1 Introduction

Nota:

• Group applications are popular because: Computer as a calculating machine, computer as a container (programs and data remain on computer, files are transmitted), computer as a window, ubiquitous computing (omnipresent computer, information and services are offered in various places)

1. Cooperative Work
   1. Interactions between people in

      Nota:

      • Precisely: Management consultancy, development projects, research etc.
      1. Teams
         1. Common goal

            Nota:

            • high team spirit, a work group with a conjoint goal, smaller and associated with a purpose, intensive alternating relationship and strong solidarity
      2. working groups
         1. Group: Interaction of two or more people which influence each other

            Nota:

            • Influencing Factor: size of the group, interaction between group members, feeling to be part of a team, existence of conjoint standards, differentiation between roles
      3. projects
      4. communities
   2. Necessity to be supported by computer
      1. Work regarding content
      2. Adjustment/coordination regarding appointments, resources etc
   3. Group work

      Nota:

      • Amount of all task-related operations which are realized by group members,  to achieve goal-oriented tasks and to realize the group goal
      1. Global Goal

         Nota:

         • should be reached by a selected group. May differ from personal goals of each group member. they have to be subordinate
         1. Group task

            Nota:

            • Input requirement through the organizational structure. Formal description of group occupation. Task assigns group purpose and her get together. Subordinate to goal
            1. Group activities

               Nota:

               • performed during group process. Activities occur in unexpected situations and with incomplete information. Activities have to adapt dynamically to new situations
      2. Group roles

         Nota:

         • role defines social function of a single person in relation to  - the group process - organization - other participants. Role defines rights and responsibilities within the group process
2. Computer Supported
   1. Hardware
   2. Software
      1. Groupware
      2. Distributed System/Shared processing
3. Business Applications of CSCW Systems
   1. various motivations
   2. dynamic administration of information
   3. coordination of company wide processes
   4. improvement of communication
   5. decision support
   6. implementation of efficient organizational structures
4. Goal of cooperative Applications
   1. optimize and simplify group processes
   2. to enhance group work with addional functions
   3. use existing knowledge in the organization in a better way
5. various application scenarios
   1. meeting support system: technologies which allow to hold meetings and conferences supported by computer
   2. Scheduling and Resource Planning
   3. Workflow Management
   4. Conference Systems

      Nota:

      • functions like address book, conference planning functions, recording-/answering machine functionn, utilization of shared applications
      1. multimedia based communcation in distributed organizations
      2. Application areas: widely distributed working groups. Networking organizations