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Chapter 2 Collaboration Information Systems
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Figure 2-27
Product Power Curve 6KOG

software product) as a function of the time using that product. A flat line means you are investing
time without any increase in power. The ideal power curve starts at a positive value at time zero
and has no flat spots.
The Minimal product set gives you some power at time zero because you already know how
to use it. However, as you use it over time, your project will gain complexity and the problems of
controlling concurrent access will actually cause power to decrease. The Good set has a short flat
spot as you get to know it. However, your power then increases over time until you reach the most
capability your team can do with it. The Comprehensive set has a longer flat spot in the beginning
because it will take longer to learn. However, because it has such a rich collaboration feature set,
you will be able to gain considerable collaborative power, much more so than the Good set, and the
maximum capability is much greater than the Good set.
Finally, consider the next-to-last row in Figure 2-25. The Minimal set has no value to you as a
future professional and contributes nothing to your professional competitive advantage. The Good
set has some limited value; as you know, there are organizations that use Google Drive and Hang-
outs. The Comprehensive set has the potential to give you a considerable competitive advantage,
particularly because SharePoint skills are highly valued in industry. You can use knowledge of it to
demonstrate the currency of your knowledge in job interviews.
So, which is the right set for your team? It’s up to you. See Collaboration Exercise 2 on page 110.

Don’t Forget Procedures and People!

One last and very important point: Most of this chapter focuses on collaboration tools, the software
component of an information system. Regarding the other four components, you need not worry
about hardware, at least not for the Good or Comprehensive sets, because those tools are hosted on
hardware in the cloud. The data component is up to you; it will be your content as well as your meta-
data for project management and for demonstrating that your team practiced iteration and feedback.
As you evaluate alternatives, however, you need to think seriously about the procedure and
people components. How are team members going to use these tools? Your team needs to have
agreement on tools usage, even if you do not formally document procedures. As noted, such proce-
dures are especially necessary for controlling concurrent access in the minimal system. You need
to have agreement not only on how to use these tools but also on what happens when teammates
don’t use these tools. What will you do, for example, if teammates persist in emailing documents
instead of using Google Drive or SharePoint?
Additionally, how will your team train its members in the use of these tools? Will you divvy
up responsibility for learning features and then teach the skills to one another? You will find a
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plethora of training materials on the Web. But who will find them, learn them, and then teach
the others?