We test whether providing quantitative real-time feedback relating design decisions to system objectives improves group solutions in an interdependent energy-water design task. While prior research suggests an important role of real-time feedback on task performance, few studies have examined the role of real-time feedback in the design of complex environmental systems. We tested a real-time feedback approach using a mixed within- and between-subject experiment (n=88 Carnegie Mellon University students, divided into 22 groups of four). When compared to individual designs and informal collaborations, real-time performance feedback yielded solutions closer to the Pareto frontier and reduced both financial (by 26% and 21%) and environmental cost (by 34% and 12%). In addition, informal collaboration did not improve group decision-making when compared to individual designs. The results suggest that optimal solutions to meeting energy and water demand while minimizing cost and environmental impact can be obscured in informal collaborations, but that real-time feedback to system designers can help avoid waste of public resources.

我们测试提供与系统目标相关的设计决策的定量实时反馈是否可以改进相互依赖的能源-水设计任务中的组解决方案。虽然先前的研究表明实时反馈对任务绩效的重要作用，但很少有研究检查实时反馈在复杂环境系统设计中的作用。我们使用科目内和科目之间的混合实验（n=88 卡内基梅隆大学学生，分为 22 组，每组四人）测试了一种实时反馈方法。与个人设计和非正式协作相比，实时性能反馈产生的解决方案更接近帕累托边界，并降低了财务（26% 和 21%）和环境成本（34% 和 12%）。此外，与个人设计相比，非正式协作并没有改善集体决策。结果表明，满足能源和水需求同时最小化成本和环境影响的最佳解决方案可能会在非正式合作中变得模糊，但对系统设计人员的实时反馈有助于避免公共资源的浪费。