Comparison Study of Some Collaborative Tools Use in Virtual Teams

Cosmina Carmen Aldea and Anca Draghici

”Politehnica” University of Timisoara, Department of Management, Timişoara, Romania

Keywords: Virtual Teams, Teamwork, Human Resource, Trust, Communication Tools.

Abstract: This article describes the connectivity and networking of virtual team members (based on the reference

review and some structured interview organized with members of virtual project teams) and new

perspectives in virtual teams’ collaboration, to underline the actual trends and to identify their future

development. Introduction of new communication tools with multiple options and functionalities that better

support collaborative work and learning processes will also, facilitate the integration of new members, the

communication and working processes and they will increase trust between members of virtual teams. The

tools used for communication and real time research-work will increase competitiveness, too by optimizing

the resources dedicated to different projects, teams and management systems. There are software tools that

facilitate communication, collaboration and coordination of virtual teams. Choosing the right software has

to consider the specific virtual teams’ needs and requirements. The best frame is one in which the

characteristics are well defined so that they cover all aspects of collaborative activities and overall project

management.

1 VIRTUAL TEAMS

DEFINITION, TYPOLOGY AND

ADVANTAGES

Modern organizations build-up and encourage the

development of virtual teams/networks for better

attend their global objectives/interests in the global

economy. The changes in managing people as

employees have underlined, in the last years, the

importance of virtual teams (created by the

organization extension boundaries) for the global

business management. In addition, the information

and communication technologies development have

support new types of work within an organization

(much more efficient and effective) based on the

emergence of virtual cooperation, collaboration and

learning. The phenomena has initiated many

research studies aimed to discover the new

challenges, benefits and disadvantages of virtual

teamwork. Virtual teams’ definitions evolve from

the primary description of the concept made by

(Lipnack et. al., 1997): virtual teams are most

definitely teams, not electronic representations of

the real thing. They are going digital, using the

Internet and Intranets. Unlike conventional teams, a

virtual team works across space, time, and

organizational boundaries with links strengthened

by webs of communication technologies. Other

following researchers conclude that a real working

team can be transform into a virtual one if some

criteria, characteristics are satisfied simultaneously

(Ale Ebrahim et al., 2009): (1) they are

geographically dispersed (Dafoulas & Macaulay,

2002), (Shin, 2005), (Nemiro, 2002), (Peters &

Manz, 2007), (Lee-Kelley & Sankey, 2008); (2) they

are driven by common purpose (Bal & Teo, 2001),

(Shin, 2005), (Hertel et al., 2005), (Gassmann &

Von Zedtwitz, 2003), (Rezgui, 2007); (3) they are

enabled by communication technologies (Bal & Teo,

2001), (Nemiro, 2002), (Peters & Manz, 2007),

(Lee-Kelley & Sankey, 2008); (4) they are involved

in cross-boundary collaboration (Bal & Teo, 2001),

(Gassmann & Von Zedtwitz, 2003), (Rezgui, 2007),

(Precup et al., 2006).

Technologies, setting clear, coherent objectives

and member competencies (expertise, convergent on

the teams’ objectives/tasks) are preconditions of the

virtual teams’ forming. Leadership and

communication facilities are considered success

items for an efficient and effective virtual team.

The main ideas of this article are related to:

presentation of the functionalities requirements of

the software tools to support virtual teams work (as

precondition of the virtual team success); then a

comparison study of some collaborative tools used

301

Carmen Aldea C. and Draghici A..

Comparison Study of Some Collaborative Tools Use in Virtual Teams.

DOI: 10.5220/0004067203010304

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Data Communication Networking, e-Business and Optical Communication Systems (ICE-B-2012),

pages 301-304

ISBN: 978-989-8565-23-5

 2012 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)

by virtual teams will be made in order to show how

communication and collaborative working

technologies contribute to a trustful environment

development between members of virtual teams. The

following software solutions that can be used to

support collaborative work during a process were

analyzed: Anymeeting, Enovia 3D Live, Caltech’s

EVO, Lotus Sametime, Skype and WebEx. Finally,

some conclusions of our research will be made.

2 TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS

THAT SUPPORT VIRTUAL

TEAMS

2.1 Functionalities Requirements of the

Software Tools used to Support

Virtual Work

Virtual teams are deeply dependent of computer and

telecommunication technologies. These technologies

define the operational environment of any virtual

team and thus come together to determine the

infrastructure for collaborative working and

learning.

Communication between two or more persons

can be done synchronously. In truth, this way of

communication is based on the interactive exchange

of data, information or knowledge. Communication

can take various aspects, and depending on the

context, the needs will be different.

Taking into account synchronously and

asynchronous communication, we will provide an

overview of technologies that facilitate

communication: (a) synchronously as video

communication, audio communication, instant

messaging and whiteboard; (b) asynchronous as e-

mail, forum and the exchange of information.

For an effective work in virtual teams and also,

to increase trust between members of these teams, a

range of technologies are used to facilitate

communication and work based on data transfer.

The following functionalities are very important

to support virtual teams’ collaborative working

environment development: the sound (audio), video

streaming (video), transmission of text (instant

messaging), display/revising whiteboard content

(whiteboard), application presentation/common

control over the application (sharing application),

recording session.

Table 1 assist the virtual team facilitator choose

the appropriate technology based upon the purpose

of the meeting and the functionalities that are needed

(Ale Ebrahim et al., 2009), (Thissen et al., 2007).

Using real-time communication tools and

research can increase companies' competitiveness by

optimizing resources dedicated to different projects,

Table 1: Tools for Virtual Teams (synthesis from (Thissen et al., 2007); (Ale Ebrahim et al., 2009)).

Tool

Examples

Uses and Advantages

Immediacy

Instant Messaging

and Chat

Yahoo Messenger,

MSN Messenger,

AOL Instant Messenger,

Skype

Instant interaction, Less intrusive than

a phone call, View who is available,

Low cost, Low setup effort

Synchronous or

asynchronous

Groupware / Shared

Services

Lotus Notes,

Microsoft Exchange,

Novell GroupWise

Calendars, Contact Lists, Arrange

meetings, Cost and setup effort vary

Asynchronous

Remote Access and

Control

NetMeeting,

WebEx,

Remote Desktop,

pcAnywhere

User controls a PC without being

onsite, Cost varies, Setup varies

Synchronous

Web Conferencing

EVO,

WebEx,

Anymeeting,

GoToMeeting,

Enovia 3DLive

Live audio, Dynamic video,

Whiteboard, Application sharing,

Moderate cost and setup effort

Synchronous

File Transfer

File Transfer Protocol (FTP),

Collaborative Websites,

Intranets

Share files of any type, Cost varies,

Moderate setup effort

Asynchronous

Numerous vendors and Free applications

Send messages or files, Cost and setup

effort vary

Asynchronous

Telephone

“Plain Old Telephone Service” (POTS),

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

Direct calls, Conference calls, Cost

varies, Low setup effort

Synchronous

Asynchronous for

voice mail

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Table 2: Comparison between information technology support solutions.

Functionality

AnyMeeting

Enovia 3D

Live

EVO

Lotus

Sametime

Skype

conference

WebEx

Text transmitted

Sound transmitted

Video transmitted

Show the content of whiteboards

Share control of the application

Transmitting data by files

Combining calendars

Show/edit calendar

Show/edit list of media content

Conducting a opinion survey

Show participation

Status record

Record the whole session

teams and systems management. Current virtual

teams use complex software tools to better satisfy

their specific needs for working together. In the

following, a short overview of some collaboration

tolls will be made.

2.2 Comparison Study of Some

Collaborative Tools used by Virtual

Teams

The actual virtual teams are using complex software

tools to collaborate and to develop new complex

tasks. During a project process that is developed by

a virtual team, there are used a lot of software tools

that are capable of project management and real-

time communication between project teams or

members. For the purpose of this paper, there have

been analyze the some software used for

collaborative work by analyzing the correspondent

vendors information, by testing them in local

conditions or during some project meeting of ours.

The method of structured interview with different

users (partners of our national and international

projects) allows the synthesis shown in Table 2.

AnyMeeting is known as Freebinar. This is a free

collaborative platform. Has the same qualities and

features as a platform for which you pay, is an

online platform, so that the download is only

required for the presenter which allows you to share

your screen (for the host).

Enovia 3D Live is a powerful product of Dassault

for collaboration between virtual project teams. Easy

to use, ENOVIA 3DLive provides a virtual

workspace for reviewing product data and guiding

contributors across heterogeneous information

sources to the exact projects, people, and

information necessary for efficient product

development. Users are involved in a visually rich,

real-time environment where on-line virtual teams

and communities are brought together quickly.

Virtual teams can search, navigate, chat, perform co-

reviews and collaborate on all aspects of the product,

and all with just an Internet connection.

EVO (Enabling Virtual Organizations) is a tool

designed for education and research by a community

of physicists. Is the successor of the Virtual Room

Videoconferencing and videoconference is a tool

produced by the folks at Caltech. This platform

offers the possibility to create and join in

meetings/meetings. There are no limits on the

number of people who can participate. Is based on

Java and runs on three operating systems used by the

scientific community: Windows, Linux and MacOS.

Lotus Sametime is designed as a tool to announce

the presence and instant transmission of messages

(in a work team). Participants who begin an instant

messaging meeting because they saw that the others

are available at any given time, they can improve the

exchange of information by adding an audio link to a

streaming video, a white sheet and functionality for

sharing application. In addition, they can pre-arrange

meetings that are secured with a password.

Skype software allows meetings worldwide.

Millions of individuals use Skype for audio and

video calls frees, to send instant messages and files

or for group meetings with other Skype users. Every

day, people everywhere use low cost Skype calls to

landline or mobile. Shortcomings: it is possible only

between two people and cannot use shared

applications or tools. Skype do not allow sharing

application.

WebEx makes sharing webcam video easy and

intuitive (simple menus and manuals). If somebody

from a team has a webcam enabled, just click the

Comparison Study of Some Collaborative Tools Use in Virtual Teams

303

camera icon next to your name in the WebEx

interface to start (or stop) sharing. Web conferencing

allows members of a conference do almost anything

they can do during face-to-face meetings. WebEx is

able to: hold a press conference; make a sales

presentation; conduct remote training; collaborate on

design.

Table 2 shows a brief analysis of the presented

software for collaborative work, communication that

are most used in virtual teams. This comparison was

made using information from the vendors and users,

but from our experiences gain in different projects

when such software was available for use. A

comparison between: AnyMeeting, Enovia 3Dlive,

EVO, Lotus Sametime, Skype conference and

WebEx has been done by considering criteria related

to their efficiency and effectiveness to support

virtual teams work (share applications, data,

information and knowledge; project management

and collaborative learning) and communication

functionalities. To be successful, virtual teams need

a strategic framework in which to operate.

3 CONCLUSIONS

Based on the software analysis that support the

virtual collaborative environment development, it

has been demonstrated that the appearance of special

tools, allows users to exchange information quickly

and it leads to a decreased time required for

developing and launching a product. It is highlighted

that in the approach of virtual teams we must

significantly consider the differences between

software, which facilitates the access to information

technologies, data storage and networking between

participating teams at products development.

The software used for project management and

for collaborative work should provide instant access

to information and collaboration to support virtual

teams members: to improve time management and

knowledge management activities; to improve

collaboration, co-operation and integration.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported by the strategic grant

POSDRU 107/1.5/S/77265, inside POSDRU

Romania 2007-2013 co-financed by the European

Social Fund – Investing in People.

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