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RÉSUMÉ Nous avons effectué un bilan de travaux récents consacrés à l’impact de différents outils de communication à distance dans le cadre du travail collectif. L’introduction vise à situer les types d’informations qui doivent être partagées pour rendre l’interaction efficace, en relation avec le canal de communication utilisé. Ces points sont développés dans les parties suivantes. La première partie est consacrée au partage d’informations relatives aux objets et aux tâches, la deuxième partie au partage d’informations relatives à autrui. Dans la troisième partie, nous traitons des canaux de communication permettant de véhiculer ces informations, en insistant sur l’importance de la nature de la tâche pour définir leur adéquation. En conclusion, nous résumons les aspects qui doivent être pris en compte par les systèmes de communication à distance pour concurrencer réellement une interaction fonctionnelle en coprésence, et insistons sur l’importance de la prise en compte de la nature des tâches dans le choix d’outils de communication. Enfin, une ouverture est faite vers le domaine de l’enseignement tutoré à distance et celui des réunions de travail virtuelles.

Sharing information in remote collaboration and new communication technology : a rewiew of recent work This paper is a review of recent work dealing with communication media used in remote collaboration (a review of papers published in scientific journals). During the nineties, there has been an increasing number of such papers, regarding the theoretical framework of communication and collaboration processes, the impact of such media on performance and satisfaction in a group, or the design of communication tools (video, e.mail, computer-mediated communication). In a preliminary assessment, we put forward an analysis of remote collaboration at work based on two types of useful information : shared information about task(s) or object(s) ; and shared information about telepresence. The first part of the paper deals with the former aspect : information about task(s) or object(s). Whils video technology is the main concern here, helping users to access such information, other tools are also proposed (e.g., computer-mediated communication). In relation to this area, this paper makes reference to such authors as Whittaker or Anderson. The main finding of these works is that sharing functional information is the fundamental factor for successful remote collaboration. The next part of the paper deals with the second aspect of remote collaboration : telepresence and mutual awareness. Although seeing others is considered less important than seeing what is done, some social tasks need such information (negotiation, bargaining, medical contact with a patient). In relation to this area, this paper makes reference to such authors as Monk or Sellen. The links between these two types of information (functional/social) are presented. The third part of the paper highlights the medium of communication by which information is shared, in relation to the characteristics of the tasks : the choice of a medium of communication must be based on an analysis of tasks and the work situation in which this medium will be used (social or functional characteristics, useful information, synchronous or asynchronous communication, multimodality). This ergonomics perspective is not always taken into account in organisational decision-making. In the conclusion (part four), we look at the necessity of task analysis before going on to choose a medium that will be useful in a remote collaboration situation. Two areas for future research are suggested : remote teaching and virtual meeting rooms.