2. B. I NFORMATION T ECHNOLOGY (IS) CISB434: D ECISION S UPPORT S YSTEMS Chapter 6: Collaborative Technologies & Group Support Systems

3. L EARNING O BJECTIVES Describe the basic concepts and pro-cesses of groupwork, communication, and collaboration Explain how computer systems facili-tate communication and collaboration in an enterprise Explain the concepts and importance of the time/place framework 2

4. L EARNING O BJECTIVES Explain the underlying principles and capabilities of groupware Group Support Systems (GSS) Describe indirect support for decision making, especially in synchronous envi-ronments 3

5. L EARNING O BJECTIVES Understand the concept of GDSS and describe how to structure an electronic meeting in a decision room Describe the three settings of GDSS Describe specifically how a GDSS uses parallelism and anonymity Explain how GDSS lead to process/task gains and losses 4

6. L EARNING O BJECTIVES Examine how the Web enables collaborative computing and group support of virtual meetings Describe the role of emerging technologies in supporting collaboration Define creativity and how it can be facilitated by computers 5

7. C OLLABORATIVE T ECHNOLOGIES & G ROUP S UPPORT S YSTEMS Basic Concepts of Groupwork

8. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK D EFINITION Groupwork Any work being performed by more than one person 7

9. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK C HARACTERISTICS OF G ROUPWORK A group performs a task sometimes decision making, sometimes not Group members may be located in different places Group members may work at different times Group members may work for the same or different organization A group can be permanent or tempo-rary A group can be at one managerial level or can span several levels 8

10. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK C HARACTERISTICS OF G ROUPWORK There can be synergy - leading to process and task gains - or conflict in groupwork There can be gains and/or losses in productivity from groupwork The task may have to be accomplished very quickly It is impossible or too expensive for all team members to meet in one place especially for emergency purposes Some of the needed data, information, or knowledge may be located in many sources some may be external to the organization 9

11. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK C HARACTERISTICS OF G ROUPWORK The expertise of non-team members may be needed Groups perform many tasks but groups of managers and analysts con-centrate on decision making The decisions made by a group are easier to implement if supported by all - or at least most - members 10

12. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING P ROCESS The decision situation is important, it is advisable to make it in a group usually in a meeting Meeting A joint activity engaged in by a group of people typically of equal or nearly equal status 11

13. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING P ROCESS The outcome of a meeting depends partly on the participants knowledge opinions judgements support to the outcome 12

14. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING P ROCESS The outcome of a meeting depends on the composition of the group the decision making process the group uses Differences in opinions are settled by the ranking person present or, through negotiation or arbitration 13

15. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING P ROCESS The members of a group can be in one place, meeting face-to-face, or a virtual team, in which case they are in different places while in a meeting Virtual Team A team whose members are in different places while in a meeting together 14

16. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK B ENEFITS & D YSFUNCTIONS The process of group decision-making can create benefits and dysfunctions Process gains In GSS, improvements in the effectiveness of the activities of a meeting Process losses In GSS, degradation in the effectiveness of the activities of a meeting 15

17. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK B ENEFITS & D YSFUNCTIONS Groupthink In a meeting, continual reinforcement of an idea by group members 16

18. C ONCEPTS OF G ROUPWORK I MPROVING THE M EETING P ROCESS Nominal group technique (NGT) A simple brainstorming process for non-electronic meetings Delphi method A qualitative forecasting methodology using anonymous questionnaires Effective for technological forecasting and for forecasting involving sensitive issues 17

19. C OLLABORATIVE T ECHNOLOGIES & G ROUP S UPPORT S YSTEMS Computerized Support of Groupworking

20. C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT O VERVIEW Web supports of intra- and inter-organizational collaborative decision-making through collaboration tools access to data, information, knowledge from inside and outside the organization 19

21. C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT O VERVIEW Intranets sustain intra-organizational networked decision support Extranets link people and teams from different organizations together 20

22. C OLLABORATIVE T ECHNOLOGIES & G ROUP S UPPORT S YSTEMS Concepts of Time/Place Framework

23. C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT T IME /P LACE F RAMEWORK Synchronous (real-time) Occurring at the same time Asynchronous Occurring at different times 22

24. C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT T IME /P LACE F RAMEWORK The time and place combination can be viewed as a four-cell matrix same time/same place same time/different place different time/same place different time/different place any time, any place 23

25. C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT T IME /P LACE F RAMEWORK 24

26. C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT T IME /P LACE F RAMEWORK What computers can and cannot do Modern Web-based information technolo-gies provide an inexpensive, fast, capable, and reliable means of supporting commu-nications But computerized communication methods do not transmit most of our nonverbal cues 25

27. C OLLABORATIVE T ECHNOLOGIES & G ROUP S UPPORT S YSTEMS Underlying Principles & Capabilities of Groupware

28. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS G ROUPWARE T OOLS Groupware Computerized technologies and methods that aim to support the work of people working in groups 27

29. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS G ROUPWARE T OOLS Groupware Synchronous products Web conferencing Instant messaging (IM) Voice over IP (VoIP) Asynchronous products E-mail Wikilogs Online workspaces 28

30. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS V IRTUAL M EETING S YSTEMS Virtual meetings Online meetings whose members are in different locations even in different countries 29

31. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS R EAL -T IME C OLLABORATION T OOLS Real-time collaboration (RTC) tools help companies bridge time and space to make decisions and collaborate on projects 30

32. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS R EAL -T IME C OLLABORATION T OOLS RTC tools are used in Distance training Product demonstrations Customer support E-commerce Sales applications 31

33. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS R EAL -T IME C OLLABORATION T OOLS Electronic teleconferencing Teleconferencing The use of electronic communication that allows two or more people at different locations to have a simultaneous conference 32

34. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS R EAL -T IME C OLLABORATION T OOLS Electronic teleconferencing Video teleconferencing Videoconferencing Virtual meeting in which participants in one location can see participants at other locations on a large screen or a desktop computer 33

35. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS R EAL -T IME C OLLABORATION T OOLS Electronic teleconferencing Data conferencing Virtual meeting in which geographically dispersed groups work on documents together and exchange computer files during videoconferences 34

36. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS R EAL -T IME C OLLABORATION T OOLS Electronic teleconferencing Data conferencing Web conferencing is conducted on the Internet for as few as two and as many as thousands of people allowing users to simultaneously view some-thing on their computer screens Interaction takes place via messaging or a simultaneous phone teleconference 35

37. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS R EAL -T IME C OLLABORATION T OOLS Interactive whiteboards Screen sharing Software that enables group members even in different locations to work on the same document shown on the PC screen of each participant Instant video 36

38. C OLLABORATIVE T ECHNOLOGIES & G ROUP S UPPORT S YSTEMS Support in Synchronous Environments

39. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS S UPPORT OF A SYNCHRONOUS C OMM. E-mail Short message service (SMS) wireless messages Blogs Wikis 38

40. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS S UPPORT OF A SYNCHRONOUS C OMM. Online (electronic) workspace Online screens that allow people to share documents, files, project plans, calendars, etc., in the same online place, though not necessarily at the same time 39

41. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS I NTEGRATED G ROUPWARE S UITES A software suite is created when several products are integrated into one system Integrating several technologies can save time and money for users 40

42. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS I NTEGRATED G ROUPWARE S UITES Electronic brainstorming A computer-supported methodology of idea generation by association This group process uses analogy and synergy 41

43. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS I NTEGRATED G ROUPWARE S UITES Lotus Notes/Domino and Lotusphere Microsoft Netmeeting and Live Meeting Groove Networks WeBex Meeting Center and PlaceWare Conference Center 42

44. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS I NTEGRATED G ROUPWARE S UITES 43

45. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS G ROUP D ECISION S UPPORT S YSTEM An interactive computer-based system that facilitates the solution of semi-structured and unstructured problems by a group of decision makers 44

46. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS G ROUP S UPPORT S YSTEM An information system that supports the work of groups communication decision making generally working on unstructured or semi- structured problems 45

47. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS E LECTRONIC M EETING S YSTEMS An IT-based environment that supports group meetings groupware which may be distributed geographically and temporally 46

48. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS GDSS T O GSS How GDSS (or GSS) improves group-work Parallelism In a group-support system, a process gain in which everyone in a group can work simulta-neously in brainstorming, voting, ranking, etc. 47

49. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS GDSS T O GSS GDSS (or GSS) Supports parallel processing of information and idea generation (parallelism) Enables the participation of larger groups with more complete information, know-ledge and skills Permits the group to use structured or un-structured techniques and methods 48

50. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS GDSS T O GSS GDSS (or GSS) Offers rapid, easy access to external infor-mation Allows parallel computer discussions Helps participants frame the big picture Anonymity allows shy people to contribute to the meeting helps prevent aggressive individuals from driv-ing a meeting 49

51. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS GDSS T O GSS GDSS (or GSS) Provides for multiple ways to participate in instant, anonymous voting Enables several users to interact simul-taneously Records all information presented at a meeting 50

52. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS F ACILITIES FOR GDSS Decision room An arrangement for a group support system in which PCs are available to some or all participants The objective is to enhance groupwork Multiuse facilities Internet/intranet-based systems 51

53. G ROUP D ECISION -M AKING T OOLS F ACILITIES FOR GDSS Which GSS Facility to Use? In decision rooms and multiuse facilities a trained facilitator is necessary to coordinate and facilitate the meetings Internet/intranet-based systems are most frequently used because they avoid the high cost of constructing a facility finding an experienced facilitator and the need to have participants connect from other locations at any time 52

54. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION Organizing a GSS session Face-to-face, same time/same place electronic meetings generally follow a common progression The group leader meets with the facilitator to plan the meeting select software tools and develop an agenda 53

55. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION Organizing a GSS session The participants meet in the decision room, the leader poses a question or problem to the group The participants type their ideas or com-ments i.e., brainstorm the results are displayed publicly 54

56. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION Organizing a GSS session The facilitator, using idea organization soft-ware, searches for common themes, topics, and ideas and organizes them into rough categories the results are publicly displayed 55

57. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION Organizing a GSS session The leader starts a discussion, the partici-pants prioritize the ideas The top 5 or 10 topics are sent to idea-generation software following a discussion the process can be repeated or a final vote can be taken 56

58. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION 57

59. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION GSS success factors Organizational commitment An executive sponsor An operating sponsor User involvement and training A user-seductive interface 58

60. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION GSS success factors Crafting a collaborative culture Three steps toward creating a work envi-ronment that supports collaboration Know what you want Determine resource constraints Determine what technologies can be used to overcome resource constraints 59

61. P RODUCTS & T OOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & S UCCESSFUL I MPLEMENTATION Implementation issues for online collaboration To connect business partners, an organization needs an effective collaborative environment provided by groupware suites Need to connect collaborative tools with file management products on an organization's intranet Automatic language translation Need protocols for easy integration of different applications and to standardize communication 60

62. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Voice over IP (VoIP) Internet telephony Communication systems that transmit voice calls over Internet Protocol-based networks 61

63. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Benefits of VoIP for business Allows CIOs to explore different deploy-ment options for company’s communica-tions needs Lowers total cost of ownership Lowers operational costs Reduces hardware requirements on the server side for certain applications 62

64. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Benefits of VoIP for business Provides a holistic approach to security Helps streamline workflows Enables optimized conferencing tools to replace business travel 63

65. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Benefits of VoIP for users Eliminates unwanted interruptions and un- productive actions by intelligently filtering communications Speed up decision making by providing access to real- time presence information Initiates ad hoc conferencing/collaboration sessions Enables participation in conferencing sessions quickly and easily via a variety of mobile devices 64

66. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Collaborative workflow Wiki A piece of server software available in a Web site that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser Wikilog A blog that allows everyone to participate as a peer any one may add, delete, or change content 65

67. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Collaboration hubs The central point of control for an e-market a single c-hub representing one e-market owner can host multiple collaboration spaces, c-spaces in which trading partners use c-enablers to exchange data with the c-hub 66

68. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Collaborative networks In a collaborative network, partners at any point in the network can interact with each other, bypassing traditional partners 67

69. E MERGING C OLLABORATION T OOLS F ROM V O IP TO W IKIS Corporate (enterprise) portal A gateway for entering a corporate Web site enabling communication, collaboration, and access to company information 68

70. C OLLABORATIVE E FFORTS D ESIGN, P LANNING & P ROJECT M NGT. Collaborative design and product deve-lopment During product development, engineering and design drawings can be shared over a secure network among the contract firm, testing facility, marketing firm, and downstream manufac-turing and service companies 69

71. C OLLABORATIVE E FFORTS D ESIGN, P LANNING & P ROJECT M NGT. Collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR) Project in which suppliers and retailers collaborate in their planning and demand forecasting to optimize the flow of materials along the supply chain 70

72. C OLLABORATIVE E FFORTS D ESIGN, P LANNING & P ROJECT M NGT. Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) The practice of retailers making suppliers responsible for determi-ning when to order and how much to order 71

73. C OLLABORATIVE E FFORTS D ESIGN, P LANNING & P ROJECT M NGT. 72

74. C OLLABORATIVE E FFORTS D ESIGN, P LANNING & P ROJECT M NGT. Project management Developing large-scale projects requires collaboration of a large number of units and individuals inside and outside an organization Effective and efficient communication and collaboration is a must 73

75. C REATIVITY & I DEA G ENERATION Creativity Personality-related creativity traits include: Inventiveness Independence Individuality Enthusiasm Flexibility 74

76. C REATIVITY & I DEA G ENERATION Creativity can be learned and improved Some specific creativity measures in brainstorming quantitative (number of ideas) qualitative (quality of ideas) 75

77. C REATIVITY & I DEA G ENERATION Stimulation by other creative people in the environment can push a group forward Stimulation can come directly from exciting ideas developed as a consequence of association among creative people Stimulation may even come from friction among employees 76

78. C REATIVITY & I DEA G ENERATION C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT Idea generation through electronic brainstorming The process by which people generate ideas, usually supported by software e.g. developing alternative solutions to a problem 77

79. C REATIVITY & I DEA G ENERATION C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT With collaborative computing-support tools, the individuals do all the thinking, the software system encourages them to proceed 78

80. C REATIVITY & I DEA G ENERATION C OMPUTERIZED S UPPORT Creativity-enhancing software Computer programs that exhibit creative behavior Electronic idea generation for problem solving Software that facilitates human creativity 79

81. THE END T HANK Y OU FOR LISTENING