Definitions for Groupware
Groupware is not a panacea but rather a phrase or catch word for a group of technologies that mediate interpersonal collaboration through the computer. There are as many definitions for groupware as there are people trying to define it. Here are three popular definitions for groupware:
Rather than debate the best definition of groupware, a more appropriate question is "Is this definition really important?" The groupware concept is to foster collaboration and interpersonal productivity by automating many tasks and enhancing the efficiency of others. Whether a product is e-mail or workflow does not matter in today's competitive business environment. What matters is whether groupware technology provides a solution to a specific business problem.
- Peter and Trudy Johnson-Lenz, 1978: "An intentional group process plus software to support them."
- Doug Englebart, 1988: "A co-evolving human-tool system."
- David Coleman, 1992: "Computer-mediated collaboration that increases the productivity or functionality of person-to-person processes."
20 rules for Success with Groupware
Based on the author's experience with groupware, he has compiled a list of 20 common sense rules to aid you in being successful in deploying groupware within your organization:
- Find a groupware champion! The higher up in management, the better. Get their hands on the keyboard. By getting top management involved they will see the benefits, and you will get a lot more support!
- Groupware changes the corporate culture. Plan for it!
- Pick a pilot project rather than trying to roll groupware out to the whole organization.
- Pick a bounded project with a group that is supportive of both technology and innovation
- Pick a project with visibility and financial impact.
- Measure productivity factors before you start the project.
- Measure productivity factors after the project has started. This is a good way to cost-justify groupware!
- Pick the groupware software based on a specific business problem that needs to be solved and has not been solved successfully using traditional methods. Corollary: Do not pick the groupware first and then try to find a problem to apply the technology to.
- Make sure you have adequate planning, support, training, and mainte-nance for your project.
- No one groupware product can do it all. Don't expect it to!
- Don't expect software vendors to offer you all the services you need for groupware. You may need to use internal people or consultants to insure your project's success.
- Groupware is not a quick fix! As part of a re-engineering effort, it may take 2-4 years to see the results.
- Listen to the people involved in the pilot project. They are experts on what needs to be done and can often suggest ways to better the process.
- Don't be afraid to make changes! A pilot project is an experiment. Learn as you go.
- Make sure the software you pick fits with existing systems. Try to amortize your LAN investment by connecting to your mainframe or other legacy sys-tems.
- You can't change people overnight. Be prepared for resistance!
- If people take time to change, organizations take even longer!
- It takes courage to change a corporate culture! Applaud those who are willing to change.
- Be careful about paving the cow path. There is no point in automating a very inefficient process. There are no big productivity wins here!
- Groupware can be very political. Make sure it is a big win!
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