Personalisation and Web Communities

Abstract

Even in Web communities where the primary aim is to share information and networks with members of similar interests, personalised information management services are highly desirable. Applications that tailor services to the individual improve personal productivity and increase the value of the underlying eCommunity beyond a social or networking instrument. Thus, software systems designed to support Web communities should satisfy dual and somewhat conflicting objectives of maximising member interaction and information sharing, while providing personalised services and protecting individual privacy. One collaborative effort described in this paper has, we believe, achieved those objectives, via a balance between, on the one hand, promoting aggregation and sharing of information resources, and, on the other hand, reserving profile management and privacy settings for the individual user. The successful integration of expertise in personal software agents, resource management middleware, and eCommunity platforms has culminated in a commercial product, through the joint efforts of BTexact Technologies, Fujitsu Laboratories, and Teamware Group Ltd.