A SURVEY ON GROUPWARE TOOLS Hadi Nategh New University of Lisbon hnt@uninova.pt May 2011 Introduction What is groupware? Like an electronic sinew that binds teams together, the new groupware aims to place the computer squarely in the middle of communications among managers, technicians, and anyone else who interacts in groups, revolutionizing the way they work. Richman and Slovak(1987) Groupware is not only for communication.
Introduction (Continue ) Groupware is a technology that specifically designed to support group working, with collaborative facilities. Video conferencing... wiki email Chat What facilities? Address book Calendar Forum Task Mgmt. File sharing Introduction (Continue ) Groupware classification: Location and time of participants that are working. (Time and Space matrix) [3] The functions that make easy coworking between participants. Same time Face-to-Face conversation Remote conversation (Chat, VoIP,..) Different time Notes, Messages, Post (email, forum, blog, ) [A. Dix et al, 1993]
Groupware from the past to the future Future Past Present Groupware tools attributes Document Management A document management system (DMS) is a computer system (or set of computer programs) used to track and store electronic documents and/or images of paper documents.[2] File upload Wiki Workflow DMS Concurrent access Versioning Access right Real-time Modification
DMS (Continue ) Example: Creating new webpage via workflow using Bitrix CMS software. DMS (Continue...)
Groupware attributes (continue ) User Management It isapart ofasecuresystem, whichcontrolprivilegesandrolesfor auser or group of users, and also, it lets the user to control its own software environment. Access permission To-do User Management Group definition Preferences Groupware tools attributes (continue ) Group Interaction VoIP (Voice over IP) Mailing list Forum Address book Contacts Communication News feed.. Instant Messaging
Groupware tools attributes (continue...) Project/Task Management Project management helps managers to define projects and tasks, and assignthemtoauseroragroupofusers,andflowthelifecycleprocedure. Agenda Scheduling Shared Calendar Project/Task Management Task Reminder Workflow Notification Task Reminder Groupware tools attributes (continue...) Example of Project Management: Teamwork
Groupware tools attributes (continue ) Voting system Votingsystemisaquestionnaireformthatcanbeaccessedbyusersinthe system to collect their answers. Security Security in groupware tools is one of the important part that should be take into account, because groupware tools are based on web, and using public network(internet) which makes them vulnerable. Authentication Authorization IDS/IPS Security Logs Session Management.. Groupware tools attributes CompatibilityandAdaptability (continue ) e.g. Android mobile application for Joomla. Mobile application/synchronization: Interaction between the groupware tool server and its mobile clients. Template Management: It allows users to create their own design for whole or part of the groupware tool s user interface.
Groupware tools Groupware tools Comparison Table Legend: Available NA Free Cost Compatibility and Adaptibility Security Project / Task Management Profiling system Voting system Searching Tools Group Interaction CONTENT OR DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT USER MANAGEMENT Multi-Language Template Management Mobile Sync. IDS/IPS Password Encryption session Management Logs Authorization Authentication reminder alarms Notifications agenda shared calendar Scheduling workflow Indexing Content Search Address book Contact Contact info Mail lists Whiteboard News Feed HelpDesk Mgmt. Communication Forum Video Conference VoIP Instant Message Backup & Restore Concurent access Realtime Modification Wiki Versioning File upload Access right Calender Reminder To-do Group definition Access Permission JOOMLA Phprojekt Drupal dotproject MoreGroupWare web2project simple groupware Group office bitrix egroupware Liferay Citadel Teamwork
Selected tools Selected opensource groupware tools for collaboration in business: Table legend Very Easy Easy Ease of use Medium Difficault USER MANAGEMENT CONTENT OR DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT Group Interaction Searching Tools Project / Task Management Compatibility and Adaptibility CMSs JOOMLA bitrix Drupal dotproject MoreGroupWare web2project simple groupware Group office Groupwares Phprojekt egroupware Liferay Citadel Teamwork Joomla Joomla is powerful open-source software, and distributed under GPL license. Joomla is designed as a content management system (CMS) with an extensive community and tons of free and commercial extensions. Why Joomla? Easyofuse Tons of extensions Community
Joomla (Continue ) Joomlaback-end user interface. Liferay Liferay is enterprise web platform for implementing a variety of business solutions. Why Liferay? Compatible with up-to-date technologies Large community Easytouse Some highlighted features Workflow Dynamic UI portal. Profiling Software Catalogue
Liferay (Continue ) Simple Groupware Simple GroupWare contains the programming language sgsml to enable the quick customization and creation of powerful web applications. Some highlighted features: Notifications Information filtering Intelligent knowledge management
Simple Groupware (Continue ) Portal view in Simple Groupware. egroupware egroupware is an opensource groupware tool. This groupware platform supports some features like project management, CRM, todo. Highlighted features: Time Sheet Manage and audit working time documentation Tracker Create functional areas (tracker queues) and types of tasks which has to be tracked Resources Document and manage resources Book resources for appointments
egroupware (Continue ) Thank you
References 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/document_management_system 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/versioning_file_system 3. Human Computer Interaction, Prentice Hall, A. Dix, J. Finlay, G. Ab owd and R. Beale,1993. 4. vbulletin.com 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/web_feed 6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/versioning_file_system 7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/enterprise_content_management 8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/help:preferences 9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mailing_list