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Group collaboration software that includes synchronous with asynchronous team workspace tools can produce greater workplace proficiency
November 28, 2005
By: Alice Osborn
Today's business world demands efficient and productive
software application tools for the workplace that will bring
remote teams together to get the work done. Group
collaboration software has been proven to successfully
manage conceptual and planning meetings through the use of
web conferencing.
However, the most effective groupware applications
include those that combine both synchronous and asynchronous
application tools. When workspaces can integrate
asynchronous online discussion forums, polling applications,
document-sharing applications, shared calendars, bulletin
boards with synchronous real-time chat and instant
messaging, more time will be spent on working on the
project, and less time in receiving information to start on
the work. There will also be less redundancies and
misunderstandings.
The features of synchronous and asynchronous workspace
environments
Software collaboration that is facilitated with the right
collaborative tools and workspaces will promote common
knowledge among work teams and will lead them to accomplish
common goals. These collaborative software tools can be
hosted or non-hosted, and they can focus on real-time or
asynchronous time. Online collaboration tools fall into two
groupings: synchronous (web conferencing and instant
messaging) and asynchronous (calendars, schedules, and
forums). Synchronous tools facilitate the type of real-time
discussion that takes place during face-to-face meetings,
while asynchronous tools assist with the project and
administrative work that needs to take place after the
collaborative live meeting has concluded.
"With synchronous tools, sometimes you create a democracy
of the loudest and quickest," says Bruck, of Collaboration
Architects, a Falls Church, Virginia firm that creates
collaborative environments for its clients. "With
asynchronous tools, people can think. They can consider
something for days before responding. You get a flood of
ideas that you might not have had live, on the spot." But by
integrating the features of both of these tools, then
workspace environments will share the benefits of online
presence with the accurate flow of documentation.
Using Groove to achieve collaboration results
Through virtual collaboration using groupware, far-flung
work teams can share files, chat about a current problem,
and use polling features that will simulate a "real" office
environment without the hassle of trying to reach someone
via e-mail or e-mail attachments. Collaborative software
applications, such as
Groove,
enable work teams to collectively author and archive their
work, to be notified for events on a group calendar, and to
collaborate with vendors and partners on a secure web
server. Focusing on web collaboration solutions, Groove
offers live communication, file sharing, online presence
notification, meeting and file management, and co-editing
features.
Groove collaboration software allows work teams to
conference over the web using a shared and secure workspace
on individual PCs. The user can also invite other Groove
users both inside and outside the company to share this
workspace to share documents, manage meetings and projects,
and conduct live chats. Groove workspaces are fully
encrypted, which allows the users to cross the company
firewalls and Groove only allows invited users to
participate in the workspaces. Since Groove workspaces and
data are stored on individual PCs, users can keep working
even if they are temporarily disconnected.
Finding a software collaboration tool to meet your
businesses' needs
When team members collaborate on a major project over an
online workspace, they need a reliable collaboration tool
that will help them meet their deadlines, allow all of their
voices to be heard, and permit quick and secure access to
documents and databases. When selecting a collaboration
tool, decision-makers need to locate a software application
that would best fit that company's industry, size, and
communication standards, so that up-front integration costs
will result in long-term savings and ROI. The managers also
need to examine if all of the meetings need a live
discussion tool that requires document sharing. If this is
the case, then they must find a collaborative software tool
that incorporates both synchronous and asynchronous team
workspace functions to match the company's performance
goals.
About the Author
Alice Osborn is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Web-Conferencing-Zone.com. Your
definitive guide to
web conferencing services,
online collaboration software and
web meetings for business.
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Home Page:
[ Web-Conferencing-Zone.com ]
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