Groupware

1. Groupware Craig Abraham Clay Bence Daniel Chen Kelly Davis Saurabh Gupta

2. Agenda • Introduction to Groupware Systems • Groupware Functions and Products • Introduction to Groove Networks • Future of Groupware • Groove Overview Exercise • Communication Demonstration • Application-Sharing Exercises

3. Groupware • Evolution of Groupware • Global marketplace, changing environments, and flatter organizations • “Groupware is computer support designed to help work groups perform their tasks.” (ref. 1) • Refers to hardware, software, people and processes.

4. Groupware Functionality • Collaborative discussions • Document sharing and bulletin boards • Instant messaging, email • Video and voice capabilities • Application sharing • Workflow and voting • Calendar and scheduling

5. GroupwareTime/Place Matrix Different Place Same Place Same Time Diff Time * Groove functionality

6. GSS Products • Lotus Notes, Domino, SameTime, QuickTime • Blackboard, GroupWise, Netscape • NextPage, Consilient, • Microsoft Exchange, NetMeeting • Ikimbo, FaceTime • Product Info Listing:http://www.usabilityfirst.com/groupware/cscw.txl#products

7. What is Groove? • “Combination of software and services that transform the Internet into a personal medium for direct communication and interaction.” (ref 4) • Peer-to-Peer network technology • Virtual space for small work groups (ideally for 30 or less)

8. How Does Groove Work? • Shared space – a secure environment for invited members • Stored locally on members computers • Space synchronized • Offline usage • P2P architecture

9. System Level Services • Security • Public/private key and user authentication • Local storage, synchronization and peer connection services • License management • Component management • Usage reporting and monitoring

10. Capabilities of Groove • Communication tools • Live voice, instant messaging, text-based chat, and threaded discussion • Content sharing tools • Shared files, pictures, and contacts • Joint activity tools • Co-Web browsing, multiple-user drawing and editing, and group scheduling/calendar

11. Advantages of Groove • Ease of connection • Flexibility and adaptability • Self-updating • Cost effective • Reduced centralized management resources

12. Strengths of Groove Gartner Research • Messaging • Secure, flexible and microphone applications • Cooperation • Distributed “state-management” engine allowing multiple users to share/currently operate programs • Application Platform • Compatibility with other web technology

13. Strengths of Groove Gartner Research • Multilayered security • Encrypted through public and private keys • All data, objects and transactions are fully encrypted

14. Weaknesses of GrooveGartner Research • Server licensing • Inability to license the product’s server modules • No third-party service providers • Lack of workflow management • COM-centric • May not be attractive for Java only environments • Easily imitated

15. Groove - Ideal MatchGartner Research • “Unstructured collaborative efforts employed by knowledge workers” • Private messaging communities • Wireless or remote environments • Adaptable with a variety of portable Internet devices • Small group interactions

16. Groove Pricing • Revenue Model: • Licensing + Network Service • Licensing: • $49 per user (one-time license fee) • Service: • $8 per user per month

17. Groupware future • Pressures of capital advancement and globalization are forcing companies to reassess how they can interactively share information in a more effective and efficient manner with customers, partners, suppliers and employees. • Moreover, it requires a high degree of collaborative systems to help support the effective exchange of knowledge and information among all business players. - WebDemo White Paper, Sept. 2001

18. New Concepts • C-commerce • “Inter-company collaboration is a dominant theme for 2001 the “c” world of the year… the hot new thing” • Technologic Partners • Contextual collaboration • enrich business processes and applications--including CRM, ERP, and SCM applications--with collaborative functionality such as messaging, presence awareness, and conferencing abilities. • IDC August 2001

20. New Tech • Real-time voice, video and data communication and collaboration over common broadband networks. • This software is comprised of a suite of server and client applications, a suite of code libraries and tools that support application development, and a low level networking component called the Unified Communications Framework (UCF).

21. New Tech (cont.) • Calendaring and Scheduling are joining the web Revolution: • have optimized their server engines to manage those unique issues associated with synchronous, real-time coordination as well as to support other time-relevant, but asynchronous, collaboration processes.

22. New Tech (cont.) • Mobility of services • being able to bring your laptop computer to every meeting and connect to any intranet or internet service • Integrated handheld services (e.g. palm pilots) • Advanced multimedia • deploy advanced 3D models and virtual reality to create virtual representations of participants that can convey body languages, gazes, movement, etc.

23. References • Building Executive Information Systems and Other Decision Support Applications, Hugh J. Watson, George Houdeshel and Rex Kelley Rainer, Jr., 1997 • www.groovenetworks.com • Groove Product Backgrounder (White Paper), 2001 • Groove Brief, “Why Peer-to-Peer, 2001 • Groove Brief, “Security Services”, 2001 • “Is Groove the Desktop of the Future”, Research Notes, June 13, 2001, R. Batchelder, Gartner Research, 2001 (P-13-5757) • “Groove”, PC Magazine review, Greg Alwang, April 25, 2001 • “Contextual Collaboration: On-Tap, Targeted, and inside an Application or Web Site near You.” IDC, August 2001 • “Collaboration technology-overview and current trends”,forthcoming text by Bjorn E. Munkvold