The analysis and study of the impact of technology on groups: a conceptualframework

This paper examines how various aspects of technology, group and task inter play, affect group processing and performance. Efforts to provide groups wi th technological support are driven by three basic ideas: improving group t ask performance, overcoming time and space constraints on group collaborati ve efforts, and increasing the range and speed of access to information. Th ese are discussed together with three conceptual frameworks within which gr oupware (defined as computer-based systems that support the efforts of grou ps engaged in common tasks) can be developed. A conceptual framework is dev eloped within which information systems for assisting groups electronically can be designed and measured. The paper concludes with an agenda for furth er research. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.