b. information technology (is) cisb434: decision support systems

B. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IS)CISB434: DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Chapter 6:Collaborative Technologies & Group Support Systems

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Describe the basic concepts and pro-cesses

of groupwork, communication, and collaboration

Explain how computer systems facili-tate communication and collaboration in an enterprise

Explain the concepts and importance of the time/place framework

22

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Explain the underlying principles and capabilities of groupware Group Support Systems (GSS)

Describe indirect support for decision making, especially in synchronous envi-ronments

33

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand the concept of GDSS and

describe how to structure an electronic meeting in a decision room

Describe the three settings of GDSS Describe specifically how a GDSS uses

parallelism and anonymity Explain how GDSS lead to process/task gains and

losses

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Examine how the Web enables collaborative computing and group support of virtual meetings

Describe the role of emerging technologies in supporting collaboration

Define creativity and how it can be facilitated by computers

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COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGIES & GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMSBasic Concepts of Groupwork

CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKDEFINITION Groupwork

Any work being performed by more than one person

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKCHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPWORK A group performs a task

sometimes decision making, sometimes not Group members may be located in different

places Group members may work at different times Group members may work for the same or

different organization A group can be permanent or tempo-rary A group can be at one managerial level or

can span several levels88

CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKCHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPWORK There can be synergy - leading to process

and task gains - or conflict in groupwork There can be gains and/or losses in

productivity from groupwork The task may have to be accomplished very

quickly It is impossible or too expensive for all team

members to meet in one place especially for emergency purposes

Some of the needed data, information, or knowledge may be located in many sources some may be external to the organization

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKCHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPWORK The expertise of non-team members may be

needed Groups perform many tasks

but groups of managers and analysts con-centrate on decision making

The decisions made by a group are easier to implement if supported by all - or at least most - members

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKGROUP DECISION-MAKING PROCESS The decision situation is important,

it is advisable to make it in a group usually in a meeting

Meeting A joint activity engaged in by a group of people

typically of equal or nearly equal status

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKGROUP DECISION-MAKING PROCESS The outcome of a meeting depends partly on

the participants knowledge opinions judgements support to the outcome

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKGROUP DECISION-MAKING PROCESS The outcome of a meeting depends on

the composition of the group the decision making process the group uses

Differences in opinions are settled by the ranking person present or, through negotiation or arbitration

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKGROUP DECISION-MAKING PROCESS The members of a group can be

in one place, meeting face-to-face, or a virtual team, in which case they are in different

places while in a meeting Virtual Team

A team whose members are in different places while in a meeting together

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKBENEFITS & DYSFUNCTIONS The process of group decision-making can

create benefits and dysfunctions Process gains

In GSS, improvements in the effectiveness of the activities of a meeting

Process losses In GSS, degradation in the effectiveness of the

activities of a meeting

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKBENEFITS & DYSFUNCTIONS Groupthink

In a meeting, continual reinforcement of an idea by group members

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CONCEPTS OF GROUPWORKIMPROVING THE MEETING PROCESS Nominal group technique (NGT)

A simple brainstorming process for non-electronic meetings

Delphi method A qualitative forecasting methodology using

anonymous questionnaires Effective for technological forecasting and for

forecasting involving sensitive issues

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COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGIES & GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMSComputerized Support

of Groupworking

COMPUTERIZED SUPPORTOVERVIEW Web supports of intra- and inter-

organizational collaborative decision-making through collaboration tools access to data, information, knowledge from inside and outside the organization

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COMPUTERIZED SUPPORTOVERVIEW Intranets sustain intra-organizational

networked decision support Extranets link people and teams from

different organizations together

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COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGIES & GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMSConcepts of Time/Place Framework

COMPUTERIZED SUPPORTTIME/PLACE FRAMEWORK Synchronous (real-time)

Occurring at the same time Asynchronous

Occurring at different times

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COMPUTERIZED SUPPORTTIME/PLACE FRAMEWORK The time and place combination can be

viewed as a four-cell matrix same time/same place same time/different place different time/same place different time/different place

any time, any place

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COMPUTERIZED SUPPORTTIME/PLACE FRAMEWORK

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COMPUTERIZED SUPPORTTIME/PLACE FRAMEWORK What computers can and cannot do

Modern Web-based information technolo-gies provide an inexpensive, fast, capable, and reliable means of supporting commu-nications

But computerized communication methods do not transmit most of our nonverbal cues

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COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGIES & GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMSUnderlying Principles & Capabilities of Groupware

GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS GROUPWARE TOOLS Groupware

Computerized technologies and methods that aim to support the work of people working in groups

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS GROUPWARE TOOLS Groupware

Synchronous products Web conferencing Instant messaging (IM) Voice over IP (VoIP)

Asynchronous products E-mail Wikilogs Online workspaces

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS VIRTUAL MEETING SYSTEMS Virtual meetings

Online meetings whose members are in different locations

even in different countries

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS REAL-TIME COLLABORATION TOOLS Real-time collaboration (RTC) tools

help companies bridge time and space to make decisions and collaborate on projects

3030

GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS REAL-TIME COLLABORATION TOOLS RTC tools are used in

Distance training Product demonstrations Customer support E-commerce Sales applications

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS REAL-TIME COLLABORATION TOOLS Electronic teleconferencing

Teleconferencing The use of electronic communication that allows two or more people at different locations to have a simultaneous conference

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Video teleconferencing Videoconferencing

Virtual meeting in which participants in one location can see participants at other locations on a large screen or a desktop computer

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Data conferencing Virtual meeting in which geographically dispersed groups work on documents together and exchange computer files during videoconferences

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Data conferencing Web conferencing is conducted on the Internet for as few as two and as many as thousands of people allowing users to simultaneously view some-thing on

their computer screens Interaction takes place via messaging or a

simultaneous phone teleconference

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS REAL-TIME COLLABORATION TOOLS Interactive whiteboards

Screen sharing Software that enables group members even in different locations to work on the same document shown on the PC screen of each participant

Instant video

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COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGIES & GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMSSupport in Synchronous Environments

GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS SUPPORT OF ASYNCHRONOUS COMM. E-mail Short message service (SMS) wireless

messages Blogs Wikis

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS SUPPORT OF ASYNCHRONOUS COMM. Online (electronic) workspace

Online screens that allow people to share documents, files, project plans,

calendars, etc., in the same online place, though not necessarily at the same time

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS INTEGRATED GROUPWARE SUITES A software suite is created when several

products are integrated into one system Integrating several technologies can save

time and money for users

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS INTEGRATED GROUPWARE SUITES Electronic brainstorming

A computer-supported methodology of idea generation by association

This group process uses analogy and synergy

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS INTEGRATED GROUPWARE SUITES Lotus Notes/Domino and Lotusphere Microsoft Netmeeting and Live Meeting Groove Networks WeBex Meeting Center and PlaceWare

Conference Center

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS INTEGRATED GROUPWARE SUITES

4343

GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS GROUP DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM An interactive computer-based system that facilitates the solution of semi-structured

and unstructured problems by a group of decision makers

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEM An information system that supports the work of groups

communication decision making

generally working on unstructured or semi-structured problems

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLS ELECTRONIC MEETING SYSTEMS An IT-based environment that supports group meetings

groupware which may be distributed geographically and

temporally

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLSGDSS TO GSS How GDSS (or GSS) improves group-work

Parallelism In a group-support system, a process gain in which everyone in a group can work simulta-neously in brainstorming, voting, ranking, etc.

4747

GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLSGDSS TO GSS GDSS (or GSS)

Supports parallel processing of information and idea generation (parallelism)

Enables the participation of larger groups with more complete information, know-ledge and skills

Permits the group to use structured or un-structured techniques and methods

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Offers rapid, easy access to external infor-mation Allows parallel computer discussions Helps participants frame the big picture Anonymity

allows shy people to contribute to the meeting helps prevent aggressive individuals from driv-ing a

meeting

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Provides for multiple ways to participate in instant, anonymous voting

Enables several users to interact simul-taneously Records all information presented at a meeting

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLSFACILITIES FOR GDSS Decision room

An arrangement for a group support system in which PCs are available to some or all participants

The objective is to enhance groupwork Multiuse facilities Internet/intranet-based systems

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GROUP DECISION-MAKING TOOLSFACILITIES FOR GDSS Which GSS Facility to Use?

In decision rooms and multiuse facilities a trained facilitator is necessary to coordinate and facilitate the meetings

Internet/intranet-based systems are most frequently used because they avoid the high cost of constructing a facility finding an experienced facilitator

and the need to have participants connect from other locations at any time

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PRODUCTS & TOOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

Organizing a GSS session Face-to-face, same time/same place

electronic meetings generally follow a common progression The group leader meets with the facilitator to

plan the meeting select software tools and develop an agenda

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Organizing a GSS session The participants meet in the decision room, the

leader poses a question or problem to the group The participants type their ideas or com-ments

i.e., brainstorm the results are displayed publicly

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Organizing a GSS session The facilitator, using idea organization soft-ware, searches for common themes, topics, and ideas and organizes them into rough categories the results are publicly displayed

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Organizing a GSS session The leader starts a discussion, the partici-pants

prioritize the ideas The top 5 or 10 topics are sent to idea-

generation software following a discussion the process can be repeated or a final vote can be taken

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GSS success factors Organizational commitment An executive sponsor An operating sponsor User involvement and training A user-seductive interface

5858


GSS success factors Crafting a collaborative culture Three steps toward creating a work envi-ronment

that supports collaboration Know what you want Determine resource constraints Determine what technologies can be used to overcome

resource constraints

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PRODUCTS & TOOLS FOR GDSS/GSS & SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION Implementation issues for online

collaboration To connect business partners,

an organization needs an effective collaborative environment

provided by groupware suites Need to connect collaborative tools with file

management products on an organization's intranet

Automatic language translation Need protocols

for easy integration of different applications and to standardize communication

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Voice over IP (VoIP) Internet telephony

Communication systems that transmit voice calls over Internet Protocol-based networks

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Benefits of VoIP for business

Allows CIOs to explore different deploy-ment options for company’s communica-tions needs

Lowers total cost of ownership Lowers operational costs Reduces hardware requirements on the server

side for certain applications

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Benefits of VoIP for business

Provides a holistic approach to security Helps streamline workflows Enables optimized conferencing tools to replace

business travel

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Benefits of VoIP for users

Eliminates unwanted interruptions and un-productive actions by intelligently filtering communications

Speed up decision making by providing access to real-time presence information

Initiates ad hoc conferencing/collaboration sessions

Enables participation in conferencing sessions quickly and easily via a variety of mobile devices

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Collaborative workflow

Wiki A piece of server software available in a Web site that

allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser

Wikilog A blog that allows everyone to participate as a peer any one may add, delete, or change content

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Collaboration hubs

The central point of control for an e-market a single c-hub representing one e-market owner can host multiple collaboration spaces, c-spaces in which trading partners use c-enablers to exchange

data with the c-hub

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Collaborative networks

In a collaborative network, partners at any point in the network can interact with each other, bypassing traditional partners

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EMERGING COLLABORATION TOOLSFROM VOIP TO WIKIS Corporate (enterprise) portal

A gateway for entering a corporate Web site enabling communication, collaboration, and access to company information

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COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSDESIGN, PLANNING & PROJECT MNGT. Collaborative design and product deve-

lopment During product development, engineering and design drawings can be shared

over a secure network among the contract firm, testing facility,

marketing firm, and downstream manufac-turing and service companies

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COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSDESIGN, PLANNING & PROJECT MNGT. Collaborative planning, forecasting, and

replenishment (CPFR) Project in which suppliers and retailers collaborate in their planning and demand

forecasting to optimize the flow of materials along the

supply chain

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COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSDESIGN, PLANNING & PROJECT MNGT. Vendor-managed inventory (VMI)

The practice of retailers making suppliers responsible for determi-ning

when to order and how much to order

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COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSDESIGN, PLANNING & PROJECT MNGT.

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COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSDESIGN, PLANNING & PROJECT MNGT. Project management

Developing large-scale projects requires collaboration of a large number of units and

individuals inside and outside an organization

Effective and efficient communication and collaboration is a must

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CREATIVITY & IDEA GENERATION

Creativity Personality-related creativity traits include:

Inventiveness Independence Individuality Enthusiasm Flexibility

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Creativity can be learned and improved Some specific creativity measures in

brainstorming quantitative (number of ideas) qualitative (quality of ideas)

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Stimulation by other creative people in the environment can push a group forward

Stimulation can come directly from exciting ideas developed as a consequence of association among creative people

Stimulation may even come from friction among employees

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CREATIVITY & IDEA GENERATIONCOMPUTERIZED SUPPORT Idea generation through electronic

brainstorming The process by which people generate ideas, usually supported by software e.g. developing alternative solutions to a

problem

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CREATIVITY & IDEA GENERATIONCOMPUTERIZED SUPPORT With collaborative computing-support tools,

the individuals do all the thinking, the software system encourages them to

proceed

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CREATIVITY & IDEA GENERATIONCOMPUTERIZED SUPPORT Creativity-enhancing software

Computer programs that exhibit creative behavior

Electronic idea generation for problem solving Software that facilitates human creativity

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b. information technology (is) cisb434: decision support systems

Documents

concepts of groupworkgroup

group usesdifferences

group of people

different organizationa

decision making

processthe members

temporarya group

team members