Conceptual Models of Collaboration

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Conceptual Models of Collaboration
Gu Maher ning_at_design-ning.net University of
Sydney, August 2004 DECO2005
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Conceptual Models of Collaboration

• There are mainly three factors that characterize
  different types of collaboration
• Modes of Communication Synchronous or
  Asynchronous.
• Nature of Participants Role Mutual,
  Dictator, or Exclusive (Maher et al., 1998).
• Nature of Setting Local or Distant.

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Modes of Communication

• Synchronous Communication
• Definition at Webster "Happening at the same
  time or same rate.
• Live and interactive.
• ltExamplesgt
• Telephone conversations.
• ITV classes.
• Chats.
• video conferencing...
• Asynchronous Communication.
• Notlive and Interactive.
• Not time and place dependant.
• ltExamplegt
• Surface mail and electronic mail.
• Television, cable TV.
• Electronic conferences.
• Usenet newsgroups.
• Most World-Wide Web sites.

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Nature of Participants Roles

• Mutual
• Work on same parts of the problem.
• Dictator
• Solutions are decided by a dictator.
• Exclusive
• Work on separate parts of the problem.

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Setting 1 - Same Space - Same Time

• Design participants work on separate parts of
  the design problem within the same space and same
  time period.
• Negotiated decisions are made occasionally
  through Synchronous Communication.

Exclusive Collaboration
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Setting 1 - Same Space - Same Time

• Dictator and dictated design participants
  Synchronously work together within the same space
  during the same time period.

Dictator Collaborative Design
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Setting 2 - Different Space - Same Time

• Design participants work on one part of a design
  problem at the same time, but from different
  locations.
• Negotiated decision are made during the entire
  design process through Synchronous Communication.

Multual Collaboration
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Setting 2 - Different Space - Same Time

• Design participants work on different parts of
  the same design problem at the same time but from
  different locations.
• Negotiations occur occasionally by asking advice
  from other participants through Synchronous
  Communication.

Exclusive Collaboration
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Setting 2 - Different Space - Same Time
Dictator and dictated design participants
communicate Synchronously while located at
different locations.
Dictator Collaboration
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Setting 3 - Same Space - Different Time

• Design participants work on different parts of
  the same design problem from different locations,
  but during different time periods.
• Negotiations occur occasionally by asking advice
  from other participants through Asynchronous
  Communication.

Exclusive Collaboration
Phoenix, 400 pm
Phoenix, 900 am
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Setting 3 - Same Space - Different Time

• Dictator and dictated design participants
  communicate Asynchronously while located at same
  locations.

Dictator Collaboration
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Setting 4 - Different Space - Different Time

• Design participants work on one part of a design
  problem from different locations and during
  different time periods.
• Negotiated decision are made during the entire
  design process through Asynchronous Communication.

Multual Collaboration
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Setting 4 - Different Space - Different Time

• Design participants work on different parts of
  the same design problem from different locations
  and during different time periods.
• Negotiations occur occasionally by asking advice
  from other participants through Asynchronous
  Communication.

Exclusive Collaboration
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Nature of Design Firms (Coxe Group)

• Project-Centered
• Focus on the near- and mid-term.
• Clients feel that they truly care about them, and
  they are highly project-focused.
• Have better than average communication and
  conflict resolution skills.
• Keen observers of the world around them,
  particularly as it relates to technical change.
• Strive continually to learn, and consequently
  have cultures that foster learning and sharing of
  information.
• Bring to clients' attention issues that affect
  current projects and activities.
• Understand that the value they provide is
  primarily in success of projects, and that their
  profitability results from their ability to
  target and achieve their clients' goals
  efficiently.

• Client-Centered
• Focus on the mid- and long-term.
• Clients feel that they truly care about them, and
  they are highly client-focused.
• Have better than average communication and
  relationship skills.
• Keen observers of the world around them,
  particularly as it relates to their clients.
• Continually strive to learn, and consequently
  have cultures that foster learning and sharing of
  information.
• Bring to clients' attention information about
  issues that will affect their clients' futures.
• Understand that their priority is the consulting
  role and the value they provide is primarily
  measured by their clients' sense of long-term
  success.

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Significance

• Support Team Communication - establish a
  collaboration environment by supporting
  communication in teams.
• Support Shared Understanding - teams cannot
  solely rely on tools of communication because
  they do not inherently foster collaboration.
  Establish an environment that enable flow of
  meaning, shared understanding of teams vision,
  and shared understanding of design decisions.

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Significance

• Support Shared Creation and Discovery - establish
  a collaboration environment by supporting
  creation and discovery of design solutions, and
  discovery of the path, which will guide them to
  the desired solution.
• Support Sustainability of Effective Team
  Performance - establish a collaboration
  environment by supporting the act of monitoring
  and influencing the team performance.

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Lab Activities Shared Drawing Session

• Shared drawing board using Interwise on
  Smartboard - in the Sentient on level 2.
• Group brief development using Netmeeting
  whiteboard - in Rm526.
• Short report writing on group design brief - in
  Rm526.
• Submissions
• Short report on group design brief - today by
  5pm.
• Report on shared drawing session 2pm, Fri.
  August 20.

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Two Collaboration Tools

• Interwise www.interwise.com
• Features video and audio conferencing, file
  sharing and transferring, fhared drawing boards
  synchronised and asynchronised textual
  communication, and etc.
• Activities it supports meetings, lectures
  (small-group learning), seminars (large-group
  learning), and web broadcasting (very large-group
  communication).
• Smartboard - an interactive input/output device
  that allows users to draw and write using
  electronic inks, and control the computer using
  the touch screen.
• Netmeeting - www.microsoft.com/windows/NetMeeting
  
• Features similar to Interwise, for more info
  http//www.microsoft.com/windows/NetMeeting/Featur
  es

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Setting up Netmeeting

• Decide a person to act as a group leader who will
  be hosting the meeting.
• Step1 From the windows desktop, start the
  program from start -gt programs -gt Internet
  Communication Applications -gt Netmeeting.
• Step2 In the window, fill in your detail (use a
  name that can be recognised by your group) and
  start Netmeeting.
• Step3 In the Netmeeting interface, group leader
  should host a meeting from call -gt Host Meeting,
  choose a meeting name and password.
• Step4 Return to the windows desktop, group
  leader runs command "cmd" from start - run, in
  the window that opens, type in "ipconfig" and
  press return and record the IP address.

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Setting up Netmeeting

• Step5 Group leader should let your group members
  know your IP address and the password for the
  meeting.
• Step6 In the Netmeeting interface, group leader
  should now set to accept calls automatically by
  ticking from call -gt Automatically Accept Calls.
• Step7 Group members now can join the meeting by
  calling the group leader, to place a call, click
  the telephone button from the Netmeeting
  interface, type in your group leader's IP address
  and press ok, and fill in the password once it's
  asked later.
• Step8 Try out Share Program, Whiteboard and
  other features of Netmeeting, if your computer
  has webcam and speakers, you can try out video
  and audio conferencing as well.
• Step9 Refer to Help files for more information.