GroupwareHowell Istance

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Groupware

Software designed to support group working, not just to facilitate communication

CSCW (Computer-Supported Cooperative Work) - field of study which examines the design, adoption, and use of groupware.

not restricted to issues of "cooperation" or "work" but also examines competition, socialising, and play.

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Advantages of Groupware

Groupware offers significant advantages over single-user systems.

to facilitate communication: make it faster, clearer, more persuasive

to enable communication where it wouldn't otherwise be possible

to enable telecommuting to cut down on travel costs

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

More advantages of Groupware

to bring together multiple perspectives and expertise to form groups with common interests where it wouldn't be

possible to gather a sufficient number of people face-to-face

to save time and cost in coordinating group work to facilitate group problem-solving to enable new modes of communication, such as

anonymous interchanges or structured interactions

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Classifying Groupware Systems

Can be classified by When and where the participants are working The function it performs for cooperative working

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Time/Space Matrix (when/where)

Classify groupware according 1) when participants are working

at the same time (synchronous) or not (asynchronous) 2) where the participants are working

in the same place (co-located) or not (remote)

Same time Different time

Same placeFace-to-faceconversation

Post-it note

Differentplace

telephone letter

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Functions supported by Groupware

Cooperative work involves: Participants (P) who are working Artefacts (A) upon which they work

P P

A

Control and feedback

(Joe) (Bob)

(shared document)

understanding

direct communication

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

asynchronous groupware

email (computer mediated communication) newsgroups (computer mediated communication) workflow (control of shared objects) group calendars (control of shared objects) collaborative writing (control of shared objects)

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

synchronous groupware

shared whiteboards (meeting and decision support) video-conferencing (computer mediated communication) chat (computer mediated communication) decision support (meeting and decision support) games (control of shared objects)

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Computer-mediated communication

asynchronous/remote tools email, bulletin boards, structured message systems (email plus

some additional fields to enable sorted and filtering), asynchronous/co-located

argumentation tools (enable recording of arguments for design decisions

synchronous/remote video conferencing meeting and decision support systems

synchronous/co-located meeting rooms (electronic support for face-to-face meetings)

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Collaborative Virtual Environments

Graphical or text-based environments where several people, remotely located, collaborate on some common activity (work-based or for entertainment)

Important to create the illusion of ‘presence’ in the virtual world, to make a person they are ‘in’ the world with other people

Worlds can contain shared artefacts or tools to facilitate collaborative working

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

a DIVE model of the atrium at Electrum

Between the 2 virtual bodies stands a whiteboard application on which all participants can draw.

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

3D visualisation of a database in DIVE

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

ActiveWorlds

- a web-based collaborative virtual environment

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Greenspace project

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Use of Greenspace CVE for design reviews

Review of design of hotel rooms

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

TeamWave

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Tools provided with TeamWave

Address Book Calendar Concept Map Database Doorway Fileholder File Viewer

Image Whiteboard Meeting Roster Message Board Postit Slide Tool To Do List URL Reference Vote

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Design Issues

User Studies Adoption and Acceptance Session Control Floor Control Determining Conversation Structure Customisation Avoiding Abuse Privacy Awareness

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

User studies

Important to understand work-related needs of users of any system

user group testing is often difficult than for single user systems

pre-established groups vary in interaction style, determined by how long someone has been in a group

groups are dynamic - roles change within groups testing within organisations difficult as introducing new

versions may cause disruption studies often need to be long-term

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Adoption and Acceptance

Perceived benefit - if the effort for an individual to use the system is not perceived to justify the benefit gained

Interoperability - concerns about compatibility between systems available on the market may inhibit adoption of any one system

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Session Control

session - a group of people are in a conversation together at a given time,

session control - similar to a person standing at the door of a room checking IDs and deciding who gets to go in.

issues include finding out what rooms are available, determining who can enter and exit the room, and when and how.

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Floor Control

access each person has to shared artifacts, or conversational functions

no control enables simultaneous access by anyone at anytime

alternative policies involve some form of ‘turn-taking’

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Determining Conversation Structure

Technology mediated conversation - system determines protocol and structure for exchanges of messages

Socially-mediated conversation - how, when and if messages are responded to is left to the individual.

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Customisation

Basic conflict between allowing one user to customise their view of information, and then sharing this view with someone else

Leads to possibility of confusion and errors customisation through

selection of information and emphasis of information presentation of information (e.g.colours)

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Other groupware design issues

Avoiding Abuse ‘spamming ‘ with email is an example some form of ‘payment’ for the use of the system is a possible

means to reduce this Privacy

requires a balance between the need to share some information and keep some information private

a mechanism for information hiding necessary Awareness

issue of making others aware what an individual is currently doing ‘telepresence’ - feeling of presence of a remotely located person

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Examples of awareness and privacy issues

Unobtrusive telepresence ‘In-your-face’ obtrusive telepresence

SOFT3057 - Interactive Systems

Can I be disturbed?