Chap 7: Collaboration Information Systems

What Is a collaboration system? What’s it’s primary function?

An information system that supports collaboration. it’s primary function is to support communication and content sharing

Difference between cooperation and collaboration?

Cooperation: People doing the same type of work to do a job (a bunch of cashiers at a grocery store)

Collaboration: A set of people working together to achieve a common goal THROUGH ITERATION AND FEEDBACK

What’s the three criteria for successful collaboration?

1. A successful outcome

2. Growth in team capacity “did the team get better?”

3. Meaningful and satisfying experience

What’re the four main purposes of collaboration?

1. Become informed

2. Make decisions

3. Solve Problems

4. Manage projects

What’re the different types of decisions? What do they mean?

Operational Decisions: Day to day decisions made within he organization. (structured decision)

Managerial Decisions: Decisions about the allocation and utilization of resources (structured and unstructured decision)

Strategic Decisions: Broad decisions about the organization at large (mainly unstructured decision)

Decisions can be structured and unstructured. What does that mean? Which one requires more collaboration?

Unstructured: There is no specified way to make this decision

Structured: There is a specified way to make this decision

Unstructured decisions require more collaboration; Since there is no set way to reach a decision the iteration and feedback stemming from collaboration is needed to make a sound decision.

What’re the steps to solving a problem?

1. Defining the problem

2. Identifying alternative solutions

3. Specifying evolution criteria

4. Evaluating the alternatives

5. Selecting an alternative

6. Implementing a solution.

What're the five components of information systems for collaboration? (HSDPP)

Hardware, Software, Data, Procedures, People

What two types of data does collaboration encompass?

Project Data: Data regarding the actual collaboration project

Project Metadata: Data used to manage the project

What’s synchronous communication vs asynchronous communication?

Synchronous: All team members coming together to communicate

Asynchronous: All team embers operating in silos

What’re the three sets of collaboration tools in order from least ti most effective?

1. The minimal collaboration tool

2. The good collaboration toolset

3. The comprehensive collaboration toolset