SOME ISSUES OF ROLE-SOME ISSUES OF ROLE-BASED COLLABORATION BASED COLLABORATION

Haibin Zhu, PhDHaibin Zhu, PhDMember, IEEE, Assistant ProfessorMember, IEEE, Assistant Professor

Dept. of Computer Science, Nipissing University, 100 Dept. of Computer Science, Nipissing University, 100 College Dr., North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, CanadaCollege Dr., North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada

haibinz@nipissingu.cahaibinz@nipissingu.ca

IntroductionIntroduction

Problems in current CSCW applicationsProblems in current CSCW applications– Little human factors consideredLittle human factors considered– Little consistent role conceptsLittle consistent role concepts– Little practical tools for roles and for Little practical tools for roles and for

collaborationcollaboration Communications, sharing, coordinationsCommunications, sharing, coordinations

– Group communicationGroup communication– View sharing and information sharingView sharing and information sharing– WorkflowWorkflow

Introduction (cont.)Introduction (cont.)

Roles are a powerful concept for Roles are a powerful concept for collaborationcollaboration

The basic idea of role-based collaborationThe basic idea of role-based collaboration– If users log into a collaborative system that can If users log into a collaborative system that can

designate clearly what objects they can access designate clearly what objects they can access with specific rights, and can also designate with specific rights, and can also designate which users they can manage or communicate which users they can manage or communicate with, they can then accomplish their jobs with, they can then accomplish their jobs meaningfully and efficiently. In this style, meaningfully and efficiently. In this style, collaboration is done successfully.collaboration is done successfully.

Basic Concepts in Role-based Basic Concepts in Role-based CollaborationCollaboration

An An objectobject is used to express everything in a collaborative is used to express everything in a collaborative system [8].system [8].

A A human userhuman user is a person who is participating in is a person who is participating in collaboration.collaboration.

A A messagemessage is a command that may be issued by a human is a command that may be issued by a human user or other objects. user or other objects.

An An interfaceinterface is a list of messages sent to objects in the is a list of messages sent to objects in the system or to the system itself.system or to the system itself.

A A rolerole is a special object that symbolizes a logged human is a special object that symbolizes a logged human user in the system, and a role must have an interface. user in the system, and a role must have an interface.

We accept We accept classesclasses as templates of objects [3]. as templates of objects [3].

The structure of a role-based The structure of a role-based collaborative systemcollaborative system

Classes

Objects Roles

A human user

A collaborative system

A human user

A human user

A human user

Interfaces

Basic Issues in Role-based Basic Issues in Role-based CollaborationCollaboration

Role assignmentRole assignment Role transitionsRole transitions System architecture with rolesSystem architecture with roles Role-based coordinationRole-based coordination Role-based interface designRole-based interface design Role-based conflict resolutionRole-based conflict resolution Role-based information sharingRole-based information sharing

Role DefinitionRole Definition

Messages are defined by message id, Messages are defined by message id, receiver id and arguments;receiver id and arguments;– The receivers can be divided as an object, a The receivers can be divided as an object, a

class or a group;class or a group;– The messages can be divided as all, any and The messages can be divided as all, any and

some messages;some messages;

A role can be defined a set of messages.A role can be defined a set of messages.

Role AssignmentsRole Assignments

Default rolesDefault roles and and Newly defined rolesNewly defined roles How to define a new role and its interface by How to define a new role and its interface by

requirements?requirements? How to express a new role’s accessing of How to express a new role’s accessing of

the objects in the system? the objects in the system? How to apply a new role in current How to apply a new role in current

collaboration?collaboration?

Role TransitionsRole Transitions

Role transition will become a very Role transition will become a very complicated process when the number of complicated process when the number of roles and the number of human users in the roles and the number of human users in the system grows large. system grows large.

Role transitions may lead to conflicts among Role transitions may lead to conflicts among the access to shared objects.the access to shared objects.

System Architecture with RolesSystem Architecture with Roles

Totally centralized, totally distributed, or Totally centralized, totally distributed, or partially distributed partially distributed

Purely centralized, fully replicated, or semi-Purely centralized, fully replicated, or semi-replicated replicated

Which architecture is the best for role-based Which architecture is the best for role-based collaboration?collaboration?

Role-Based CoordinationRole-Based Coordination

Roles have been used in coordinationRoles have been used in coordination Dynamic role specification and role Dynamic role specification and role

transaction will help coordination moretransaction will help coordination more

Role-Based Interface DesignRole-Based Interface Design

View sharing is supported by multi-user View sharing is supported by multi-user interface designinterface design

A role definition is also specified by A role definition is also specified by interfaces interfaces

These are two aspects of the same problemThese are two aspects of the same problem

Role-Based Conflict ResolutionRole-Based Conflict Resolution

Role assignments can help to avoid conflictsRole assignments can help to avoid conflicts By role-based algorithms we can resolve By role-based algorithms we can resolve

conflictsconflicts

Role-Based Information Sharing Role-Based Information Sharing

Security information sharing is important in Security information sharing is important in collaborationcollaboration

RBAC (role-based access control) has RBAC (role-based access control) has developed many applicable algorithms to developed many applicable algorithms to information sharing in CSCW applicationsinformation sharing in CSCW applications

ConclusionConclusion

Role-based collaboration is no doubt an Role-based collaboration is no doubt an interesting topicinteresting topic

There are still many problems open for There are still many problems open for researchresearch

They will bring us new achievements in They will bring us new achievements in CSCW applicationsCSCW applications