COLLABORATIVE COMPUTING
TECHNOLOGIES: GROUP
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Learning Objectives
Understand concepts and fundamentals of groupwork,communications, and collaboration.
Examine how computer systems enhance communication andcollaboration.
Understand the principles and capabilities of GSS.
Explore the concepts of time/place frameworks.
Learn how GSS interplays with the concepts of process gainand loss, and task gain and loss.
Understand the fundamentals of electronic meetings.
Examine GSS’ three technologies.
Learn how the Web enables GSS, electronic meetings, andcollaborative computing.
Explain hoe distance learning is enabled by GSS.
Show how GSS enhances creativity.
7-3
Chrysler Scores with Groupware Vignette
SCORE initiative
Identified waste in supply chain
Enhanced relationships
Accessed through Internet or modem
Enhanced communication and collaboration
Used good project management principles
Collaborative Design at Boeing-Rocketdyne
Problem
Drive the cost of rocket engine down 95%
Get the engine to market 10 time faster
Require radical new design, significant creativity, and unusual
innovation
Solution
Created expert team from business partner
Used collaborative technology
Internal Notebook : Members could access the software securely
from anywhere. Could create, comment on, reference-link, search,
and short-entries also use electronic whiteboard that allowed
multiple team members near-instance access.
Cont……….
Collaborative Design at Boeing-Rocketdyne
Solution
Project Vault : A software allowed secured common file
storage and transfer of these files on as-needed basis.
Software tools and protocol were modified and allowed
which allowed face-to-face meeting, content was posted
online for group sharing.
Major tools used to support the lengthy virtual meetings by
teleconferencing and videoconferencing.
Used powerful desktop analysis software to analyse
designs during the meeting, so results could be discussed in
real-time and evaluted through brainstorming.
Collaborative Design at Boeing-Rocketdyne
Result
Designed a product made of 6 parts instead of normal
1200
Cost $0.5 million from $14 million
Quality level 9 sigma from 2-6 sigma
Team did all this in 10 months instead of 6 years
Production cost $47,000 instead of $4.5 million and with
more than a 5 percent reduction in total engineering
hours.
Making decisions in Groups :
Characteristics
Groupwork
Work done by two or more people together.
Members can be located in different places and workat different times
Information may be located external to the project
Allows for rapid solutions
May exhibit normal team problems of synergy orconflict
Often Internet based
Groupware tools support groupwork
Work called computer-supported cooperative work
Group Decision-Making Process
Even in hierarchical organizations, decision making is
usually a shared process. The following activities and
process characterize meetings:
The decision situation is important, so it is advisable to
make it in a group in a meeting
Joint activity
Outcome of the meeting depends partly on the knowledge,
opinions, judgement and composition of its participants.
Differences in opinion are settled either by the ranking
person, or through negotiation or arbitration.
They can be virtual team
May be beneficial or dissatisfaction
Benefits and limitation of group work
Process gains are the benefit of working in group
It provides learning. Groups are better than individuals at
understanding problems
People readily take ownership and responsibility
Group members have their egos embedded in the decision
Groups are better than individuals at catching errors
A group has more information
A group may produce synergy
Working in group may stimulate the creativity
A group may have better and more precise communication working
together
Risk propensity is balanced
Benefits and limitation of group work
Dysfunction may occur Process loss
Social pressure of conformity may result in groupthink
It’s a time consuming, slow process, costly
There can be lack of coordination of the meeting and poor meeting
planning
Inappropriate influence
Some members may afraid to speak up
Can be compromised solutions of poor quality
Too much information
Incomplete, incorrect and inappropriate
Improving the meeting Process
Researchers have developed methods for
improving the process of group work; that is,
increasing some of the benefits of meeting and
eliminating of reducing some of the losses. Two
representative methods
Delphi method : is a qualitative forecasting methodology that
uses anonymous questionnaires.
Nominal group thinking : is a simple brainstorming process for
non-electronic meeting.
Qualitative Methods of Forecasting HR Demand or
Supply
•A group of expertsexchanges several roundsof estimates of HRdemand or supply,normally without meetingface to face. Feedbackfrom other experts is usedby each individual to“fine-tune” his or herindependent estimate.
•A small group of expertsmeets face to face. After aprocedure that involvesopen discussion andprivate assessments, thegroup reaches a judgmentconcerning future HRdemand or supply.
•Can involve keydecision makers inprocess.
•Can focus on what isexpected or desired infuture.
•Not bound to the past.
•Same as for Delphitechnique.
•Group discussionscan facilitateexchange of ideas andgreater acceptance ofresults byparticipants.
•Highly subjective.
• Judgments may notefficiently useobjective data.
•Same as for Delphitechnique.
•Group pressure maylead to less accurateassessments thatcould be obtainedthrough other means.
Method Description Advantages Disadvantages
Delphi technique
Delphi
NGTNominal group technique
Supporting group-work with computerized
systems
Almost all dynamic organizations using some computer-
based communication and collaboration methods and
tools to support people working in teams or group.
An overview of GSS
Common group activities with computer assistance Information retrieval
Information sharing
Information use
Support participants Improve productivity and effectiveness of meetingsMore efficient decision-making
Increase effectiveness of decisions
Computers have been used for several decades tofacilitate group-work and group decision making, lately,collaborative tools have received even greater attentiondue to their increased capabilities and ability to savemoney.
Groupware
Software providing collaborative support to groups
Different time/place applications
Most use Internet technologies
Most offer one or more capabilities Electronic brainstorming
Free flow of ideas and comments
Electronic conferencing or videoconferencing
Group scheduling and calendars
Conflict resolution
Model building
Electronic document sharing
Voting services
Electronic meeting services also available
Enterprise-wide systems expensive in cost and human resources
Popular Groupware
Groupware products provides a way for group to
share resources and opinions. Groupware implies
the use of networks to connect people.
Lotus Notes/Domino
Microsoft Netmeeting
Groove Workspace
GroupSystems MeetingRoom and OnLine
WebEx
Time/Place Communication Framework
Effectiveness of collaborative group depends on
Time
synchronous or asynchronous transmission of information
Place
location of participants
Benefits and Problems
Benefits of groupwork
Process gains
Nominal group technique
Delphi method
Technology applied as GSS
Hardware and software combined to enhance group
Collaborative computing
Problems in groupwork
Process losses
inefficient
GSS Technology Deployment
Special purpose decision room
Electronic meeting rooms
Software operates across LAN Allowed for face-to-face meetings
Trained facilitator coordinates meeting Group leader structures meeting with facilitator
Multiple use facility
General purpose computer lab Effective way to lower costs
Trained facilitator coordinates meeting Group leader structures meeting with facilitator
Web-based groupware with clients
Anytime/anyplace meetings with deadlines established Software bought or leased
No facility costs Flexible
Tools for indirect support of Decision
Making
A large number of tools and methodologies are available to facilitate e-collaboration, communication, and decision support.
Synchronous Products: communication and collaboration are done in real-time. IM VoIP
Asynchronous Products : communication and collaboration done by the participants at different times.
E-mailWikilogsOnline workplace
Cont…
Tools for indirect support of Decision
Making
Virtual Meeting Systems : The advancement of websystems opens the door for improved , electronicallysupported virtual meetings. VM are supportedby a variety of groupware tools.
Electronic TeleconferencingVideo conferencingWeb conferencing Interactive whiteboardsScreen sharing Instant video
GSS Meeting Process
Group leader meets with facilitator to plan meetingstructure.
Participants meet on computers.
Group leader or facilitator poses question.
Participants brainstorm by entering comments intocomputer.
Facilitator employs idea organization software to sortcomments into common themes.
Results are displayed.
Facilitator or group leader leads discussion.
Themes are prioritized.
Highest priority topics are either sent through the processagain for further discussion or a vote is taken.
GSS Meeting Process
Standard Process
Exploratory idea generation
Idea organization tool
Prioritization
New idea generation
Selection of final idea
Success based upon effectiveness, reduction in costs, better decisions, increased productivity
GSS and Distance Education
Classroom collaborative computing advantages
Brainstorming, chat, discussion boards
Distribution of information, lectures
Publishes to course site
Videoconferenced
Consistent materials
Textbooks can be bound or electronic
E-mails and listservs
One-on-one interaction
Allows for global classrooms
Anytime/anyplace with fixed deadlines
Flexible time frame
Doesn’t interfere with work shift
Low delivery costs with large audiences
GSS and Distance Education, continued
Disadvantages:
Fewer social interactions
Communication problems
Students must be self-starters and highly disciplined
Classes require major technical and administrative support
Technical infrastructure must be reliable
Courses may need to be redesigned for online
Special training
Corporate training online:
Allows anytime/anyplace training
Lowers costs
Decreases time away from jobs
Shortens learning process
Delivered via Intranet, intranets, extranets, audio and video conferencing
Creativity Support System
Creativity Fundamental human trait
Level of achievement
Can be learned
Organizations recognize value in innovation
Stimulated by electronic brainstorming software Free flow idea generation
Creative computer programs Smartbots function as facilitators
Identify analogies in letter patterns
Draw art
Write poems
Computer programs stimulate human productivity