Essentials of Knowledge Management

5.4. Groupware

Groupware typically is defined as any software that enables group collaboration over a network. Examples of groupware include shared authoring tools, electronic whiteboards, videoconferencing tools, online forums, e-mail, online screen sharing, and multimodal conferencing. Each of these technologies holds the potential to increase collaboration at a distance, reducing the cost of travel and the time knowledge workers waste in transit.

Shared authoring tools include common word processing programs, graphics programs, and sound editing utilities. Although they're not often sold as such, many stand-alone applications can be considered groupware if they can access and modify a document on the web or a common server. Most shared authoring tools must be used asynchronously, in that only one person at a time can make changes to a document.

E-mail systems that support asynchronous text-based communications are probably the most often used groupware. A related technology, online forums, is a real-time, text-based system that allows group posting and response to text messages. An online forum is self-archiving, in that the sequence of text-based conversations involving dozens or even hundreds of contributors is maintained for review by others. Instant messaging is an upcoming form of groupware that allows knowledge workers working away from their desks to exchange short packets of information. However, unlike online forums, the string of messages isn't stored automatically ...