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html

University of Innsbruck School of Management Information Systems

CoPrA: A Process Analysis Technique to Investigate Collaboration in Groups

45th HAWAII INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SYSTEM SCIENCES

Designing, Deploying, and Evaluating Tools and Techniques to Support Team Collaboration Wailea, Maui, Hawaii
Isabella Seeber, Ronald Maier, Barbara Weber

Motivation and Purpose

There is a need to investigate group processes:
further fundamental research on how groups [] accept, adopt, and adapt repeatable collaboration processes. How do groups embrace a given repeatable collaboration process over time? How do they change it over time to better suit their needs? (de Vreede et al. 2008)

include the analysis of actions performed during the collaboration process ThinkLet(s)
collaboration process
com com com com

Start of Collaboration

com

com

coll. object

com

com com

End of Collaboration

questionnaire data assessment of coll. object

evaluation criteria
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Motivation and Purpose (cont)

Can we observe: if and when phases or pattern of collaboration change over time? if participants adopt the provided experimental treatment, e.g., process structure provided by thinkLets? if and when participation of group members changes over time? how deeply and comprehensively participants negotiate? sequences of actions that can be interpreted as candidates for causal dependencies?

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The CoPrA Approach

Data Collection Data Preparation EXAMPLE:

Data Analysis

Research Design: Laboratory Experiments Task: write a report on proposals for technical and organizational measures to support Knowledge Management in an organization. Research Question: How does process structure impact distributed teams during collaborative writing? Gather Data - Communication Log: Harley: 2:40 document management system Quinn: 2:40 - they could use a Wiki Billy: 2:41 Probably they can use MS Sharepoint, with altering and all the stuff .

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The CoPrA Approach

Data Collection Data Preparation
Negotiation Model propose support argue-against argue-for reject accept

Data Analysis
Coding Harley: 2:40 document management system Quinn: 2:40 - they could use a Wiki Billy: 2:41 Probably they can use MS Sharepoint, with altering and all the stuff

assign action: propose

Export of Process Information
<> <ProcessInstance id="I002"> <AuditTrailEntry>

<WorkflowModelElement>N

propose</WorkflowModelElement>

use in

<EventType>start</EventType>

<Timestamp> 2011-05-12T02:41:00 </Timestamp>

<Originator> Billy</Originator> </AuditTrailEntry>

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The CoPrA Approach

Data Collection Data Preparation
Timestamp WorkflowModelElement Originator 12.05.2011 02:39 SA-perform harley 12.05.2011 02:40 N propose harley 12.05.2011 02:40 N propose quinn 12.05.2011 02:41 N propose billy 12.05.2011 02:41 N propose harley 12.05.2011 02:41 N argue-for harley

Data Analysis

Time
02:42 - 02:47 02:48 - 02:53 02:54 - 02:59 03:48 - 03:53

2 6 3 .. 0

2 1 1 .. 0

0 0 0 .. 0

0 1 0 .. 0

Time 02:46 - 02:41 02:42 - 02:47 02:48 - 02:53 03:00 - 03:05

Quinn Harley Billy 1 4 1 4 3 2 2 4 2 .. .. .. 4 2 1

propose support argue-for argueagainst .

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Case Example (cont) Experiment with thinkLets

Can we observe if participants adopt the provided experimental treatment, e.g., process structure provided by thinkLets?

DirectedBrainstorm FastFocus/BoomWagon/ReviewReflect

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Case Example (cont) Experiment with thinkLets

Can we observe if and when phases or pattern of collaboration change over time?

GENERATE
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REDUCE
8

Conclusion and Outlook

CoPrA allows analyzing collaboration processes based on activity and performer information interpreting observations within their context due to communication logs insights into similarities and differences of communication workflows Augment analysis with additional data sources, e.g., development of written digital artifact Augment analysis with additional activities, e.g., start search on Google, resulting in activity streams to be investigated
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Contact
Isabella Seeber Isabella.Seeber@uibk.ac.at
University of Innsbruck School of Management Information Systems I Universittsstrae 15 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Thank you for your attention!

Visit the following URL to download resources: http://www.uibk.ac.at/iwi/staff/iseeber/copra.html

University of Innsbruck

Case Example (cont) Experiment with thinkLets

Can we observe how deeply and comprehensively participants negotiate?

Comments made per action Negotiation actions Accept Argue-against Argue-for challenge Counter Propose Reject Support Withdraw

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Case Example Experiment with thinkLets

Can we observe (if and when) participation of group members (changes over time)?
Comments made per user

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12

Case Example Experiment with thinkLets

Can we observe sequences of actions that can be interpreted as candidates for causal dependencies?
Sequences of Actions

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