CSCW and Groupware
Algumas considerações
Ferramenta, projetos e idéias
Por Sérgio Crespo
Maio/2003
Mas afinal, o que é isso?
Segundo Tom Brinck[1], CSCW (Computer-Supported
Cooperative Work) refere-se ao campo de estudo
que examina o projeto, adoção e uso de tecnologias
de groupware. Descreve sua forma de socialização ,
competição e jogos sobre a informação. Este campo
de estudo tem interessado pessoas que trabalham
nas áreas de produção e estudo sobre a interface,
comportamento organizacional, cientistas, psicologia
organizacional, comunicação entre pesquisadores,
antropologistas dentre outros.
[1] http://www.usabilityfirst.com/groupware/intro.txl.
Mas afinal, o que é isso?
Para Randall Whitaker[1], o rótulo CSCW foi
inicialmente cunhado por Irene Greif[2] e Paul
Cashman em 1894 como uma estratégia de
marketing para a referenciar o campo de suporte a
empresas ou escritórios integrados que utilizam
tecnologias de informação.
[1] http://www.informatik.umu.se/~rwhit/CSCW.html
[2]
http://domino.watson.ibm.com/cambridge/research.ns
f/0/769b032e28fcf7e8852566f10002255f?OpenDocu
ment
Outros nomes de CSCW
CSCW possui uma série de taxonomias, dentre as
quais podemos citar: BPR(Reengenharia de
processos de negócios), CMC(Comunicação
mediada por computador), CSCL(Aprendizagem
Cooperatica Auxiliada por Computador,
Gerenciamento de ciência, Aprendizagem
Organizacional, (re)-Design Organizacional, Projeto
Participativo. Algumas destas áreas representam
fortemente a área de CSCW, outras apresentamuma
visão periférica.
Domínio da CSCW
CSCW
Tecnologias da
Informação
Psicologia
organizacional
Ciências Sociais
Ferramentas de Groupware
CScw x csCW
Objetivos de CSCW
O principal objetivo de CSCW é
descobrir maneiras de se utilizar a
tecnologia que a ciência da computação
oferece, para aumentar a realização de
processos de trabalho em grupo por
meio de suporte nas dimensões de
tempo e espaço[1].
[1] http://percolat.csa.iisc.ernet.in/Resources/papers/cscw/cscw_domain.html
Satisfazendo a CSCW.
AS seguintes noções e tecnologias ajudam
a entender os objetivos da CSCW[2].
WYSIWIS: significa( What You See Is What
I See).
[2] http://percolat.csa.iisc.ernet.in/Resources/papers/cscw/cscw_domain.html
Satisfazendo a CSCW.
Integração entre diferentes tarefas: integração de
componentes de tarefas distintas pode reduzir a
distância(gap) entre componentes de diferentes
aplicações, permitindo uma visão maior e mais
flexivel para uma ferramenta.
Gerenciamento de tempo: ferramentas de
Groupware tais como calendário de grupo,
organizador de tarefas em projetos auxiliam aos
gerentes nas suas tarefas de gerenciamento de
seu próprio tempo.
Satisfazendo a CSCW.
Multimedia: CSCW pode obter proveito de
gráficos e sons para oferecer interfaces
mais apropriadas entre os participantes
de uma equipe.
Programa personlizados para usuário
final: visa permitir um maior grau de
customização das ferramentas de
groupware por parte do usuário final de
forma a atender melhor as suas
necessidades.
Groupware
Groupware não é simônimo de qualquer
classe de produto de TI. Groupware é
explicitamente projetado ou construído
para dar suporte a atividades coletivas
entre trabalhadores. Desta forma, ele é
definido por um padrão de uso
distribuído entre múltiplos
colaboradores [3].
[3] Dyson,E., Groupware, Whole Earth Review, no. 64 (Fall 1989) , pp. 105-107.
Mas então o que é
Groupware?
Computer Support for Business Teams, Robert
Johansen defines groupware as "specialized
computer aids that are designed for the use of
collaborative work groups." This definition is
better than the "shared data" definition
because it helps eliminate multiuser databases
from the groupware category. Yet electronic
mail fits this definition, as well as some other
software sharing tools that experts are still
debating[4].
[4]http://www.alacrityventures.com/DoG.html
Mas então o que é
Groupware?
Trudy Johnson-Lenz[4] are credited
by many as coining the term
groupware in 1978. They defined it
as "intentional group processes
plus software to support them."
A co-evolving human-tool system.
Doug Englebart, 1988.
Mas então o que é
Groupware?
Computer-mediated collaboration
that increases the productivity or
functionality of person-to-person
processes. David Coleman, 1992
Groupware: Taxonomia.
As 12 categorias funcionais listadas abaixo, formam uma taxomomia
lógica para groupware separadas por categorias de serviços [5].
1.
Electronic Mail and Messaging.
2.
Group Calendaring and Scheduling.
3.
Electronic Meeting Systems.
4.
Desktop Video and Real-time Data Conferencing (Synchronous).
5.
Non Real-time Data Conferencing (Asynchronous).
6.
Group Document Handling.
7.
Workflow.
8.
Workgroup Utilities and Development Tools.
9.
Groupware Frameworks.
10.
Groupware Services.
11.
Groupware Applications.
12.
Collaborative - Internet-based Applications and Products.
[5] http://www.collaborate.com/publication/publications_resources_groupware_book_section_1_2.htm.
Sucesso em Groupware[5].
Tecnologia
+
Cultura
+
Economia
+
Política
-------------------------------Sucesso em Groupware
Porque Groupware?[5]
Downsizing and organizational restructuring or
re-design and other trends of the 90's are
targeted toward increasing productivity, i.e.,
fewer people doing more with less. These are
not the only challenges for business in the
90's. Increased quality, better customer
service, lower cost of sales, greater employee
autonomy, and more flexible and responsive
organizations are all challenges for the current
business climate.
Porque Groupware?[5]
Analizando as tendências da indústria,
Groupware pode transformar-se em um
mercado de bilhoes de dólares em poucos
anos, logo, quem serão os seus produtores,
quem serão os seus consumidores e qual o
motivo da explosão de interesse neste
mercado?
No próximo slides algumas respostas.....
Respostas... [5]
Melhor controle de custos.
Aumento de produtividade.
Melhoria sobre o serviço do fornecedor.
Suporte a controle de Qualidade total (TQM).
Menos reuniões.
Automação de processos rotineiros.
Integrando a organização com os seus fornecedores.
Integrando equipes separadas geograficamente.
Aumento da competitividade através de uma maior velocidade
para análise de mercado.
Melhor Coordenação Global.
Facilidade de oferecimento de novos serviços, que a diferem
das concorrentes.
Qual a causa da explosão do
Groupware? [5]
Existencia de uma infra-estrutura de rede capaz de suportar groupware.
Redução dos preços e aumento de performance do hardware e software
apropriados para groupware tornaram isto mais acessível as empresas
de pequeno porte.
A crise mundial, forçando as empresa a realizarem um downsizing
aumentou a busca por tecnologia.
Empresas com Microsoft, WordPerfect, IBM/Lotus, and Digital
Equipment Corporation (DEC) estão difundindo produtos de groupware.
Aumento da competição forçam as empresas a serem ágeis, flexíveis e
dinâmicas e desta forma forçando-as a investirem em produtos de
groupware.
Aumento da complexidade dos produtos, fez com que empresas
necessitem de consultores e equipes ad hoc.
Arquiteturas de
Conhecimento. [5]
Today we hear more and more about
the Knowledge Economy and the belief
that the future of business success will
be based on the ability to manage and
leverage an organization's intellectual
capital. What does this mean? And how
do you create a framework to manage
enterprise knowledge?
Arquiteturas de Conhecimento. [5]
Empresas estão acreditando que a habilidade de
gerenciar melhor o conhecimento é tremendamente
benéfico para todos os níveis da instituição. Por
exemplo: a habilidade de parar de re-inventar o céu
toda vez que um novo projeto é iniciado, porquê o
conhecimento aprendido no passado está disponível
e acessível a todos; para colaborar e trabalhar em
equipe dispersas geograficamente, aplicando as
boas ideias e experiencias; para coordenar e
organizar a informação é necessário que o mesmo
esteja disponível e compartilhado de forma coerente
para diminuir a sobre-carga cognitiva.
Estes são pequenos exemplos que justificam o uso de
tecnologias de Groupware no suporte a gerência de
conhecimento.
O Futuro: Uma Arquitetura para
organizações conectadas [5].
O ideal é um sistema de gerência
colaborativa integrado de projeto que
usa-se o melhor dos produtos
colaborativos, ligando tudo para
fornecer uma integração quase sem
emenda da informação, do fluxo do
processo e da confiabilidade.
O Futuro: Uma Arquitetura para
organizações conectadas [5].
Para exemplificar, após ter usado um sistema da reunião eletrônica
facilitar uma discussão específica, as notas da reunião são exportadas
em banco de dados tipo Notes ou Collabra, que fornece um forum
organizado para fazer da discussão e de decisão em curso para o
projeto. O benefício adicional seria derivado se aquelas decisões
fossem exportadas diretamente para uma ferramenta de gerência do
projeto, como produtos da Digital (Santa Clara, CA) ou da Project
Gateway (Sausalito, CA). Idealmente, as tarefas ou as atribuições
poderiam então ser importadas em uma ferramenta do workflow que
ajudasse não somente no fluxo do processo do projeto, mas
permitissem análises "What if" em torno dos recursos do projeto. A
ferramenta do workflow também seguiria e distribuiria tarefas e
atribuições, com tempo e prazos de data. Tal sistema asseguraria
finalmente que quando alguém em uma reunião fosse voluntário ou
tivesse atribuído uma tarefa, este, poderia ser monitorado
completamente e ser integrado na gerência da planta e de recurso do
projeto. O projeto seria terminado, e então o ciclo começaria outra vez.
[5]
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Building Spoken Language Collaborative Interface
Agents
Abstract
This paper reports on the development of two spoken
language collaborative interface agents built with the
Collagen system. It presents sample dialogues with the
agents working with email applications and meeting planning
applications, and discusses how these applications were
created. It also discusses limitations and benets of this
approach.
An abbreviated version of this paper appears as \Lessons
Learned in Building Spoken Language Collaborative
Interface Agents," by Candace L. Sidner, Carolyn Boettner
and Charles Rich, Workshop on Conversational Systems,
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
EasyWinWin: Managing Complexity in Requirements
Negotiation with GSS
Abstract
More than ¾ of large software projects suffer large cost and schedule overruns or
fail outright. Deficits in project requirements cause more than half of these
failures and overruns. This is in part because the establishing of software
requirements is fraught with complexity. Finding ways to manage that complexity
might be an important step in reducing the risk of software development. Group
Support Systems (GSS) offer functionality that may reduce some aspects of
complexity and reduce the cognitive load of addressing other aspects of
complexity. In this paper we examine the sources of causes of complexity in
software requirements in the context of EasyWinWin, a requirements negotiation
methodology supported by GSS. Early field trials suggest that EasyWinWin is a
significant step forward in managing the complexity of establishing requirements,
and that further advantage could be gained by combining a GSS solution with
other technologies like intelligent agents and requirements management systems.
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Redesigning Email for the 21st Century
Abstract
Electronic mail has become the most widely used business productivity application.
However, people increasingly feel frustrated by their email. They are overwhelmed by the
volume, lose important items, and feel pressure to respond quickly. Though email usage
has changed, our email clients largely have not. Over the past several years, our research
group, in conjunction with the Lotus Software group within IBM, has been investigating
how people use email and how we might design and build a better email system. We have
developed novel visualizations of the documents within mail databases to ease
understanding and navigation. We have prototyped systems that incorporate synchronous
communication and the ability to annotate individual messages. We have also considered
how the structure of information within email might be exploited to provide better
automatic summarization. Throughout this work, I have come to believe that no single
feature will solve the “email problem.” Email usage is as individual as email users;
everyone has their own, idiosyncratic way of dealing with electronic mail. While a new
feature may benefit a large number of users, the most effective email system may need to
include a large number of such features. The interesting research question, then, is how
can a large number of new features be incorporated in email systems in a way that helps,
rather than hinders, users.
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Conversation Thumbnails for Large-Scale Discussions
ABSTRACT
We present a new interface for large-scale online conversations. Our
technique, the Conversation Thumbnail, differs from existing
discussion interfaces in two respects. First, it employs a
focus+context visualization technique that exploits message-level
metadata to provide an easily navigable overview of a discussion.
Second, it helps reduce conversational redundancy and improve
coherence via a fast automatic search mechanism that highlights
related messages during message composition. The Conversation
Thumbnail Viewer is currently implemented as a Java applet that
can be applied to a variety of discussion data sources.
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Understanding Sequence and Reply Relationships within Email
Conversations: A Mixed-Model Visualization
ABSTRACT
It has been proposed that email clients could be improved if they presented messages grouped
into conversations. Na email conversation is the tree of related messages that arises from the
use of the reply operation. We propose two models of conversation. The first model
characterizes a conversation as a chronological sequence of messages; the second as a tree
based on the reply relationship. We show how existing email clients and prior research
projects implicitly support each model to a greater or lesser degree depending on their design,
but none fully supports both models simultaneously. We present a mixed-model visualization
that simultaneously presents sequence and reply relationships among the messages of a
conversation, making both visible at a glance. We describe the integration of the visualization
into a working prototype email client. A usability study indicates that the system meets our
usability goals and verifies that the visualization fully conveys both types of relationships
within the messages of an email conversation.
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Abstract.
After taking the Internet by storm, Instant Messaging applications are now
beginning to appear in the workplace and on mobile devices. A key feature of these
applications is continuous provision of information about the presence and
availability of others. This allows users to decide with whom, when, where and
how to make contact, in ways similar to when they would have been co-located.
For mobile knowledge workers, this technology promises not only to improve
reachability and availability, but also to reduce the amount of inconvenient
interruptions. Inspired by this, in our research we explore which context
information is instrumental for the communication of mobile knowledge workers
and their contacts. In this paper, we describe the results of empirical research into
communication behaviour of (mobile) knowledge workers in two organisations. We
also describe the results of an interaction design session with knowledge workers in
these organisations. An important finding, both from the empirical research and the
design session, was that information from electronic calendars was seen as a very
valuable source of context information. Even for location information, electronic
calendars seem to be preferred as source above automatic sources like GPS and the
mobile phone network.
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
CollabLogger: A Tool for Visualizing Groups At Work
Abstract
The CollabLogger is a visual tool that supports usability analyses of humancomputer interaction in a team environment. Participants in our computer-mediated
activity were engaged in a small-scale manufacturing testbed project. Interactions of
the group were mediated by Teamwave Workplace1 and the members performed
both synchronous and asynchronous activities depending on their availability,
project requirements, and due to chance meetings in the collaborative space. The
software was instrumented to log users’ interactions with the system and each other.
The CollabLogger addresses the problem of helping investigators analyze the
volumes of log data that groupware tools can generate. Visual tools are powerful
when large amounts of diverse data present themselves. The place-based
collaboration environment offered by Teamwave Workplace provided a level of
organization that allowed us to create a visual interface with which to perform
exploratory sequential data analysis. Preliminary use of the tool shows that usability
engineers can employ the visual display to form hypotheses about subject’s
interactions with the GUI interface and with each other.
Exemplos de Ferramentas
Exemplos de Ferramentas
PDAs and Shared Public Displays: Making Personal Information Public,
and Public Information Personal
ABSTRACT
We are investigating how people move from individual to group work through
the use of both personal digital assistants (PDAs) and a shared public display.
Our scenario of this work covers the following activities. First, mobile
individuals can create “personal” notes on their PDAs. Second, when individuals
meet in real time, they can selectively “publicize” notes by moving them to a
shared public display. Third, the group can manipulate personal
and public items in real time through both PDAs and the shared public display,
where the notes contained on both PDAs and public display are automatically
synchronized. Finally, people leave a meeting with a common record of their
activity. We describe our SharedNotes system that illustrates how people move
through this scenario. We also highlight a variety of problematic design issues
that result from having different devices and from having the system enforce a
rigid distinction between personal and public information.
Exemplos de Ferramentas
ABSTRACT
Most studies of collaborative writing have focused on mature writers who have extensive
experience with the process of writing together. Typically, these studies also deal with
short, somewhat artificial tasks carried out in a laboratory, and thus do not extend over a
period of time as real writing usually does.
This paper describes an ethnographic study of collaborative writing by two groups of 4
grade six students using synchronous collaborative writing software for one hour per
week over a 12 week period. Despite initially having little appreciation of what it means
to write together, and no experience in synchronous collaborative writing, both groups
produced nearly one dozen short collaboratively conceived, written, and edited documents
by the end of the study.
A careful analysis of video tape records, written documents, questionnaires, and
interviews demonstrated the importance of concepts such as awareness, ownership, and
control in the writing process, and highlighted many examples of strengths and
weaknesses in the writing software.
Projetos IBM
MoMail explores rich user
experiences for email on a PDA.
Our goal in this project is not
simply to overcome the known
challenges in designing PDA
applications (small screen, no full
size keyboard), but to support the
way people really work with email.
For example, email users
frequently search for information in
prior emails before composing a
reply, yet traditional multiple
window management is difficult on
small devices.
Projetos IBM
Instant Collaboration uses light-weight and instantaneous forms of sharing
information in order to encourage unstructured ad-hoc collaboration from email. Our
goal is to bridge the gap between ad-hoc communication in email and more formal
collaboration in shared team workspaces. We are interested in exploring the
intersections between egocentric vs. public, unstructured vs. structured, and ad-hoc
vs. formal types of collaboration.
Projetos IBM
Visualizing Large-Scale Discussions
Even after almost 20 years, discussion threads continue to be one of the best ways
to hold a discussion with a large number participants. Threads of messages and
replies often focus on a single topic, while forums of threads cover whole topic
areas.
Current interfaces for threaded discussions are quite basic -- they provide minimal
functionality and are often cumbersome to navigate. Users are generally presented
with a purely textual interface, despite the graphical nature of the World Wide Web.
As a result, much of the information that provides users with context and a better
idea of what they want to read, is not available.
Projetos IBM
Reinventing Email
Over the past 20 years, email has evolved from simple electronic letter writing
to include much richer and varied usage. Today emails serve as conversations,
event notifications, sources of background information, contact lists, records of
past activity, and components of business workflow and eCommerce
transactions. Many people describe "living in their email", with email playing a
central role in how they organize, remember, and conduct their work. Despite
these major changes in email use, our email tools have changed very little.
People increasingly describe problems and challenges in dealing with their
electronic communications. People are overwhelmed by the volume of mail
they receive, report losing track of things, and find it hard to be responsive. We
believe there is a need -- and an opportunity -- to fundamentally rethink the
tools people use to work with their electronic communications. We are
approaching this challenge through a combination of user studies, design
explorations, and functional prototypes.
Projetos Motorola
Building Informal Relations via the Access Grid
Access Grid technology has many of the characteristics listed
in the literature as important for building strong social ties in a
group -- it is a persistent public space, it allows for
simultaneous multiple users with different interaction styles,
and it supports real-time interaction. Research on how the AG
facilitates the development of informal relationships, and how
it does not, can provide clues for building supplemental
technology to assist with the development of strong informal
interpersonal connections -- the connections vital not only for
geographically distributed social activities, but for teamwork
across distance as well.
Projetos Motorola
Family Communication Field Study
The social science literature describes in detail communication among nuclear
family members within a single household; however, there is a surprising lack of
information available about how people use communication media to keep in touch
with extended family members and friends living outside their household. A study
was conducted to identify communication breakdowns between people who
maintain relationships without seeing each other on a daily basis. “Rapid
ethnography” methods were used to collect data from six households who
participated in a month-long study. Findings describe the use of media from greeting
cards to instant messaging, but focus mostly on phone calls – the dominant medium
of communication for our participant households. Analysis of the findings
underscores the importance of mobility, flexibility, accessibility, and intimacy in
communications. Implications for designing communication technology for the home
were identified from the results of this study and used in brainstorming and visioning
sessions to choose design ideas for further development.
Projetos NASA
http://is.arc.nasa.gov/AR/projects/MdlTools.html
Projetos NASA
Model-based Programming Skunk Works
NASA Ames Research Center
Abstract
Model-based methods can revolutionize the deployment of control software
for autonomous systems. This project will develop tools and processes to
help engineers create high-capability software for reusable launch vehicles,
life support systems, spacecraft, and rovers. Deliverables will include a visual
modling language with an engineer-friendly textual syntax; application of
formal verification and validation (V&V) techniques to model-based
autonomy; and rapid prototyping of mission scenarios. The approach will use
"plug and play" software libraries, or compositional, declarative models of
the spacecraft and its operational environment. Collaborative modeling by
distributed design teams will be supported by a workgroup repository of
design documents, models, scenarios, bug reports, debugging runs (simulated
telemetry), status reports, and related management tools. A "Portable Ideas"
capability will permit software, annotated debugging sessions, and even
running programs to be moved from one computer to another.
Projetos US Army
Projetos US Army
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
DEFENSE MESSAGE SYSTEM-GOSIP
The Defense Message System (DMS) will implement a
global electronic mail system using commercial off-theshelf products to conduct secure business-grade
messaging throughout the Department of Defense. DMS
will serve as a single, seamless system supporting
administrative, command and control, intelligence,
sustaining base and deployed forces.
This global architecture utilizes the X.400 messaging
protocol with X.500 directory services and an
encryption methodology based on the Fortezza cryptocard. DMS is elegant in its simplicity, yet
sophisticated in services provided and there are a
number of architectural foundations and terms that must
be understood to fully comprehend the DMS vision. This
Implementation/Guidance Plan has been specifically
created to provide much needed and valuable DMS
information to all Corps members. Implementation and
Projetos NEC
Projetos NEC
Multimedia Platforms and Applications Integrating Groupware with Videoon-Demand
By Hideyuki FUKUOKA,* Hiromi MIZUNO* and Shigehito KAWASAKI*
*C&C Research Laboratories
ABSTRACT
Multimedia platforms and applications integrating groupware with video-ondemand are described. The integrated platform is achieved by association of a
groupware server with a video-on-demand server using a Video Service Bridge
(VSB). The platform enables application developers to develop multimedia
application systems supporting both groupware and video-on-demand functions,
and provides both real-time and stored video naturally synchronized with audio to
group users simultaneously. A collaborative automobile sales support system and a
group hypermedia navigational system developed on the integrated platform are
interesting examples showing the platform's possibilities. Using these systems,
group users can simultaneously share and operate video images retrieved from
video servers.
Projetos Open-source
Projetos Open-source
Projetos Open-source