EIGHT

CHALLENGES

FOR

DEVELOPERS

ByJONATHAN
organizations expensive expensive

GRUDIN
and individuals.

c: om p u tCTsuppurt has focused on

Groups are different. Repeated,
l

groupware failures

failures result from not meeting in developing and marketing

the challenges Many that is They

in design and evaluation

that arise from these differences. software

designed to support groups are not due to technical result from not understanding ware imposes the origins and finally approaches ferencing, tions, systems, laborative What email on developers examines of groupware, to supporting videoconferencing, and bulletin voice applications, computing, the unique demands eight specific successes settings.

problems.

this class of softoutlines areas, conof better problem

l

and users. This article briefly describes in search features

groupware

work in group coauthoring boards

Desktop

and applicasupport col-

(b-boards), Labels vary:

meeting

workflow systems, computing,

and group calendars groupware, multiuser applicaWas this

are key examples

of groupware. Workgroup

tions, computer-supported is included? designed software groups? effort.

cooperative agrees. groups?

work (CSCW) Is it being

applications.

Not everyone to support

Begin by asking,

used to support

. Email and b-boards Successes exist, but

are well known, but few other groupprogress is slow and can lead in

ware prototypes

and products have done as well despite considerable unanticipated directions.