Dave TwisletonTechnologyMediated Collaboration

Case Study 1

•Technical Support Group, Computer Science

•Many technologies to support•Many customers

▫Academic Staff▫Support Staff▫Research Students▫Undergraduate Students

•External contacts

Types of Communication

•Incoming:▫Items to order▫Requests for repairs▫Feedback from suppliers▫Automated alarms (printers, temperature)

Types of Communication

•Outgoing:▫Placing orders and status updates▫Requesting repairs and status updates▫Customer status updates on orders and

repairs▫Customer status updates on wider issues▫Advice on issues

Information

•Inventory of hardware•Knowledge base of issues / solutions•Repair status tracking•Maps of machine room layout•Maps of network layout

Technologies

•Email•Web pages•Wiki•Request system•Inventory folder &

stickers

•Repairs book•Server logs•Microsoft SMS•Post It notes•Skype•Telephone

Successes

•Printers▫status updates polled and displayed online▫Ordering replacement toner semi-

automated

•Request▫Automated response to email▫Issue can be tracked

Difficulties

•Ordering▫No connection between request and

ordering system

•Request▫Old system, interface unfriendly▫not easy to connect to Wiki / Inventory

Difficulties

•Wiki & Intranet▫Not clear “where” they are▫No manager to keep up to date and

responsive to customer needs

•Email▫use in decline – Staff and Students▫Not connected to issue tracking

Possibilities

•Current investigation into new request system▫Response to automated updates▫User can track status & history on web▫Better analysis of fault trends & timings▫Connection to Inventory, Knowledge base

•Social Media?▫Twitter updates on status of printers etc?

•Virtual presence – e.g. Skype on helpdesk

Case Study 2

•Student Project – Computer Science

•Learning Aims▫Project Management Skills▫Group Work▫Industry techniques and tools▫Critical Reflection

Group Projects

•4 month duration

•Meeting with real-world developers

•Groups assigned by tutors

•Left to agree contract, roles, tools

Interviewed Group

•5 members

•Agreed to meet weekly

•No issues with allocation of roles

Technologies

•Email•Skype•Leankitkanban.com•Wiki•Subversion – code repository

Kanban

Difficulties

•No way to connect Kanban board to Gantt chart / Subversion

•Face-to-face meetings replaced by Skype during holidays

•Risk of overlap with Emailing of docs

•Unusual terms – Wiki used as knowledgebase

Comments

•CS services not well documented & advertised

•Students vaguely aware of Virtual Servers•Students more likely to seek peer advice•Students would like more CS hosted

services, tutors want *some*