Group Decision Support Group Decision Support SystemsSystems

Week 9Week 9

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P&GP&G

“Procter & Gamble Drives Ideation with Group Support Systems”

Company backgroundProblem descriptionProposed solutionResults

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CollaborationCollaboration

What is it?“… making joint effort toward achieving an agreed upon goal.”

Meeting is a common form of collaboration

Why collaborate?

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Why Collaborate?Why Collaborate?

ReviewReview

Share WorkShare Work

Share the VisionShare the Vision

SocializeSocializeBuild ConsensusBuild Consensus

Solve ProblemsSolve Problems

Make DecisionsMake Decisions

SynergySynergy

Share InformationShare Information

Build TrustBuild Trust

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Collaboration is DifficultCollaboration is Difficult

Waiting to speakWaiting to speakDominationDomination

Fear of SpeakingFear of SpeakingMisunderstandingMisunderstanding

InattentionInattentionLack of FocusLack of Focus

Inadequate CriteriaInadequate CriteriaPremature DecisionsPremature Decisions

Missing InformationMissing InformationDistractionsDistractions

Wrong PeopleWrong PeopleGroupthinkGroupthinkPoor Grasp of ProblemPoor Grasp of Problem

Ignored AlternativesIgnored AlternativesLack of ConsensusLack of ConsensusPoor PlanningPoor PlanningHidden AgendasHidden AgendasConflictConflictInadequate ResourcesInadequate ResourcesPoorly Defined GoalsPoorly Defined Goals

IneffectiveIneffectiveCollaborationCollaboration

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Collaboration is ExpensiveCollaboration is Expensive

15 Million formal Sessions / day

? Million Informal Sessions / day

4 Billion Sessions / year

30-80% Manager’s time

Fortune 500 Companies3M Corporation Study

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Collaboration is EssentialCollaboration is Essential No one has all the …

Experience Knowledge Resources Insight, and Inspiration

…to do the job alone

Bottom line:Collaboration is difficult, expensive, and yet essential for today’s organizations

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How Do People Collaborate?How Do People Collaborate?

Level 1Level 1 Collected Work Collected Work ::Uncoordinated Individual EffortsUncoordinated Individual Efforts

Level 2Level 2 Coordinated Work Coordinated Work::Coordinated Individual EffortsCoordinated Individual Efforts

Level 3Level 3 Concerted Work: Concerted Work:Concerted Team Effort Concerted Team Effort

SprintersSprinters

RelayRelay

3 Levels of Collaboration Capability3 Levels of Collaboration Capability

CrewCrew

HighHigh

LowLow

Degree ofDegree ofCollaborativeCollaborative

EffortEffort

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Joint activity Equal or near equal status Outcome depends on participant’s

knowledge, etc. Outcome depends on group composition Outcome depends on decision-making

process Disagreement settled by rank or

negotiation

Meetings (a form of Meetings (a form of collaboration)collaboration)

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Dozens of people attendDozens of people attend

Everyone …Everyone …

talks at oncetalks at once

hears everythinghears everything

understandsunderstands

remembersremembers

The impossible dream?The impossible dream?

The Ideal MeetingThe Ideal Meeting

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Traditional MeetingsTraditional Meetings

Only Only ONEONE person can speak at a time person can speak at a time

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GSS MeetingsGSS Meetings

By using the computer everyone canBy using the computer everyone canSPEAK and be understood SPEAK and be understood simultaneouslysimultaneously

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Communication SupportCommunication Support

Vital Needed for collaboration

Modern information technologies provide inexpensive, fast, capable, reliable means of supporting communication

Internet / Web

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Evolution of Communication Word of mouth Delivery persons Horseback Snailmail Telegraph Telephone Radio Television Videoconferencing Internet / Web…

Supporting CommunicationSupporting Communication

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A Time/Place A Time/Place Communication FrameworkCommunication Framework

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Lotus Notes / Domino ServerIncludes Learning Space

Netscape Collabra Server Microsoft NetMeeting Novell Groupwise GroupSystems TCBWorks WebEx

GroupwareGroupware

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Goal: to support groupwork Increase benefits / decrease losses of

collaboration Based on traditional methods

Nominal Group Technique“Individuals work alone to generate ideas which are pooled under guidance of a trained facilitator”

Delphi Method“A structured process for collecting and distilling knowledge from a group of experts by means of questionnaires”

Electronic Meeting System (EMS)

Group Support SystemsGroup Support Systems

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Process Gains: Parallelism ( simultaneous contributions )

Larger groups can participate Anonymity ( promotes equal participation )

Focus on content not personalities Triggering ( stimulates thinking ) Synergy ( integrates ideas ) Structure ( facilitates problem solving ) Record keeping ( promotes organizational

memory )

Process Loses: Free-riding Flaming

GSS – Important FeaturesGSS – Important Features

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Benefits of AnonymityBenefits of Anonymity

99##

Ideas considered Ideas considered on merit not on merit not sourcesource

Overcome fear of Overcome fear of speaking upspeaking up

More ideas leads More ideas leads to more quality to more quality ideasideas

Defuses tough Defuses tough political political discussionsdiscussions

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Decision room

Multiple use facility

Web-based

GSS Enabling TechnologiesGSS Enabling Technologies

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12 to 30 networked personal computers

Usually recessed into the desktop Server PC Large-screen projection system Breakout rooms Need a Trained Facilitator for Success

The Decision (Electronic Meeting) The Decision (Electronic Meeting) RoomRoom

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IBM Corp.IBM Corp.

Decision RoomsDecision Rooms

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US Air ForceUS Air Force

More Decision RoomsMore Decision Rooms

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Murraysville School District BusMurraysville School District Bus

Mobile Decision RoomsMobile Decision Rooms

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4

On-Demand Decision RoomsOn-Demand Decision Rooms

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High Cost Need for a Trained Facilitator Requires Specific Software Support

for Different Cooperative Tasks Infrequent Use Different Place / Different Time

Needs May Need More Than One

Few Organizations Use Decision Few Organizations Use Decision RoomsRooms

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Multiple Use Facility Cheaper Still need a facilitator

Web-based Cheaper: no extra hardware needed Still need facilitator

Other TechnologiesOther Technologies

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From GroupSystems.com, Tucson, AZ

Comprehensive groupware Windows and Web versions Leading software

Tool: ThinkTank ThinkTank

GroupSystems, Inc.GroupSystems, Inc.

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ThinkTank: Supported ActivitiesThinkTank: Supported Activities

Supported tools and activities: Agenda and Other Planning Activities Electronic Brainstorming Group Outliner Topic Commenter Categorizer Vote

Others…

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GSS Meeting ProcessGSS Meeting Process

Iterate until Iterate until the solution the solution is reached…is reached…

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Step 1: Prepare an AgendaStep 1: Prepare an Agenda

Prepare an agenda

…

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Step 2: Collect InformationStep 2: Collect Information

… think about the risks to the company if they launch a new line of sports drinks…

BrainstorBrainstorm Riskm Risk

Think Think about the about the risks to risks to company company if they if they launch a launch a new line new line of of productsproducts

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Step 3: Refine InformationStep 3: Refine Information

Gather Gather Additional Additional InformatioInformationn

Capture Capture important important issues for issues for the listed the listed itemsitems

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Step 4: Prioritize OptionsStep 4: Prioritize Options

Prioritize Prioritize Risk Based Risk Based on on Likelihood Likelihood and Impactand Impact

Use of Use of Alternative Alternative Analysis Analysis Ballot for Ballot for two Criteriatwo Criteria

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Step 5: Review Prioritized Step 5: Review Prioritized OptionsOptions

View and View and Discuss Discuss Results of Results of VotingVoting

……

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Step 5: Review Prioritized Step 5: Review Prioritized Options…Options…

Chose Risks Chose Risks for Further for Further Analysis…Analysis…

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Step 5: Review Prioritized Step 5: Review Prioritized Options…Options…

Collect Collect Additional Additional Input On Input On RisksRisks

Collect Collect additional additional comments comments on top three on top three risks…risks…

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Step 5: Review Prioritized Step 5: Review Prioritized Options…Options…

Review Review Comments Comments on Riskson Risks……

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Step 6: Create an Action PlanStep 6: Create an Action Plan

Create an Create an Action Action PlanPlan……

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Step 7: Distribute Session Step 7: Distribute Session TranscriptsTranscripts

Create and Create and Distribute a Distribute a Final Final ReportReport……

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Why Successful? Parallelism Anonymity Synergy Structure Record keeping

Needs… Organizational commitment Executive sponsor Dedicated well-trained facilitator Good planning

Last Words about GSS?Last Words about GSS?

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CreativityCreativity Is it a fundamental human trait or

something that can be learned? Definition: Creativity is a characteristic of a

person that leads to production of acts, items and/or instances of novelty

Creativity is the product of …a genius vs. an idea generation environment

Creative people tend to have creative lives CREATIVITY INNOVATION Idea Generation via Electronic Brainstorming

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Creativity…Creativity… What variables affects creativity

1. Cognitive variables: intelligence, knowledge, skills, etc.

2. Environmental variables: cultural and socioeconomic factors, working conditions, etc.

3. Personality variables: motivation, confidence, sense of freedom, etc.

Creativity is fostered by Freedom Permission-to-fail

Allow and Enable rather than Structure and Control

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Creativity…Creativity… Software that shows creativity

Intelligent Agents (Softbots) Creativity is an intelligent behavior

Software that facilitates human creativity ThoughtPath: promotes outside-the-box

thinking Creative WhackPack (Creative Think): whack

you out of your habitual thought process IdeaFisher: provides language specific

universality - thesaurus

Freedom, Collaboration, Prototyping