mediation framework and introduce Spritz, a large language model (LLM) probe deployed on Discord. By leveraging private prompting and anonymous viewpoint synthesis, Spritz detects semantic tensions while balancing cognitive and relational dimensions and preserving human decision-making authority. Empirical evaluations demonstrate the tool’s effectiveness in structuring discussions, surfacing implicit reasoning, and mitigating interpersonal friction. Furthermore, this work delineates the challenges of defining role boundaries in human-AI collaboration, ultimately offering a novel paradigm for AI-augmented co-design.
📝 Abstract
Interdisciplinary student teams must negotiate differences in terminology, priorities, and practices, yet these differences are difficult to surface in text-based communication. We introduce Spritz, a Discord-based LLM technology probe designed to create a situated experience of AI-mediated collaboration for reflection and co-design. Spritz detects semantic or pragmatic tensions, privately prompts members to articulate their perspectives, and returns anonymized syntheses to group discussion. We conducted an exploratory study and co-design workshop with 12 students from technical, business, and design backgrounds. Preliminary findings suggest that participants perceived AI mediation along cognitive and relational dimensions. Spritz helped organize fragmented discussions, surface implicit reasoning, and reduce interpersonal pressure around disagreement. Participants also envisioned AI as a strategic advisor, cross-domain translator, and perspective challenger, raising tensions around neutrality, authority, and accountability. We discuss implications for negotiable interventions, transparent role transitions, and preserving human ownership of team decisions.
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
LLM technology probe
AI-mediated collaboration
cross-disciplinary communication
semantic and pragmatic tension detection
co-design
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