Analysis of Virtual Organization Technology

One of the important areas for us to understand is the technology that makes virtual organizations (both work related and social) work. In the lectures we are learning that different technologies overcome different barriers that virtual organizations face, or that they bridge particular gaps, such as the time or distance gap.

Our task for the first assignment is to select a particular technology and evaluate its usefulness for a virtual organization.

Specific Task

Your specific task will be the hands-on evaluation of a technology to be used by a virtual organization, and the write-up of a report describing your findings, to be published as a wiki page!

To do so, you will need to select a particular technology implementation. Example, you cannot choose instant messaging, but you can select instant messaging using the Pidgin (formerly GAIM) client for your evaluation. Use the software, understand its strengths and weaknesses, document its use (e.g., screen shots), and write up your analysis.

Component	Content
Technology (5%)	Brief overview of the technology, name and description.
Technology function (15%)	What does this technology do? What are its particular functionalities (and features)? Describe the basic features and compare to other “products” of the same type. (Not yet hands-on)
Virtuality impact (15%)	How does the technology impact virtuality? How can it help a virtual organization to operate?
Hands-on evaluation (25%)	Demonstration of actual use. Use example What did you try to accomplish? How well did it work?
Assessment and Conclusion (30%)	Critical assessment based on functionality discussion and hands-on analysis. Conclusions for the virtual organization. Use? Don’t use? When?
Overall assessment (10%)	Instructor’s overall assessment of your report and wiki page.

Percentages identify the relative importance with respect to grading of the report.

Deliverable

You will need to provide the name of the technology you have selected within one week, together with an executive overview (100 words) by Oct. 3, 2007. Post this information on the course wiki (globalteams.wetpaint.com).

You will write a report of about 2,000-2,500 words and submit it in two versions. Version 1, a word document has to be submitted by Oct. 17, 2007, 10:00 to the Blackboard. Version 2, a wiki page (same content) has to be posted to the course wiki (globalteams.wetpaint.com) on the same day by 23:59 (1 minute before midnight) for completion of the assignment.

FAQs

Why a wiki page? Once you have posted your assignment as a wiki page, other course participants can read your findings and learn from them. In fact, the result will be a “mini-book” of assignments. Also, you can provide URLs in your assignment that become easily clickable.

Why two different deadlines? Wiki pages are open, but you may want to keep your assignment proprietary while you are preparing it. Once you have submitted the Word document, your contribution is well documented and you can post it openly (which still might take a little extra time, as you need to adjust to the wiki format).

Which technologies are acceptable? Many are. Examples: Yahoo Mash (very new), Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, Pidgin, Jabber, Skype, Sipgate, Pbwiki (Schtuff), Twiki, ... . Ideally pick a new technology, and one which is also popular. The popularity will be an indication for the software’s usefulness!

I need a partner!?! Some technologies require at least two people to try them (e.g., IM). Can this be a group assignment? No. It’s individual. Find a person who will try the technology with you, such as a friend.