ICEICEInterdisciplinary Collaboration EnvironmentInterdisciplinary Collaboration Environment

Team MembersTeam MembersAkramAkramPatrickPatrickMaeteeMaeteePhichetPhichet

IntroductionIntroduction TitleTitle

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration Environment – ICEInterdisciplinary Collaboration Environment – ICE DescriptionDescription

• A research project collaboration tool for universities A research project collaboration tool for universities and collegesand colleges

NeedNeed• No dedicated solution to the problem existsNo dedicated solution to the problem exists

ClientClient• MU-ACM and Chris TopinkaMU-ACM and Chris Topinka

Project BackgroundProject Background

What is the problem?What is the problem?• University and college research projects are University and college research projects are

currently maintained in scattered websites, e-mails currently maintained in scattered websites, e-mails and departmental newslettersand departmental newsletters

• Very limited awareness of research conducted by Very limited awareness of research conducted by other departmentsother departments

• The result is many opportunities are unseenThe result is many opportunities are unseen

Project Background – Cont.Project Background – Cont.

What exactly is ICE?What exactly is ICE?• A web-based systemA web-based system• Maintains database of research material and project Maintains database of research material and project

informationinformation• Provides information sharing and collaboration Provides information sharing and collaboration

opportunitiesopportunities

Who uses ICE?Who uses ICE?• Graduate Students working towards master’s degrees or Graduate Students working towards master’s degrees or

PhDs PhDs • Professors working on researchProfessors working on research• Undergraduates interested in working on projects or with Undergraduates interested in working on projects or with

professorsprofessors

Project Background – Cont.Project Background – Cont. Are there any solutions currently?Are there any solutions currently?

• Open source or commercial Content Management Open source or commercial Content Management Systems (CMS) such as Mambo, Drupal, Plone and Systems (CMS) such as Mambo, Drupal, Plone and SharepointSharepoint

Why not just use a CMS?Why not just use a CMS?• CMS’s are very general and need to be configured CMS’s are very general and need to be configured

before they offer any real usebefore they offer any real use• Only a small amount of professors or researchers Only a small amount of professors or researchers

have the technical expertise to configure such have the technical expertise to configure such systemssystems

• Unless a system is adopted by a large entity such Unless a system is adopted by a large entity such as a University or College, the problem of as a University or College, the problem of interdisciplinary collaboration is not solvedinterdisciplinary collaboration is not solved

PlonePloneplone.org

DrupalDrupaldrupal.org

MamboMambomamboserver.com

SharepointSharepointmicrosoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/sharepoint/default.mspx

Project Background – Cont.Project Background – Cont.

How will ICE solve the current need?How will ICE solve the current need?• ICE will be built to specifically address the needs of ICE will be built to specifically address the needs of

the research community.the research community.• ICE will be easy to deploy and will not require much ICE will be easy to deploy and will not require much

expertise to configure or useexpertise to configure or use

Potential problems when building the systemPotential problems when building the system• Additional requirements or change in requirements Additional requirements or change in requirements

might occur during implementationmight occur during implementation• Some desired requirements could be conflictingSome desired requirements could be conflicting

Different departments or colleges might have special Different departments or colleges might have special requirements for maintaining datarequirements for maintaining data

Market AnalysisMarket Analysis

Cost of TechnologyCost of Technology• All software technology used in this project is open-All software technology used in this project is open-

source or freely availablesource or freely available• ICE can be deployed on any server that supports ICE can be deployed on any server that supports

the software technology usedthe software technology used• ACM will be providing several software titles and ACM will be providing several software titles and

server spaceserver space

Could ICE be sold?Could ICE be sold?

ConstraintsConstraints

TechnologicalTechnological• ICE will only function on servers. The server must ICE will only function on servers. The server must

be running the correct versions of MySQL and PHP.be running the correct versions of MySQL and PHP.• Performance can be affected by quality of server Performance can be affected by quality of server

running ICErunning ICE

SocialSocial• ICE is community driven software. Without a ICE is community driven software. Without a

community of users, ICE performs only a portion of community of users, ICE performs only a portion of it’s functions.it’s functions.

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

Advanced Indexing and Retrieval in Present-Advanced Indexing and Retrieval in Present-day Content Management Systemsday Content Management Systems• Metadata generation upon media acquisitionMetadata generation upon media acquisition• Advanced editing of MetadataAdvanced editing of Metadata• Splitting media into arbitrarily sized chunksSplitting media into arbitrarily sized chunks• Multilingual queries through translation engineMultilingual queries through translation engine

Literature Review – Cont.Literature Review – Cont.

DynG: Enabling Structured Non-monolithic DynG: Enabling Structured Non-monolithic Electronic Collaboration Electronic Collaboration • Protocol geared toward dynamic groups of Protocol geared toward dynamic groups of

collaboratorscollaborators• Defines rules for creating and answering questions, Defines rules for creating and answering questions,

defining groups, performing user actionsdefining groups, performing user actions• Can be implemented through many technologiesCan be implemented through many technologies

Literature Review – Cont.Literature Review – Cont.

A Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration A Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration System Model based on the InternetSystem Model based on the Internet• A protocol which would link many unrelated servers A protocol which would link many unrelated servers

together for data sharing from knowledge basestogether for data sharing from knowledge bases• Capable of converting data into XML so data can be Capable of converting data into XML so data can be

used in a variety of environmentsused in a variety of environments• Emphasis on speed and transparency to userEmphasis on speed and transparency to user

Literature Review – Cont.Literature Review – Cont.

Content Mismanagement SystemsContent Mismanagement Systems• Argues that URLs generated by many CMS’s are not Argues that URLs generated by many CMS’s are not

human-readablehuman-readable• Makes general argument of inconvenience to users, Makes general argument of inconvenience to users,

regarding book-marking, exchanging and following regarding book-marking, exchanging and following linkslinks

• Potential harms include hampering of ‘viral-Potential harms include hampering of ‘viral-marketing,’ and willingness to follow, preserve linksmarketing,’ and willingness to follow, preserve links

Literature Review – Cont.Literature Review – Cont.

Plone and Content ManagementPlone and Content Management• Describes in detail the merits of Plone as a CMSDescribes in detail the merits of Plone as a CMS• Designation of content as specific type, attributesDesignation of content as specific type, attributes• Structured Text editingStructured Text editing• Customizable visual componentCustomizable visual component• Extend functionality through pluginsExtend functionality through plugins• Building ICE with Plone is very feasibleBuilding ICE with Plone is very feasible

System ComponentsSystem Components

TechnologyTechnology• MySQLMySQL• PHP PHP • Standard Web Technology (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)Standard Web Technology (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)

Recommended PossibilitiesRecommended Possibilities• PythonPython• CMS (Plone, Mambo, Drupal)CMS (Plone, Mambo, Drupal)

System Components – Cont.System Components – Cont.

UsersUsers

• UserUser The basic user: Can create and maintain projects, The basic user: Can create and maintain projects,

communication, collaboration requestscommunication, collaboration requests

• AdminAdmin All the abilities of the User, control of all configurable All the abilities of the User, control of all configurable

optionsoptions

System Components – Cont.System Components – Cont.

ComponentsComponents

• ProjectProject Stores all relevant information regarding research Stores all relevant information regarding research

projects such as title, participants and departmental projects such as title, participants and departmental affiliationaffiliation

• UserUser Stores all relevant information regarding users such Stores all relevant information regarding users such

as name, title, additional biographic information, as name, title, additional biographic information, current projectscurrent projects

System Components – Cont.System Components – Cont.

ComponentsComponents

• CollaborationCollaboration Stores all relevant information regarding job or Stores all relevant information regarding job or

assistance postings, such as referring Professor, job assistance postings, such as referring Professor, job description, time framedescription, time frame

• External UsersExternal Users No information is stored regarding external users, but No information is stored regarding external users, but

they are allowed to view certain portions of ICEthey are allowed to view certain portions of ICE

System Components – Cont.System Components – Cont.

ComponentsComponents

• HierarchyHierarchy Maintains the hierarchy of all the universities, Maintains the hierarchy of all the universities,

colleges and departments affiliated with a particular colleges and departments affiliated with a particular installation of ICEinstallation of ICE

• KeywordKeyword Stores and maintains user specified keywords0Stores and maintains user specified keywords0

System Components – Cont.System Components – Cont.

ComponentsComponents

• User InterfaceUser Interface Allows for use of the ICE systemAllows for use of the ICE system

• CommunicationCommunication Allows for sending and receiving messages to ICE Allows for sending and receiving messages to ICE

users from within the system, and for leaving users from within the system, and for leaving comments on projectscomments on projects

System DiagramSystem Diagram

System DesignSystem Design

Waterfall, Spiral Model hybridWaterfall, Spiral Model hybrid• Specifications are defined, hence waterfallSpecifications are defined, hence waterfall• Revisions and examination of current Revisions and examination of current

implementation will be needed occasionally implementation will be needed occasionally throughout development, hence spiral throughout development, hence spiral

Goals and ObjectivesGoals and Objectives

Initial PrototypeInitial Prototype• Provide a useful tool for MU-ACM and the Computer Provide a useful tool for MU-ACM and the Computer

Science departmentScience department• Ease of useEase of use• Simplicity of systemSimplicity of system• Easy to deploy and configureEasy to deploy and configure

FutureFuture• Expand to many colleges and departments within Expand to many colleges and departments within

the University of Missourithe University of Missouri• Possibly expand to multiple universitiesPossibly expand to multiple universities

AdvantagesAdvantages

Designed for non-technical users so a wide Designed for non-technical users so a wide audience can benefit from the systemaudience can benefit from the system

Provides unified environment for sharing data Provides unified environment for sharing data and collaboration between projectsand collaboration between projects

Increases communication between usersIncreases communication between users Easily deployable Easily deployable

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Specific application built for specific type of Specific application built for specific type of client and environmentclient and environment

Some professors may not want to use the Some professors may not want to use the system at all, harming the collaboration system at all, harming the collaboration element element

QuestionsQuestions