Course content

The students will acquire knowledge of, and practical experience with, cooperation in co-located and distributed work groups. The students will be introduced to CSCW (Computer-Supported Cooperative Work) and multidisciplinary cooperation, as well as tools for digital collaboration. Furthermore, the course will provide an introduction to collaborative platforms and the typical problems that must be addressed by adapting collaborative platforms in organizations. The students will in particular get knowledge of, and experience of the use of, a concrete collaborative solution. The students will learn to use a systematic and iterative approach when adapting a collaborative platform based on user-centered design principles. This includes identifying user groups and developing personas and scenarios to describe and test user needs. The students will also be introduced to the main issues associated with the cooperation that must be supported through the help of platforms, by emphasizing coordination and situation awareness. Furthermore, the students will learn about user engagement and motivation of users through gamification. The students will acquire practical experience by adapting a collaborative platform as indicated in a case-based assignment, and by evaluating the solution by using relevant cooperation concepts.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The students will:

• Learn key concepts from CSCW
• Be able to account for cooperation methodology and digital collaboration
• Learn the most important roles and workflows in an intensive multidisciplinary collaboration project
• Learn what an interaction platform can be used for in an organization
• Understand the central role of a digital platform for collaboration
• Know what user-centered design is and how principles from user-centered design can be used when adapting an collaborative platform

Skills

The students will:

• Be able to use collaboration tools for co-located and online work methods
• Be able to plan a project and follow up the progress
• Be able to implement a customization of an digital collaborative platform
• Be able to identify which main issues related to collaboration in an organization one must take into account and investigate further when adapting a collaborative platform
• Be able to apply principles from user-centered design when adapting a collaborative platform so that the process takes place systematically, iteratively, with strong involvement of users and with systematic testing with a focus on sustainability

General competence

The students will:

• Be aware of their own role and behavior in a collaboration team
• Be able to contribute to the adaptation of cooperative technology in organizations based on the users' real needs
• Contribute to forms of user-centricity being included in the development, adaptation or acquisition of IT systems in general with a focus on sustainability

Learning methods and activities

Weekly teaching activities that include project work, collaboration/co-writing, evaluation of others' work, supervision meetings, and oral feedback. The course is based on the students participating in obligatory teamwork. This includes student active learning with collaboration on a case. The proficiency requirements are tested through compulsory written submissions. It is mandatory to attend all convened gatherings and group activities. Mandatory presentations of exercise work, as well as attendance at other groups' presentations. Mandatory assignments must be approved for the student to submit a final report that forms the assessment basis in the course.

Compulsory assignments

• Mandatory exercises

Further on evaluation

Mandatory work requirements consist of all the following parts: a. An essay; b. Mandatory attendance at specific times in the lab, convened gatherings and group activities; c. Three submissions related to case assignments in user-centered development.

The work requirements are performed in groups, but approval is done individually.

The final report, which forms the basis for assessment in the course, is based on the assignments. Assessment can be taken up the next time the course is run. The assessment requires approved teaching report the same semester. Compulsory activity from previous semesters can be approved by the department.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Knowledge corresponding to the subject Web Development and Teamwork.

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

Available at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions