Purpose This article provides insights into the methodology of research that can serve to gain a deep understanding of team functional communication patterns. The study aimed to show how disciplined observation and speech-act theory can be a useful tool for measuring behavior and uncovering insights that might not be apparent through other research methods. As a result of this methodological approach, the article presents selected cases of team communication patterns with an in-depth analysis. Design/methodology/approach We employed a disciplined observation method for functional communication coding, well established in psycholinguistics and adapted for the purpose of research in gameplay. The approach involved trained behavioral coders systematically recording and analyzing functional communication observations. We recorded teams in decision-making processes during business simulation games and analyzed them using quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings The analysis revealed that winning teams used significantly more References to Present Objects (RPO) and References to Self (RTS), while losing teams employed more Registering Disapproval (DAP). These results might indicate that team success depended less on communication quantity and more on the pragmatic alignment of speech acts. Moreover, we observed other specific communication patterns in both team types, such as asking Questions (QST) or Responses (RES). The findings suggest that speech-act theory and disciplined observation can provide valuable insights into team communicative patterns of game play. Practical implications The findings from this study have practical implications for team leaders and managers. By recognizing communication patterns linked to team effectiveness, leaders can foster cohesion and performance. Practically, training should promote grounding strategies (RPO), encourage explicit commitment (RTS), and reframe disapproval (DAP) into constructive feedback. Ultimately, team success does not depend on communication volume but speech acts that translate language into coordinated action. More importantly, using speech-act theory and disciplined observation, leaders can design targeted interventions to enhance team performance. Originality/value This research provides a unique perspective on measuring team communication in gameplay. It adds to the growing body of literature on team communication by showing how this approach can serve to gain insights into communication patterns that are useful to analyze game play and its effects. Furthermore, this research provides valuable insights for practitioners and researchers interested in team communication and gameplay performance.
Pałyga et al. (Sun,) studied this question.