Architecture, design, and development of an HTML']HTML/Java']JavaScript Web-based Group Support System

This article describes the need for virtual workspaces and then discusses the architecture, design, and development of GroupSystems for the World Wide Web (Web) (GS(Web)), an HTML/JavaScript Web-based Group Support System (GSS). To design and develop GS(Web), a user-driven approach was employed which drew on feedback from users and teams working with a GS(Web) prototype, interviews with GSS users and facilitators, and over 10 years of experience with face-to-face group support research, development, and design. GS(Web) was built using HTML 3.0 and JavaScript for client interface rendering. The result is an application interface that is like the familiar Graphical User Interface (GUI) interfaces that are today a defacto standard. GS(Web) is currently being used by teams from all over the world, and continuing design and development still relies on feedback and requests from actual users to refine and extend the features that will enable virtual teams to be productive and accomplish real work.