Collaborative software

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Collaborative software, also known as groupware, is software that integrates work on a single project by several concurrent users at separated workstations. It was pioneered by Lotus Software with the popular Lotus Notes application. Collaborative software becomes more valuable when more people use it and thus Metcalfe's law applies. For example, calendaring becomes more useful when more people keep their calendars up-to-date.

An extension of groupware is collaborative media, software that allows several concurrent users to create and manage information in a website. Collaborative media models include Wiki and Slashdot models. Some sites with publicly accessible content based on collaborative software are: Wikinfo, WikiWiki, Wikipedia and Everything2.

By method used we can divide them in:

  • Web-based collaborative tools
  • Software collaborative tools

By area served we can divide them in:

  • knowledge management tools
  • knowledge creation tools
  • information sharing tools


Contents

Three levels of collaboration

Groupware is sometimes divided into three categories depending on the level of collaboration. They are communication tools, conferencing tools, and collaborative management tools.

  • Electronic communication tools send messages, files, data, or documents between people and hence facilitate the sharing of information. Examples include:
    • e-mail
    • faxing
    • voice mail
    • Web publishing
  • Electronic conferencing tools also facilitate the sharing of information, but in a more interactive way. Examples include:
    • data conferencing - networked PCs share a common “whiteboard” that each user can modify
    • voice conferencing - telephones allow users to interact
    • video conferencing (and audio conferencing) - networked PCs share video or audio signals
    • discussion forums - a virtual discussion platform to facilitate and manage online text messages
    • chat rooms - a virtual discussion platform to facilitate and manage real-time text messages
    • electronic meeting systems (EMS) - a conferencing system build into a room. The special purpose room will usually contain a large screen projector interlinked with numerous PCs.
  • Collaborative management tools facilitate and manage group activities. Examples include:
    • electronic calenders (also called time management software) - schedule events and automatically notify and remind group members
    • project management systems - schedule, track, and chart the steps in a project as it is being completed
    • workflow systems - collaborative management of tasks and documents within a knowledge-based business process
    • knowledge management systems - collect, organize, manage, and share various forms of information

Collaborative software can be either web based (such as Wiki usermod or scoop) or desktop systems (such as CVS or RCS).


Implementation

The biggest hurdle in implementing groupware is convincing people to use it. Training is required to make people comfortable using it. Employees should be given incentives to contribute : the rewards could be either financial or psychological.

In many cases collaboration is at odds with the company’s corporate culture so implementation will be disruptive. Shifting a corporate culture from being competitive to being cooperative is no small undertaking. It will require changes at all levels of the organization, including the CEO.


Examples of collaborative software

Open source software

Proprietary software

For further reading

See also

Finding related topics

External links

References

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