Page 80 - Using MIS

48 Chapter 2 Collaboration Information Systems

Team Purpose Requirements
Become informed Share data
Support group communication
Manage project tasks
Store history
Make decisions Share decision criteria, alternative descriptions, evaluation tools, evaluation
results, and implementation plan
Support group communication
Manage project tasks
Publish decision, as needed
Store analysis and results
Solve problems Share problem definitions, solution alternatives, costs and benets,
alternative evaluations, and solution implementation plan
Support group communication
Manage project tasks
Publish problem and solution, as needed
Store problem denition, alternatives, analysis, and plan
Manage projects Support starting, planning, doing, and finalizing project phases
Figure 2-7 (Figure 2–5)
Support group communication
Requirements for Different Manage project tasks
Collaboration Purposes

communication facility is the first thing your team should do, and it is arguably the most impor-
tant feature of a collaboration IS.
The particular tools used depend on the ways that the team communicates, as summarized
in Figure 2-8. Synchronous communication occurs when all team members meet at the same
time, such as with conference calls or face-to-face meetings. Asynchronous communication
occurs when team members do not meet at the same time. Employees who work different shifts
at the same location or team members who work in different time zones around the world must
meet asynchronously.
The Ethics Guide on pages Most student teams attempt to meet face to face, at least at first. Arranging such meetings is
56–57 addresses some of the always difficult, however, because student schedules and responsibilities differ. If you are going
ethical challenges that arise to arrange such meetings, consider creating an online group calendar in which team members
when team members have
opposing viewpoints. post their availability, week by week. Also, use the meeting facilities in Microsoft Outlook to is-
sue invitations and gather RSVPs. If you don’t have Outlook, use an Internet site such as Evite
(www.evite.com) for this purpose.
For most face-to-face meetings, you need little; the standard Office applications
or their freeware lookalikes, such as OpenOffice, will suffice. However, research indicates
that face-to-face meetings can benefit from shared, online workspaces, such as that shown

Synchronous Asynchronous
Shared calendars
Invitation and attendance

Single location Multiple locations Single or multiple locations
O
ce applications such Conference calls Email
as Word and PowerPoint Multiparty text chat Discussion forums
Screen sharing Team surveys
Shared whiteboards Webinars
Videoconferencing
Figure 2-8
Collaboration Tools for
Communication Virtual meetings