DNV Software Collaboration Platform

Abstract

Digital collaboration as a vehicle that share information and knowledge within an organisation has been available for many years. Collaboration tools have evolved from e-mail, document management systems, and workflow systems to e-rooms etc. The value of supporting digital collaboration is increasing with complex organizations. Research has revealed some requirements that should be offered in acceptable collaboration tools. These are awareness information, information availability and user-friendliness. Awareness is state- and presence information about participants and artifacts. Information availability is the systems support to relevant information, offered through documents or conversations. Easy-to-reach and easy-to-use are typical parameters in a user-friendly tool. In this thesis I have examined a set of different software products delivered by DNV software, with respect to how these products provide collaboration features. Strength and weaknesses are revealed, and possible improvements are pointed out. An examination of pros and cons with different collaboration platform solutions; collaboration features as part of a framework or as application specific features, is carried out. This platform examination and the many similarities in collaboration needs, support a proposed design where collaboration mechanisms are integrated as components in a framework.