Understanding Networked Applications: A First Course Chapter 2 by David G. Messerschmitt

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 2 Definitions What is an application? What is a technology? What is information technology? What is the relationship between application and technology?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 3 Application Application = something that puts technology to use to the benefit of someone Technology = something that puts scientific principles to use Terms are relative (e.g. Pentium/PC) In this course, we are interested in the level at which technology meets users (people) and organizations

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 4 Types of applications Individual = entertainment or productivity Social = groups of users Information management = access to or manipulation of information Educational = contribute to learning or training Organizational = aid mission or operations

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 5 Important ingredients Information technology Information Users (people) A purpose or mission (application)

Understanding Networked Applications: A First Course Social Applications by David G. Messerschmitt

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 7 Social Applications Categories of user groups Styles of social applications Illustrative social applications

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 8 Objectives Identify distinctive types of user groups –In terms of impact on application needs Identify distinctive types of social applications –In terms of applicability to different groups Note: terminology specific to networked applications, not general society –e.g. citizenry

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 9 Group Characteristics What characteristics of a group are relevant to –application design and features –information technology infrastructure

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 10 Group Characteristics Size Narrowness of purpose Duration Frequency and type of interaction Social relationships –communication links –trust (individual and generalized) –expectations and routines

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 11 Group characteristics (cont.) Technology accessibility Language skills

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 12 Group classification Note: any classification is imperfect Goal is insight into different application requirements –Individual –Task group –Work group –Interest group –Citizenry

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 13 Task group Categories of user groups Individual Work group Interest group Citizenry

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 14 User groups What are some examples of: –Task group? –Work group? –Interest group? –Citizenry In: –University? –Company?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 15 Important to application style Interest group Citizenry Individual Task group Work group Each member knows the other members Loose-knit social organization

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 16 Important for infrastructure requirements Individual Task group Work group Interest group Citizenry Interaction does not have full attention of users Does

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 17 Task Characteristics Communication Coordination

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 18 Communication Applications

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 19 Some Examples Newsgroup Chatroom Telephony Web Board Net Meeting

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 20 Styles of social applications Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred Full attention of users required? Other group members known?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 21 Styles (con’t) Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred Infrastructure delay requirements? One or two-way communication?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 22 Styles (con’t) Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred In which box would you put? Remote conferencing World-wide Web Pointcast Facsimile Television broadcast Electronic and voice mail

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 23 Styles (con’t) Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred In which box would you put? Newsgroup Calendar and scheduling Chatroom Telephony Groupware

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 24 Some variations Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred ??  Voice mail ??  Newsgroup Broadcast video  ?? ??  World-wide Web Messaging  ??

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 25 Task group Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred What is the appropriate role for each box in a task group?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 26 Work group Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred What is the appropriate role for each box in a work group?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 27 Interest group Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred What is the appropriate role for each box in an interest group?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 28 What has changed? Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred How does networked computing change the world (if at all) in each box?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 29 Citizenry Direct Publication ImmediateDeferred What is the appropriate role for each box in the citizenry?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 30 Coordination Applications Resource allocation Monitoring and notification Collective decision-making

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 31 Examples Collaborative authoring Calendar and scheduling Awareness –Who’s available now? –Who did this? Electronic voting

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 32 What Kinds of Groups? Resource allocation Monitoring and notification Collective decision-making

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 33 Issues in social applications How effective is remote collaboration relative to personal interaction? What are some advantages/disadvantages of geographic dispersal to organizations? What are the relative merits of immediate and deferred styles?

Understanding Networked Applications: A First Course Information management by David G. Messerschmitt

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 35 Summary Information management for individual user Information management as an element of a social application

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 36 How networked computing helps information management Timeliness Wider access Processing Multimedia Social aspect

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 37 How networked computing helps Timeliness Access Processing Multimedia Social aspect What are some specific ways these can help (or hurt) organizations?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 38 Participants User Author or publisher Indexer or organizer Recommender Librarian or teacher

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 39 Participants Author or publisher Indexer or organizer Recommender Librarian or teacher Who fills these roles in an organizational context? User How might these roles be affected by networked computing?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 40 Push vs. pull User Publisher Pull Control over what is provided Time when it is provided Push Intermediate cases: Notification Subscription

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 41 Push vs. pull User Publisher Pull Push What are some examples of each in an organizational context?

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 42 Proper roles of push and pull? Pull: work Brainstorming Accessing documents Push: attention Notification of topic Notification of document availability Reminder of deadlines As networked computing grows, the deluge of information and communication can overwhelm the individual unless we use it wisely

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 43 Finding useful information Search Browse Navigate

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 44 Others can help Author: Hyperlink Author or third party: Index Metadata Reviews or recommendations

Understanding Networked Applications A First Course 45 Social information access A group can collectively access information Examples: –Remote collaboration –Problem solving, e.g. customer service –Aid of librarian or teacher