Using MIS 2e Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration David Kroenke This presentation has been modified from the original and should be downloaded from the Course Documents area in Blackboard

Study Questions Problem Solving Guide: Egocentric versus Empathetic Thinking Q1 – What is collaboration? Q3 – How can you use collaboration systems to improve team communication? Q4 – How can you use collaboration systems to manage content? Q5 – How can you use collaboration systems to control workflow? Q5 – How do businesses use collaboration systems for decision making? Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems? Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Problem Solving Guide: Egocentric vs. Empathetic Thinking Egocentric thinkers center on themselves and ignore the views of others Centers on self “I’m right’ everyone else is wrong” Empathetic thinkers consider their view as only one possible interpretation of the problem and actively work to learn what others are thinking. My view is one possible interpretation Take time to learn what others are thinking Skilled negotiators always know what the other side wants. You should not think in terms of “win or lose” but rather “win/win” Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Problem Solving Guide: Egocentric vs. Empathetic Thinking “Professor Jones, I couldn’t come to class last Tuesday. Did we do anything important?” Implies the student isn’t accountable for his actions Implies professor lectured on nothing important Doesn’t take into account professor’s view of absences Assumes the professor has time to rehash the class discussions and activities one-on-one “I couldn’t come to class, but I got the class notes from Mary. I read through them, and I have a question…Oh by the way, I’m sorry to trouble you with my problem.” Takes personal responsibility Minimizes impact of absence on someone else Considers impact from professor’s side Considers that the professor must interrupt their other work to give extra help so you can recover from your absence

Q1 – What is collaboration? Collaboration occurs when individuals work together to achieve a common goal, result, or work product. Collaboration is more than just coordination and communication; i.e., dividing a group project into pieces, then meeting an hour before the project is due to put the pieces together is not collaboration. Collaboration requires feedback and iteration Proceed in a series of steps (iterations) by continuously reviewing and revising each other’s work Learn from each other rather than working in isolation Change the way they work and what they produce Successful collaboration produces a better result than individuals working alone; i.e., it is synergistic. Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q1 – What is collaboration (Three Critical Collaboration Drivers)? Communication The success of the collaboration depends on the availability of effective communication systems that allow group members to share their skills and abilities. Content management Team members need to manage the content of their work to avoid conflicting with other team members; i.e., they need a system that will help them track and report changes. An effective system assigns permissions to team members depending on their functionality within the group. Workflow control Workflow is a process or procedure to create, edit, use, and dispose of content; it specifies the particular ordering of tasks. It includes processes for handling changes and exceptions and ensures tasks are completed in an orderly manner. Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q2: What are the components of a collaboration system? Collaboration systems have the same components as any information system; namely hardware, software, data, procedures, and people

Q2: What are the components of a collaboration system (People)?

Q3 – How can you use collaboration systems to improve communication? Communication is the first critical driver of collaboration Synchronous communication Team members meet at the same time, but not necessarily at the same geographic location. It may include conference calls, video conferencing, or online meetings. Asynchronous communication Team members do not meet at the same time or in the same geographic location. It may include discussion forums, email exchanges, or team surveys. Most student groups will attempt to meet face-to-face, at least initially. Such meetings may be difficult to arrange and may (in part) be replaced by virtual meetings using asynchronous communication technology Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q3 – How can you use collaboration systems to improve team communication? Fig 2-6 Example of Discussion Forum (Available from Communication Tab in Blackboard) Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q4 – How can you use collaboration systems to manage content? Content Management is the second critical driver of collaboration with three categories for sharing content. There are three basic content management systems: Shared content with no control Shared content with version management Shared content with version control E-mail is the most primitive and is readily available but someone may not receive a message and/or ignore it; attachments are difficult to manage and sometimes rejected A shared file server eliminates problems with attachments and provides a single location for finding documents; can also provide version management if done correctly. Blackboard enables both group e-mail and file exchange Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q4 – How can you use collaboration systems to manage content (Blackboard)? The Group Discussion and Email functions enable group communication. File Exchange is for content management Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration 2-12

Q4 – How can you use collaboration systems to manage content (Blackboard)? Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q4 – How can you use collaboration systems to manage content? Shared content with version management systems track changes to documents and provide functions to accommodate concurrent work Wikis (pronounced we-keys) is a shared knowledge base in which content is contributed and managed by users. Google Docs and Spreadsheets at http://docs.google.com; requires a Google account (different from a Gmail account). Documents are stored on Google servers A free service but requires Google programs for processing. Microsoft Office provides a Track Changes function Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q4 – How can you use collaboration systems to manage content (Track Changes)? Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q4 – How can you use collaboration systems to manage content? Shared content with version management does not limit actions that can be taken by a particular user Shared content with version control provides more control over changes to documents Users are given permissions that limit what they can do with the documents. Users are required to check out documents and to check them back in. Microsoft SharePoint is the most popular for business use. Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q5 – How can you use collaboration systems to control workflow? Workflow control is the third critical driver of collaboration Sequential workflow occurs when documents are reviewed by multiple members of a team one after another Parallel workflow occurs when documents are reviewed by multiple members of a team simultaneously Other types of workflows also exist but are not discussed Microsoft SharePoint enables you to defines workflows and ensures team members perform required tasks Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems? (Decision Making) Operational decisions Obtain data from transaction processing systems Use a structured decision process (understood and accepted method for making decisions) Require very little collaboration; no feedback or iteration necessary Managerial decisions Focus on the allocation and utilization of resources Decisions are both structured and unstructured Require some collaboration Strategic decisions Are broader in their scope and center around organizational issues Use an unstructured decision process (no agreed on decision making process) Almost always collaborative; communication systems are important Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems for decision making? Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems for problem solving? Scenario: You buy a laptop computer and it fails within a few days. You call customer support and the representative walks you through the procedure to fix the problem. A day or so later, the computer locks again. You call customer support a second time and are connected to a new rep, but one with no record of your previous call. You have to repeat all of your customer information before the rep gets your computer up and running. Several days later the computer fails again. You and other customers are frustrated at having to repeat the information and are further frustrated because the previous fix did not work. A meeting is convened within the company to solve the problem. Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems for problem solving? The first step in solving a problem is to define it. A problem is a perceived difference between what is and what ought to be. Customer support rep do not have customer data which results in extended phone calls as the information has to be collected every time. Customer data should be stored and readily available. This requires a Customer Information System. Customer support reps are supplying the wrong answer which yields to additional phone calls. Support reps should supply the correct solution. This requires a Knowledge Management System. The manufacturing process is faulty which results in shipping too many defective laptops. Laptops should have zero defects. A good problem definition defines the difference between what is and what ought to be by describing both the current situation and the desired situation. Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems for problem solving? Obtaining the definition of the problem will require feedback and iteration, hence the need for collaboration. Identify numerous solution alternatives rather than just one. Discuss the pros and cons of each alternative. Broker the selected solution (think empathetically rather than egocentrically) and make necessary adjustments. Problem solving is most effective when it employs the collaboration drivers: Communication systems that allow a regular and reliable exchange of ideas and information Content-management systems that control document changes and revisions so everyone has the most current version Workflow control is less important because of the nature of the unstructured decision-making process Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems for project management? A project is the dynamic application of people and other resources for creation of a product or achievement Dynamic because the application of resources will be changed as events unfold and learning takes place. Projects normally have a limited duration and are not ongoing Project management is the application of tools and techniques to achieve project’s goals within time and budget constraints The three collaborative drivers are important to ensure the success of a project. Communication systems help decision makers communicate with one another and deal with unexpected problems as they occur. Content-management systems control document changes and revisions that occur during the project. Workflow control is important because of task dependencies inherent in projects. Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Procedures and Decisions for Project Phases Q6 – How do businesses use collaboration systems for project management? Procedures and Decisions for Project Phases

Summary Collaboration occurs when individuals work together to achieve a common goal, result, or work product. Egocentric thinkers center on themselves and ignore the views of others Empathetic thinkers consider their view as only one possible interpretation of the problem and actively work to learn what others are thinking. Skilled negotiators always know what the other side wants. You should not think in terms of “win or lose” but rather “win/win” Communication, content management, and workflow control are three critical collaboration drivers Communication may be synchronous or asynchronous Content management systems may enable no control (e.g., e-mail), version management (e.g., Google Docs), or version control (e.g., Microsoft SharePoint) Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Summary (Continued) Businesses use collaboration for decision making, problem solving, and project management A problem is the difference between what is and what ought to be Decisions are made at the operational, managerial, and strategic levels Decisions are made using either a structured or unstructured process. The amount of collaboration associated with a decision increases with decreased structure A project is the dynamic application of people and other resources for creation of a product or achievement Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration

Review: Select the appropriate term for each item Structured Decision – Collaboration – Problem – A synchronous – Project – SharePoint – Google Docs – Workflow Control – Synergistic Occurs when individuals work together to achieve a common goal or result, or work product Collaboration Process to create, edit, or use content Workflow Control This is defined as the perceived difference between what is and what ought to be Problem Term that implies the whole is greater than the sum of its parts Synergistic Enables shared content with version management Google Docs Communication technology that does not require individuals to meet “face to face” or at the same time Asynchronous Decision process where there is an understood or agreed upon method for making the decision Structured decision Enables shared content with version control SharePoint Dynamic application of people and other resources aimed at creating a product Project Chapter 2: Information Systems for Collaboration