TY - JOUR
T1 - Using Internet-Based, Distributed Collaborative Writing Tools to Improve Coordination and Group Awareness in Writing Teams
AU - Lowry, Paul Benjamin
AU - Nunamaker, Jay F.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2003/12
Y1 - 2003/12
N2 - This paper argues for using specialized collaborative writing (CW) tools to improve the results of distributed, internet-based writing teams. The key features of collaborative tools that support enhanced coordination and group awareness are compared to existing writing tools. The first internet-based CW tool, Collaboratus, is introduced, and its group features are compared with those of Microsoft Word. Next, theoretical propositions, hypotheses, and constructs are formulated to predict outcomes of distributed groups that use CW tools. A four-week-long synchronous-distributed experiment then compares the outcomes of Collaboratus and Word groups. Innovative measures show that Collaboratus groups generally experience better outcomes than Word groups, in terms of productivity, document quality, relationships, and communication, but not in terms of satisfaction. The results buttress the conclusion that internet-based CW teams can benefit from specialized collaborative technologies that provide enhanced coordination, group awareness, and CW activity support.
AB - This paper argues for using specialized collaborative writing (CW) tools to improve the results of distributed, internet-based writing teams. The key features of collaborative tools that support enhanced coordination and group awareness are compared to existing writing tools. The first internet-based CW tool, Collaboratus, is introduced, and its group features are compared with those of Microsoft Word. Next, theoretical propositions, hypotheses, and constructs are formulated to predict outcomes of distributed groups that use CW tools. A four-week-long synchronous-distributed experiment then compares the outcomes of Collaboratus and Word groups. Innovative measures show that Collaboratus groups generally experience better outcomes than Word groups, in terms of productivity, document quality, relationships, and communication, but not in terms of satisfaction. The results buttress the conclusion that internet-based CW teams can benefit from specialized collaborative technologies that provide enhanced coordination, group awareness, and CW activity support.
KW - Collaborative writing (CW)
KW - Distributed work
KW - Group awareness
KW - Group support systems
KW - Group writing
KW - Media richness theory
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U2 - 10.1109/TPC.2003.819640
DO - 10.1109/TPC.2003.819640
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0346055341
VL - 46
SP - 277
EP - 297
JO - IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
JF - IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
SN - 0099-9474
IS - 4
ER -