In this section
@inproceedings{Wan:2026:10.1145/3816046.3816292,
author = {Wan, EC and Mougenot, C and Sadek, M},
doi = {10.1145/3816046.3816292},
title = {KNIT-C: Exploring Conversational AI Facilitation of Group Convergence Through Computational Boundary Objects},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3816046.3816292},
year = {2026}
}
TY - CPAPER
AB - Conversational AI is widely explored for supporting brainstorming and creative collaboration, yet its potential to guide groups through convergence, where differing perspectives must be reconciled into a shared direction, remains largely unexamined. We introduce KNIT-C, a conversational system that operationalises computational boundary objects within synchronous multi-user dialogue, eliciting individual viewpoints, synthesising group perspectives, and guiding discussion toward negotiated outcomes. Across four public workshop sessions (14 non-expert participants), we find that conversational engagement deepened individual reflection but created pacing and coordination challenges in group interaction. AI-generated summaries anchored discussion, though their similarity demanded careful comparison rather than simplifying choices. Participants frequently reported feeling heard without fully endorsing outcomes, pointing to productive disagreement as a form of convergence that preserves visible tension rather than resolving it. We discuss implications for adaptive pacing, context-sensitive stance-shifting, and evaluation frameworks that assess whether differences were genuinely engaged rather than suppressed.
AU - Wan,EC
AU - Mougenot,C
AU - Sadek,M
DO - 10.1145/3816046.3816292
PY - 2026///
TI - KNIT-C: Exploring Conversational AI Facilitation of Group Convergence Through Computational Boundary Objects
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3816046.3816292
ER -