Collaborative Systems and Groupware

Collaborative systems and groupware have evolved a great deal from their somewhat static roots as multifunctional technology platforms. They are now best viewed as dynamic technology environments designed to facilitate the completion of shared workgroup tasks. This evolution is significant as it provides evidence of the most important dynamics affecting shared technology systems today: the influence of the human user on the development of collaborative technology, and the emergence of cognitive science as a key contributor to online cooperative work. The current entry discusses the history and technical development of both groupware and collaborative systems. It traces their growth, both as proprietary technical operations platforms, and as dynamic cooperative work systems utilized throughout the enterprise to enhance and support specific workgroup activities. An ontology of collaborative systems, both in information service settings and throughout organizations, is presented and discussed.