Functional Requirements for Community-Oriented Software and Technologies (157524662)

8/22/2019 Functional Requirements for Community-Oriented Software and Technologies (157524662)

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Functional Requirements for Virtual Community Features

The following instrument was developed by Darren Cambridge, Soren Kaplan, and Vicki Suter, with contributions by members of the three

(E-PAC, LOVCOP, Bridging Community), and in particular by the co-facilitators of those communities. The instrument is a work-in-progres

that will be updated to include additional functional requirements, particularly those associated with interactive multimedia functions.

If you would like to give feedback about the functional requirements, priorities, or add functional requirements, please update the spreadsh

with the information below, and e-mail to [email protected]

Name: E-Mail Address:

Put an "X" to the left of the description that best fits the kind of community the software is intended to support (more than one X is OK)

Unstructured, Informal Virtual CommunityStructured Learning Community

Virtual Teams/Workgroups/Task Forces

Priority (on a scale of 1 to 5,

with 1 being not very important, an

REF NO CATEGORY FUNCTION PRIORITY

1.1 Levels of Openness

is "Closed", a range of options exist related to the

process of becoming a member of the community

and its sub groups

1.1.1 Access Control New users can self register

1.1.2 Access Control

Creation of new user accounts can be limited to

administrators only

1.1.3 Member ManagementProvides ability to invite new members, excludemembers, etc.

1.1.4 Member Management Maximum number of users per web


Creation of new user accounts can be delegated to a

"member manager" who possesses limited

administrative permissions

1.2 Subgroups

grouped together into named "subgroups" that

have designated group-related permissions to

unique information and resources

1.2.1 Access Control Administrator can create subgroups

Functional Requirements for Community-Oriented Software and Technologies

1.0 Social Structures

DRAFT (Kaplan/Suter)8/1/2013 Virtual Communities Initiati





Users can create subgroups (when user account is

created, admin should be able to set scope of groups

this user can create)

1.2.3 Access Control Subgroups can consist of both users and groups


For subgroups, users may designate which level of

nested group can access each resource, schedule

entry, chat room, or discussion thread


"Leaders" can be assigned to subgroups with

"administrative permissions" for given groups

1.3 Role Distinctions

o es a suppor commun y- u ngprocesses designed into permissions structure and

collaboration tools


Site administrators manage features configuration,

permissions, role assignments


User and Group membership managers possess

administrative rights but which are limited to managing

group assignments and site membership


Cross-Group Leaders manage content and process

collaboration across groups


Group Leaders manage content and process

collaboration within designated groups

1.4 Presenceoc a awareness o o er commun y mem ers

and groups

1.4.1 Member Management

Directory of members with customizable profiles

including photos1.4.2 Discussions/Communication Supports "buddy list" (who's online right now)

1.4.3 User Interface

Notifies members of new postings (files, discussions,

etc.).

1.4.4 Member Management Provides member activity summaries

1.4.5 Member Management Provides searchable, downloadable member database

1.4.6 Member Management

Users can see others' group membership(s) (option for

hiding group memberships)

2.0 Core Community Activities

DRAFT (Kaplan/Suter)8/1/2013 Virtual Communities Init




2.1

Synchronous

Communication Tools for real-time communication

2.1.1 Discussions/Communication Provides instant messaging service.

2.1.2 Discussions/Communication Provides chat services.

2.1.3 Discussions/Communication

Users can create new rooms, permanent and

temporary


Copy and paste into and out of chat works across

platforms and browsers


Users can create transcripts by clicking a record buttonto begin and a stop button the end (users should also

have the option of having all their chats logged, and

then when a particular user leaves, they chose to keep

or discard that transcript)


Transcripts are automatically stored as resources in a

special folder accessible to group which could access

the room


Users should be able to refer to other

objects/resources from within the chat

2.1.8 Discussions/Communication Supports audio and video conferencing

2.1.9 Discussions/Communication Creates indexed archive of audio/video conferences


A whiteboard which becomes an extension of chat but

allows users to draw as well.


Ideally, users are able to place other documents (text,

pictures, pdfs, reports) on the whiteboard and comment

on them - as a group

2.1.12 Resource Sharing/Organization Supports real-time shared whiteboard

2.1.13 Resource Sharing/Organization Supports real-time application sharing

2.2

Asynchronous

Communication Tools for any-time communication


Provides well-organized discussion forums (discussion

threads can be grouped by category, so have at least 2-

level hierarchy of classification: category and thread)


Supports ability to view discussions in both threaded

and linear mode

DRAFT (Kaplan/Suter)8/1/2013 Virtual Communities In





Discussions have their own e-mail addresses (so can

send copy of non-group e-mail to group)

2.2.4 Discussions/Communication Administrators can assign moderators to categories

2.2.5 Discussions/Communication Moderators can move posts between threads


Moderators can split threads (which have changed

subject)

2.2.7 Discussions/Communication Discussion posts can be spellchecked and previewed.

2.2.8 Discussions/Communication Messages can be searched

2.2.9 Discussions/Communication Threads can be archived but remain searchable


Resources from a resource section can be associated

with posts

2.2.11 Discussions/Communication Allow HTML in posts

2.2.12 Discussions/Communication WYSIWYG tools for styling text in posts


Discussions can be scaffolded (moderators may set up

identifiers that users can associate with each post that

designate the function of the post in conversation, e.g.

set up topic, provide resource/background, agree,

disagree, summary, etc.)


2.2.15 Discussions/Communication Provides option for group polling/surveys


Integrates polling/resource sharing into discussion

(e.g., via live link)

2.2.17 Discussions/CommunicationProvides basic moderation tools (to invite/banmembers)

2.3 Resource/File Sharingoo s or s ar ng an managemen ocumen s an

links

2.3.1 File Sharing

Provides shared file space, capability to do document

sharing

2.3.2 File Sharing

Easy download/upload of documents, either via Browse

dialog box, or via Windows click-and-drag

2.3.3 File Sharing

Provides ability to edit documents collaboratively,

including support for document version control.

2.3.4 File Sharing

Supports viewing of documents in native format for

Word and Excel files





2.3.5 File Sharing

Supports editing of documents in native format for

Word and Excel files

2.3.6 File Sharing Document version tracking

2.3.7 File Sharing Document check-in and check-out

2.3.8 Resource Sharing/Organization

Flexible, hierarchical (with at least 3 nested levels), well-

organized directory and file structure


Supports association of resources with discussions and

tasks (e.g., If a resource is associated with a

discussion thread, there is a direct link to the thread

from the resource)


Provides subgroup workspaces to share information,

documents, and organize work - including subgroup

discussions, document sharing, chat)

2.3.11 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides community chronicle (history, archives)


Ability to share links as resource, organized by topic

(e.g., web link repository organized by folders)


Provides resource library support, with subgroup

access control of resources

2.4 Structured Data Sharing Tools for structured data gathering & sharing


Customizable database for entering, searching and

organizing data

2.4.2 Resource Sharing/Organization Field validation options for data entry

2.4.3 Resource Sharing/Organization Export database to csv file


Customizable drop down lists that are reusable across

database tables

2.5

Scheduling &

Coordination Tools for organizing activities

2.5.1 Project/Team Management

Provides work-flow based task administration (set up

tasklists)

2.5.2 Project/Team Management Provides project(s) calendar(s)

2.5.3 Project/Team Management Provides group calendar

2.6 Finding & Searching Ability to easily find information and resources

2.6.1 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides search engine for site

2.6.2 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides search engine for subgroups






All content objects (discussion posts, resources, etc.)

can be linked to directly via a URL which never

changes

3.1 User Interfacey o eas y par c pa e n e commun y

(technology recedes into background)

3.1.1 User Interface Clear, familiar navigation metaphor (e.g., folder-based)

3.1.2 User Interface Uses browser interface (not dependent on client)

3.1.3 User Interface Supports both Macintosh and PC

3.1.4 User Interface Configurable user interface/user-controlled views

3.1.5 User Interface Supports icons and graphics for community identity

3.1.6 User Interface Community space represented by web page

3.1.7 User Interface Ability to set up sites without technical assistance

3.1.8 Member Management Single Sign-on/Unified Log-in throughout space

3.2 Push-Pull Options

a ance e ween pus ng n orma on s serv

and communication vs. requiring users to login to

participate


User-controlled delivery modes (user has following

choices: send alert of postings; forward individual

postings to e-mail; send daily/weekly digest of postings,

don't send e-mail)


Users can manage all their notifications from a singleprofile management form, or can select to be notified

from a particular thread or folder, etc.


The body of messages are pushed as well as links if

requested by user

3.2.4 User Interface Links in notifications point directly to the individual item

3.2.5 Project/Team Management

Supports automatic reminders and progress updates

associated with tasklists

3.3 System Compatibilityy o s are a a w or n egra e w o er

systems

3.3.1 Resource Sharing/Organization Provides for export of material to other system

3.0 Integrating Mechanisms

DRAFT (Kaplan/Suter)8/1/2013 Virtual Communities Initi





Provides ability to link easily into and out of other

systems (external URL reference)

3.3.3 User Interface Does not require special browser for OS (e.g., only IE)

3.3.4 Resource Sharing/Organization Supports multiple media formats (embedded graphics)

3.3.5 Project/Team Management Synchronization with PDAs

3.3.6 Project/Team Management Synchronization with Outlook

3.4 Sustained Continuity

y o sus a n an ac v y w con nu y or

example, if discussing a document, there is no

barrier to discussion that is due to not being able

to find the document


Content and interaction are interwoven (not divided into

silos)

3.5 Resource representation Accessibility and representations of relationships among resources


The relationships between and among resources can

be maintained, so that users can find things by the

community event to which they were associated, by the

other documents that were created at the same time

for similar purposes, by documents which have a topic

relationships, or contributed by same author (semanticweb)

(e.g., webcasts, whiteboards, voice over IP, narrated Powerpoint)

4. 0 Additional Interactive Multimedia Support

DRAFT (Kaplan/Suter)8/1/2013 Virtual Communities Initiati




LII VCOPs

et

Date:

5 being essential)

DRAFT (Kaplan/Suter)8/1/2013 Virtual Communities Initiative



Social Structure Core Features Integrating MechanismsLevels of Openness Synchronous Communication User Interface

Subgroups Asynchronous Communication Push-Pull Options

Role Distinctions Resource/File Sharing System Compatibility

Presence Structured Data Sharing

Scheduling & Coordination

Finding & Searching

Functional Requirements for Community-Oriented Software and Technologies (157524662)

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