Co-Constructing the Methodology: Learning from Practice with ‘Wide Band’ GDSS

Abstract

The word ‘groupware’ brings together the concepts of a group of people and ‘ware’. The term ‘ware’ is often described in dictionaries as ‘manufactured articles, products of art or craft’, ‘an article of merchandise’ or ‘an intangible item (as a service) that is a marketable commodity’. Hence ‘groupware’ can mean tools, equipment or services to be used by groups. If we acknowledge this broad definition, then we probably could think of almost anything that is used to help groups to collaborate to be group ware, including writing boards, bulletin boards, slide or overview projectors as well as group process techniques, such as brainstorming or Synectics (Rickards, 1974). All these artefacts physical or abstract can be used to enhance or support group activity. However the designation ‘groupware’ has gained a new meaning within the context of Information Systems literature and more specifically within its specialised sub fields of Office Information Systems and more recently Computer Supported Co-operative Work (CSCW). According to Johansen (1988), ‘groupware’ covers a set of computer assisted aids designed for the use of collaborative work within groups; these involve “hardware, software, services and group process support”. Grudin (1991) claims that all kinds of Information Technology have always supported groups in a certain way. Howeyer, groupware’s support differs from other kinds of IT support to groups in its being purposefully designed and conceived to support groups. The author argues here that this field of research is brought about under the influences of different stakeholders in the IT business. This makes it very difficult to reach an agreement on terms such as groupware or CSCW. Clearly the notion of ‘co-operative work’ needs to be properly addressed if one wants to make sense of the terms groupware or CSCW. A different and promising new angle to the conceptualisation of CSCW was not so recently proposed by Lyytinen and Ngwenyama (1992). These authors have also identified the fragmented nature of CSCW as field (which can include contributions ranging from studies of organisational culture to the development of network protocols) and argue that it