COLLABORATIVE COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES: GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMS

1. COLLABORATIVE COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES: GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMS

2. Learning Objectives • Understand concepts and fundamentals of groupwork, communications, and collaboration. • Examine how computer systems enhance communication and collaboration. • Understand the principles and capabilities of GSS. • Explore the concepts of time/place frameworks. • Learn how GSS interplays with the concepts of process gain and loss, and task gain and loss. • Understand the fundamentals of electronic meetings. • Examine GSS’ three technologies. • Learn how the Web enables GSS, electronic meetings, and collaborative computing. • Explain hoe distance learning is enabled by GSS. • Show how GSS enhances creativity.

3. Collaborative Design at Boeing-Rocketdyne • Problem • Drive the cost of rocket engine down 95% • Get the engine to market 10 time faster • Require radical new design, significant creativity, and unusual innovation • Solution • Created expert team from business partner • Used collaborative technology • Internal Notebook : Members could access the software securely from anywhere. Could create, comment on, reference-link, search, and short-entries also use electronic whiteboard that allowed multiple team members near-instance access. Cont……….

4. Collaborative Design at Boeing-Rocketdyne • Solution • Project Vault : A software allowed secured common file storage and transfer of these files on as-needed basis. • Software tools and protocol were modified and allowed which allowed face-to-face meeting, content was posted online for group sharing. • Major tools used to support the lengthy virtual meetings by teleconferencing and videoconferencing. • Used powerful desktop analysis software to analyse designs during the meeting, so results could be discussed in real-time and evaluted through brainstorming.

5. Collaborative Design at Boeing-Rocketdyne • Result • Designed a product made of 6 parts instead of normal 1200 • Cost $0.5 million from $14 million • Quality level 9 sigma from 2-6 sigma • Team did all this in 10 months instead of 6 years • Production cost $47,000 instead of $4.5 million and with more than a 5 percent reduction in total engineering hours.

6. Making decisions in Groups :Characteristics • Groupwork • Work done by two or more people together. • Members can be located in different places and work at different times • Information may be located external to the project • Allows for rapid solutions • May exhibit normal team problems of synergy or conflict • Often Internet based • Groupware tools support groupwork • Work called computer-supported cooperative work

7. Group Decision-Making Process • Even in hierarchical organizations, decision making is usually a shared process. The following activities and process characterize meetings: • The decision situation is important, so it is advisable to make it in a group in a meeting • Joint activity • Outcome of the meeting depends partly on the knowledge, opinions, judgement and composition of its participants. • Differences in opinion are settled either by the ranking person, or through negotiation or arbitration. • They can be virtual team • May be beneficial or dissatisfaction

8. Benefits and limitation of group work • Process gains are the benefit of working in group • It provides learning. Groups are better than individuals at understanding problems • People readily take ownership and responsibility • Group members have their egos embedded in the decision • Groups are better than individuals at catching errors • A group has more information • A group may produce synergy • Working in group may stimulate the creativity • A group may have better and more precise communication working together • Risk propensity is balanced

9. Benefits and limitation of group work • Dysfunction may occur Process loss • Social pressure of conformity may result in groupthink • It’s a time consuming, slow process, costly • There can be lack of coordination of the meeting and poor meeting planning • Inappropriate influence • Some members may afraid to speak up • Can be compromised solutions of poor quality • Too much information • Incomplete, incorrect and inappropriate

10. Improving the meeting Process • Researchers have developed methods for improving the process of group work; that is, increasing some of the benefits of meeting and eliminating of reducing some of the losses. Two representative methods • Delphi method : is a qualitative forecasting methodology that uses anonymous questionnaires. • Nominal group thinking : is a simple brainstorming process for non-electronic meeting.

11. Qualitative Methods of Forecasting HR Demand or Supply Method Description Advantages Disadvantages • Highly subjective. • Judgments may not efficiently use objective data. • Same as for Delphi technique. • Group pressure may lead to less accurate assessments that could be obtained through other means. • A group of experts exchanges several rounds of estimates of HR demand or supply, normally without meeting face to face. Feedback from other experts is used by each individual to “fine-tune” his or her independent estimate. • A small group of experts meets face to face. After a procedure that involves open discussion and private assessments, the group reaches a judgment concerning future HR demand or supply. • Can involve key decision makers in process. • Can focus on what is expected or desired in future. • Not bound to the past. • Same as for Delphi technique. • Group discussions can facilitate exchange of ideas and greater acceptance of results by participants. Delphi technique Delphi NGTNominal group technique

12. Supporting group-work with computerized systems • Almost all dynamic organizations using some computer-based communication and collaboration methods and tools to support people working in teams or group.

13. An overview of GSS • Common group activities with computer assistance • Information retrieval • Information sharing • Information use • Support participants • Improve productivity and effectiveness of meetings • More efficient decision-making • Increase effectiveness of decisions • Computers have been used for several decades to facilitate group-work and group decision making, lately, collaborative tools have received even greater attention due to their increased capabilities and ability to save money.

14. Groupware • Software providing collaborative support to groups • Different time/place applications • Most use Internet technologies • Most offer one or more capabilities • Electronic brainstorming • Free flow of ideas and comments • Electronic conferencing or videoconferencing • Group scheduling and calendars • Conflict resolution • Model building • Electronic document sharing • Voting services • Electronic meeting services also available • Enterprise-wide systems expensive in cost and human resources

15. Popular Groupware Groupware products provides a way for group to share resources and opinions. Groupware implies the use of networks to connect people. • Lotus Notes/Domino • Microsoft Netmeeting • Groove Workspace • GroupSystems MeetingRoom and OnLine • WebEx

16. Time/Place Communication Framework • Effectiveness of collaborative group depends on • Time • synchronous or asynchronous transmission of information • Place • location of participants

17. Benefits and Problems • Benefits of groupwork • Process gains • Nominal group technique • Delphi method • Technology applied as GSS • Hardware and software combined to enhance group • Collaborative computing • Problems in groupwork • Process losses • inefficient

18. GSS Technology Deployment • Special purpose decision room • Electronic meeting rooms • Software operates across LAN • Allowed for face-to-face meetings • Trained facilitator coordinates meeting • Group leader structures meeting with facilitator • Multiple use facility • General purpose computer lab • Effective way to lower costs • Trained facilitator coordinates meeting • Group leader structures meeting with facilitator • Web-based groupware with clients • Anytime/anyplace meetings with deadlines established • Software bought or leased • No facility costs • Flexible

19. Tools for indirect support of Decision Making A large number of tools and methodologies are available to facilitate e-collaboration, communication, and decision support. • Synchronous Products: communication and collaboration are done in real-time. • IM • VoIP • Asynchronous Products : communication and collaboration done by the participants at different times. • E-mail • Wikilogs • Online workplace Cont…

20. Tools for indirect support of Decision Making • Virtual Meeting Systems : The advancement of web systems opens the door for improved , electronically supported virtual meetings. VM are supported by a variety of groupware tools. • Electronic Teleconferencing • Video conferencing • Web conferencing • Interactive whiteboards • Screen sharing • Instant video

22. GSS Meeting Process • Group leader meets with facilitator to plan meeting structure. • Participants meet on computers. • Group leader or facilitator poses question. • Participants brainstorm by entering comments into computer. • Facilitator employs idea organization software to sort comments into common themes. • Results are displayed. • Facilitator or group leader leads discussion. • Themes are prioritized. • Highest priority topics are either sent through the process again for further discussion or a vote is taken.

23. GSS Meeting Process • Standard Process • Exploratory idea generation • Idea organization tool • Prioritization • New idea generation • Selection of final idea • Success based upon effectiveness, reduction in costs, better decisions, increased productivity

24. GSS and Distance Education • Classroom collaborative computing advantages • Brainstorming, chat, discussion boards • Distribution of information, lectures • Publishes to course site • Videoconferenced • Consistent materials • Textbooks can be bound or electronic • E-mails and listservs • One-on-one interaction • Allows for global classrooms • Anytime/anyplace with fixed deadlines • Flexible time frame • Doesn’t interfere with work shift • Low delivery costs with large audiences

25. GSS and Distance Education, continued • Disadvantages: • Fewer social interactions • Communication problems • Students must be self-starters and highly disciplined • Classes require major technical and administrative support • Technical infrastructure must be reliable • Courses may need to be redesigned for online • Special training • Corporate training online: • Allows anytime/anyplace training • Lowers costs • Decreases time away from jobs • Shortens learning process • Delivered via Intranet, intranets, extranets, audio and video conferencing

26. Creativity Support System • Creativity • Fundamental human trait • Level of achievement • Can be learned • Organizations recognize value in innovation • Stimulated by electronic brainstorming software • Free flow idea generation • Creative computer programs • Smartbots function as facilitators • Identify analogies in letter patterns • Draw art • Write poems • Computer programs stimulate human productivity