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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
The following instrument was developed by Darren Cambridge, Soren Kaplan, and Vicki Suter, with contributions by members of the three
(E-PAC, LOVCOP, Bridging Community), and in particular by the co-facilitators of those communities. The instrument is a work-in-progres
that will be updated to include additional functional requirements, particularly those associated with interactive multimedia functions.
If you would like to give feedback about the functional requirements, priorities, or add functional requirements, please update the spreadsh
with the information below, and e-mail to vsuter@educause.edu
Name: E-Mail Address:
Put an "X" to the left of the description that best fits the kind of community the software is intended to support (more than one X is OK)
Unstructured, Informal Virtual CommunityStructured Learning Community
Virtual Teams/Workgroups/Task Forces
Priority (on a scale of 1 to 5,
with 1 being not very important, an
REF NO CATEGORY FUNCTION PRIORITY
1.1 Levels of Openness
is "Closed", a range of options exist related to the
process of becoming a member of the community
and its sub groups
1.1.1 Access Control New users can self register
1.1.2 Access Control
Creation of new user accounts can be limited to
administrators only
1.1.3 Member ManagementProvides ability to invite new members, excludemembers, etc.
1.1.4 Member Management Maximum number of users per web
1.1.5 Access Control
Creation of new user accounts can be delegated to a
"member manager" who possesses limited
administrative permissions
1.2 Subgroups
grouped together into named "subgroups" that
have designated group-related permissions to
unique information and resources
1.2.1 Access Control Administrator can create subgroups
Functional Requirements for Community-Oriented Software and Technologies
1.0 Social Structures
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
1.2.2 Access Control
Users can create subgroups (when user account is
created, admin should be able to set scope of groups
this user can create)
1.2.3 Access Control Subgroups can consist of both users and groups
1.2.4 Access Control
For subgroups, users may designate which level of
nested group can access each resource, schedule
entry, chat room, or discussion thread
1.2.5 Access Control
"Leaders" can be assigned to subgroups with
"administrative permissions" for given groups
1.3 Role Distinctions
o es a suppor commun y- u ngprocesses designed into permissions structure and
collaboration tools
1.3.1 Access Control
Site administrators manage features configuration,
permissions, role assignments
1.3.2 Access Control
User and Group membership managers possess
administrative rights but which are limited to managing
group assignments and site membership
1.3.4 Access Control
Cross-Group Leaders manage content and process
collaboration across groups
1.3.5 Access Control
Group Leaders manage content and process
collaboration within designated groups
1.4 Presenceoc a awareness o o er commun y mem ers
and groups
1.4.1 Member Management
Directory of members with customizable profiles
including photos1.4.2 Discussions/Communication Supports "buddy list" (who's online right now)
1.4.3 User Interface
Notifies members of new postings (files, discussions,
etc.).
1.4.4 Member Management Provides member activity summaries
1.4.5 Member Management Provides searchable, downloadable member database
1.4.6 Member Management
Users can see others' group membership(s) (option for
hiding group memberships)
2.0 Core Community Activities
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
2.1
Synchronous
Communication Tools for real-time communication
2.1.1 Discussions/Communication Provides instant messaging service.
2.1.2 Discussions/Communication Provides chat services.
2.1.3 Discussions/Communication
Users can create new rooms, permanent and
temporary
2.1.4 Discussions/Communication
Copy and paste into and out of chat works across
platforms and browsers
2.1.5 Discussions/Communication
Users can create transcripts by clicking a record buttonto begin and a stop button the end (users should also
have the option of having all their chats logged, and
then when a particular user leaves, they chose to keep
or discard that transcript)
2.1.6 Discussions/Communication
Transcripts are automatically stored as resources in a
special folder accessible to group which could access
the room
2.1.7 Discussions/Communication
Users should be able to refer to other
objects/resources from within the chat
2.1.8 Discussions/Communication Supports audio and video conferencing
2.1.9 Discussions/Communication Creates indexed archive of audio/video conferences
2.1.10 Discussions/Communication
A whiteboard which becomes an extension of chat but
allows users to draw as well.
2.1.11 Discussions/Communication
Ideally, users are able to place other documents (text,
pictures, pdfs, reports) on the whiteboard and comment
on them - as a group
2.1.12 Resource Sharing/Organization Supports real-time shared whiteboard
2.1.13 Resource Sharing/Organization Supports real-time application sharing
2.2
Asynchronous
Communication Tools for any-time communication
2.2.1 Discussions/Communication
Provides well-organized discussion forums (discussion
threads can be grouped by category, so have at least 2-
level hierarchy of classification: category and thread)
2.2.2 Discussions/Communication
Supports ability to view discussions in both threaded
and linear mode
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
2.2.3 Discussions/Communication
Discussions have their own e-mail addresses (so can
send copy of non-group e-mail to group)
2.2.4 Discussions/Communication Administrators can assign moderators to categories
2.2.5 Discussions/Communication Moderators can move posts between threads
2.2.6 Discussions/Communication
Moderators can split threads (which have changed
subject)
2.2.7 Discussions/Communication Discussion posts can be spellchecked and previewed.
2.2.8 Discussions/Communication Messages can be searched
2.2.9 Discussions/Communication Threads can be archived but remain searchable
2.2.10 Discussions/Communication
Resources from a resource section can be associated
with posts
2.2.11 Discussions/Communication Allow HTML in posts
2.2.12 Discussions/Communication WYSIWYG tools for styling text in posts
2.2.13 Discussions/Communication
Discussions can be scaffolded (moderators may set up
identifiers that users can associate with each post that
designate the function of the post in conversation, e.g.
set up topic, provide resource/background, agree,
disagree, summary, etc.)
2.2.14 Discussions/Communication
2.2.15 Discussions/Communication Provides option for group polling/surveys
2.2.16 Discussions/Communication
Integrates polling/resource sharing into discussion
(e.g., via live link)
2.2.17 Discussions/CommunicationProvides basic moderation tools (to invite/banmembers)
2.3 Resource/File Sharingoo s or s ar ng an managemen ocumen s an
links
2.3.1 File Sharing
Provides shared file space, capability to do document
sharing
2.3.2 File Sharing
Easy download/upload of documents, either via Browse
dialog box, or via Windows click-and-drag
2.3.3 File Sharing
Provides ability to edit documents collaboratively,
including support for document version control.
2.3.4 File Sharing
Supports viewing of documents in native format for
Word and Excel files
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
2.3.5 File Sharing
Supports editing of documents in native format for
Word and Excel files
2.3.6 File Sharing Document version tracking
2.3.7 File Sharing Document check-in and check-out
2.3.8 Resource Sharing/Organization
Flexible, hierarchical (with at least 3 nested levels), well-
organized directory and file structure
2.3.9 Resource Sharing/Organization
Supports association of resources with discussions and
tasks (e.g., If a resource is associated with a
discussion thread, there is a direct link to the thread
from the resource)
2.3.10 Resource Sharing/Organization
Provides subgroup workspaces to share information,
documents, and organize work - including subgroup
discussions, document sharing, chat)
2.3.11 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides community chronicle (history, archives)
2.3.12 Resource Sharing/Organization
Ability to share links as resource, organized by topic
(e.g., web link repository organized by folders)
2.3.13 Resource Sharing/Organization
Provides resource library support, with subgroup
access control of resources
2.4 Structured Data Sharing Tools for structured data gathering & sharing
2.4.1 Resource Sharing/Organization
Customizable database for entering, searching and
organizing data
2.4.2 Resource Sharing/Organization Field validation options for data entry
2.4.3 Resource Sharing/Organization Export database to csv file
2.4.4 Resource Sharing/Organization
Customizable drop down lists that are reusable across
database tables
2.5
Scheduling &
Coordination Tools for organizing activities
2.5.1 Project/Team Management
Provides work-flow based task administration (set up
tasklists)
2.5.2 Project/Team Management Provides project(s) calendar(s)
2.5.3 Project/Team Management Provides group calendar
2.6 Finding & Searching Ability to easily find information and resources
2.6.1 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides search engine for site
2.6.2 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides search engine for subgroups
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
2.6.3 Resource Sharing/Organization
All content objects (discussion posts, resources, etc.)
can be linked to directly via a URL which never
changes
3.1 User Interfacey o eas y par c pa e n e commun y
(technology recedes into background)
3.1.1 User Interface Clear, familiar navigation metaphor (e.g., folder-based)
3.1.2 User Interface Uses browser interface (not dependent on client)
3.1.3 User Interface Supports both Macintosh and PC
3.1.4 User Interface Configurable user interface/user-controlled views
3.1.5 User Interface Supports icons and graphics for community identity
3.1.6 User Interface Community space represented by web page
3.1.7 User Interface Ability to set up sites without technical assistance
3.1.8 Member Management Single Sign-on/Unified Log-in throughout space
3.2 Push-Pull Options
a ance e ween pus ng n orma on s serv
and communication vs. requiring users to login to
participate
3.2.1 User Interface
User-controlled delivery modes (user has following
choices: send alert of postings; forward individual
postings to e-mail; send daily/weekly digest of postings,
don't send e-mail)
3.2.2 User Interface
Users can manage all their notifications from a singleprofile management form, or can select to be notified
from a particular thread or folder, etc.
3.2.3 User Interface
The body of messages are pushed as well as links if
requested by user
3.2.4 User Interface Links in notifications point directly to the individual item
3.2.5 Project/Team Management
Supports automatic reminders and progress updates
associated with tasklists
3.3 System Compatibilityy o s are a a w or n egra e w o er
systems
3.3.1 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides for export of material to other system
3.0 Integrating Mechanisms
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
3.3.2 Resource Sharing/Organization
Provides ability to link easily into and out of other
systems (external URL reference)
3.3.3 User Interface Does not require special browser for OS (e.g., only IE)
3.3.4 Resource Sharing/Organization Supports multiple media formats (embedded graphics)
3.3.5 Project/Team Management Synchronization with PDAs
3.3.6 Project/Team Management Synchronization with Outlook
3.4 Sustained Continuity
y o sus a n an ac v y w con nu y or
example, if discussing a document, there is no
barrier to discussion that is due to not being able
to find the document
3.4.1 Resource Sharing/Organization
Content and interaction are interwoven (not divided into
silos)
3.5 Resource representation Accessibility and representations of relationships among resources
3.5.1 Resource Sharing/Organization
The relationships between and among resources can
be maintained, so that users can find things by the
community event to which they were associated, by the
other documents that were created at the same time
for similar purposes, by documents which have a topic
relationships, or contributed by same author (semanticweb)
(e.g., webcasts, whiteboards, voice over IP, narrated Powerpoint)
4. 0 Additional Interactive Multimedia Support
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
LII VCOPs
et
Date:
5 being essential)
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features
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Social Structure Core Features Integrating MechanismsLevels of Openness Synchronous Communication User Interface
Subgroups Asynchronous Communication Push-Pull Options
Role Distinctions Resource/File Sharing System Compatibility
Presence Structured Data Sharing
Scheduling & Coordination
Finding & Searching