Groupware Plugins:A Case Study of Extending Collaboration Functionality through Media Items

Gregor McEwan, Saul Greenberg, Michael Rounding, Michael Boyle

University of Calgary

Message

Plugins can allow people to extend and customise

groupware for their own collaborative needs.

Scenario

Mike R.

Mike B.

Saul

Scenario

Mike R.

Mike B.

Saul

Server

Scenario

Mike R.

Mike B.

Saul

Server

Scenario

Mike R.

Mike B.

Saul

Server

Single user systems use plugins

Example: Google Sidebar

– personal information in sidebar

Single user systems use plugins

Example: Google Sidebar

– personal information in sidebar

– expand tooltip for detail

Single user systems use plugins

Example: Google Sidebar

– personal information in sidebar

– expand tooltip for detail

Google provides base application

Single user systems use plugins

Example: Google Sidebar

– personal information in sidebar

– expand tooltip for detail

Google provides base application

Plugin developer fills in content

Plugins for groupware

Why not do the same for groupware?

Base system: Community Bar

Peripheral side barMultiple PlacesTransient tooltip grandeSeparate full view

Place“mike test”

Place“ilab”

Place“G-place”

Place“CSCW class”

[video]

Video not included here…

Media Item Views

Media Item Views

Media Item Views

Media Item Views

Media Item Views

Media Item Views

Community Bar Plugins

Scenario

Mike R.

Mike B.

Saul

Server

Photo Sharing

Saul

ServerPhoto Item

<no data>

Mike R.

Mike B.

ServerPhoto Item

<no data>

ServerPhoto Item

picture:

Photo Sharing

SaulMike R.

Mike B.

Mike R.

Mike B.

ServerPhoto Item

picture:

Photo Sharing

Saul

Media Item Testing and Debugging

Testing

Average programmers–No previous groupware programming experience

Class assignment–Create an interesting media item–2 weeks–Short tutorial to start

Ex: AIBO Awareness (Jim Young)

Ex: Cambience Item (Rob Diaz-Marino)

Audience

Owner

Ex: Public Web Item (Stephanie Smale)

Ex: Photo Gallery (John McDonald)

Ex: Blog Reader (Jordan Schaan)

Ex: Screen Sharing (Kimberly Tee, to appear in CSCW 2006)

Owner

Audience

Summary

Easy fundamentals– place in a groupware application– networking aspects

Developers can concentrate on interesting interaction functionality

Message

A plugin architecture can enable groups to

extend and customise groupware for their own

collaborative needs.

Download and use Community Bar (and build Media Items!)

http://grouplab.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/CB

Extra slides

These following slides were not used in the presentation

Single user example base systems

Plugin examples

Firefox (~1500)– FireFoxMenuButtons

–Forecastfox

–StumbleUpon

Google Sidebar (~100)– News

–Weather

–System Monitor