GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES

7.6 GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES

There are three options for deploying GSS technology: (1) in a special-purpose decision room, (2) at a multiple-use facility, and (3) as Web-based groupware with clients running wherever the group members are.

The earliest GSS were installed in expensive, customized, special-purpose decision rooms (electronic meeting rooms) with PCs with sunken displays hidden under desks and a

large public screen at the front of the room. The original idea was that only executives and high-level managers would use the facility. The software in a special-purpose electronic meeting room usually runs over a local area network (LAN), and these rooms are fairly plush in their furnishings. Electronic meeting rooms can be constructed in different shapes and sizes. A common design includes a room equipped with 12-30 networked personal computers, usually recessed into the desktop (for better participant viewing). A server PC is attached to a large-screen projection system and connected to the network to display the work at individual workstations and aggregated information from the facilitator's workstation. Adjacent to the decision room there sometimes are break-out rooms equipped with PCs connected to the server where small subgroups can consult. The output from the subgroups can also be displayed on the large public screen.

Organizations still use electronic decision rooms, and these rooms very ably support same time/same place meetings (at many universities, companies, and government agencies). One Ohio school district even built a portable facility in a bus (the driver's seat turns around to become the facilitator's seat). There is still a need and a desire for groups to meet face to face even when supported by collaborative technology. A facility like this can conveniently provide videoconferencing and distance education, and may even function as

a fairly expensive computer lab.

A second option is to construct a multiple-use facility, sometimes a generalpurpose computer lab or computer classroom that also is a less elegant but equally useful GSS room. For example, at the Terry College of Business of The University of Georgia, Sanford Hall has a 48-seat lab/computer classroom with GroupSystems MeetingRoom installed. This room also "triples" as a distance learning classroom because it contains the latest academic videoconferencing software and hardware. Since a decision room might not be used 100 percent of the time for groupwork, this is an effective way to lower or share costs.

For the first and second options, a trained facilitator is necessary to coordinate the meetings. The group leader works with the facilitator to structure the meeting. The success of a GSS session depends largely on the quality, activities, and support of the facilitator (Miranda and Bostrom, 1997). For details on facilitator support, an important but often neglected aspect of GSS, see Ngwenyama et al. (1996).

Since the late 1990s, the most common approach has been the third option: using Web-based or LAN-based groupware that allows group members to workfrom any location at any time (e.g., Lotus Notes, Groove, WebEx, PlaceWare, GroupSystems, NetMeeting). This groupware often includes audioconferencing and videoconferencing. The availability of relatively inexp-ensive groupware (for purchase or for rent) combined with the power and low cost of capable PCs makes this type of system viable. Some groupware, notably Groove, runs in a peer-to-peer mode, where each person works on a copy of the entire conference so that only differences among the files need be transmitted. Thus standard telephone connections work relatively well (without video or audio modes). Also, the high cost of constructing a facility and finding an experienced facilitator, and the nee'! to have

380 PART III COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, ENTERPRISE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS, AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

Collaborative Computing/GSS

Web Impacts

Impacts on the Web

Collaboration

Consistent, friendly, graphical

Improvements in

user interface for client units

management, hardware,

Convenient, fast access to team

software; and infra-

members

structure due mainly to Improved collaboration tools collaboration in (Web-

Access to data/information/knowledge based) CASE and other

on servers

systems analysis and

Enables document sharing

design tools

Enables anywhere/anytime collabor-

Improvements in site

ation

design and

Enables collaboration between

development methods

companies, customers and

Simultaneous Web surfing ( e.g., Groove)

Communication

vendors Improved, fast communication among

Same as above;

group members and links to datal information/knowledge sources

Makes audio and video conferencing

a reality, especially for individuals not using a LAN

Decision Rooms

Consistent, friendly, graphical user

interface for clients

Same as above

Communication support Access to Web-based tools

Room design teams can collaborate to provide dramatic

Mixed-mode Facilities

improvements in facilities

Colocated Team

Same as above

Same as

Facilities (members in Provides fast connections to enable above Same different locations)

real-time collaboration

as above

at any time, led to less need' for the first two approaches. The Web provides flexibility in running meetings, and it creates interesting issues about how to facilitate such meetings. Time deadlines are generally imposed for each phase of an anytime/anyplace meeting. The deadlines are set to allow for time zones and travel. Another issue for non-face-to-face meetings is that participants want to see the people with whom they are working. Some systems have access to still pictures, while videoconferencing enhances some meeting aspects by showing some body language. We described some major groupware packages earlier in this chapter. In Table 7.1, we provide collaborative computing/GSS and Web impacts. Next, we describe some of the features and structure of a comprehensive GSS through GroupSystems.