Collaborations

Computers entered organisations not as collaborative tools but, initially, as data processing tools and then document creation and manipulation tools. The advent of email was the first major step towards computers being used for collaboration, though exchanging attached documents is more akin to collaborating using the postal system. Collaborative software products, often referred to as groupware, became popular in large organisations in the early 1990s, pioneered by Lotus Corporation’s Notes.

With the widespread use of the internet, the development of collaborative software has mushroomed and a wider variety of tools is now available to a wider range of users, including SMEs. These tools are not just limited to email, which, powerful as it is, is only really effective for certain kinds of collaboration.

Well-implemented collaboration tools can allow employees to work effectively from anywhere, for example at home, which can reduce the need for travelling and improve work/life balance. Used correctly, they have great potential for making work smoother, decreasing hassle, and increasing creativity and quality of work.

Elements of collaboration
There are a number of ways, or levels, at which it is possible to collaborate electronically, most of which have some parallel with our established collaboration models. Many collaborations take place with people outside your workplace who are in another space as well as being on another network. Broadband allows you to connect to these people to facilitate collaboration. (And the same tools you use for collaborating with distant colleagues, partners or clients can also be used with people on your office network.)

Conversing in real time
Talking or chatting with people is the very basis of collaboration and is easy to initiate. It allows for ideas, plans and problems to be effectively discussed and resolved. Online conversation can be conducted between one or multiple people, using text chat or possibly using voice, and allows for quick discussions without you having to leave your desk. Text chat also allows for sharing of precise information such as website URLs. Tools for real time conversation include instant messaging, and voice- and video-conferencing. In these scenarios you need to be ‘visible’ to your colleagues, so you will need the always-on aspect of broadband.

Conversing over time
There is no real equivalent for discussions that take place over time. Online collaboration allows discussions to take place in which one comment may be responded to at a later moment, and a conversation "thread" created. Tools in this area are known as list servers (email based), and bulletin or discussion boards, and are often a feature of groupware and intranets. Discussions help create an organisational or project ‘memory’. As they are likely to be hosted offsite, you will need broadband so that people can add to the discussions whenever they choose to.

Sharing a workspace
In any collaborative project there will be a lot of shared information and many documents - which would traditionally have been available in a project workroom, central repository, or with the project leader. Online workspaces can be created with tools that allow project participants to contribute to and edit shared information, and to post documents. This guarantees that information will be up-to-date and that participants will know where to go to find it. Tools in this area are known as groupware, intranets and Wikis (a directly editable web page). If they are hosted offsite, or you want colleagues or collaborators who are offsite to have access to them, you will need broadband.

Gathering information
News and information is typically gathered on shelves, in filing cabinets, or in dedicated areas of an office. Online collaboration allows news and information (or at least references to information) to be stored centrally and for people to easily contribute further information or references. Tools in this area are known as knowledge management systems and weblogs, though information gathering is also a typical feature of intranet tools and database applications. Giving easy access to information makes the most of your employees" contributions, and their time when looking for particular information. If you want colleagues or collaborators who are offsite to have access to these resources then you will need broadband.

Sharing a screen
Screen sharing allows one or more people to view another’s screen (including mouse movements), thereby facilitating two or more people working at a distance to emulate sitting round a desk with a variety of documents to hand. Combined with conference calling, which many screen sharing tools also support, this allows for flexible collaboration and saves travel time. Tools in this area are known as screen-sharing applications. If people collaborating are in different places you will need the high-bandwidth of broadband to effectively connect them.

File and version management
Editing an out-of-date version of a document is a common error. Traditionally documents were managed using revision numbers, or by simply stacking the latest proof on top of the older drafts. Document management tools allow one person to ‘check out’ a file and prevents anyone else doing so until it has been checked back in. Such systems also help maintain a ‘paper trail’ identifying who has worked on the document. Tools in this area are known as version control systems. Using them well will save your employees the time and hassle associate with making changes to the wrong document. If people involved in document-based collaboration are offsite you will need broadband to give them fast access to the system.

Commenting on or editing a document
Adding comments (or annotations) to a document is akin to writing margin notes on a manuscript or flagging up sections with a highlighter. Many applications (including word processors, spreadsheets and Acrobat) support this, many tagging each comment with the name of the person who left it. It is also possible to work collaboratively on a document using screen-sharing (see above), allowing changes to be seen and discussed in realtime. Some applications now support simultaneous document editing, which allows everyone’s contribution to be made ‘in place’ and makes less likely someone editing an out-of-date version of the document. For documents to be permanently available to colleagues who are offsite you will need broadband, as it is always-on.

Arranging activities
In traditional teams, the only effective way to arrange future meetings and activities was for everyone to sit around with their diaries open. With online collaboration it is possible for people to review one another’s online diaries (privacy respected, of course) to ensure that a proposed date does not clash, or for them to send out suggestions for meeting times that can be entered directly into recipients’ diaries if there is no clash (and even updated if necessary). This saves much of the time and hassle of arranging meetings. Tools in this area are known as networked calendars or collaboration servers. For colleagues or collaborators who are offsite to be able to review appropriate diaries, you will need broadband to allow them access when they need it.

Sharing tasks
The usual way of assigning tasks is to assign actions in a meeting, or to ask someone to do something, with tasks reviewed at future meetings or by checking in again with the individual. Online collaboration tools allow tasks to be listed centrally, so that everyone can see what needs to be done, and for completed tasks to be checked off, demonstrating progress. This may be achieved using a shared workspace or using more specific tools. If people can quickly find out what they need to be doing, they will spend more time on productive work. Tools in this area are known as project management applications or collaboration servers. If you are working with colleagues or collaborators who are offsite you will need broadband to allow them to see and edit shared tasks when they need to.

Presence
Whatever kind of collaboration you are involved in, one of the key ways in which we think about projects is in terms of the people involved. Usually this is prompted by seeing such a person in your office, perhaps out of the corner of your eye, and being reminded of a question you had for them, or something you need to do with them. This awareness prompting is often referred to as ‘presence’. Online tools allow you to extend this presence out of your physical space, giving you awareness of when colleagues you are working with are online, and perhaps of their current activity. Presence makes online collaboration much easier, particularly for people in different spaces. Tools that address this area include instant messaging tools, but discussion tools (including web-based tools), groupware and intranets often include this feature. For presence you need broadband, as it is always-on.

Tools and services

Instant messaging (IM)
Instant messaging systems were first pioneered by AOL, which today runs two systems - Instant Messenger and ICQ. Microsoft"s alternative to these is MSN Messenger. All the systems allow you to ‘see’ when a colleague is online and available to be contacted. Some also allow you to talk or video conference with colleagues, provided they have a good quality microphone or video camera connected to their computer.

There are a number of commonly used but incompatible product and you may need to use more than one to be able to be reached by all your customers. Of the systems listed, only AOL Instant Messenger and iChat talk to one another. You must ensure that you and your correspondents are using the same system.

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
AOL pioneered the development of instant messaging and also owns the popular ICQ IM client (www.icq.com Windows, MacOS, PalmOS). AIM supports presence and conversing in realtime (including encrypted IM), and messaging to and from mobile phones. Compatible with ICQ and Apple’s iChat.
Platform: Windows, MacOS, Linux, PalmOS, PocketPC
Cost: free
www.aim.com

Microsoft MSN Messenger
Microsoft’s somewhat better designed competitor. It supports presence and conversing in realtime, and messaging to and from mobile phones. The Windows version supports voice-and video-conferencing.
Platform: Windows, MacOS, PocketPC
Cost: free
messenger.msn.com

Apple iChat and iChat AV
Apple’s version only runs on its latest operating system, and uses AOL’s instant messaging protocol, allowing user to connect to AIM users as well as other iChat users. It supports voice-and video-conferencing.
Platform: MacOS X.
Cost: free
www.apple.com/ichat

Meetings and conferences

Microsoft NetMeeting
NetMeeting facilitates conferencing and collaborative working, using audio and video, an electronic whiteboard, file transfer, text-based chat, and "screen-sharing" of applications including Word and Excel. Integrates with MSN Messenger for instant messaging and voice conferencing.
Platform: Windows
www.microsoft.com/netmeeting

BT MeetMe
A web-based service that allows up to 20 people to share and discuss information quickly and easily.
Platform: Windows, MacOS (some limitations)
www.bt.com/meetme

V-SPAN
Allows realtime audio- and video-based interaction.
Platform: Web, requires a browser plug-in.
www.vspan.com

Collaboration servers

Microsoft Exchange
Exchange supports arranging activities, sharing tasks, and conversing over time.
Platform: Windows, MacOS (client-side only)
www.microsoft.com/exchange

IBM Lotus Notes
Notes supports arranging activities, sharing tasks, and conversing over time.
Platform: Windows, MacOS (client-side only)
www.lotus.com/notes

Traction
Traction supports unstructured information sharing, employing a weblogging model. Client accessories include the Traction Instant Publisher for Microsoft Internet Explorer, Outlook, and Word, and the Traction Dashboard for Microsoft Outlook.
Platform: Java on Windows, Linux, Solaris, and Mac OS X
www.tractionsoftware.com

Web Crossing
Web Crossing is a well-established discussion tool, which scales to include extensive collaboration features.
Platform: Windows, MacOS, various versions of Unix.
Cost: traffic licenses based on pageviews, seat licenses based on number of registered users. £2-300 to purchase for moderate usage. Technical support extra. Hosting also offered.
www.webcrossing.com

Project management

Team Direction
Allows sharing of tasksand project scheduling using familiar models such as Gantt charts.
Platform: web-based
www.teamdirection.com

eProject
Allows conversing over time, arranging activities, polling, file and version management, sharing tasks, project scheduling.
Platform: web-based
www.eproject.com

AEC Fasttrack Schedule
Allows sharing of tasks,and project scheduling.
Platform: Windows, MacOS, and PalmOS
www.aecsoft.com

Shared workspaces

IBM Lotus Team Workplace (QuickPlace)
Supports shared workspace shared tasks, arranging activities, conversing in realtime.
Platform: Windows
http://http://www.lotus.com/home.nsf/welcome/quickplacetrial

Groove
Software that runs on local computers (with no server needed), but allows your people and others to work together.
Platform: Windows
www.groove.net

Intranets.com
File management, arranging activities, sharing tasks, coversing over time, gathering information.
Platform: web-based
www.intranets.com

The Online Organiser.com
UK-based. The Online Organiser is a hosted pay-as-you-go internet service, offering small businesses a range of collaboration tools for low license fees.
Platform: web-based
www.theonlineorganiser.com

Traction (see above)

Weblogging

Traction (see above)

See tools referenced in the ‘Online Publishing’ white paper, including:

Movable Type
www.movabletype.org

pMachine
www.pmachine.com

Collaborative documents

Microsoft Word
Allows commenting on a document and showing changes made by sequential contributors.
Platform: Windows and MacOS
www.microsoft.com/word

Hydra
Allows multiple people to edit one document at the same time, with contributors comments shown in different colours.
Platform: MacOS X
hydra.globalse.org

Wikis

Squeak
Allows multiple users to edit the same web page (at different times) and upload documents. A hierarchy of pages can be created and links to other pages and documents inserted.
Platform: Windows, MacOS, Unix
www.squeakland.org

Socialtext
Provides a ‘social software’ suite, with Wikis, weblogs, and chat.
Platform: Windows only
www.Socialtext.com

What you need
For all these activities and tools you will need a broadband connection to the internet if you are collaborating with people outside your network. As many of these tools are internet-based you will need a broadband connection even if you want to use them with people on your office network.

Some tools require installation on a shared server on your network, while others use an internet-based server, saving your investment and IT support hassle, and often making it easier to scale the service as you need it.

Next steps

Where to go
For specific advice on which applications discussed might fit your business needs, or on finding and evaluating suppliers and products, you can contact your local, government-funded, Business Link service (www.businesslink.org). You might also review the UK Online for Business website (www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk).

Look for collaboration software at:
uk.dir.yahoo.com/computers_and_internet/communications_and_networking/software/Groupware/

Learn on
Practical Internet Groupware
Jon Udell (O’Reilly, 1999
Aimed at users, programmers, IS managers, and system administrators. Discusses how to build internet groupware applications that organise the online information into useful and well-documented data.

Watch out for

Collaborating on collaboration
Not all collaboration tools are appropriate for any particular organisation, and as ever with IT it is fruitless to implement new systems in a top-down fashion. You need to understand how your employees currently work, discuss with them how they might like to work, involve them in developing new systems, and ensure they are properly trained to use them.

Balancing act
Online-based collaboration is very valuable but needs to be balanced with physical meetings and other kinds of interaction. The internet is still a very ‘thin’ medium compared to the real world.

Copyright Nico Macdonald/BT plc © 2003