Using Groupware to Facilitate

Meetings and Decision Making

Groupware- is a
dazzling and growing
collection of computer
tools to facilitate
meetings and decision
making
 Groupware is helpful in any of the
following:

 Planning and Management of focus groups

 Executive Retreats
 Strategic Planning Sessions
 Product Development Meetings
 Team-building Seminars
 Other Meetings and Training Programs
 Solving Problems
 Writing Mission Statements and Proposals
 Three Common Groupware Options

 Teleconferencing/Videoconferencing
 E-mail Meetings
 Electronic Meetings
Videoconferencing/Teleconferencing

 Both enable individuals to meet

without coming together face to face.

 Images may be viewed on a large

screen in a conference room, on
television screens in multiple rooms,
or on desktop computers with small
cameras installed
 Group members may be able to see
documents and objects as well as
notes recorded on electronic live
boards.

 Enables participants to interact at the

same time even when they are in
different places.
 Advantages of
Videoconferencing/Teleconferencing

 It reduces travel expenses, travel

time and fatigue.
 E-mail Meetings

 Participants can exchange words and

data, but not pictures.

 Usually unmediated; that is, they

function without the services of a
facilitator to direct the exchange of
information.
 They enable participants to respond at
different times, thus erasing time
constraints for global team members.

 Like teleconferencing, e-mail meetings can

increase participation by avoiding the
dominance of overly vocal or very powerful
team members.
 E-mail Meetings also reduce writing
inhibitions and decrease transmission
time when circulating documents.
 Disadvantages of E-mail Meetings

 E-mail meetings may suffer from

excessive informality, lack of
confidentiality, and lack of assurance
that participants will read the
messages.
 Electronic Meetings

 Electronic meeting software (also known as

EMS or meetingware) uses networked
computers to automate traditional meeting
functions.

 A typical session uses a large screen at the

front of the room which functions as an
electronic flipchart displaying participant
ideas and responses.
 Meetingware allows facilitators to
poll meeting participants, capture
large amounts of verbatim
feedback, analyze voting results,
and create detailed reports
including meeting minutes.
 Advantages of Electronic Meetings

 It facilitates brainstorming, decision-making,

and transmission of ideas throughout an
organization.

 Helpful when large groups must meet

decisions quickly because all members can
participate simultaneously instead of
listening politely as each member explains
his or her ideas.
 The software saves time in
sending ideas and decisions up
and down an organization’s
communication hierarchy.