| A Review of CRIWG Research | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 1-15 | |
| Pedro Antunes; José A. Pino | |||
| This paper presents a meta-analysis of the CRIWG conference. The study is
organized in three main sections: bibliometric analysis, analysis of references
and subject analysis. The bibliometric analysis indicates that CRIWG is
significantly above the average citation index of similar papers published in
LNCS. The analysis of references shows a significant dependence on ACM papers
and very low cross-referencing between CRIWG papers. The subject analysis
reveals that CRIWG slightly favors positivist evaluations, although almost half
of the papers do not present any type of evaluation. We conclude this study
with a discussion over strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Keywords: Meta-analysis; CRIWG review | |||
| Supporting Collaborative Knowledge Creation in Mobile Working Scenarios | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 16-24 | |
| Gustavo Zurita; Nelson Baloian | |||
| Knowledge Creation (KC) is a critical activity inside organizations. It has
been said to be a differentiating factor and an important source of
competitiveness. Tacit knowledge is an important asset of any organization.
Because it is not formalized is difficult to share. KC supporting systems help
people inside an organization to share this tacit knowledge. This paper
presents the design, and implementation of a KC system called MCKC, for Mobile
Collaborative Knowledge Creation, supporting face-to-face knowledge creation
and sharing in mobile scenarios, allowing people to create new knowledge and
share their tacit knowledge with their co-workers, using visual metaphors,
gestures and sketches to implement the human-computer interface. Keywords: Knowledge Creation; Mobile; Face-to-face Collaboration | |||
| Collaborative Conceptual Modeling Using an Ontology | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 25-32 | |
| Arkalgud Ramaprasad; Steven Diduca; Abhinaya Javier; Tarun Misra; Ganesh Parasuraman; Pratibha Prabhakaran; Himanshu Sharma; Devi Subramanian; Anuroopa Thangaraja; Ankita Vij | |||
| This paper describes the method of collaborative conceptual modeling using
an ontology. The method was used for the design of a student lifecycle
management system at a University. The problem was presented to the students of
a Knowledge Management class by the Decision Support staff of the University
System. Starting with a core knowledge management framework used for the class
the students, in collaboration with the instructor, developed the student
lifecycle management ontology to synthesize the requirements. The class
presented the ontology to the Assistant VP of Decision Support and her staff
for validation, together with prototype dashboards based on the ontology. They
found the ontology to be comprehensive, insightful, and useful. Keywords: Ontology; Collaborative Modeling; Conceptual Modeling | |||
| A Mobile Computer System to Support Collaborative Ethnography: An Approach to the Elicitation of Knowledge of Work Teams in Complex Environments | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 33-48 | |
| Luiz Carlos L., Jr. Silva; Marcos R. S. Borges; Paulo Victor R. de Carvalho | |||
| The paper presents a collaborative ethnography approach for knowledge
elicitation of work teams in complex environments. It discusses the concepts of
cognitive systems, distributed cognition, and presents a review of methods
commonly used in the elicitation of knowledge both in the case of traditional
and complex environments. Then, it points to some advantages of a collaborative
approach in comparison to other non-collaborative approaches. An evaluation
plan of the collaborative ethnography approach based on experimentation, and
the development of a mobile system to support the proposed methodology is also
presented. This system aims to stimulate collaboration and an organization in
the ethnographic knowledge elicitation process. Keywords: Ethnography; mobile | |||
| A Method for Identification and Representation of Business Process Deviations | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 49-64 | |
| Lilian Bitton Migon; Marcos R. S. Borges; Maria Luiza Machado Campos | |||
| Nowadays, process management represents a fundamental initiative to provide
competitive advantages to organizations. The ability to build and operate such
processes can provide competitive advantages to these organizations. In this
paper, we present an approach for elicitating and discovering problems in
business processes that combines the technique of group storytelling with the
theory of constraints. This article suggests that group storytelling allows the
collection of knowledge to identify the gaps and deviations that exist in
business processes, while the theory of constraints provides a language for
representing them. We conducted and reported an experimentation of the proposed
method in the petroleum field sampling process, with the support of a groupware
tool. Keywords: Group storytelling; Theory of Constraints; Business Process | |||
| Computer Supported Reflection of Good Practice | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 65-80 | |
| Till Schümmer; Martin Mühlpfordt; Jörg M. Haake | |||
| Knowledge exchange and collaboration in problem solving processes are
important factors for learning organizations. Involving practitioners with
joint interests in discussions of shared challenges and solutions is an
important step in the identification and sharing of good practice. A process
facilitating such reflection workshops for practitioners and a tool supporting
this process are introduced. The approach is based on computer supported
collection of challenges and solution ideas. It uses semantic nets for
identifying and connecting practitioners with related interests. First trials
show promising results. Keywords: collaborative reflection; good practice; group facilitation; process
support; knowledge sharing; organizational learning | |||
| Establishing On-Line Corporate Training in Distributed, Synchronous eCollaboration: A Field Study | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 81-96 | |
| Tero Päivärinta; Bjørn Erik Munkvold | |||
| Whereas technologies for eCollaboration are maturing, a need for learning
eCollaboration in distributed organizations continues. This paper presents the
experiences from establishing corporate training in distributed, synchronous
eCollaboration. The training package was delivered solely on-line with
synchronous interaction among the participants and the instructors. The study
contributes to the scarce body of research on computer-supported collaborative
learning in professional and corporate contexts. The reported experiences
illustrate several challenges to establish corporate on-line training of
eCollaboration: promotion of awareness of the benefits of learning
eCollaboration, management of varying pre-skills of employees participating in
distributed and synchronous eCollaboration, lack of common conventions for
selecting and using tools for particular organizational eCollaboration
scenarios, inclusion of synchronous eCollaboration in the corporate eLearning
strategy, and alignment of focused eCollaboration competencies to ever-evolving
corporate eCollaboration infrastructure, policies and IT operations. Keywords: eCollaboration; distributed meetings; computer-supported collaborative
learning (CSCL); corporate training; e-learning | |||
| Integrating Spatial Data and Decision Models in an E-Planning Tool | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 97-112 | |
| Pedro Antunes; Cláudio Sapateiro; Gustavo Zurita; Nelson Baloian | |||
| We review several decision models to derive six fundamental requirements to
collaborative spatial decision-making: perceiving changes in spatial data;
retaining interpretation mindsets; externalizing actions and expectancies in
spatial data; organizing divergent and convergent working modes; supporting the
recognition of situation-action elements; and managing task/pattern structures.
A review of the current state of the art shows limited support to some of these
requirements, in particular task/pattern and divergent/convergent support. An
e-planning prototype was developed to demonstrate the impact of these
requirements in collaborative spatial decision-making. Results from a
preliminary experiment indicate the prototype enables people to contribute,
explain, exteriorize and share their ideas in relation with spatial references. Keywords: Geocollaboration; Decision Models; e-Planning | |||
| Supporting the Decision Implementation Process | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 113-120 | |
| André Campos; Adriana Santarosa Vivacqua; Marcos R. S. Borges | |||
| As the environment becomes competitive, organizations must develop the
ability to quickly adapt to changes, becoming flexible and responsive. The
decision making process should be quicker and more assertive, leading to
action. Organizations need to make the right choices and implement them as
decided. It is important that organizations be aware of the implementation of
decisions and its impact. Monitoring the implementation of the decision and
analyzing its results is the main way of assessing the decisive process itself.
Extensive work has been done on decision making, but not on decision
implementation. The goal of this research is to increase adherence of the
implementation to the decision made. Given that large sums of money are spent
on the decision making phase, implementations that do not adhere to the
decisions may lead to undesired results, frustrating decision makers. In this
paper, we present a method and a system to support decision implementation.
With this research, we seek to contribute to the decision making process,
specifically during implementation phase. Keywords: decision making; decision implementation; decision follow-up | |||
| A Framework and an Architecture for Context-Aware Group Recommendations | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 121-128 | |
| Tim Hussein; Timm Linder; Werner Gaulke; Jürgen Ziegler | |||
| In this paper, we propose a generic framework to generate context-aware
recommendations for both single users as well as groups. We present the concept
of context views and a corresponding architecture implementing the framework as
well as exemplary recommendation workflows for group recommendations. Keywords: Context; Recommender Systems; Adaptation | |||
| Concurrent Modeling in Early Phases of the Software Development Life Cycle | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 129-144 | |
| Petra Brosch; Philip Langer; Martina Seidl; Konrad Wieland; Manuel Wimmer; Gerti Kappel | |||
| Software engineering deals with the development of complex software systems
which is an inherently team-based task. Therefore, version control support is
needed to coordinate the teamwork and to manage parallel modifications. If
conflicting modifications occur, in standard approaches the developer who
detected the conflict is responsible for the conflict resolution alone and has
to resolve the conflict immediately.
Especially in early project phases, when software models are typically employed for brainstorming, analysis, and design purposes, such an approach bears the danger of losing important viewpoints of different stakeholders and domain engineers, resulting in a lower quality of the overall system specification. In this paper, we propose conflict-tolerant model versioning to overcome this problem. Conflicts are marked during the merge phase and are tolerated temporarily in order to resolve them later in a collaborative setting. We illustrate the proposed approach for the standardized modeling language UML and discuss how it can be integrated in current modeling tools and version control systems. Keywords: team-based modeling; model versioning; conflict tolerance | |||
| The Integration of Collaborative Process Modeling and Electronic Brainstorming in Co-located Meetings | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 145-160 | |
| Thomas Herrmann; Alexander Nolte | |||
| Within a workshop, tools and methods have been employed to support process
modeling together with creative ideation for identifying the relevant elements
of the process. The process-design workshop was part of a project which aims at
implementing new ways of data input and transfer for the coordination of
services for elderly people. We have chosen tools and methods which seemed to
be appropriate to support an efficient process design which integrates
creativity and the differing perspectives of the participating stakeholders.
This workshop led to a case study which revealed strengths and weaknesses of
our approach and helped us to identify further recommendations and requirements
for the integration of collaborative modeling and creativity support. Keywords: Collaborative Modeling; Creativity Support; Brainstorming; Interactive Large
Screen | |||
| Integrating Context-Enriched Explanations and Communication in an Adaptive Collaboration Environment | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 161-168 | |
| Syed Sajid Hussain; Dirk Veiel; Jörg M. Haake; Stephan Lukosch | |||
| Distributed collaboration among teams involves dynamically changing
situations. Making collaboration environment fit the needs of these situations
is supported by system-initiated adaptation based on user and team context.
Such adaptations may confuse the users, because they cannot remember all
adaptation policies. In this paper we propose an approach to present
context-enriched explanations to help them understand the adaptation behavior.
Also, we describe a social network analysis strategy to identify socially
related and current situation relevant communication partners. Integrated on
demand communication is facilitated among these partners for discussion and
learning about adaptation policies. Keywords: Context; adaptation; collaboration environment; process support;
context-enriched explanation; communication; socially related relevant partner | |||
| A Tool for Training Students and Engineers in Global Software Development Practices | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 169-184 | |
| Miguel J. Monasor; Aurora Vizcaíno; Mario Piattini | |||
| Global Software Development (GSD) is an emerging trend in which virtual
teams work on the same projects at a distance. Despite the advantages of this
shift, the collaboration between distant members becomes more difficult. Team
members interact by using collaborative tools, and this collaboration is
affected by time, cultural and language differences. These drawbacks lead to
the need to train students and software engineers in the new collaborative
skills required.
These skills can only be trained by involving learners in practical experiences, but this is not always possible since it necessitates collaboration with distant institutions (universities/firms). We have focused our work on the development of a tool with which to train these skills through the use of a virtual training environment for GSD that avoids this difficulty by placing learners in virtual GSD scenarios in which they will develop the skills needed to work on global software projects. Keywords: Global Software Development; Engineering Education | |||
| Awareness Support in Global Software Development: A Systematic Review Based on the 3C Collaboration Model | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 185-201 | |
| Igor Steinmacher; Ana Paula Chaves; Marco Aurélio Gerosa | |||
| The developers' physical distribution in Global Software Development (GSD)
imposes challenges related to awareness support during collaboration. In this
paper, we present a systematic review of the literature that describes studies
that improve awareness support in a GSD scenario, identifying which of the
dimensions of the 3C model, namely communication, coordination, and
cooperation, are supported by these studies. Results indicate that coordination
is far the most explored dimension, while awareness support in communication is
very poorly studied. The research also identified a high number of tools
introduced in the GSD domain and some new research opportunities. Keywords: Awareness; Global Software Development; 3C Collaboration Model;
Communication; Coordination; Cooperation | |||
| Awareness Checklist: Reviewing the Quality of Awareness Support in Collaborative Applications | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 202-217 | |
| Pedro Antunes; Cláudio Sapateiro; José A. Pino; Valeria Herskovic; Sergio F. Ochoa | |||
| A proposal of a method to assess awareness support is made. This proposal is
intended for the use of collaborative applications developers at any time
during development. It consists of a checklist. It is made with the inclusion
of design elements obtained by the analysis of Quality Assurance ideas applied
to collaborative systems. The proposal is illustrated with its use in two
cases. Keywords: Awareness Inspection; Collaborative Applications | |||
| Supporting Asynchronous Workspace Awareness by Visualizing the Story Evolution in Collaborative Storytelling | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 218-232 | |
| Jana Schumann; Tanja Buttler; Stephan Lukosch | |||
| Workspace awareness support is mandatory for group support systems. In this
paper, we present a novel approach to asynchronous awareness by means of
traceability support. We integrate and evaluate our approach in the web portal
of CASTing, a tool for audio-based collaborative storytelling. We describe the
development of a prototype that visualizes how the collaborative story evolved
over time. Our visualization helps group members assess who has modified the
shared story, what exactly has been modified and when it has been modified. We
evaluate different awareness factors in an experiment. The experiment proved
that our visualization approach enables users to acquire workspace awareness by
accessing information about previous work of other users. Keywords: Information visualization; workspace awareness; traceability; collaborative
storytelling | |||
| Dealing with Device Collaboration Rules for the PCSCW Model | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 233-248 | |
| Kahina Hamadache; Luigi Lancieri | |||
| In this paper, we describe the design, the development and the use of
devices collaboration rules for the PCSCW (Pervasive Computing Supported
Collaborative Work) Model. These rules rely on the precise description of
roles, tasks, actions, resources required by these actions and constraints
associated to these resources to select the proper way to make devices
cooperate with the final objective to facilitate the collaboration of humans.
We suggest that by defining constraints on resources as triplets composed of a
parameter, a value and an associated criticality it allows us to quantify,
estimate, compare and then choose between several candidate rules. The finality
given by these rules is a simple but efficient way to make devices choose
automatically the most appropriate way to cooperate. Keywords: Pervasive Computing; Collaborative Work; Constraints Modelling; PCSCW;
Collaboration rules | |||
| Enabling Collaboration Transparency with Computational Reflection | | BIBA | Full-Text | 249-264 | |
| Pedro García López; Enrique Fernández-Casado; Carles Angles; Maria Ferre | |||
| The conversion of legacy single-user applications to collaborative multi-user tools is a recurrent topic in groupware settings. Many works tried to achieve collaboration transparency: to enable collaborative features without modifying the source code of the single-user application. In this paper, we present a novel blackbox solution that achieves complete transparency by intercepting user interface libraries and input events. This is the first blackbox solution constructed on top of lightweight wrapper technologies (Aspect Oriented Programming) and unlike previous approaches it provides support to both AWT and Swing applications. Our solution solves four important problems: event broadcasting, management of external resources (random numbers), contextual information (telepointers) and transparent launching support. We validated our approach with several Swing-based and AWT-based tools demonstrating that our wrapper is generic and imposes very low overhead. | |||
| Plasticity of Interaction Interfaces: The Study Case of a Collaborative Whiteboard | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 265-280 | |
| Gabriela Sánchez; Sonia Mendoza; Dominique Decouchant; Lizbeth Gallardo-López; José Rodríguez | |||
| The development of plastic user interfaces constitutes a promising research
topic. They are intentionally designed to automatically adapt themselves to
changes of their context of use defined in terms of the user (e.g., identity
and role), the environment (e.g., location and available information/tools) and
the platform. Some single-user systems already integrate some plasticity
capabilities, but this topic remains quasi-unexplored in CSCW. This work is
centered on prototyping a plastic collaborative whiteboard that adapts itself:
1) to the platform, as it can be launched from heterogeneous computer devices
and 2) to each collaborator, when he is working from several devices. This
application can split its interface between the users' devices in order to
facilitate the interaction. Thus, the distributed interface components work in
the same way as if they were co-located within a unique device. At any time,
group awareness is maintained among collaborators. Keywords: plastic interfaces; context of use; redistribution-based plasticity;
multi-computer collaborative environments | |||
| Developing a Framework of Common Information Space (CIS): Grounded Theory Analysis of Airport CIS | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 281-296 | |
| Nallini Selvaraj; Bob Fields | |||
| The notion of Common Information Space (CIS) has been proposed in the field
of Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) as a conceptual framework for
analyzing cooperative work processes. The area is still in its formative years
and requires more research to contribute to its development. This paper
presents findings from an investigation undertaken for such an endeavor. Three
perceptions of CIS are presented, which are, CIS as a socio-technical
arrangement, dynamic arrangement, and dependency management arrangement. These
have been derived from review of existing research contributing to CIS notion
development and Grounded Theory analysis of collaborative work process in air
traffic control setting. The findings presented in this paper provide a
comprehensive and consolidated view of the notion development. The paper
contributes to the ongoing discussion of CIS notion development by making
theoretical as well as methodological contribution. Keywords: Computer Supported Cooperative Work; Articulation Work; Common Information
Space; Workplace Studies; Air Traffic Control | |||
| The Mind's Eye on Personal Profiles: How to Inform Initial Trustworthiness Assessments in Virtual Project Teams | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 297-304 | |
| Ellen Rusman; Jan van Bruggen; Peter B. Sloep; Martin Valcke; Rob Koper | |||
| Personal information is an important precursor for the trust formation
process in virtual project teams. However, till today it has remained unclear
what specific personal information most trustors prefer. Insight in their
preferences as well as in their foundation could support the development of
templates that provide communication support to virtual teams. In this paper,
we describe and empirically test an approach that links trustors' common
information preferences and a TrustWorthiness' ANtecedents (TWAN) framework.
Thus, we provide 'the mind's eye' on interpreting and valuing information
elements. Keywords: trust; virtual teams; online identity | |||
| Supporting Informal Interaction in a Hospital through Impromptu Social Networking | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 305-320 | |
| Alberto L. Morán; Juan Rodríguez-Covili; David A. Mejia; Jesús Favela; Sergio F. Ochoa | |||
| Social networking systems allow users to keep in touch with relatives and
friends in the absence of physical proximity. These tools are also increasingly
supporting productive interactions in diverse working environments. In this
paper, based on the understanding of informal communication in hospitals, we
identify opportunities for the use of social networking software in support of
hospital work. This has inspired the design of meetU, a tool aimed at
supporting impromptu social networking through an ad-hoc communication
infrastructure. The services offered by the system are illustrated through
interaction scenarios, which were also used to evaluate the system with a group
of medical interns. Keywords: Mobile Workers Interaction; Social Networking Systems; Impromptu Social
Networking; Hospital Work | |||
| Ambient Displays for Integrating Older Adults into Social Networking Sites | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 321-336 | |
| Raymundo Cornejo; Jesús Favela; Monica Tentori | |||
| Social networking sites (SNS) help users sustain and strengthen ties with
friends and relatives. However older adults who are less technically inclined
individuals are often left aside these SNS felling as outsiders within their
own family that uses this media to socialize. To assist these non-technical
older adults we developed two ambient displays aimed at seamlessly integrate
them into SNS. The first prototype, ePortrait, shows to older adults the
photographs uploaded by their relatives in a SNS and the second prototype,
eBowl, provides means to communicate their status through the manipulation of
physical objects. The results of an evaluation shows that ambient displays are
capable of monitoring older adults' context and provide them with continuous
information about their social network in a subtle, peripheral and expressive
manner. As a consequence, older adults use the information conveyed by such
displays to enhance conversations with new topics helping them feel more
integrated with their family. Keywords: Ambient displays; social networking sites | |||
| A Simple and Portable Command Post to Coordinate Search and Rescue Activities in Disaster Relief Efforts | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 337-344 | |
| Rodrigo Bartels; Valeria Herskovic; Alvaro Monares; Sergio F. Ochoa; José A. Pino; Marcos R. S. Borges | |||
| The lack of communication channels and support information can make the
critical search and rescue of survivors after a disaster an ineffective process
resulting in losses. This work addresses this problem by proposing a simple and
portable command post application based on mobile devices and ad-hoc networks.
The application provides support to communication and collaboration aiming to
speed up the SAR process. The system architecture and some implementation
issues are also presented. Keywords: Portable command post; search and rescue; coordination activities;
information support; mobile workers support; low-cost system | |||
| Digital Workbook: A Mobile Learning Environment to Support Collaborative Examinations | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 345-352 | |
| Iván D. Claros; César A. Collazos; Luis A. Guerrero; Sergio F. Ochoa | |||
| It is already known that some collaborative assessment processes can provide
students not only the possibility to show how well they have understood
knowledge content, but also the opportunity to enhance and increase such
knowledge. Such learning activities also allow instructors to diagnose the
quality of the instructional process. However there is evidence that this type
of activities involve an important effort. This article presents a mobile
learning environment named digital workbook, which was designed to support
students and instructors when applying a Collaborative Examination Technique.
The tool was evaluated in a Computer Science undergraduate course, and the
obtained results are highly encouraging. Keywords: collaborative assessment process; mobile computing | |||
| Evaluating a Prototype for Geo-referenced Collaborative Psychotherapy with Mobile Devices | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 353-362 | |
| Luís Carriço; Gustavo Zurita; Marco de Sá; Nelson Baloian; João Faria; Isabel Sá | |||
| Social competency training, as part of psychotherapy, for children and
teenagers, requires them to engage on outdoor activities in which they have to
complete tasks such as talking to someone or visiting a specific place.
Currently, the inability for therapists to monitor their patients, to promote
collaborative efforts and to reinforce positive attitudes is a major issue that
affects both the therapy process and its results. In this paper we present an
evaluation experience of a mobile prototype for a geo-referenced collaborative
system that supports in-situ group therapy. The system aims to provide means
for therapists to monitor their patients, their locations and achievements and
includes communication mechanisms that facilitate cooperation between patients
and therapist. We describe the concept behind the project, our initial
low-fidelity prototypes and the experiments that were undertaken to validate
them. Initial results are discussed and future work is defined. Keywords: Prototyping; Collaborative Psychotherapy; Geo-referenced systems | |||