1. The future of collaborative work
and its tools
Directorate General of Citizen Attention
Government of Catalonia
Barcelona, July 2010
Legal notice
This work is subject to a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. It allows the reproduction, distribution, public communication and transformation to generate a derivative
work, without any restriction providing that the author is always cited (Governtment of Catalonia. Presidential Department) and this licence does not contradict any specific
licence that an image within this report might have and the rights of the image prevail. The complete licence can be consulted at
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode
1

2. Table of contents
Introduction
Methodology and results
Conceptualisation
Trends
Internal analysis
Benchmarking of tools
Conclusions
2

3. Introduction
The use of current technology, web-based platforms, social software and collaborative
environments and their mushrooming in society are having far-reaching changes on the way
people work and produce, how we learn and relate to each other and to our environment. The
new knowledge economy will transform public and private organisations forever in a necessary
adaptation to the new technological contexts, the processes involved and the values that they
foster.
Sociocultural pressure constitutes a
Sociocultural driving force for change for today’s
The development of technologies is driving a Transformation organisations. The way that individuals
cultural change based on the collaboration of
relate to the organisations where they
social networks, active participation and a new
work, to the products that they consume
way of understanding knowledge management.
and to the providers of the services that
At the same time, these new paradigms in the
they use is transforming the current model
way we relate to one another are fostering a
of public, private and academic
continuous evolution of the collaborative
organisations.
applications and tools within our grasp.
Technology Organisational
Models
This same technological development that is driving these
changes enables organisations to consider the use of tools
and strategies which until very recently did not exist or
3 were used for social, entertainment or restricted purposes.

4. Introduction
The aim of this document is to analyse the trends in the development and
use of collaborative tools by organisations, in their progress to productive,
learning, management and relational environments more aligned with the
requirements of the knowledge society.
This document is a reflection on the use of the collaborative tools of the
Government of Catalonia and compares current market trends with the
analysis of the specific needs of the organisation in these types of
environments.
The conclusions set out at the end of this study may act as a guide to help
with decision-making with regard to the technological, functional and
organisational strategy of the Government of Catalonia in its role as leader
in the application of technology in collaborative work.
4

5. Introduction and results
From a methodology point of view, the study is focused through two
perspectives which converge in the aims that we are seeking to
achieve.
Conceptualisation (prior)
We have analysed the trends
that mark the accelerated • Categorised catalogue of tools
development of collaborative
• List or trends in collaborative
tools and platforms within the Trends work and their tools
current global framework.
They will mark the evolution Looking outwards
of these platforms and uses
that we will make of them in
the coming years.
We will now look at the
Internal analysis challenges facing
• Metafunctions - Functions Table Looking at organisations in the
• Tools - Functions Table knowledge society and the
the organisation needs and specific situation
of the Government of
Catalonia.
5 Conclusions and recommendations

6. Conceptualisation
When we start analysing the collaborative tools and processes, we first need to
define the different environments, which, given their characteristics, objectives and
needs, require different approaches and specific solutions.
We propose a
INFORMATION
INFORMATION conceptual layout to help
MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT us separate (albeit
artificially) the different
characteristics of the
COCREATION groups that use the
COCREATION
collaborative tools for a
range of objectives.
COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION DISSEMINATION
DISSEMINATION
LEARNING
6

7. Conceptualisation
INFORMATION
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT
COCREATION
Cocreation: a set of activities, resources and processes geared
COCREATION
towards the collaborative creation of a product or service.
COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION DISSEMINATION
DISSEMINATION
LEARNING
Communication: Interaction between people who share the same
interests, concerns and needs and who establish professional or
personal links with the main objective of discussion and the
development of more or less solid relations.
Dissemination: Activities geared towards promoting,
communicating, disseminating and publishing a space, project, product
or person. The aim is to secure the attention, adhesion or loyalty to a
brand or concept. In the context of this study, we will not be making any
reference nor will be making any joint assessment of the external and
internal dissemination in the organisation.
Information management: Processes for exchanging, storing,
researching and organising information that enable the generation of
new knowledge, improve the application of existing knowledge and help
users develop or improve skills and abilities.
Learning: Learning is inherent to all the activities described above.
However, we will not be making an initial in-depth or specific study of
the group, given its general and cross-disciplinary nature.
7

8. Trends
Table summarising the collaborative tools
Cocreation Communication Informació Dissemination
CC BY Jordi Graells ‘Public innovation and collaborative work’. Collaborative Innovation Conference in Osakidetza.
8 Bilbao, 22.04.2009

9. Trends
Collaborative tools
Commitment to digital professional identity: teams that add Facebook-type digital profiles to
their directories used to enrich them (digital identity card, Yellow Pages).
The most successful corporate blogs are the ones with content written by their managing
directors (CEO, chief executive officer).
A successful practice is for employees to add their own videos to the corporate TV.
Interactive forums for critical situations, specific knowledge management, specific community
support.
Personalised environments for all workers (we will look at this important aspect at the end).
The most widely used platform is Microsoft’s SharePoint and in particular the MOSS platform
(Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007), which constitutes the basis for half the most successful
intranets. Autonomy, Google Search and WebTrends are applications that are also very
widely used as complementary platforms.
Studies into improved usability have linked up with the most successful collaborative
environments, as this is considered a fundamental issue.
9

10. Trends
General technology
Ubiquity, mobile devices, increased reality
Cloud computing
Importance of advanced analyses
Languages and web semantics
Digital identity, social networks
Real time web
Ecological IT (IT for green)
User-friendly, contextual web, personalisation
10

11. Trends
General technology
11

12. Internal analysis
Cocreation
Processes Functions
Shared and displayed editing
Structure of the information Diversity of formats
Rules of participation Traceability of changes (who, what, when)
Roles and responsibilities Subscription, alerts about changes
Division of work Version management
Monitoring progress Document repository
Decision-making Labelling/Taxonomies (folcsonomies)
Debates and proposals Content assessment
Intellectual property Search engines
Remuneration Accessibility / Connectivity with standards
Open data
Discussion forums
Synchronous communication
Calendars, chronograms, files
Tasks and team
Associating documents with tasks
12

13. Internal analysis
Communication
Processes Functions
People do not talk if they do not know each Immediacy: synchronous communication
other. Any system that publicises who’s (instant messaging, IP telephony)
who in the organisation, who knows what,
Multiformat (video, voice, chat)
who has taken part in which project...
Multidevice
Displaying interests, concerns, needs,
challenges... to help people identify people Exchange of information during the
who have the same or complementary ones conversation
to theirs, with whom they can establish a Logs of conversations (Minutes, recordings)
connection. User concurrence
Not penalising interdepartmental Alerts of lost communications
relations. Corporate policy has to User and profile management
incentivise exchanges and relations
Profile visibility
between people irrespective of the
organisation chart. Who’s who
Physical conversation spaces. Despite Community and group design
the stimulating and multiplying effect of Creation of new links for presentation or
(ICT) technology on communication invitation
between people, ICT are no substitute for Design/Interface (simplicity/usability)
physical relationships, which serve to
establish genuine links of trust and
13 understanding

14. Internal analysis
Dissemination
Processes Functions
Conceptualising a message (constructing RSS, content syndication systems
a narrative) specifically designed for the
objective we are working towards. Productive dissemination tools (from the
Creating contents that reinforce this Administration to different services)
message clearly and coherently. Channels to 2.0 media or social media
Clearly identifying the target public of this
message and contents. Content dissemination tools (multipurpose
Deciding which are the best channels to buttons from own environments to social
get this across to the public. media channels)
Defining content publication spaces (public Widgets, Twitter, Slideshare, Youtube, etc.,
and other private zones). integration scripts
Considering multimedia, possibility of
transferring products into different formats. Social network functions
Integrating contents that are shared in Blogs, open wikis, collective microblog,
social media 2.0. collective tumblelogs
Creating support communities. Contact
Individual – institutional portfolios
external communities.
Publishing data in as open formats as Tools for monitoring the conversation in
possible. external communities
14

15. Internal analysis
Information management
Processes Functions
Researching, analysing and Research systems
synthesising the information that we Managing sources of interest
need at all times.
Labelling, folcsonomies, social marker
Identifying and locating relevant and services
reliable information sources. Real-time web: antenna - Deep web:
research
Finding the necessary information in
the sources. Multiformat and multidevice
Assessing the quality of the information Advanced data display systems
and its suitability according to what we Personal learning environments
in fact need. Access to contents through RSS
Classifying, organising and structuring Sharing RSS readers’ folders
the information to facilitate the Specialisation in search syndication
processes above and make
Sharing bookmarks
management of them easier.
Socialising and making individual tools
15 for organising information efficient.

16. Metafuncions COCREACIî COMUNICACIî G.INFORMACIî DIFUSIî
Internal Catàleg Funcional
Usuaris i Perfils
Gestió d'usuaris i perfils
Configuració permisos d'usuaris
X X
analysis Visibilitat dels perfils
Personalització entorn de treball (escriptori virtual)
Qui es qui - Directoris d'usuaris
Disseny de Comunitats i Xarxes socials
X
X
Microblogging X X X
Grups X
Correu electrònic X
Connexions X
Creació de nous enllaços per invitació / recomanació
Visualització gràfica de relacions X
Producció Col·laborativa X
Blogs X X
Wikis X X
Edición compartida y visualizada
Versionat
Diversitat de formats
Traçabilitat de canvis
Forums de discusió
Formularis
Gestió del Coneixement X
Organitzador de feeds X X
Repositori de Documents X
Compartició d'arxius X X
Etiquetació/taxonomies/Tagging X X
Motor de recerca / Metacercadors X
RSS-Suscripció/Alertes sobre canvis X
Valoració continguts/Votacions(filtres i promoció social de continguts) X X
Continguts a FAvorits X
Compartició de Favorits X
Web semántica
Qüestionaris X
Botons multiservei (de entorns propis a canals social media) X
Comunicació Síncrona X X
Missatgeria Instantˆnea - Xat
Intercanvis d'elements d'informació durant la conversa X
Telefonia IP
Logs de les conversa (possibilitats d'actes o archivament del contingut)
Avisos sobre comunicacions perdudes
VideoConferencia X X
visualització video
pissarra virtual
Enregistrament
Zoom
Compartició de documents (visió/edició) integrada
Entorn especial per dispositius mobils
Concurrència d'usuaris
Sales Virtuals X X
Visualització Comuna Escriptori (sala)
Notes col·lectives
Breakouts
Multivideo
GESTIÓ DE PROJECTES X
Creació de projectes
Seguiment de projectes
Documentació associada al projecte X
Associació d'elements documentals a tasques X
Equip - Comunitat
Gestió d'usuaris i perfils
Agenda per cada usuari i compartida per grups de treball
Calendari compartit
Gestió de reunions/Convocatories
16 Eines de Comunicació de dades rellevants del projecte X
Elaboració d'informes i estadístiques X

17. Internal
Metafunctions
COCREATION
COMMUNICATION
INFORMATION.M
DISSEMINATION
analysis Functional Catalogue
Users and Profiles
User and Profile Management
Configuration of user licences
Profile visibility
Personalisation work environment (virtual desk)
Who’s who – User directories
Communications and Social networks design
Microblogging
Groups
e-mail
Connections
Creation of new links by invitation/recommendation
Graphic display of relations
Collaborative Production
Blogs
Wikis
Shared and displayed editing
Version
Diversity of formats
Traceability of changes
Discussion forums
Forms
Knowledge Management
Feed organiser
Document repository
File sharing
Labelling/taxonomy/tagging
Search engine / Metasearch engines
RSS-Subscription/Alerts about changes
Items Content assessment/Votes (filters and social promotion of contents)
Contents in Bookmarks
Sharing Bookmarks
translation Web semantics
Surveys
Multipurpose buttons (from own environments to social media channels)
Synchronous Communication
Instant Messaging – Chat
IP telephony
Logs of conversations (possible Minutes or content filing)
Notifications of lost communications
VideoConferencing
video display
virtual blackboard
Recording
Zoom
Integrated document sharing (vision/editing)
Special environment for mobile devices
User concurrence
Virtual Rooms
Communal Desk Display (room)
Collective notes
Breakouts
Multivideo
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project creation
Project monitoring
Documents associated with the project
Association of documents with tasks
Team – Community
User and profile management
Calendar for each user and shared for work groups
Shared calendar
Management of Meetings/Calls
Communication tools for data relevant to the project
Drafting reports and drawing up statistics
17

18. Benchmarking of tools
Criteria
Functional cover - Functions - Tools Matrix
Software quality metrics Level of service
Modularity Strategic planning
Scalability Technological support
Performance Training
Accessibility Change management
Ease of use
Maintainability
Design
Integrity
Reliability
Portability
Interoperability
18

19. Conclusions
Common language
Indicators
and metrics
Management
Strategic Work groups
vision
Acceleration of Processes
objectives
Strategic
Investment Functions
plan
Technology
19

20. Conclusions
Management Work
groups
1. Aligning the operating and strategic processes
Technology
The management needs to be able to convey the collective project to the
organisation that binds them together.
It has to share the strategic plans and provide departments, areas and work
teams with the necessary information to create a common vision of the
objectives and strategies to be achieved.
We often find that groups work efficiently, that they are capable of measuring
their performance, but that they are disconnected from the overall strategy and
that they are unaware of how their results contribute to the common objectives
of the organisation as a whole.
Not only is this demotivating for groups, but it also has a negative effect on
management support and involvement, which, in the best scenario, becomes
inhibited and ceases to function with an attitude that is more in common with
acquiescence than any necessary involvement. The correct attitude, however,
would be to make good use of the enthusiasm and channel the groups’ energy
towards the strategic objectives of the organisation that they lead.
20

21. Conclusions
Management Work
groups
2. Measuring with quantitative and qualitative criteria
Collaborative work processes cannot exist outside these objectives and
Technology we need to be able to respond, in an understandable language from a
managerial point of view, to a series of indicators that allow us to assess
how their results support the organisation’s overall objectives.
Historically, return on investment in technologies was measured primarily
by reduced costs or work posts (measures similar to traditional managerial
practices). In the era of collaboration, technology is used differently, as it
increases the number of interactions and expands the abilities of
knowledge workers. These new uses of technology indirectly help improve
productivity, the speed at which products and services are developed, the
acceleration of innovation processes, improved socio-employment
climate, improved relations with their agents...
An initial precedent can be found in the ‘e-Catalunya: boosting eGov
innovation by Communities of Practice’ candidacy, data that can be
consulted on the gencat Slideshare, which assesses the impact data of
the CoP on the Government of Catalonia.
21

22. Conclusions
Management Work
groups
3. Technology applied to real processes and specific
needs
Between technology and work groups there is a strong necessary
Technology relationship between the processes that these groups need in order to work
and the functions that the technological platforms contribute to help cover
the needs of these processes.
Throughout this study, we have tried to establish a model which aids the
assessment of the different collaborative platforms based on the functional
cover in these groups and in accordance with their main objectives.
The technology used must form part of the workflows in the users’ daily
activity and not instead be a task that is added to the work being
undertaken.
The quality of the collaborative processes and the rationalisation of the
application of technologies require:
Classification of workers by the type of work that they are undertaking.
Identification of which processes are involved in these groups.
That these processes be compared with the technological tools that we can
contribute to help improve their development.
22

23. Conclusions
Management Work
groups
4. Coherence and strategic vision in technology
adoption policy
Within its strategic plans, the management will have to define the technology
Technology
investment criteria that correspond to each context and situation:
Balance and integration of applications geared towards the automation of
transactions with the emergence of social software and collaborative work. This
combination of technology and sociability will be key in future decision-making
regarding investment in the technology of organisations.
We also need to assess the balance between investing in a corporate platform, or
in market tools or a combination of both strategies. Corporate platforms ensure
privacy and security to reside in an environment that is secure and free from
advertising. They are better at meeting the specific needs of the organisation and
implementation is normally accompanied by advice, helpdesk and tutoring.
EXPENSIVE.
Free platforms provide critical mass and much higher levels of participation.
Interaction with communities outside the organisation is easier and greater
dissemination is achieved. However, we cannot control the development of new
features and the capacity of the service is limited. COST-SAVING.
With regard to methods in level of service. One aspect to consider are the
consolidation of trends, such as SaaS (Software as a Service) and cloud
computing.
23

24. Conclusions
Management Work
groups
5. The organisation as an ecosystem
Lastly, the management is responsible for creating a cultural and
operating environment, where collaborative work dynamics can emerge:
Technology
We need to provide people with the skills not only for the tools but also the
attitudes that will make collaboration possible.
Creating spaces for sharing experiences.
Fostering investigation, innovation and research, without penalising errors,
encouraging the people involved in the different projects to experiment and
innovate.
We need a clear policy on the use of tools (corporate v. open) to ensure
departmental coherence and operational coordination among teams. Creating
communication protocols and training in the adoption of corporate tools.
Determining the organisation’s technical data that have to be available to the
organisation itself and externally.
Criterion for selecting specific tools for specific problems, in the same way as
we have set out in this document (metafunctions).
24

25. Thank you!
The future of collaborative work and its tools
María Jesús Salido
Barcelona, July 2010
Dolors Reig
Jordi Graells
Legal notice
This work is subject to a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. It allows the reproduction, distribution, public communication and transformation to generate a derivative
work, without any restriction providing that the author is always cited (Governtment of Catalonia. Presidential Department) and this licence does not contradict any specific
licence that an image within this report might have and the rights of the image prevail. The complete licence can be consulted at
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode
1