consensus@cdp.UUCP (06/03/90)
The electronic text version of the first issue of "Applied Groupware" is follows this message Applied Groupware is a newsletter to encourage increased awareness & interest in groupware, and to focus it's readers on information & resources relevant to practical collaborative applications. If you would a printed version of this issue and the next couple of issues of Applied Groupware, please send me your mail address. Applied Groupware is a "shareware" newsletter, meaning we grant you the right to reproduce this document and share it with others, provided that you reproduce it in its entirety. If you like this newsletter we ask that you send US$100 domestic, US$50 domestic education/non-profit, or US$150 overseas for a one year subscription and back issues. Published contributors get a free one-year subscription. Send checks to Consensus Development, P.O. Box 2836, Union City, California 94587-1736. For more information contact: * Christopher Allen - Consensus Development * P.O. Box 2836, Union City, CA 94587-7836 * AT&T: (415) 487-9206 * America Online: AFL MacDev * AppleLink: D3516 * Internet: cdp!consensus@arisia.xerox.com * UUCP: uunet!pyramid!cdp!consensus
consensus@cdp.UUCP (06/03/90)
APPLIED GROUPWARE "A newsletter to encourage increased awareness & interest in groupware, and to focus it's readers on information & resources relevant to practical collaborative applications." Issue # 1, June 4, 1990 - ELECTRONIC TEXT VERSION Applied Groupware is Copyright (c) 1990 by Consensus Development. It is a "shareware" newsletter, meaning we grant you the right to reproduce this document and share it with others, provided that you reproduce it in its entirety. If you like this newsletter we ask that you send US$100 domestic, US$50 domestic education/non-profit, or US$150 overseas for a one year subscription and back issues. Published contributors get a free one-year subscription. Send checks to Consensus Development, P.O. Box 2836, Union City, California 94587-1736. For more information call Christopher Allen, editor, at (415) 487-9206. Welcome to Applied Groupware by Christopher Allen This is the first issue of Applied Groupware. Each issue will contain 2 to 4 pages of useful information regarding groupware, or on related topics. Issues will be published irregularly, initially weekly (as we have a backlog of topics), but I hope to publish a new issue at least every other week. My background is that of a microcomputer software developer, thus Applied Groupware will always be brief, focused on reality over theory, and substance over style. As I make my living developing software in this field I should not be considered as professional editor or writer. My opinions will tend to be prejudiced by my background. I personally prefer the Macintosh, small groups over large, entrepreneurship over corporations, and business over academia and government. In spite of any personal bias I think you will find this newsletter very valuable if you are interested in this field and in the future of computer software. Definitions of Groupware by Christopher Allen It seems to me that whenever a group of people sit down together to talk about groupware there is an argument as to exactly what "groupware" means. It has gotten to the point where some people believe that we should drop the term groupware and find a new term to more accurately describe it. I am not sure this is possible - groupware seems to be one of those words that is powerful because it just "feels" right. The computer press and marketeers have been defining groupware rather loosely. Any application that is networked and allows individuals to share data seems to fall into the category of groupware. Yet even the press seems reluctant to label multiuser databases or electronic mail groupware. Robert Johansen, in his book "Groupware - Computer Support for Business Teams" *1 defines it as "specialized computer aids that are designed for the use of collaborative work groups." This definition is better because it helps eliminate multiuser databases from the groupware category. Yet electronic mail falls into this definition, as well as some other software sharing tools that experts are still debating. One of my favorite definitions also appears to be one of the oldest. Peter and Trudy Johnson-Lenz *2 are credited by many as coining the term groupware in 1978. They defined it as "intentional group processes plus software to support them." I like this definition for two reasons - the word intentional implies conscious design, and that group processes come before software. This definition properly excludes multi-user databases and electronic mail as they were not designed particularly to enhance the group process. (An interesting side note: "The Coordinator" *3, an electronic mail package that uses conversational structuring would fall into the groupware category under this definition.) Yet even Peter and Trudy appear to be still wrestling with the definition. In one of their latest papers they are still clarifying their initial vision. So why is there a conflict? One part of the issue is due to "group" vs. "ware." Many regard "ware" as the base of their mental model of groupware, thus they emphasize the technological part. Others base their model in the "group" of groupware, thus an emphasis on the group process. Another problem is that different people perceive the term "group" with different shades of emotion. Many people find working in a group comforting, giving social pleasure as well as fulfilling the old expression "two heads are better than one." Others find working in groups a trial, full of competition, a source of mediocrity and restrictions. Thus these two types of personalities have different subjective goals regarding groupware - one group wishes groupware to augment an social process, the other to insulate the individual from the problems created by working in groups. Yet another conflict is the definition of "ware." Many strictly define this as meaning software, but even Robert Johansen says in his book "Groupware" that "the 'ware' needed is not simply hardware or even software; group process techniques are also very important." Is it possible to have groupware that is not software? Many people say yes. Another conflict is whether groupware is a noun or an adjective. Those that define it as a noun tend to believe that groupware is a category of software with a definite separation from other types of software. Those that use it as an adjective classify groupware as one of many features that any particular software can have, and also have a fuzzier line between what software has the quality of groupware and what does not. So what is the answer? My answer is that groupware is all of the above, and a balance between the definitions. Groupware is both software, and a group process. It can both enhance a group, and productively insulate members from the group. Group is as important as ware, and groupware is both a noun and an adjective. I also have a second answer - the definition of groupware is not important. What is important is that if you find yourself getting into an argument on the definition of groupware, try to find out where other party stands on group vs. ware, the group as a positive role vs. a negative role, noun vs. adjective, process vs. software. Then agree to disagree and get beyond the definition and go forward to the more important task - creating groupware. *1 - Published in 1988 by The Free Press, A Division of MacMillan, Inc., $27.95. Robert Johansen is Director, New Technologies Program at The Institute from the Future, 2740 Sand Hill Road,Menlo Park, CA 94025-7079, (415) 854-6322 *2 - Peter and Trudy are partners in Awakening Technologies, 695 Fifth Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, (503) 635-2615. *3 - The Coordinator is published by Action Technologies, Inc. 1145 Atlantic Ave., Alameda, CA 94501, (415) 521-6190. Groupware Resources There are a number of information resources available on the subject of groupware. I highly recommend Robert Johansen's book "Groupware - Computer Support for Business Teams". It was published in 1988 by The Free Press, New York, NY, and sells for $27.95. The audience for this book in primarily business and management, but it is one of the best summaries of the field available. It is available in most stores that carry business books. The book has the following sections: Introducing groupware; current user approaches to groupware; current vendor approaches to groupware; current user/vendor mix: climate for groupware growth?; softer software: the groupware wildcard; the outlook for groupware, doing it right; groupware lessons from the teleconferencing market; silicon valley press. A deeper, more technical book on groupware is "Computer-Supported Cooperative Work: A Book of Readings" by Irene Grief. The book is published by Morgan Kaufman Publishers of San Mateo and was published in 1988. It can be found at many university or academic oriented bookstores. This book has 738 pages and is primarily academic in focus. It has three parts: Part one is "Visions and first steps toward CSCW" which contains papers on the seminal works of Vannevar Bush, Doug Englebart, and the research that inspired them. Part two is "New technologies of CSCW" concerning research into prototypes of various groupware applications. Part three "CSCW design theories" discusses some theoretical approaches to groupware design, and contains some empirical studies as to the various aspects of group dynamics and computing. There are two active online networks discussing groupware. One is the Groupware SIG that I run on America Online, however, it is currently limited to Macintosh and Apple II users. Call 1-800-227-6364 x 5296 for a free signup kit. The other online group is 'comp.groupware' newsgroup on usenet that can be accessed through the internet or via other networks that can access usenet Unix newsgroups. There will be more networks discussing groupware in the future. Finally, there is an association that has a large number of members that are involved with groupware - the Electronic Networking Association (ENA). For more information call Nan Hanahue at (215) 432-2778. General membership is $20 a year, professional is $50.