Experiences with Object-Oriented Group Support Software Development

This paper describes practical design and implementation experiences gained when creating Group Support Systems (GSS) in a networked personal computer environment. Examples of GSS based on the shared context model and implemented using C, C+ +, and Actor languages are presented. Graphical user interfaces and multitasking extend traditional methods for supporting group work. An object-oriented communication system is introduced comprised of objects that provide support for all inter-and intraprocessor communications between the GSS applications. Multiple levels of data service are provided to maintain shared data, coordinate user views, and transmit cursor positions in a convenient and efficient manner. The applications presented not only demonstrate the viability of implementing GSS on personal computer-based systems, but also show the ability to develop complex applications in different programming environments that make use of common routines. The unique properties of the object-oriented paradigm greatly facilitate the creation and use of Group Support Systems. 0 ver the past ten years academic and industry researchers have developed computer systems that increase the productivity of work groups. This research has progressed somewhat independently along two parallel tracks: Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) and computer-supported cooperative work (cscw). DeSanctis and Gallupe defined a Group Decision Support System in 1987 as " an interactive computer-based system that facilitates the solution of un-structured problems by a set of decision-makers working together as a group. " ' Tasks commonly supported by GDSS include brainstorming, idea organization, voting, strategic planning, policy formation, total quality management, and communication. These systems are typically implemented for personal computers running the disk operating system (DOS) on low-cost machines that have allowed corporations to adopt and experiment with this new method of group work. Several research prototypes have been developed to prove feasibility; the most notable of these has evolved into the commercial product Group-Systems V* *. Computer-supported cooperative work was defined by Ellis, Gibbs, and Rein in 1991 as " computer-based systems that support two or more users engaged in a common task (or goal) and that provide an interface to a shared envir~nrnent. " ~ cscw applications include systems design, collaborative writing, project management , and process control. The research prototypes available have been implemented in UNIX** and, although these systems support different tasks, they are very similar from an architectural standpoint. For example, consider five individuals working on a proposal. Each wishes to work on a section of the document at the same time. …