Managing Collaborative Efforts on the Web

Abstract

The World Wide Web is an effective tool to make university governance, planning, and other collaborative projects more open. The Web can widen the audience, get materials into the right hands faster and with less trouble, and create a self-documenting history. At the University of Pennsylvania, the Web has been used for just these purposes for several years. This paper serves as a tutorial for any college or university member who wants to use the Web to manage a committee or project. It includes examples from a technology planning task force, a restructuring team, and a collaborative research project. It focuses on opportunities, tactical mechanics, and pitfalls. It also explores the social and practical dynamics of managing a project so publicly.