Collaboration Information Systems

What is Collaboration?

  • Collaboration: Individuals working together to achieve a common goal. IS enhances efficiency.

Team Collaboration Issues

  • Lack of vision, unclear responsibilities, poor communication, suppressed innovation, absence of project plan.

Characteristics of a Good Team Collaborator

  • Enthusiastic, open, respectful, timely, perceptive, low maintenance, high follow-through. Collaboration is about people.

Critical Collaboration Drivers

  • Effectiveness: Communication, Content Management, Workflow Control. Problem: Difference between current and desired situations.

Teams in the 21st Century

  • Engage and inspire team members.

Communication

  • Key Elements: Feedback, open communication, understanding, availability. Communication is technology and people.

Telepresence

  • Aims to simulate physical presence.

The Collaboration Process Feedback Loop

  • Clarify the problem, identify/manage stakeholders, work together, communicate decisions, gain/share knowledge.

IS Requirements for Different Collaboration Purposes

  • Become Informed: Share data, support communication, manage tasks, store history.

  • Make Decisions: Share criteria, alternatives, evaluation tools/results, plan; support communication, manage tasks, publish decisions.

  • Solve Problems: Share definitions, alternatives, costs/benefits, evaluations, plans; support communication, manage tasks, publish problem/solution.

  • Manage Projects: Support project phases, communication, task management.

Decision Type and Collaboration Relationship

  • Operational: Structured.

  • Managerial: Structured/Unstructured.

  • Strategic: Unstructured.

Communication Types

  • Synchronous: Real-time interaction.

  • Asynchronous: Interaction at different times.

Technology to Facilitate Communication

  • Synchronous: Calendars, calls, chat, video.

  • Asynchronous: Email, forums, surveys.

Asynchronous Examples

  • Issues: Impersonal, time delay, disconnected threads. Examples: Email, forum, survey.

Evolution of Synchronous Online Collaboration

  • Pre-2020: Basic features.

  • 2020: Competitive features.

  • 2021+: Meeting augmentation.

Synchronous Example: Virtual Meetings

  • Tools: Calls, chat, whiteboards, video.

Microsoft Teams

  • Collaborative structure with personal apps, bots, chat, etc. Integrates with Office365.

Content Management

  • Manage content to avoid conflicts, track changes, control access.

Three Categories of Sharing Content

  • Shared Content with No Control: Email attachments, shared file server.

  • Shared Content with Version Management: Wikis, Google Docs.

  • Shared Content with Version Control: Controlled access, check-in/check-out.

Version Management Example: Wikis

  • Shared knowledge bases that track changes.

Version Management Example: Google Docs

  • Stored on Google servers, track revisions.

Shared Content with Version Control

  • Manage changes with permissions and shared directories. Requires check out/in.

Workflow

  • Process to create, edit, use, and dispose of content. Specifies task ordering.

Workflow Types

  • Sequential: One after another.

  • Parallel: Simultaneously.

Microsoft SharePoint

  • Facilitates teamwork: workflow, forums, sites, wikis, blogs, surveys, version control. Popular for business.

KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

  • Keep it simple, eliminate unnecessary checks.

Decision Type and Decision Process Relationship

  • Strategic: Broad, unstructured.

  • Managerial: Resource allocation, structured/unstructured.

  • Operational: Daily activities, structured.

Decision Making and Collaboration Systems

  • Unstructured: Require collaboration, feedback, iteration. Communication is important.

  • Structured: Less collaboration needed, accepted method exists.

There is more to collaboration…

  • Best-in-class system integrates documents, records, search, web content, forms, workflow.

How Will Collaboration Change By 202X?

  • Fewer face-to-face meetings, more