Ajaz R. Rana

Distributed group support systems

Distributed group support systems are likely to be widely used in the future as a means for dispersed groups of people to work together through computer networks. They combine characteristics of computer-mediated communication systems with the specialized tools and processes developed in the context of group decision support systems, to provide communications, a group memory, and tools and structures to coordinate the group process and analyze data. These tools and structures can take a wide variety of forms in order to best support computer-mediated interaction for different types of tasks and groups. This article summarizes five case studies of different distributed group support systems developed by the authors and their colleagues over the last decade to support different types of tasks and to accommodate fairly large numbers of participants (tens to hundreds). The case studies are placed within conceptual frameworks that aid in classifying and comparing such systems. The results of the case studies demonstrate that design requirements and the associated research issues for group support systems an be very different in the distributed environment compared to the decision room approach.

Collaborative Discourse Structures in Computer Mediated Group Communications

Using application oriented conceptual maps to categorize the group discussion would be an advancement in the design of CMC systems to allow much larger groups to collaborate productively. The group meta communication process should allow the group to modify and evolve these conceptual discourse templates.

Collaborative discourse structures in computer mediated group communications

Using application-oriented conceptual maps to categorize group discussions would be an advancement in the design of computer-mediated communications (CMC) systems to allow much larger groups to collaborate productively. The group meta-communication process should allow the group to modify and evolve these conceptual discourse templates.

Towards a collaborative hypermedia educational framework

To date, no comprehensive, theoretical framework exists for providing instructional environments for distance learning. With this paper we hope to lay out a Collaborative Hypermedia Educational Framework (CHEF) for instruction at university level that addresses this gap. The CHEF provides a fundamental philosophy or vantage point for thinking about how best to serve distance learning students, instructors, and courseware developers in a principled manner. The CHEF embodies three fundamental concepts: collaboration, hypertext and multimedia. The premise of the proposed framework is that these three concepts should underlie most facets of learning and instruction, and support the implementation of many educational and learning theories.

Theorizing about group support systems

Theory is critical to science. Group support systems (GSS), as a field of scientific inquiry is no exception. The important issue about theory in GSS is then not why theory, but where should theory come from (or how should theory be developed) and how to assess it (or evaluate its usefulness). This paper expounds on these issues by considering various approaches to theorizing about GSS, and delves into prototypical efforts by the GSS research community under each approach. The typical theoretical product of each approach is analyzed in terms of its conceptual and logical structure, and pitted against the criteria of relevance (Thomas and Tymon, 1982). It is hoped that an increased awareness of the processes of theorizing and critical evaluation of the resulting theory substance would provide useful directions for promoting the development of better theory and hence advancing the state of GSS theory.

Electronic enterprise engineering: an outline of an architecture

In this paper we put forth a vision for organizations to fully embrace computer support. We propose a business-process oriented architecture for Electronic Enterprise Engineering (EEE) that will enable enterprises to manage and evolve all technological and organizational processes effectively; integrate and manage all enterprise information electronically; and empower knowledge workers at all levels with broad decision support capabilities. Our goal is for the EEE architecture to empower an enterprise to make the best use of its informational assets to operate effectively in this new era of electronic commerce. As part of this project we are developing a standard-based, customizable, integrated tool set called the Support Environment for Enterprise Engineering (SEEE). This paper presents the current SEEE architecture and shouts how it supports the three EEE goals.

Collaboration technology: theory & methodology

Collaborative systems are pushing at the boundaries of many research paradigms. The papers selected in collaboration technology mini-track reflect this.Amrit Tiwana and Ashley Bush suggest that Social Exchange Theory provides a foundation to address limitations such as inability to motivate members to actively participate in virtual knowledge sharing and problem solving activities. They further suggest that member perceptions of the costs and benefits of participating in the group can be modified over time by providing active feedback to each member. They propose a modified architecture for virtual community discussions by incorporating suggestions provided by Social Exchange Theory.Quentin Jones and Sheizaf Rafaeli outline a theory and a research program for the exploration of the material aspects of computer mediated communication, such as text length, text density, web-logs, etc. By focusing on the material aspects of communication, analysis can occur at a level where social meaning has only indirect relevance. By taking this approach, it is possible to examine larger scale phenomena such as the collective impact of individual cognitive processing-limits on group communication.