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