eCollaboration tools selected by IST4Balt project Dr. Anatoly Soloviev (EDNES)

Project review, 07/12/2005 Tallinn, Estonia 1

eCollaboration tools selected by eCollaboration tools selected by IST4Balt projectIST4Balt project

Dr. Anatoly Soloviev (EDNES)Dr. Anatoly Soloviev (EDNES)

2Project review, 07/12/2005 Tallinn, Estonia

GoalsGoals– develop community in the Baltic countries capable to operate efficiently in develop community in the Baltic countries capable to operate efficiently in

modern information societymodern information society

– develop methodology for selecting eCollaboration tools for their further develop methodology for selecting eCollaboration tools for their further demonstration and application within the IST4Balt projectdemonstration and application within the IST4Balt project

– basing on the methodology basing on the methodology select 3-4 innovative IST developed select 3-4 innovative IST developed or other or other eCollaboration eCollaboration tools applicable for EU-Baltic States team work or useful for tools applicable for EU-Baltic States team work or useful for information society development in the Baltic States in the field of information society development in the Baltic States in the field of the the Strategic Strategic Objectives 2.3.2.6Objectives 2.3.2.6, , 2.3.2.102.3.2.10, , 2.3.2.32.3.2.3, , 2.3.2.72.3.2.7, , 2.3.2.9 and carefully evaluate the 2.3.2.9 and carefully evaluate the selectionselection

– demonstrate (on non-commercial basis) potential of the selected EU telematics demonstrate (on non-commercial basis) potential of the selected EU telematics products at the project conferences, workshops, Web-sites, training courses, products at the project conferences, workshops, Web-sites, training courses, News Journals, News Journals, etcetc..

– adapt, as pilot examples, selected adapt, as pilot examples, selected eCollaborationeCollaboration tool toolss for IST4Balt project for IST4Balt project management activities and everyday collaboration between the partnersmanagement activities and everyday collaboration between the partners

– prepare a report on the pilot implementation of eCollaboration tools in the Baltic prepare a report on the pilot implementation of eCollaboration tools in the Baltic States with focus on what kind of tools are really needed to be developed as far States with focus on what kind of tools are really needed to be developed as far as their implementation in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are concernedas their implementation in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are concerned

eCollaboration tools selected by IST4Balt project


““eCollaboration tools selection methodology and eCollaboration tools selection methodology and preliminary evaluation”preliminary evaluation”

• Prepared in June 2005 by independent experts in collaboration with Prepared in June 2005 by independent experts in collaboration with EDNES, INFOBALT and VITP EDNES, INFOBALT and VITP

• Contents include:Contents include:

1.1. Types of toolsTypes of tools

2.2. Tools for project managementTools for project management

3.3. Tools for team workTools for team work

4.4. Tools for teleworkingTools for teleworking

5.5. Tools for presence awareness and/or collaborative browsingTools for presence awareness and/or collaborative browsing

6.6. Common criteria for toolsCommon criteria for tools

7.7. Information and knowledge interactive portal for IST4Balt projectInformation and knowledge interactive portal for IST4Balt project



• Methodology was applied to Methodology was applied to 9797 eCollaboration tools eCollaboration tools including tools proposed by the including tools proposed by the project reviewer (software for PM, KM, DM, Teamwork and Collaboration in real time)project reviewer (software for PM, KM, DM, Teamwork and Collaboration in real time)

• Using the basic principles of the methodology nine tools were preliminarily selected:Using the basic principles of the methodology nine tools were preliminarily selected:– BAL.PM (Balanced Project Management)BAL.PM (Balanced Project Management)– BSCW (Basic Support for Cooperative Work)BSCW (Basic Support for Cooperative Work)– HyperOfficeHyperOffice– MarratechMarratech– MWliveMWlive– Projectplace.comProjectplace.com– SubversionSubversion– WorkSmartWorkSmart– Xerox DocuShareXerox DocuShare

The special meeting of the IST4Balt Steering Committee devoted to the preliminary The special meeting of the IST4Balt Steering Committee devoted to the preliminary selection of eCollaboration tools was organized on 25 October 2005 on the occasion selection of eCollaboration tools was organized on 25 October 2005 on the occasion of the INFOBALT-IST4Balt 2005 Conference and the IST4Balt 2005 Workshop in of the INFOBALT-IST4Balt 2005 Conference and the IST4Balt 2005 Workshop in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 24-25 October 2005. The IST4Balt project engineer, independent Vilnius, Lithuania, on 24-25 October 2005. The IST4Balt project engineer, independent experts and project participants presented the proposed eCollaboration tools for experts and project participants presented the proposed eCollaboration tools for evaluation by the IST4Balt Steering Committee. evaluation by the IST4Balt Steering Committee.

• The nine preliminarily selected tools were subjected to more detailed examination and The nine preliminarily selected tools were subjected to more detailed examination and assessmentassessment

• The final selection of eCollaboration tools will be carried out by the IST4Balt Steering The final selection of eCollaboration tools will be carried out by the IST4Balt Steering Committee in Tallinn, Estonia, on 9 December 2005 on the occasion of the IST Committee in Tallinn, Estonia, on 9 December 2005 on the occasion of the IST Training DayTraining Day



The corresponding results are represented in D4 “Report on adaptation of pilot tools The corresponding results are represented in D4 “Report on adaptation of pilot tools for EU-Baltic States team work”. The report contents are:for EU-Baltic States team work”. The report contents are:

1. Introduction1. Introduction2. eCollaboration tools selection methodology2. eCollaboration tools selection methodology

(...)(...)3. Methodology application3. Methodology application

3.1. Preliminarily selected tools overview3.1. Preliminarily selected tools overview3.1.1. BAL.PM3.1.1. BAL.PM3.1.2. BSCW3.1.2. BSCW3.1.3. HyperOffice3.1.3. HyperOffice3.1.4. Marratech3.1.4. Marratech3.1.5. MWlive3.1.5. MWlive3.1.6. Projectplace3.1.6. Projectplace3.1.7. Subversion3.1.7. Subversion3.1.8. WorkSmart3.1.8. WorkSmart3.1.9. Xerox DocuShare3.1.9. Xerox DocuShare

3.2. Detailed assessment procedure description3.2. Detailed assessment procedure description3.2.1. Analysis and evaluation approach3.2.1. Analysis and evaluation approach3.2.2. Summarized information3.2.2. Summarized information3.2.3. Brief semi-structured information on tools3.2.3. Brief semi-structured information on tools

4. Practice of using eCollaboration tools4. Practice of using eCollaboration tools4.1. WorkSmart4.1. WorkSmart4.2. MarratechFree4.2. MarratechFree4.3 HyperOffice4.3 HyperOffice4.4. Plone/Zope4.4. Plone/Zope

Annex 1. Complete list of eCollaboration toolsAnnex 1. Complete list of eCollaboration tools



Detailed assessment of the nine tools: comparative table with the summarized featuresDetailed assessment of the nine tools: comparative table with the summarized features



Detailed assessment of the nine tools: general information on each tool in table format Detailed assessment of the nine tools: general information on each tool in table format (BAL.PM, Projectplace, BSCW, …)(BAL.PM, Projectplace, BSCW, …)

……......



Conclusions (1/2):Conclusions (1/2):• Final selection of tools will be carried out by the IST4Balt Steering CommitteeFinal selection of tools will be carried out by the IST4Balt Steering Committee• A unified single tool that provides all features for PM, team work, DM and communication does A unified single tool that provides all features for PM, team work, DM and communication does

not existnot exist• Therefore preliminarily we can suppose that the best solution is to use three types of tools: Therefore preliminarily we can suppose that the best solution is to use three types of tools:

– one for project managementone for project management– one for document management, collaborative work and communicationone for document management, collaborative work and communication– one for communication and collaboration in real timeone for communication and collaboration in real time

• The best tool of the first group (PM) is BAL.PM, which provides both task management, The best tool of the first group (PM) is BAL.PM, which provides both task management, scheduling and all resources managementscheduling and all resources management

• Subversion is the best tool of the second group (DM)Subversion is the best tool of the second group (DM)• The tools of the third group (Communication in real time) are Marratech and MWlive. Marratech The tools of the third group (Communication in real time) are Marratech and MWlive. Marratech

is more powerful as well as it has a lot of additional featuresis more powerful as well as it has a lot of additional features• The tools of the fourth group (Integrated tools) are BSCW, HyperOffice, Worksmart and Xerox The tools of the fourth group (Integrated tools) are BSCW, HyperOffice, Worksmart and Xerox

Docushare: Docushare: – All these tools have almost the same list of featuresAll these tools have almost the same list of features– Selection of the best tool depends on the weights of criteria or indicatorsSelection of the best tool depends on the weights of criteria or indicators– If the most important criterion is price then HyperOffice should be selectedIf the most important criterion is price then HyperOffice should be selected– If we are interested more in integration with some PM features we should select BSCW or If we are interested more in integration with some PM features we should select BSCW or

WorkSmartWorkSmart– If we are interested in mobile access (one of the focuses of the IST4Balt project) we should If we are interested in mobile access (one of the focuses of the IST4Balt project) we should

select BSCWselect BSCW– If we are interested in developing application using simple database we should select If we are interested in developing application using simple database we should select

WorkSmartWorkSmart



Conclusions (2/2):Conclusions (2/2):

• Therefore the best solution is to analyze three tools from different groups: Therefore the best solution is to analyze three tools from different groups: BAL.PM, Marratech and BSCW (if we do not consider additional criteria listed BAL.PM, Marratech and BSCW (if we do not consider additional criteria listed above as the most important)above as the most important)

• If we do not need all project resources management (e.g. we need only tasks If we do not need all project resources management (e.g. we need only tasks management) we could use BSCW for the PM (which provides task management) we could use BSCW for the PM (which provides task management feature). For other resources (costs, labor) management, tracking management feature). For other resources (costs, labor) management, tracking and reporting we should use some simple tools, e.g. Microsoft Excel and Wordand reporting we should use some simple tools, e.g. Microsoft Excel and Word

• If we do not need all the features of communication and collaboration in real If we do not need all the features of communication and collaboration in real time (provided by Marratech) we should use only e-mail (provided by BSCW time (provided by Marratech) we should use only e-mail (provided by BSCW and Microsoft Outlook) and free VoIP, e.g. Skype, for real time communicationand Microsoft Outlook) and free VoIP, e.g. Skype, for real time communication

• Therefore the final solution depends on the list of features needed for the Therefore the final solution depends on the list of features needed for the project implementation and management and weights of criteriaproject implementation and management and weights of criteria



Practice of using eCollaboration tools (1/2):Practice of using eCollaboration tools (1/2):

• Two selected eCollaboration tools (trial versions) were installed by Two selected eCollaboration tools (trial versions) were installed by EDNES (testing purposes / assistance in preparation of D4):EDNES (testing purposes / assistance in preparation of D4):– WorkSmart 21 day trial versionWorkSmart 21 day trial version– MarratechFreeMarratechFree

These tools were actively used between EDNES team, Lithuanian These tools were actively used between EDNES team, Lithuanian project partners and independent experts who helped in preparation project partners and independent experts who helped in preparation of the selection methodologyof the selection methodology. .

• IST4Balt Lithuanian expert tried the HyperOffice Suite trial versionIST4Balt Lithuanian expert tried the HyperOffice Suite trial version

• The Lithuanian IST4Balt national Web-sites represent the interactive The Lithuanian IST4Balt national Web-sites represent the interactive information and knowledge Web-portal (open source KM tools – information and knowledge Web-portal (open source KM tools – Plone and Zope)Plone and Zope)



Practice of using eCollaboration tools (2/2):Practice of using eCollaboration tools (2/2):http://tols1.worksmart.net/http://tols1.worksmart.net/: process of : process of collaborative revision of D4collaborative revision of D4

http://hera.wdcb.ru:8000/http://hera.wdcb.ru:8000/: chatting and creating objects : chatting and creating objects on the common Whiteboardon the common Whiteboard

http://ist4balt.hyperoffice.com/http://ist4balt.hyperoffice.com/: “My Documents”: “My Documents”

http://ist4balt.lt/http://ist4balt.lt/: Plone editor (Epoz): Plone editor (Epoz)


eCollaboration tools selected by IST4Balt project Dr. Anatoly Soloviev (EDNES)

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