Chapter+30

toc

=CSWC 3 **Technology to Support Cooperation**= = = Space-time matrix -A way of characterizing technology to support cooperative working -Original formula simply recognized that the two key variables were space and time. Meaning that people might be co-present while they work or may be located elsewhere at the same time or different times.

Technologies to Support Synchronous Working
1. Chat -permit people to engage in text conferencing, writing test messages in real time to one or more people. As a new messages is sent it appears on at the bottom of a scrolling window. -can be organized by number of people, topic, or location 2. Shared Whiteboards and Workspaces -allow people in different places to view and draw on a shared computer-based drawing surface -usually on the desktop or on a large common display -use a touch sensitive tele-pointer 3. Application Sharing -sharing software that transmits the contents of the host’s windows to the other participants in real time -British Telecom can take control of a client’s application to fix it. 4. File transfer-allows file transfer utility -applications that make up teleconferencing

Electronic Meeting Systems
-technologies designed to support group meetings with tools to improve group process by enhancing communication, individual thought and decision making. -meetingware and GDSS (group decision support system) -interact through own computers -supports the creation of real-time collaborative applications, such as multi-user drawing tools and text editors
 * Groupware Toolkits**

Technologies to Support Asynchronous Working
-co-working across different times 1. Aspect is a database which stores the information 2. Security measures- simple write/read access rights to multi layer security model with password protection. -The option permits shared folders to be shared by those who have the proper access. - Usually shared by local area network, has been replaced by web -basic support for cooperative work -allows team access to working documents, images, links and threaded discussion.
 * Bulletin Boards**
 * BSCW**

Coordination Technologies
-keep collaborative work structured and organized. -main coordination tools are workflow and shared calendars. Workflow Systems -allow documents to be routed systematically for processing from person to person through an organization. -manages the order in which tasks are executed and the flow of information. Process Modeling -a representation of how the job is done in minute detail.

Collaborative Virtual Environments
-allow their users to interact inside a virtual environment with each other and virtual objects. -users are represented by 3D graphical avatars. -remain mostly a research tool

Designing for Awareness
-having knowledge or perception of others or events -establishing conditions fro coordinating work. -ISSUES: Who?- who is participating?, is there anyone in the workplace? What?- What are they doing?, What are they working on? Where?- Where are they working?, Where are they looking? -Portholes are an awareness application -provided users with a set of small video snapshots of other area in the workplace. These were updated every few minutes to give people the idea of who was around and what they were doing.

**Active Badges**
-Are small wearable which identify people and transmit signals providing location information through a network of sensors. -Early usage was to locate someone in the building and have files instantly available at their closet PC