The best way to start our Groupware blog is, well, with some ideas about Groupware.
My first idea about Groupware, was that it kind of sounded like a mash of the words software and group. And I wasn´t quite far. Groupware can be defined as "Computer-based systems that support groups of people engaged in a common task (or goal) and that provide an interface to a shared environment" (Ellis, Gibbs, Rein, 1991).
Groupware is software for groups, and includes the whole process that surrounds groups when it comes to interacting with technology. Think not only on Facebook, but in groups interacting with large displays on a classroom, by e-mails, or with collaborative software.
We humans are by nature social creatures, and sounds just natural to find ways to support our “socialness” with technology. This is, we can certainly assume that - in one way or another - the interaction between people will naturally flow. Our job here, is to find out the most suitable way to make this happen through technology.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this topic. I had wondered about this same question! What is this course for and what are we supposed to learn... What the f*** does Groupware mean.
ReplyDeleteI just hope that after completing this course I have learned something. You know, after five years I want to have something in my mind that I can still use or I have used for.
It surely is a challenge for our lecturer, because I don't think that it's enaugh just to show basic systems that there is in the field.
To your point of human being social creature I agree and would like to say my opinion. I would like to add that people have an imagination (that often is quite wild, f.e. sex chats) and therefore system doesn't have to include physical connection anything hype, it's enaugh for people to think that they are dealing with one anothers. After that people do create their own social environment using the tools that technology and companies provide!
physical connection OR anything hype,
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