Gu & Maherning@design-ning.net

University of Sydney, August 2004

DECO2005

Shared Discovery & Understanding in CSCW

Presentation Overview

Concept of shared discovery and understanding Team member collectively discover and understand. Support better group process, therefore improve performance.

Structure of the presentation Shared discovery and understanding as parts of group

processes in collaboration. Support of efficient group processes influences the formation of

conceptual models for developing collaborative environments. Applying shared discovery and understanding in collaborative

environment.

Purposes of Developing CSCW

Improve performance (example: AEC industry) Better designs. Faster design and construction process. Cheaper. Better resource usage.

How? Efficient group processes – collaboration. Support of efficient group processes – better tools and

techniques.

Research on Efficient Group Processes

Research and studies (example: AEC industry) Explore the dynamics of the design industry. Explore the nature and dynamics of design process. Explore the characteristics and needs of various types of design

teams. Investigate and find solutions for improving the design process.

Group Processes

Interaction of team members (example: AEC industry) Synchronous or asynchronous communication.

Group Processes

Shared understanding and visions – team members communicate to collectively understand:

Internal environment: strength/weakness of the team, value for the practice, design philosophy.

External environment: trends in society, politics, technology, regulation, legislation.

Design brief: the project goals and objectives (objectives of the clients, designers, experts).

Strategies: the approach that the team will take to achieve its goals, objectives.

Progress control: the current status of the teamwork.

Group Processes

Shared discovery and creation Diversity: members see different aspects of a problem. Synthesis: members constructively explore their differences and

search for solutions that go beyond their own limited vision of what is possible.

Group Processes

Self-sustainability Team members orchestrate their own works by monitoring and

controlling their outputs, as well as their processes. The team improves its capacity for self-management as

members enhance their personal competencies, the quality of their contact with other members, and the free flow of information and energy between them.

The team maintains its stability by ensuring that feedback loops prevent it from unconsciously deviating from its desired performance target.

Conceptual Models for Building Collaborative Environments

Support team communication Establish a collaborative 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 team’s vision, and shared understanding of design decisions.

Conceptual Models for Building Collaborative Environments

Support shared creation and discovery Establish a collaborative 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 collaborative environment by supporting the act of

monitoring and influencing the team performance.

Collaborative Tools in CSCW

Group processes further reflect on the development of different collaborative tools in CSCW Example (AEC industry): team communication and document

management tools, workflow and process automation tools, and process and project management tools.

Collaborative tools in CSCW: week four slides.

Content of Shared Discovery and Understanding

Shared understanding Internal environment: strength/weakness of the team, value for

the practice, design philosophy. External environment: trends in society, politics, technology,

regulation, legislation. Design brief: the project goals and objectives (objectives of the

clients, designers, experts). Strategies: the approach that the team will take to achieve its

goals, objectives. Progress control: the current status of the teamwork.

Content of Shared Discovery and Understanding

Shared discovery and creation Recognise diversity: members see different aspects of a

problem. Design synthesis: members constructively explore their

differences and search for solutions that go beyond their own limited vision of what is possible.

Support of Shared Discovery and Understanding

Competency of the team members Collaborative tools that support shared understanding

Internal environment: ? External environment: ? Design brief: ? Strategies: ? Progress control: ?

Support of Shared Discovery and Understanding

Collaborative tools that support shared understanding Internal environment: communication, shared design

application… External environment: communication, document

management… Design brief: communication, shared design application,

document management… Strategies: communication, document management, monitor and

record design process… Progress control: monitor and record design process, project

management…

Support of Shared Discovery and Understanding

Competency of the team members Collaborative tools that support shared discovery and creation

Recognise diversity: ? Design synthesis: ?

Support of Shared Discovery and Understanding

Collaborative tools that support shared discovery and creation Recognise diversity: communication, shared design application,

document management... Design synthesis: communication, shared design application,

document management, monitor and record design process, project management…

Lab Activity

Group shared drawing design Group project design development using shared drawing feature

in NetMeeting or MSN Messenger. Establish and support shared discovery and understanding

among group members.