A Software Architecture for Defining a Methodologic Approach to Develop Collaborative Applications

Abstract

This paper presents a software architecture-based methodological approach to develop collaborative applications. Today, the use of collaborative applications has spread to various domains, as they facilitate communication, collaboration, and coordination between several users. These applications require mechanisms to support and model communication activities and processing of information, vital in the dynamic nature to the group. In this paper, the use of a software architecture is recommended to develop collaborative applications. This architecture for specifying the structure and behavior through the application, providing a shared meeting space to simplify and agile the group work. Thus, it is possible to support dynamic group structure. In addition, specification tables are proposed to simplify the development of this kind of applications; since the developers to complete the table are analyzing the necessary elements required to build an application, so performing requirements analysis, design, and displayed as would the final application. A case study to validate the software architecture is proposed.

Semantic Formalism for Modelling the Group Interaction

“…The MVC architectural pattern [15,16] offers a way to simplify the groupware development; providing the necessary flexibility and responsiveness to adjust to the changing needs within the group. This model is customized for characterizing and developing groupware (see Fig.…”

“…Therefore, in this work, a semantic formalism to model group interaction is proposed, which is based on: 1) An ontological model [12,13,14] for group organizational structure (which supplies a formal and explicit specification of this structure); 2) A Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural model [15,16] to develop groupware (which offers a set of templates that serves as a guideline to analyze, design, and implement groupwork); and 3) Methontology [17,18] for building ontologies (which uses a set of intermediate representations, based on tabular and graphical notations). This formalism is composed of the specification of: 1) the division of labor in accordance with the established roles (Role Modeling); 2) the group interaction with respect to the defined task type (Interaction Modeling); and 3) the presented Information, the Participant and/or Context views regarding the collaboration carried out by users performing a role (User Interface Modeling).…”