Author(s): Al-Omush, A., Al Shishany, A., Sarhan, N. M., & Alakaleek, W.
Despite the anonymity level associated with Group Decision Supported Systems meetings (GDSS), there is still a possibility that meeting participants can attribute comments to their authors. “Physical Proximity” of meeting participants is one of the challenges associated with GDSS supported meetings which, sometimes, enable meeting participants determine who is participating by observing each other’s activities. Generally, enhancing the physical anonymity of a GDSS anonymous meeting environment by installing iPads at the GDSS meeting environment may be considered one of the more effective solutions regarding concerns over participants’ physical proximity. ‘MeetingSphere’, ‘FacilitatePro’ and ‘Spilter’ GDSS meeting applications were investigated in this research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GDSS 22 meeting facilitators, technical support experts, users and managers of GDSS meeting application providers. All interviewees were from real GDSS meeting settings who had interacted with one of the previously mentioned GDSS applications. However, this research findings indicate that the issue of increasing the physical anonymity in GDSS meetings is not of a major importance as anonymity is not of much concern for the participants utilizing GDSS meeting applications.