Modeling groupware supporting synchronous collaboration with heterogeneous single- and multi-user devices

In future working environments, multiple users work with a wide range of different devices. In many cases, users interact and collaborate using multiple heterogeneous devices at the same time. This produces new requirements for the architecture of an appropriate software infrastructure. This paper proposes to separate clearly models for documents, user interface, tools, physical environment, and interaction to gain flexibility in adapting and extending these different aspects independently. In addition, a core model providing a shared-object space and multi-user event handling eases the development of applications supporting synchronous collaboration and multi-user devices. To test the applicability of this approach, this architecture was used as the basis for the implementation of BEACH, the software infrastructure of i-LAND (the future working-environment at GMD-IPSI), It provides the functionality for synchronous cooperation and interaction with roomware components, i.e., room elements with integrated information technology.