IST4Balt workshop, 07/04/2006 Riga, Latvia1 eCollaboration tools for IST4Balt project management Dr. Anatoly Solovyev (EDNES)

IST4Balt workshop, 07/04/2006 Riga, Latvia 1

eCollaboration tools for eCollaboration tools for IST4Balt project managementIST4Balt project management

Dr. Anatoly Solovyev (EDNES)Dr. Anatoly Solovyev (EDNES)

2IST4Balt workshop, 07/04/2006 Riga, Latvia

Goals of Workpackage 5 “IST tools for EU-Baltic States Goals of Workpackage 5 “IST tools for EU-Baltic States team work: pilots”team work: pilots”

– DDevelop community in the Baltic countries capable to operate efficiently inevelop community in the Baltic countries capable to operate efficiently in modern information societymodern information society

– Develop methodology for selecting eCollaboration tools for their further Develop methodology for selecting eCollaboration tools for their further demonstration and application within the IST4Balt projectdemonstration and application within the IST4Balt project

– Basing on the methodology Basing on the methodology select 3-4 innovative IST developed select 3-4 innovative IST developed or other or other eCollaboration eCollaboration tools applicable for EU-Baltic States team work or useful for tools applicable for EU-Baltic States team work or useful for information society development in the Baltic States in the field of information society development in the Baltic States in the field of the the Strategic Strategic Objectives 2.3.2.6Objectives 2.3.2.6, , 2.3.2.102.3.2.10, , 2.3.2.32.3.2.3, , 2.3.2.72.3.2.7, , 2.3.2.9 and carefully evaluate the 2.3.2.9 and carefully evaluate the selectionselection

– Demonstrate (on non-commercial basis) potential of the selected EU telematics Demonstrate (on non-commercial basis) potential of the selected EU telematics products at the project conferences, workshops, Web-sites, training courses, products at the project conferences, workshops, Web-sites, training courses, News Journals, News Journals, etcetc..

– AAdapt, as pilot examples, selected dapt, as pilot examples, selected eCollaborationeCollaboration tool toolss for IST4Balt project for IST4Balt project management activities and everyday collaboration between the partnersmanagement activities and everyday collaboration between the partners

– Prepare a report on the pilot implementation of eCollaboration tools in the Baltic Prepare a report on the pilot implementation of eCollaboration tools in the Baltic States with focus on what kind of tools are really needed to be developed as far States with focus on what kind of tools are really needed to be developed as far as their implementation in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are concernedas their implementation in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are concerned

eCollaboration tools for IST4Balt project management


Step I. “eCollaboration tools selection methodology and Step I. “eCollaboration tools selection methodology and preliminary evaluation”preliminary evaluation”

– Prepared in June 2005 by independent experts in collaboration Prepared in June 2005 by independent experts in collaboration with EDNES, INFOBALT and VITP with EDNES, INFOBALT and VITP

– Contents include:Contents include:1.1. Types of toolsTypes of tools

2.2. Tools for project managementTools for project management

3.3. Tools for team workTools for team work

4.4. Tools for teleworkingTools for teleworking

5.5. Tools for presence awareness and/or collaborative browsingTools for presence awareness and/or collaborative browsing

6.6. Common criteria for toolsCommon criteria for tools

7.7. Information and knowledge interactive portal for IST4Balt projectInformation and knowledge interactive portal for IST4Balt project





Step II. Methodology application, preliminary selectionStep II. Methodology application, preliminary selection

• Methodology was applied to Methodology was applied to 9797 eCollaboration tools eCollaboration tools (software for PM, KM, (software for PM, KM, DM, Teamwork and Collaboration in real time)DM, Teamwork and Collaboration in real time)

• Using the basic principles of the methodology nine tools were preliminarily Using the basic principles of the methodology nine tools were preliminarily selected:selected:– BAL.PM (Balanced Project Management)BAL.PM (Balanced Project Management)– BSCW (Basic Support for Cooperative Work)BSCW (Basic Support for Cooperative Work)– HyperOfficeHyperOffice– MarratechMarratech– MWliveMWlive– Projectplace.comProjectplace.com– SubversionSubversion– WorkSmartWorkSmart– Xerox DocuShareXerox DocuShare

The special meeting of the IST4Balt Steering Committee devoted to the The special meeting of the IST4Balt Steering Committee devoted to the preliminary selection of eCollaboration tools was organized in Vilnius, preliminary selection of eCollaboration tools was organized in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 25 October 2005 on the occasion of the IST4Balt WorkshopLithuania, on 25 October 2005 on the occasion of the IST4Balt Workshop



Step III. Detailed assessment of the nine toolsStep III. Detailed assessment of the nine tools

• The investigation results are represented in Deliverable 4 “Report on adaptation of pilot tools for The investigation results are represented in Deliverable 4 “Report on adaptation of pilot tools for EU-Baltic States team work”. The report contents are:EU-Baltic States team work”. The report contents are:

1. Introduction1. Introduction2. eCollaboration tools selection methodology2. eCollaboration tools selection methodology (...)(...)3. Methodology application3. Methodology application 3.1. Preliminarily selected tools overview3.1. Preliminarily selected tools overview

3.1.1. BAL.PM3.1.1. BAL.PM3.1.2. BSCW3.1.2. BSCW3.1.3. HyperOffice3.1.3. HyperOffice3.1.4. Marratech3.1.4. Marratech3.1.5. MWlive3.1.5. MWlive3.1.6. Projectplace3.1.6. Projectplace3.1.7. Subversion3.1.7. Subversion3.1.8. WorkSmart3.1.8. WorkSmart3.1.9. Xerox DocuShare3.1.9. Xerox DocuShare

3.2. Detailed assessment procedure description3.2. Detailed assessment procedure description3.2.1. Analysis and evaluation approach3.2.1. Analysis and evaluation approach3.2.2. Summarized information3.2.2. Summarized information3.2.3. Brief semi-structured information on tools3.2.3. Brief semi-structured information on tools

4. Practice of using eCollaboration tools4. Practice of using eCollaboration tools 4.1. WorkSmart4.1. WorkSmart 4.2. MarratechFree4.2. MarratechFree 4.3 HyperOffice4.3 HyperOffice 4.4. Plone/Zope4.4. Plone/ZopeAnnex 1. Complete list of eCollaboration toolsAnnex 1. Complete list of eCollaboration tools



• Detailed assessment of the nine tools: comparative table with the summarized featuresDetailed assessment of the nine tools: comparative table with the summarized features



• Detailed assessment of the nine tools: general information on each tool in table format (BAL.PM, Detailed assessment of the nine tools: general information on each tool in table format (BAL.PM, Projectplace, BSCW, …)Projectplace, BSCW, …)

……......



• Conclusions (1/2):Conclusions (1/2):– A unified single tool that provides all features for PM, team work, DM and A unified single tool that provides all features for PM, team work, DM and

communication does not existcommunication does not exist– Therefore preliminarily we can suppose that the best solution is to use three types of Therefore preliminarily we can suppose that the best solution is to use three types of

tools: tools: • One for project managementOne for project management• One for document management, collaborative work and communicationOne for document management, collaborative work and communication• One for communication and collaboration in real timeOne for communication and collaboration in real time

– The best tool of the first group (PM) is BAL.PM, which provides both task management, The best tool of the first group (PM) is BAL.PM, which provides both task management, scheduling and all resources managementscheduling and all resources management

– Subversion is the best tool of the second group (DM)Subversion is the best tool of the second group (DM)– The tools of the third group (Communication in real time) are Marratech and MWlive. The tools of the third group (Communication in real time) are Marratech and MWlive.

Marratech is more powerful as well as it has a lot of additional featuresMarratech is more powerful as well as it has a lot of additional features– The tools of the fourth group (Integrated tools) are BSCW, HyperOffice, Worksmart and The tools of the fourth group (Integrated tools) are BSCW, HyperOffice, Worksmart and

Xerox Docushare: Xerox Docushare: • All these tools have almost the same list of featuresAll these tools have almost the same list of features• Selection of the best tool depends on the weights of criteria or indicatorsSelection of the best tool depends on the weights of criteria or indicators• If the most important criterion is price then HyperOffice should be selectedIf the most important criterion is price then HyperOffice should be selected• If we are interested more in integration with some PM features we should select If we are interested more in integration with some PM features we should select

BSCW or WorkSmartBSCW or WorkSmart• If we are interested in mobile access (one of the focuses of the IST4Balt project) If we are interested in mobile access (one of the focuses of the IST4Balt project)

we should select BSCWwe should select BSCW• If we are interested in developing application using simple database we should If we are interested in developing application using simple database we should

select WorkSmartselect WorkSmart



• Conclusions (2/2):Conclusions (2/2):

– Therefore the best solution is to analyze three tools from different Therefore the best solution is to analyze three tools from different groups: BAL.PM, Marratech and BSCW (if we do not consider additional groups: BAL.PM, Marratech and BSCW (if we do not consider additional criteria listed above as the most important)criteria listed above as the most important)

– If we do not need all project resources management (e.g. we need only If we do not need all project resources management (e.g. we need only tasks management) we could use BSCW for the PM (which provides task tasks management) we could use BSCW for the PM (which provides task management feature). For other resources (costs, labor) management, management feature). For other resources (costs, labor) management, tracking and reporting we should use some simple tools, e.g. Microsoft tracking and reporting we should use some simple tools, e.g. Microsoft Excel and WordExcel and Word

– If we do not need all the features of communication and collaboration in If we do not need all the features of communication and collaboration in real time (provided by Marratech) we should use only e-mail (provided real time (provided by Marratech) we should use only e-mail (provided by BSCW and Microsoft Outlook) and free VoIP, e.g. Skype, for real time by BSCW and Microsoft Outlook) and free VoIP, e.g. Skype, for real time communicationcommunication

– Therefore the final solution depends on the list of features needed for Therefore the final solution depends on the list of features needed for the project implementation and management and weights of criteriathe project implementation and management and weights of criteria



Step IV. Final selectionStep IV. Final selection

• Basing on the conclusions elaborated the following eCollaboration tools for Basing on the conclusions elaborated the following eCollaboration tools for IST4Balt project management and EU-Baltic States team work were finally IST4Balt project management and EU-Baltic States team work were finally selected:selected:

– BSCW – Basic Support for Cooperative Work (document management)BSCW – Basic Support for Cooperative Work (document management)Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information TechnologyFraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology, Germany, Germany

– Marratech (real time communication)Marratech (real time communication)Marratech ABMarratech AB, Sweden, Sweden

Final selection of eCollaboration tools was carried out by the IST4Balt Final selection of eCollaboration tools was carried out by the IST4Balt Steering Committee in Tallinn, Estonia, on 9 December 2005 on the Steering Committee in Tallinn, Estonia, on 9 December 2005 on the occasion of the IST Training Dayoccasion of the IST Training Day



Overview of the selected toolsOverview of the selected tools

• BSCW is based on the notion of a shared workspace that may BSCW is based on the notion of a shared workspace that may contain all kinds of objects (documents, tables, graphics, contain all kinds of objects (documents, tables, graphics, spreadsheets, links to Web pages, …)spreadsheets, links to Web pages, …)


– Members may upload, edit or Members may upload, edit or download documents to the download documents to the workspaceworkspace

– Keeps the members of a group Keeps the members of a group informed about each other’s relevant informed about each other’s relevant activities in the shared workspaceactivities in the shared workspace

– Provides user/group management Provides user/group management and maintains stored documents and maintains stored documents

– Applies access control to the shared Applies access control to the shared workspacesworkspaces

– Requires no software installation at Requires no software installation at the users’ sitesthe users’ sites

BSCW conceptBSCW concept



• The most important features of BSCW are: The most important features of BSCW are:


– Authentication Authentication

– Version managementVersion management

– Mechanisms for locking docsMechanisms for locking docs

– Discussion forumsDiscussion forums

– Annotations and ratingsAnnotations and ratings

– Event notificationEvent notification

– Search facilitiesSearch facilities

– Email integrationEmail integration

and much moreand much more

BSCW interfaceBSCW interface



• Marratech is the Internet solution for real-time collaborationMarratech is the Internet solution for real-time collaboration




• Marratech additional featuresMarratech additional features

– Private ‘one-to-one’ conversation with any participantPrivate ‘one-to-one’ conversation with any participant

– Recording and playback of the entire net meeting including voice, video Recording and playback of the entire net meeting including voice, video and whiteboardand whiteboard

– Calling remote people into the video net meeting even if they are away Calling remote people into the video net meeting even if they are away from a computerfrom a computer

– Security end-to-end encryption for entire meeting including voice, video Security end-to-end encryption for entire meeting including voice, video and documentsand documents

– Presenting or ‘broadcasting’ to an unlimited audiencePresenting or ‘broadcasting’ to an unlimited audience

– Works on Mac, Windows and LinuxWorks on Mac, Windows and Linux


Documents

IST4Balt workshop, 07/04/2006 Riga, Latvia1 eCollaboration tools for IST4Balt project management Dr. Anatoly Solovyev (EDNES)