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Constructing Effective Work Groups |
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| Publisher: |
Melissa Vokoun |
| Date: |
2008-04-17 |
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The value of work groups to accomplish complex projects achieve company goals is now widely accepted. Few would argue that teams are the best way to approach both short and long term projects. But who should make up these teams to maximize their effectiveness?
Putting together a winning team is like orchestrating a piece of music and it doesn't happen by chance. It requires a great deal of information, careful thought, and sound resource management.
The first step in constructing a productive and goal-oriented work group is to gather information. You must examine the project at hand and look at each aspect in terms of skills required to meet the needs of the project. Every step and its corresponding outcome should be listed in writing, taking into account documents generated, departmental interactions, and timeframes involved.
Remember to keep the focus on a group endeavor and don't think in terms of singular skills. It will be the totality of the members of the team and the skills they bring to the team that will accomplish your goals. For instance, it may take someone accomplished in demographic analysis, someone experienced in interviewing focus groups, someone with knowledge of a specific market, and someone from Research and Development to lay the foundation for a new product release. Whatever project is on the drawing board will require a host of people whose individual strengths and talents will comprise a functional group.
But just which people are right for the team? The best way to find out is to go to the source. Question all your associates and ask them to pinpoint their strongest areas as well as their weaknesses. Who do they go to for help or with questions?
Many employers periodically distribute questionnaires asking their employees these exact questions. Ask them what areas they think they need additional training in, whom do they regard as leaders in their departments, what software are they most comfortable with, who do they go to with problems or troubleshooting, or what new skills are they interesting in learning.
Remember to think of work groups are skill development tools as well. Joe from Accounting may be a wiz with spreadsheets but weak in operational knowledge. But Janet in Loss Prevention can share operational knowledge with Joe and learn about the statistical tracking of product shrinkage and together they can participate in a team to select and implement new security protocols.
Bringing complementary skills to the table enhances group effectiveness. These complementary skills don't just enrich to group but enrich the skill level and value of every team member.
Once you have determined who in your organization has the skills necessary to accomplish the task you can begin to put your team together. You will probably already have a team leader in mind. Someone with not only the skills necessary but with the leadership attributes essential to bring a group together, allocate assignments and resources, monitor timeframes, and generally keep the group on track and outcome oriented. Consult that person and give them input into the exact make up of their team. This team member has the front line knowledge to know who will work best with whom.
Keep in mind that while group harmony is important, it should not be sacrificed for experience and skill levels. Sometimes a little dissonance is good for a group. Putting together a group of people who are all good friends can be counterproductive. Group work is a chance for individuals from all parts of the organization to learn from one another and form connections valuable not only for the assigned task but for future projects as well.
As I have said, a little dissonance can be good for a group. Choosing someone who is more of an independent thinker can stimulate a group to reach its full potential. A concept called "group think" can occur when members are reluctant to question group ideas and methods. When "group think" occurs teams will follow traditional lines and new ideas and concepts are not introduced. Having someone on the team with innovative ways of thinking and doing things will insure a groups success by exploring every option.
Picking your team is only the first step in work group management. But this first step is the most essential. The composition of the team is the foundation and future management will be ineffective if the group is dysfunctional.
Picking a winning team is the first and most essential facet of team management. In an orchestra, once the musicians are seated, beautiful things happen. Your team is no different than that orchestra and once you've picked the players, beautiful things can happen for your organization.
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Constructing Effective Work Groups Keywords: |
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Business Management Team Work Teambuilding Constructing Effective Work Groups Organizational Business |
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Related Article:Constructing Effective Work Groups |
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sheila Mulrennan |
2008-04-03 |
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Title: Managing your time by making ´To Do'' lists
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Do you often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do? Do you face a constant bombardment of looming deadlines? Do you sometimes just forget to do something important, so that people have to chase you to get work done? All of these problems can be solved by constructing a simple "To-Do List". To-Do Lists are prioritized records of the tasks that you need to carry out, ranging from most important to least important. Keeping effective To-Do lists ensures efficiency and organization, and is often the first personal time management breakthrough for people as they begin to make a success of their careers. While To-Do Lists are very simple, they are also extremely powerful, both as a method of organizing yourself and as a way of reducing stress. Often problems may seem overwhelming, or you may have a seemingly huge number of demands on your time. This can leave you feeling out of control, and overburdened with work. Preparing a To-Do List Start by writing down the tasks that face you, and if they are large, break them down into their component elements. If these still seem large, break them down again. Once you have done this, run through the tasks allocating priorities, from urgent to trivial. If too many tasks have a high priority, run through the list again and demote the less important ones. Try to limit your jobs to a maximum of 10, any bigger and it will appear daunting. Using Your To-Do List Everyone will use their To-Do lists differently, depending on their line of work; if you are in a sales-type role, a good way of motivating yourself is to keep your list relatively short and aim to complete it every day. In an operational role, or if tasks are large or dependent on other people, then it may be better to keep one large list and 'chip away' at it. It may be that you carry unimportant jobs from one To-Do List to the next. You may not be able to complete some very low priority jobs for several months. Only worry about this if you need to - if you are running up against a deadline for them, raise their priority. If you use successful To-Do Lists, you will ensure that: You remember to carry out all necessary tasks; You tackle the most important jobs first, and do not waste time on trivial tasks. You do not get stressed by a large number of unimportant jobs. In conclusion, prioritized To-Do lists are fundamentally important to efficient work and time management. About Author: Sheila Mulrennan from Professionaldevelopment.ie specialises in writing articles relating to Communication Skills, Presentation Skills and Managing your time. Visit her website at www.Professionaldevelopment.ie for more.
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Anuj Bhagta |
2008-03-30 |
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Title: H0wto Have an Effective Reading Group
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Writing leads to reading. Therefore, it’s only fair to supplhy my readers with sufficient information on creating an effective reading group, since the last article was based on writing groups. Writing leads to reading. Therefore, it’s only fair to supplhy my readers with sufficient information on creating an effective reading group, since the last article was based on writing groups. You’ll notice that some of the information is quite repetitive from the “How to Have an Effective Writing Group” article simply for the fact that when you work with peer groups, there are similarities in the guidelines to which we must adhere to make the group truly successful. Moreover, if Oprah could have a book club, so can you, right? It may not be as glamorous as hers, but let’s pretend it is. And, with that mindset, we’ll only have success, success, success! But the catch is to not only have a reading group, but to have an EFFECTIVE reading group. Allow this to be a guide to reinforce your already-found knowledge and love for literature. And, more importantly, let this assist you in finding some fellow readers. Number of Members Limited. I’ve found that if you purchase a hallmark card, (or if you’re computer savvy create a card on your computer) and cordially invite members. Give potential members a deadline to RSVP their spot in this “exclusive” reading group. If potential members feel that this will be professional, beneficial, and exclusive they will probably join. A common trend is to maintain limited membership, and have a back-up list of potential recruits. Make a verbal agreement amongst yourselves that members must attend x-amount of group meetings or the member will be asked to resign their position with the group. Sounds harsh? Nah, don’t think of it like that—view it as a professional group and each member must carry his own weight. Meetings. Meetings must revolve around the members’ schedules. As such, give members about a month to read the text and develop an analysis of it. The last weekend (perhaps a Sunday? Saturday?) could be ideal. Don’t let these meetings drag into the late hours of the night. Set aside an hour or two, during a brunch, and allow someone to be the time-keeper, making sure your group doesn’t go overboard with the discussion. Why should there be limits? If members see that these sessions are lasting longer than they anticipated, there is sure to be obvious conflict and many members will decide to leave the group. Allow members to know up-front (when they accept the invitation to join) that the sessions will last no more than x-amount of hours. Genre. Perhaps your group would like to simply explore fiction written by and/or about Black or Japanese authors. If this is the case—make that known from the beginning when the group is organized and members are invited to join it. Some topics of interest members could appreciate include: Religion, Regional, Multicultural, Juvenile, Feminism, Gay/Lesbian, Adventure, and Fantasy just to name a few. Of course, these categories can get more specific. It is a definite must, though, to ensure fresh material within these categories. Length. You don’t want to read “Gone with the Wind.” Just the thought, alone, makes it a formidable task! Keep work schedules and personal lives in consideration when thinking of the text’s length. As a reference, works by Virginia Woolf, Joyce Carol Oates, Jean Rhys, and Toni Morrison are generally excellent material for book clubs. The Critique. Ah, we mustn’t forget about the important part—the critique. When critiquing text, encourage members to discuss all aspects of the book such as: the time it was written, the author’s biographical information, any sociopolitical undertones, and the list goes on. Allow each member about 7-10 minutes to discuss the text, with no interruptions. Upon completion of the individual critiques, allow members to discuss (as a group) how their interpretations differ and why they agree and/or disagree with other members. The Discussion. During the discussion, encourage members to be active participants. Or else, what’s the point of being in this reading group, right? What were some of the good things in the text? Was it the plot? Was it the development of characters? Or, perhaps it was the symbolism? What were some of the negative aspects of the text? Perhaps the climax didn’t reach the peak you expected. Has anyone in the group read any of the author’s earlier work? If so, allow them to discuss how this compares to the previous text. Questions posed during the discussion can be unlimited. But, so this doesn’t drag on for hours and hours, set a time limit for the discussion. Once again, most of the members probably have hectic lives beyond this social group. If you play your cards right and with some advance planning, it’s possible to find a local author to attend your meeting and read portions of their text the same month you discuss their works. If members can’t keep up with reading that much work each month, then find shorter text. Above all, reading groups should be a relaxed environment—away from your significant other, your children, and your job. Let this be a time where you hone your reading and analytical skills with the assistance of others who simply seek the same thing.
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Daiv Russell |
2008-02-28 |
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Title: An Effective Matrix Organizational Structure
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Until the 1970s, many big business organizations functioned in silos. They were groups of workers who worked in secluded groups and were subordinate to line or functional managers. Consider an example of several columns on a page. A line manager is the leader of each column, and each line manager oversees the activity of one worker group. Since these groups operated independently, some work functions were repeated by each silo. Different styles of matrix management can exist within an organization. The overall objective is to satisfy divisional or departmental functional requirements by pooling workers with similar skills. The major organizational matrix types consist of either weak, strong, or balanced matrix structures. This article presents pros and cons of the weak matrix organization. Strong Matrix Structure Because of the problems encountered in the silo structure, a strong matrix structure was put in place with the project managers being responsible for supervising the workers. Responsibility for the administration of human resources was left in the hands of the line managers. Under this arrangement the project manager can effectively manage the project without having to be concerned with human resource issues. I have personally experienced this type of work environment. I was able to manage the project team and maintain authority over everything except Human Resources issues. This structure was very satisfying from the perspective of a project manager. In such a situation, I led a team as PM, and maintained complete autonomy over their project-related work, but left all other details that were not project-related, including performance reviews, employment contracts, training needs, and the administration of vacation issues to a staff manager. In such a circumstance, I was best equipped to concentrate on the project at hand. After staffing requirements are laid out by the project manager, the functional manager will provide resources and training. Gantt Charts are used and resource plans are developed to determine organization among the individuals working on the project. Sometimes, it is necessary for staff to move to another project. This will only happen after it is approved by the project manager. Thus, even though project managers and functional managers work together towards a common goal, the project manager is the one who maintains primary control of every detail relating to the project. Accordingly, in this type of matrix, the person who holds the most power and authority is the project manager. Daiv Russell is a management and marketing consultant with Envision Consulting in Tampa, Florida. Learn more about matrix management structure at project-management-course.info. Choose the right Project Management Software and optimize your Gantt Charts
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Allan Elvin |
2007-10-18 |
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Title: Home Insurance UK: Awesome Service
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One of the desires that every human being possesses is to have a house of his own. A desire that always existed but fulfilling which was quite a task earlier. Not anymore though. The emergence of plenty of financial institutions have actually made purchasing or constructing a house quite a simple affair these days. Not surprising then that people at a much younger age are buying or constructing a home for themselves which was not always the case. However, if after purchasing or constructing the house one thinks that the trouble is over then one is sadly mistaken for trouble has just started. The biggest concern after one has manged to buy/construct a house is that of protecting it. Protecting a house indeed is important. After all a lot of effort as well as time and money goes into the making of a house. Its protection therefore should be given top priority. Talking about security, there are some very potent enemies that can cause considerable damage to the home. Threats like flood, lightning, earthquake, burglary etc. can wreck havoc with your house which can really land you into a very tight spot. It is here that home insurance UK steps in and ensures that one is bailed out from such a trying situation by bearing all the expenses of the repair with the concerned person not requiring to pay a single penny. However, to gain from home insurance one would do well to take care of a few things. First of all one must ensure that the policy comes to life as soon as its is signed. One should also find out that what are the calamities that one is protected from. One would also do well not to provide any false information to the insurance company as well as not to default on monthly premiums. If precautions like these are taken then one can be rest assured that one's decision to opt for Home Insurance UK would actually go a long way in protecting a house from all possible threats. Allan Elvin is an MBA in Finance and has a rich experience of writing on topics related to finance. He professes special interest and expertise in Home Insurance UK and in guiding you on its various details.
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Thomas H. Lindblom |
2008-05-04 |
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Title: Tips to Healing Disjointed Groups Through Team Building Fun
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It is not unusual for a group forced into close association with each other, particularly in a work environment, to become disjointed and no longer effective in acknowledging or pursuing a common goal. Several team building Wales firms, recognizing this tendency have developed some innovative methods for healing the rifts between group members and cementing more effective work or organizational relationships. Furthermore, this unification of individuals previously pursuing only their own goals and directions has been accomplished in a fun and interesting way--through team development activities. The healing of disjointed groups occurs in several ways and on several levels. Improvement in intergroup communication skills By team building exercises that are not threatening to the participants, but are fun and enjoyable, improved communication is usually the result. Individuals and group factions are forced into communicating with and speaking with each other. Sometimes the efforts are halting to begin with, but if the disjointed factions or individuals have the opportunity to see communication in action and that it provides successful results, most individuals will make the transition from "communication equals results" in a team building fun setting to "communication equals results" in a work setting as well. Focus on a common goal Most mature adults will quickly recognize that if there is one goal it makes more sense not to have two or more different people or groups trying to attain the same goal. Of course, a competition assumes that there is more than one individual or team after the win. However, if there are factions within the team, it will negate many results and will cause attainment of the desired goal to take longer with more pitfalls to avoid. Disjointed teams may often find that a great deal of effort is wasted because there is no agreement as to the course of action. Team building Wales firms have helped client companies find that encouraging groups into friendly joint actions is effective in improving the entire atmosphere of the workplace. Enjoying entertaining and fun activities together Sometimes just putting disjointed factions in an environment away from the usual activities and encourage them to do fun things together is enough to heal the coolness or friction. Team building fun can allow the most reserved individuals to relax, unwind and allow others to view their abilities. Since the activities are fun and free of work related stressors, they usually remove some of the lines between various factions in the workplace. Finding new ways to view each other and the setting Team building exercises allow individuals to find different ways to view those with whom they didn't perceive common interest previously. The exercises are designed to bring out new facets in the personalities of the participants and make them apparent to others. All this is done without embarrassment or ridicule. It's all in a spirit of fun. Because the participants see that the organization is dedicated to improving and developing the team relationships, the organization is often seen in a more favourable light as well. A period of perceiving individuals in a different light will remain with team members even when they return to the work environment.
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Serg |
2008-05-05 |
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Groupware benefits Groupware is used for a variety of reasons, however, the main reason is collaboration within the team or employees. •Groupware allows companies and work groups to share information better •Groupware helps to coordinate group work and solve problems collectively •Groupware enables the staff to understand the targets of company business Also some groupware applications are used to bypass the traditional problem of having employees in different places. By logging in to a network or intranet server, employees don't need to be in the office in order to access certain groupware and benefit from collaboration. Groupware types Groupware is divided into two categories related to time: •"Synchronous" (or "Realtime") groupware allows to work simultaneously •"Asynchronous" groupware allows to work at different times These categories are divided into two groups related to place: •"Colocated" ("Face-to-face") groupware allows to work together in the same place •"Non-colocated" ("Distance") groupware allows to work in different places Groupware workflow Groupware supposes highly-structured communication between users. Though communication structure may differ from company to company, task management groupware helps to set a common workflow within the company. Typically, a task is planned by team leader or department manager and assigned to an employee. Then the employee automatically receives a notification about the assignment and starts working. After the employee finishes work on the task, he or she changes status of the task and team leader automatically receives the notification about it. Groupware privacy When setting up a groupware, it's important to specify what information is private and what is shared. Simultaneous access by everyone to everything is a key feature of groupware, but sometimes it can be vulnerable and lead to a mess. So groupware administrator should take care that besides common folders with company tasks, users have their personal folders that nobody else can see. This is also true for company tasks that should remain secure against attempts of not authorized users to see them. Groupware applications • VIP Task Manager is synchronous groupware for task management. This client/server software allows planning, scheduling, sharing, tracking and reporting tasks, appointments, projects, and any company activities. Authorized users can simultaneously access the common database through Local Network (LAN) to see, add, edit and delete their team or personal tasks, if they are grunted appropriate permissions. • VIP Team To Do List is asynchronous groupware for task management. It is single-user system that allows team leaders to create, manage and send tasks or individual to-do lists to team members by e-mail or publish to-do lists on company website.
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Anuj |
2008-03-20 |
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Title: How to Have an Effective Reading Group
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Writing leads to reading. Therefore, it’s only fair to supply my readers with sufficient information on creating an effective reading group, since the last article was based on writing groups.
You’ll notice that some of the information is quite repetitive from the “How to Have an Effective Writing Group” article simply for the fact that when you work with peer groups, there are similarities in the guidelines to which we must adhere to make the group truly successful.
Moreover, if Oprah could have a book club, so can you, right? It may not be as glamorous as hers, but let’s pretend it is. And, with that mindset, we’ll only have success, success, success! But the catch is to not only have a reading group, but to have an EFFECTIVE reading group.
Allow this to be a guide to reinforce your already-found knowledge and love for literature. And, more importantly, let this assist you in finding some fellow readers.
Number of Members Limited. I’ve found that if you purchase a hallmark card, (or if you’re computer savvy create a card on your computer) and cordially invite members. Give potential members a deadline to RSVP their spot in this “exclusive” reading group. If potential members feel that this will be professional, beneficial, and exclusive they will probably join.
A common trend is to maintain limited membership, and have a back-up list of potential recruits. Make a verbal agreement amongst yourselves that members must attend x-amount of group meetings or the member will be asked to resign their position with the group. Sounds harsh? Nah, don’t think of it like that—view it as a professional group and each member must carry his own weight.
Meetings. Meetings must revolve around the members’ schedules. As such, give members about a month to read the text and develop an analysis of it. The last weekend (perhaps a Sunday? Saturday?) could be ideal. Don’t let these meetings drag into the late hours of the night. Set aside an hour or two, during a brunch, and allow someone to be the time-keeper, making sure your group doesn’t go overboard with the discussion. Why should there be limits? If members see that these sessions are lasting longer than they anticipated, there is sure to be obvious conflict and many members will decide to leave the group. Allow members to know up-front (when they accept the invitation to join) that the sessions will last no more than x-amount of hours.
Genre. Perhaps your group would like to simply explore fiction written by and/or about Black or Japanese authors. If this is the case—make that known from the beginning when the group is organized and members are invited to join it. Some topics of interest members could appreciate include: Religion, Regional, Multicultural, Juvenile, Feminism, Gay/Lesbian, Adventure, and Fantasy just to name a few. Of course, these categories can get more specific. It is a definite must, though, to ensure fresh material within these categories.
Length. You don’t want to read “Gone with the Wind.” Just the thought, alone, makes it a formidable task! Keep work schedules and personal lives in consideration when thinking of the text’s length. As a reference, works by Virginia Woolf, Joyce Carol Oates, Jean Rhys, and Toni Morrison are generally excellent material for book clubs.
The Critique. Ah, we mustn’t forget about the important part—the critique. When critiquing text, encourage members to discuss all aspects of the book such as: the time it was written, the author’s biographical information, any sociopolitical undertones, and the list goes on. Allow each member about 7-10 minutes to discuss the text, with no interruptions. Upon completion of the individual critiques, allow members to discuss (as a group) how their interpretations differ and why they agree and/or disagree with other members.
The Discussion. During the discussion, encourage members to be active participants. Or else, what’s the point of being in this reading group, right? What were some of the good things in the text? Was it the plot? Was it the development of characters? Or, perhaps it was the symbolism? What were some of the negative aspects of the text? Perhaps the climax didn’t reach the peak you expected. Has anyone in the group read any of the author’s earlier work? If so, allow them to discuss how this compares to the previous text. Questions posed during the discussion can be unlimited. But, so this doesn’t drag on for hours and hours, set a time limit for the discussion. Once again, most of the members probably have hectic lives beyond this social group. If you play your cards right and with some advance planning, it’s possible to find a local author to attend your meeting and read portions of their text the same month you discuss their works.
If members can’t keep up with reading that much work each month, then find shorter text. Above all, reading groups should be a relaxed environment—away from your significant other, your children, and your job. Let this be a time where you hone your reading and analytical skills with the assistance of others who simply seek the same thing.
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Thomas H. Lindblom |
2008-02-27 |
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Title: Tips to Healing Disjointed Groups Through Team Building Fun
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It is not unusual for a group forced into close association with each other, particularly in a work environment, to become disjointed and no longer effective in acknowledging or pursuing a common goal. Several team building Wales firms, recognizing this tendency have developed some innovative methods for healing the rifts between group members and cementing more effective work or organizational relationships. Furthermore, this unification of individuals previously pursuing only their own goals and directions has been accomplished in a fun and interesting way--through team development activities. The healing of disjointed groups occurs in several ways and on several levels.
Improvement in intergroup communication skills
By team building exercises that are not threatening to the participants, but are fun and enjoyable, improved communication is usually the result. Individuals and group factions are forced into communicating with and speaking with each other. Sometimes the efforts are halting to begin with, but if the disjointed factions or individuals have the opportunity to see communication in action and that it provides successful results, most individuals will make the transition from "communication equals results" in a team building fun setting to "communication equals results" in a work setting as well.
Focus on a common goal
Most mature adults will quickly recognize that if there is one goal it makes more sense not to have two or more different people or groups trying to attain the same goal. Of course, a competition assumes that there is more than one individual or team after the win. However, if there are factions within the team, it will negate many results and will cause attainment of the desired goal to take longer with more pitfalls to avoid. Disjointed teams may often find that a great deal of effort is wasted because there is no agreement as to the course of action. Team building Wales firms have helped client companies find that encouraging groups into friendly joint actions is effective in improving the entire atmosphere of the workplace.
Enjoying entertaining and fun activities together
Sometimes just putting disjointed factions in an environment away from the usual activities and encourage them to do fun things together is enough to heal the coolness or friction. Team building fun can allow the most reserved individuals to relax, unwind and allow others to view their abilities. Since the activities are fun and free of work related stressors, they usually remove some of the lines between various factions in the workplace.
Finding new ways to view each other and the setting
Team building exercises allow individuals to find different ways to view those with whom they didn't perceive common interest previously. The exercises are designed to bring out new facets in the personalities of the participants and make them apparent to others. All this is done without embarrassment or ridicule. It's all in a spirit of fun. Because the participants see that the organization is dedicated to improving and developing the team relationships, the organization is often seen in a more favourable light as well. A period of perceiving individuals in a different light will remain with team members even when they return to the work environment.
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Jonathon Hardcastle |
2006-09-29 |
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Title: Building Groups Into Teams
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People working on teams such as quality circles, project groups, or autonomous production teals accomplish the majority of an organization's work. However, some groups work like a dream team, appearing to accomplish miracles, while others generate nightmares. What makes the difference? The answer lies in appropriate group membership, structures, processes and training. If group members with appropriate skills and attitudes are trained to understand their own and other' role requirements, they can develop to collaborate without dysfunctional conflicts to achieve common objectives. However, firms have several paradoxes to manage.
One is that the cohesiveness that groups develop, when members value their association with one another and their common goals can promote enhanced satisfaction and extra synergy, but it can also reinforce resistance to change and underachievement if members need to relinquish behaviors that are accepted as group norms.
Also, the very conformity that standardizes behavior and makes life comfortably predictable may also serve to stifle constructive conflict and creativity. In striving for group acceptance, many members show far less initiative and independent thought than they are capable of demonstrating as individuals. Deviates who intentionally violate group norms are often resented and forced back in line, but at times their behaviors can be breakthroughs for productive change.
To transform groups into high-performing teams, the business needs to develop high degrees of trust, open communication, participation, and constructive confrontation skills. Group members must perform all of the key work functions of advising, innovating, promoting, developing, organizing, producing, inspecting, maintaining, and linking. Also, individuals with appropriate skills and interests need to be matched to their preferred work function, by organization's leaders. Finally, high performance teams need to apply team-building techniques aimed at improved working relationships. The process of improving team effectiveness includes continual data gathering and analysis to assessment areas needing improvement. Also, problem solving to determine sources and solutions to problems and training accompanied by exercises to build the skills and processes necessary for continual high performance.
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Yola Eve |
2006-10-05 |
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Groupware benefits
Groupware is used for a variety of reasons, however, the main reason is collaboration within the team or employees.
Groupware allows companies and work groups to share information better
Groupware helps to coordinate group work and solve problems collectively
Groupware enables the staff to understand the targets of company business
Also some groupware applications are used to bypass the traditional problem of having employees in different places. By logging in to a network or intranet server, employees don't need to be in the office in order to access certain groupware and benefit from collaboration.
Groupware types
Groupware is divided into two categories related to time:
"Synchronous" (or "Realtime") groupware allows to work simultaneously
"Asynchronous" groupware allows to work at different times
These categories are divided into two groups related to place:
"Colocated" ("Face-to-face") groupware allows to work together in the same place
"Non-colocated" ("Distance") groupware allows to work in different places
Groupware workflow
Groupware supposes highly-structured communication between users. Though communication structure may differ from company to company, task management groupware helps to set a common workflow within the company. Typically, a task is planned by team leader or department manager and assigned to an employee. Then the employee automatically receives a notification about the assignment and starts working. After the employee finishes work on the task, he or she changes status of the task and team leader automatically receives the notification about it.
Groupware privacy
When setting up a groupware, it's important to specify what information is private and what is shared. Simultaneous access by everyone to everything is a key feature of groupware, but sometimes it can be vulnerable and lead to a mess. So groupware administrator should take care that besides common folders with company tasks, users have their personal folders that nobody else can see. This is also true for company tasks that should remain secure against attempts of not authorized users to see them.
Groupware applications
VIP Task Manager is synchronous groupware for task management. This client/server software allows planning, scheduling, sharing, tracking and reporting tasks, appointments, projects, and any company activities. Authorized users can simultaneously access the common database through Local Network (LAN) to see, add, edit and delete their team or personal tasks, if they are grunted appropriate permissions.
VIP Team To Do List is asynchronous groupware for task management. It is single-user system that allows team leaders to create, manage and send tasks or individual to-do lists to team members by e-mail or publish to-do lists on company website.
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