1. To deliver a EUR/RSM Master’s Thesis through an online platform Research Topics Research Sources Practical Research (Nature: Design & Intervene 1) Assess Team Composition Assess Platform for Team Dependant Functionality Desired Functionality Inventory Develop Applicable Collaboration Platform 1 Verschuren & Dooreward: Designing a Research Project INNOVATION TEAM INNOVATION EXECUTION Visualisation S.L.J. Twigge EUR/RSM Research Project 2005: Delivering a Research paper through an Online Collaboration Platform Online Resources: - Third Party Knowledge - Online Facilitation Forum (Questionnaire Possibility) - Related Websites: i.e. Sourceforge.net Other: - Scientific Literature - Articles - Context Cases Virtual Team Dynamics: Decision Making Theory, Team Roles, Building & Maturity, Online Collaboration: Adaptive Structuration Theory, Platform & Modularity Theory, Communication Theory Project Management: Metrics, Reporting, Notification, Diagnosis, Analysis, Validation High Level: Team Dynamics, Application Development, Project Management SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGY Preliminary Study to Develop Research Perspective Definition of concepts -Online Collaboration -Online Platform -Research Project -Team Dynamics -Virtual Team MOVING FROM INFORMATION > COMMUNICATION > TRANSACTION To gain insight into the dynamics of a research team in a virtual environment To develop an Online Collaboration Platform for this research project

2. Hand-In Definite Version Research Proposal < 1 April 2005 Finished Reading Theory By 15 Feb 2005 First Version & Functionality Online Platform 15 Feb 2005: End Full Time Job RNLMC 01 February 2005 Research Module Definitions

3. General Underlying Research Process and Task Distribution In phasing the notification, * means they are considered to be ‘early adopters’ for testing any platform functionalities. Other research members will be more critical towards the ‘actual benefits received’ from working with the online platform in comparison to generally available communication platforms. * Handleiding Afstudeertraject Faculteit Bedrijsfkunde, 25 September 2003, http://www.rsm.nl/pls/portal/docs/1/1277794.PDFhttp://www.rsm.nl/pls/portal/docs/1/1277794.PDF ** early adopters, actual benefits received

4. RESEARCH TEAM ONLINE COLLABORATION PLATFORM The Research Process and Task Distribution – Developing Team Dependant Functionality for an Online Collaboration Platform – Applied to a Research Project Objective -Gain Experience & Insight into Online Collaboration and Virtual Research Team Dynamics - Develop an Online Collaboration Platform for a Research Project -Deliver a Research Report according to EUR/FBK Master Thesis Standards Product DELIVER & NOTIFYPROCESS & FEEDBACK RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE & GUIDELINES 2 University Coaches (+ 1) + 2 Private Co-Readers ResearchProcessDeliverNotifyProcessFeedback ResearcherValidation Team

5. Research Efforts Benefits from using an Online Collaboration Platform To be further defined. Expected to state that the project is completed faster and more effective in comparison to other available communication technology platforms and functionalities. Will also include approx. SWOT Analysis (Strength, Weakness, Benefits and Risks) The Online Collaboration Platform (OCP) provides a facilitating role in the process of working through a defined research structure. The structure for this project has been based on three sources: -Verschuren & Doorewaard, 1999, Designing a Research Project -Institute Guidelines, December 2003, “Manual Master Thesis RSM” -Personal Document from Dr. P.C. van Fenema Based upon these sources and results from the preliminary study, this research project is divided into two sub-projects: -Gaining insight into the working of a research team in a virtual environment -Developing an OCP for developing and delivering the Research Paper The Team Assessment Measure Skill Diversity, Profile, Background, Interests, Expertise, Level of Commitment The Delivery Process The research project is delivered to its stakeholders by the researcher through an online platform using an internet connection and a standard web browser. The researcher takes on the duty of processing the research and editing it to the web pages. For this research a customised online platform is built. To guide the research effort to an effective working methodology the following research questions have been defined:

6. Research Questions Which benefits are feasible when applying the concepts of Virtual Teams and Online Collaboration to delivering an RSM Thesis through an online platform? –Which underlying processes and types of Virtual Teams and Online Collaboration apply to this research project? Community, Portal, Knowledge Management, E-Learning (Training, Development and Distant Learning), Project Coordination, Document Mgt., Conferencing, Workflow Mgt., High Performance Teams, Heavyweight Development Teams, the Skunk Works –Which group dynamics can be tracked and managed through an Online Collaboration Platform? Do the special communication needs require functional facilitation? Interaction Incidents, Decision Processes, Moderation, Conflict Resolution & Arbitration –Does the research project provide a base for developing team dependant online collaboration functionality?

7. Research Context http://www.twigge.com/thesis/Support/PRELIM/ResearchContext.php Research Questions http://www.twigge.com/thesis/Support/PRELIM/ResearchQuestions.php Definition of Concepts http://www.twigge.com/thesis/Support/PRELIM/ConceptDefinitions.php

8. Research Framework Management Questions Online CollaborationStrengthsWeaknessesBenefitsRisksProcessesProductivityMetrics -Checklist -Support & Guidance -Investment - Technical Infrastructure - Organisational Context & Conditions Virtual Team Dynamics Communication Product: Research Project Project Control

9. During the preliminary study the following Research Modules have been identified 1)Team Assessment 2)Online Platform 3)Theory Concepts / Empirical Notions 1)Adaptive Structuration Theory 2)Virtual Teams 3)Online Collaboration 4)Models 1)Project Management 2)Service Orientated Architecture 5)Online Resources 1)Third Party: Forum (www.fullcirc.comwww.fullcirc.com 2)Specialists “University” 3)Google, JSTOR, ABI-INFORM, “Scriptie Databank” 6)Comparisons 1)Social Software 2)Collaboration Products (see next page) RSS 7)Context Cases 1)KM: Product Implementation 2)Hilti: Departmental Communication / Implementation 3)Ordina: Departmental Communication

10. Sourceforge / www.VAsoftware.comwww.VAsoftware.com www.dotproject.net, www.tutos.org, www.wgroupware.org, www.Groove.net, Blackboardwww.dotproject.netwww.tutos.orgwww.wgroupware.orgwww.Groove.net www.markroseman.com, www.cornerways.com, www.sonexis.com, www.fullcirc.comwww.markroseman.comwww.cornerways.comwww.sonexis.comwww.fullcirc.com Idea that all firms are stuck on the road of conferencing solutions GroupLab –University of Calgary Need to focus up to eight team members – including leader – span of control issues TeamWave www.onlinecommunityreport.com www.keystoneconsulting.com – optimizing workforce communication & E-Learningwww.keystoneconsulting.com docta Norway Deaf People using TeamWave for online collaboration www.courseforum.com/projectforum/details.html GroupKit – http://www.groupkit.org/history.htmlhttp://www.groupkit.org/history.html Document Management – Workflow Management – Online Learning ProjectForum – www.courseforum.com – workgroups collaborate and coordinate their project workwww.courseforum.com Social Software – Calendars – Slot Management WebCT Netviewer – desktop sharing tool OneSpace.net – design review process (CoCreate) http://www.projectcoordinator.net/ InfoWorkSpace, HyperOffice, FuseTalk, Vignette, IBM Lotus Team Workplace, WebEx www.virtueelsamenwerken.nl Office Functionality / Microsoft Workspace

11. As this is both a design and an intervene/change orientated research, aimed at producing XXX and XXX, the following data collection methods are most relevant:

12. Team Assessment Innovators, Early Adopters, etc.

13. Tik-oefening To ensure realisation of the research objective A formulation of the research issue to be useful and necessary 6 Capture the research issue is a brief definition 12 Capture the objective of the research in a brief definition 9 Concern a confrontation of observations and for theories on the basis of which conclusions are drawn 22 Descriptive knowledge often plays a valuable role in obtaining explanatory insights 18 Jump through hoops to make things work 6 In every work of genius, we recognise our own rejected thoughts.They come back to us with a certain alienated majesty,. Emerson 10