1. Collaborative Writing
Group Members:
Greg Chamopoulos -- Project manager
Amanda Fick -- Web content manager
Lana Henderson -- Researcher
Leigh Hollowell-- Scribe

2. Presentation Summary Why Collaborative Writing?
Our collaboration process
Collaboration tools
Use Cases
Software Selection
Questions

3. Collaboration Tools
Skype
Phone Conference
Google Groups

4. Why Writing Collaboration?
Allows real-time interaction
Access from anywhere
Multiple authors
User management
Increased user buy in
User management –
Access Rights
Check in and out

5. Issues with Writing Collaboration
Support
Costs
Reliant on internet connectivity
Training
Support – for when it doesn’t work!
Costs – costs to install software like Sharepoint
Training – teaching how to use the software or sandbox tools

6. Our collaboration process
Identify topic
Document Activities and Dimensions
Create Use Case
Find software solutions or tools for topic
Select best tool for topic

7. Activities Document Retention Project Management Brainstorming
Report Writing Software
Wiki Technology
Research

8. Key Dimensions Accessibility User management Functionality of tool
Software compatibility
File versioning/protection

9. Use Case 1 Wiki Creation - Information
Emerson Spartz
Occupation: Owner/Founder/Webmaster
Location: South Bend, Indiana
Characteristics
Age: 22
Degree: Notre Dame University
Emerson is the owner and creator of a large website.
He is trying to find the best way to deliver content to his readers.
Needs a product that can provide updated information without drastically increasing operation costs.

10. Wiki Creation – Affordances
Must Haves
Viewable to all users
Registered users/employees can create/update/comment on content
Data must be checked
Easy to use for non-technical users
Like to Have
Globalization
RSS Feeds
Users - An open forum
Everyone can view content
Restrict spam and bad content
Require valid
Require login for content update
Three strikes you’re out policy
Flagging bad users

11. Wiki Creation - Issues Content Quality Traffic volume WikiText issues
Repetition
Bad data
Libel
Traffic volume
International traffic
Spam
SQL injection
WikiText issues
Lack of understanding
Bad formatting
Implementation Issues
Server can’t handle traffic
Wrong installation
Software doesn’t support install

12. Wiki Creation – Solution
Media Wiki
Free software
PHP/MySQL
Supports large server farms
Supports sandbox technology
Allows user management

13. Software List- Wikis

14. Use Case 2 Report Creation - Information
Mike LeClair
Occupation: Project Manager
Location: Dallas, Texas
Characteristics
Age: 38
Degree: Computer Science from the University of Texas
at Dallas
Mike is the project manager for a Dallas based company that manufactures clothing racks.
The owner of the company wants to add manufacturing locations in San Francisco and New York City so Mike needs to collaborate with one person in San Francisco and one in NYC to create a report discussing the feasibility of opening these locations

15. Report Creation – Affordances
Must Haves
Ability to upload and share documents
Chat capability
Strong word processing software with chart and graph capability
Gentle learning curve
Should be able to restrict access on a document level
Secure access
Ability to access software from anywhere
Users - An open forum
Everyone can view content
Restrict spam and bad content
Require valid
Require login for content update
Three strikes you’re out policy
Flagging bad users

16. Report Creation - Issues
Complexity
Difficult editing of complicated documents
Hard to support changing contributors
Revisions
Can create multiple versions of a document
Usability
Complicated/unintuitive interfaces
May have fewer features than standalone software
Implementation Issues
May not handle all necessary document formats
Can rely on cloud availability
Can rely on cloud security
Documents may not be stored on company servers

17. Report Creation – Solution
Google Docs
Free software
Can create documents, spreadsheets, forms and presentations
Stores documents online – also provides the ability to download documents
Supports non-Google formats (.docx, .xlsx, .odf, .pdf)
Can be used offline and on mobile phones
gChat provides chat capabilities

18. Software List- Document Retention