EVALUATION OF VIRTUAL TEAMING TOOLS
Prepared for
Dr. Justin Cochran
BISM 2100
Prepared by
Green Team
Katie Bennet
Ed Elie
Len Nelms
Mike Seymour
Sudha Thoennes
April 29, 2010
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... vii
Introduction to Virtual Teaming .......................................................................................... vii
Summary Product Evaluation .............................................................................................. vii
Product Comparison .............................................................................................................. vii
Recommendation ................................................................................................................... vii
Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................. vii
EVALUATION OF VIRTUAL TEAMING ................................................................................. 1
Popularity and Use ................................................................................................................... 1
Privacy and Security ................................................................................................................ 3
Protecting the Privacy of Confidential Data ..................................................................... 3
Ensuring Availability ........................................................................................................... 4
Limiting Use to Authorized Users ..................................................................................... 5
Insure Collaboration Tools Can’t be Used by Hackers ................................................... 5
Support for Existing Network Security Measures ........................................................... 5
Cost ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Direct Costs ........................................................................................................................... 6
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Indirect Costs ........................................................................................................................ 6
Technology ................................................................................................................................ 7
Synchronous Technologies ................................................................................................. 8
Asynchronous Technologies ............................................................................................... 9
Training ................................................................................................................................... 10
Establishing Trust and Managing Conflict ..................................................................... 11
Teambuilding ...................................................................................................................... 11
Using Communications Technology ................................................................................ 12
SUMMARY PRODUCT EVALUATION .................................................................................. 12
Dimdim Online Collaboration .............................................................................................. 12
Virtual Teaming .................................................................................................................. 12
Information Sharing .......................................................................................................... 13
Document Sharing ............................................................................................................. 13
Document Editing .............................................................................................................. 13
Project Management .......................................................................................................... 14
Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 14
Plans and Pricing................................................................................................................ 14
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 15
GoTo Meeting ......................................................................................................................... 15
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Virtual Teaming .................................................................................................................. 15
Information Sharing .......................................................................................................... 15
Document Sharing ............................................................................................................. 16
Document Editing .............................................................................................................. 16
Project Management .......................................................................................................... 16
Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 16
Plans and Pricing................................................................................................................ 16
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 17
Huddle ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Virtual Teaming .................................................................................................................. 17
Information Sharing .......................................................................................................... 17
Document Sharing ............................................................................................................. 18
Document Editing .............................................................................................................. 18
Project Management .......................................................................................................... 18
Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 18
Plans and Pricing................................................................................................................ 19
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 19
Vyew Instant Workspace ....................................................................................................... 20
Virtual Teaming .................................................................................................................. 20
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Information Sharing .......................................................................................................... 20
Document Sharing ............................................................................................................. 20
Document Editing .............................................................................................................. 21
Project Management .......................................................................................................... 21
Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 21
Plans and Pricing................................................................................................................ 21
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 22
Nomadesk ................................................................................................................................ 22
Virtual Teaming .................................................................................................................. 23
Information Sharing .......................................................................................................... 23
Document Sharing ............................................................................................................. 23
Document Editing .............................................................................................................. 23
Project Management .......................................................................................................... 24
Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 24
Plans and Pricing................................................................................................................ 24
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 24
PRODUCT COMPARISON ....................................................................................................... 25
Product Ratings .................................................................................................................. 25
Table 1: Product Feature Comparison ............................................................................. 25
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Pricing Plan Comparisons ................................................................................................. 26
Chart 1: Total Annual Cost per Account.......................................................................... 26
Chart 2: Total Annual Cost for 20 Teams ....................................................................... 27
RECOMMENDATION ............................................................................................................... 27
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN...................................................................................................... 27
Table 2: Implementation Phases ..................................................................................... 28
Chart 3: Timeline of Implementation Phases and High-Level Steps ......................... 29
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 30
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this report is to discuss the various attributes of virtual teaming, evaluate
potential products available, make a recommendation and set forth an implementation plan
based on that recommendation.
Introduction to Virtual Teaming
As virtual teaming becomes more and more popular in the business world, it becomes necessary
to determine whether or not it makes sense for our organization to utilize this method of
collaboration internally. Our intent in this report is to consider several aspects of virtual
teaming and its impact on this organization. Accordingly, we will be discussing the issue as
related to five critical issues for our organization to consider: popularity and use, privacy and
security, cost, technology, & training.
Summary Product Evaluation
Operating under the assumption that we will move forward with virtual teaming, we have
thoroughly investigated five potential products available on the market to meet the demand for
online collaboration. We are presenting the following products for consideration: Dimdim
Online Collaboration, GoTo Meeting, Huddle, Vyew Instant Workspace, and Nomadesk. Each
product has strengths and weaknesses, to be discussed in detail.
Product Comparison
This report will also provide tools for easy comparison of the products considered. A product
comparison chart with product feature ratings has been included, along with a simple chart for
quick cost comparison.
Recommendation
Based on all the factors discussed in this report, we have included a recommendation of the
product we believe will be most effective in helping accomplish our goals as an organization.
Implementation Plan
Finally, we have also included a detailed implementation plan to make this process as smooth
and constructive as possible. It is likely that a change as significant as utilizing virtual teaming
could lead to confusion, push back, and general frustration. Our plan will help minimize these
possibilities, and will help make our organization more efficient.
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EVALUATION OF VIRTUAL TEAMING
This section of the report explores seven attributes of virtual teaming: popularity, use, privacy,
security, cost, technology, and training. Popularity discusses the growing attractiveness of
virtual teams and virtual teaming technology, while use discusses how virtual teams and the
accompanying technology are employed by organizations. The privacy and security topics deal
with issues of protecting sensitive data while at the same time facilitating productive team
interaction. Cost discusses the direct and indirect capital and expenses associated with virtual
teams and the supporting tools. The technology topic covers the systems that facilitate
interaction and information exchange between members of virtual teams. Lastly, training
discusses the instruction needed to make virtual teams effective.
Popularity and Use
Information and communication technologies, such as desktop video conferencing, collaborative
software, and Internet systems, are transforming the workplace much like the personal
computer did in the 1980s and 1990s (Townsend, DeMarie, & Hendrickson, 1998). The use and
popularity of virtual teaming is on the rise, as managers are implementing this as an
accommodating solution to the expansion of competitive companies. Cascio (2000) reported
that virtual teams exist in certainty at the present, and organizations will continue to capitalize
on them at an increasing rate in the future. One such reason for their popularity is that virtual
teams have no consideration for a person’s location or ability to meet at a specific time. In
addition, organizations are using virtual teams to reduce travel expenses, increase productivity,
ensure high profits, and improve customer service (Cascio). The popularity of virtual teams is
quickly increasing as managers and supervisors uncover how to maximize the benefits from
using a successful virtual team.
The effect of new and emerging technologies has changed the way traditional teams meet,
collaborate, and communicate. As this new, virtual team has developed, it has become obvious
that it cannot successfully function in quite the same manner as the previously used face-to-face
team. Ebrahim, Ahmen, and Taha (2009) noted that while traditional teams depend on face-toface communication, virtual teams depend on electronic communication and have no regard for
location, time, or organizational limitations. It is because of that electronic communication that
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the authors emphasized a need for communication, understanding, role clarity, and a positive
leadership attitude for a team to have the potential to thrive. Without complete coverage of these
components of a virtual team, the lack of social and physical interaction, and the high levels of
mistrust that result from communication failure will make the use of a virtual team impossible.
However, assuming team members are able to give adequate attention to the maintenance
involved, the product of a successful virtual team is quick completion and presentation time.
Another reason that virtual teams have become so popular is because of their ability to include
members who possess a variety of skills and expertise from anywhere in the company. This
allows virtual teams to be comprised of the absolute best workers, regardless of location
(Townsend, DeMarie, & Hendrickson). The use of virtual teams is instrumental in multinational
organizations (Maznevski & Chudoba, 2000). The flexibility of virtual teaming allows
organizations to choose from any number of possible participants, which creates diversity and
allows for many different viewpoints to be incorporated into the team (Ebrihim, Ahmen, & Taha,
2009). After analyzing three virtual teams, Maznevski and Chudoba found that the two virtual
teams that were effective displayed high levels of decision quality, action and implementation
quality, member dedication to the team and its assessments, and satisfaction with team member
relationships. In contrast, the virtual team that was not successful did not make time-efficient
decisions, communicate fluidly as a group, or have favorable member ratings of the team’s
togetherness or ability to cooperate. Utilization of a virtual team to accomplish a specific goal or
end product requires an equal distribution of participation and cooperation from every member
of the team. Furthermore, a virtual team can only thrive and be effective if trust develops within
the team, and the team has a specified facilitator (Panteli & Tucker, 2009, and Ebrahim, Ahmen
& Taha, 2009). Maznevski and Chudoba (2000) argued that the usefulness of a virtual team
depended on the satisfaction and productivity of each individual member. If each member of the
team was productive and happy, then the group as a whole was productive and happy.
Additionally, virtual teams can even promote more frequent communication among team
members as they are aware that there will not be an opportunity for that face-to-face
communication at a traditional meeting. However, Thomas and Bostrom (2005), as cited in
Ebrahim, Ahmen, & Taha (2009), stated, “Virtual teams may allow people to collaborate more
productively at a distance, but the trip to coffee corner or across the hallway to a trusted
colleague is still the most reliable and effective way to review and revise a new idea” (p.2656).
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Although some may see it as a negative or ineffective progression to the way team members
interact with one another, the popularity and growing acceptance of virtual teaming is
undeniable. The increasing amount of research that is being conducted indicates virtual
teaming’s wide approval rate. Further research should continue to focus on the elements that
make a virtual team successful, as improving such components will encourage the use and
popularity of virtual teams.
Privacy and Security
Internet-based business collaboration tools such as Dimdim Online Collaboration, GoTo
Meeting, Huddle, Vyew Instant Workspace and Nomadesk can help companies increase
productivity by enabling their employees to communicate and interact more effectively with coworkers, business partners and customers. These tools vary greatly when it comes to embedded
security features and the default level of security features enabled. It is essential for users of
online collaboration tools to understand the security implications of their use.
Using any Web collaboration tool requires consideration of potential threats and risks to privacy
and security. These threats and risk generally can be classified into one or more or the following
categories:

protecting the privacy of confidential data;

ensuring the availability of the tools when they are required for business needs;

limiting the use of the tools to authorized users;

ensuring that the tools cannot be used by hackers to gain access to employee
computers or the networks to which they are attached; and,

ensuring that existing firewall configurations and other network security measures
are supported by the tools.
Protecting the Privacy of Confidential Data
Dimdim Online Collaboration, Huddle and Vyew Instant Workspace are examples of the
collaboration tools that are accessed via internet browsers including Microsoft Internet
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Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. Web browsers use Hypertext Transfer Protocol
(HTTP) or HTTP with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to communicate with remote hosts.
“SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and TLS stands for Transport Layer Security. These are
methods for hiding the information two parties send to each other e.g. a web browser and a web
server. When you browse a web site, you have very little privacy. Many people can monitor what
you reveal to, or request from, that site. Credit card numbers, personal data, or controversial
information all are an open book to the technologically sophisticated eavesdropper. SSL was
designed to defeat the snoops and protect your privacy” (Canvel, 2009).
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the messaging protocol that is used for non-secure
browser based communications. A user can recognize the use of HTTP protocol when the URL
in their browser address bar begins with” http://”. HTTP with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is the
encryption standard that has evolved to support secure browser based communications. A user
can recognize the use of HTTP with SSL protocol when the URL in their browser address bar
begins with” https://”. SSL should be used for browser based collaboration tools when privacy
and security are required.
GoTo Meeting and Nomadesk are examples of applications that utilize software applications
that are installed locally on each computer that will access the application. Unlike standards
based encryption such as HTTP with SSL specific knowledge of each application is required to
determine the level of built-in encryption and other security features.
Ensuring Availability
Availability of business applications must be matched to the criticality of the business use.
Online collaboration tools that are used for mission critical applications need to be evaluated for
appropriate levels of availability. Availability can be broken down into 3 areas- the availability
of the client computer that an employee utilizes; the availability of the server that is hosting the
application; and the availability of the networks that are used to connect the client and server.
Browser accessed applications benefit from the ability to use any available computer with a
compatible browser to access the host application. If a client computer suffered hardware or
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software failure that could not be resolved in time for a needed collaboration, another computer
with a compatible browser could be used to access the application.
The application servers for collaboration tools are often hosted in data centers under the control
of the application provider. Application provider’s approach to redundancy should be evaluated
to ensure that a particular provider is appropriate for a particular business need. Network
availability includes both the private networks within homes and businesses and the public
internet. A network outage in either location will prevent the use of a collaboration tool.
Limiting Use to Authorized Users
Small groups of collaborators can easily determine if an uninvited guest is present during online
collaborations. The task of detection becomes more difficult as the number of participants
grows. Businesses should select collaboration tools that list attendees and allow for additional
means of user authentication such as meeting passwords to prevent uninvited guests from
monitoring collaborations. Emails containing collaboration links and meeting passwords can be
tempting targets for hackers attempting to steal such data for nefarious purposes.
Insure Collaboration Tools Can’t be Used by Hackers
Businesses that utilize collaboration tools must insure that these tools do not create unintended
opportunities for hackers to gain access to company computers and networks. The best way for
businesses that do not have expertise in computer security is to select collaboration tools that
are being selected by large companies. Large companies often have the network security
expertise to fully evaluate the security implications of computer applications. For example,
GoTo Meeting claims to be in use by all 500 of the Fortune 500 companies. When evaluating
solutions that do not have a large installed base of users additional scrutiny of security
implications is indicated.
Support for Existing Network Security Measures
Online collaboration tools should not require the weakening of existing firewall settings or other
network security applications. Browser accessed applications by definition will work in network
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environments that allow HTTP traffic. Changes to firewall rules or other security settings
requested by collaboration tool application providers should be independently verified by a
qualified network security professional.
Collaboration tools can provide a secure and private environment within which virtual teams
can operate. Privacy and security can also be compromised by inattention to computer security
fundamentals. Businesses should apply a level of diligence to insuring proper tools and
configurations commensurate with the nature of the data that the team is sharing. In the case of
highly confidential data sharing we recommend that a computer data security specialist review
the collaboration applications and their configuration.
Cost
There are two types of costs to consider for virtual teams and their supporting technology: direct
and indirect. Direct costs are the most visible, as they relate to expenditures for software,
hardware, home offices, and travel. Indirect costs are difficult to quantify because they relate to
things that are obscured or hidden, such as excessive communication due to the limitations of a
text-based tool, such as email (Trzcielinski & Wypych-Zoltowska, 2008).
Direct Costs
Direct costs include those related to the purchase, installation, and maintenance of software and
hardware to support virtual teaming tools, such as internet connections, collaboration tools,
telephone and video conferencing, and computers. Additional direct costs include training
teams on the use of the virtual teaming technology, as well as training teams in the unique
interaction skills necessary for working in virtual teams. Other direct costs relate to the
additional management of virtual teams that are geographically and time zone dispersed.
Indirect Costs
Indirect costs include those related to the time it takes for teams to become proficient with using
virtual teaming tools, conflicting time zones, cultural differences, limitations of virtual
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communication, restrictions on management oversight and team coordination, lack of nonverbal communication, higher project transaction costs due to mistrust (Furumo, 2009), and
lack of emotional context in written communication. These indirect costs are difficult to
quantify, but their existence can easily be observed in poor team performance, team member
disengagement, misuse or failure to use tools, and conflicting deliverables.
In this report the team will discuss direct costs related to the virtual teaming tools we were
requested to review. The team recommends that further costs analysis be performed to assess
the total direct costs associated with establishing and maintaining virtual teams and tools.
Technology
Communications technology is the cornerstone of virtual teaming. Without the advances in
communications technologies over the last twenty years, effective virtual teaming would not be
possible. The introduction of the internet to commercial interests in the early 1990’s was the
first step towards the creation of truly viable virtual teams (Wellman, Salaff, Dimitrova, Garton,
Gulia, & Haythornthwaite, 1996). As such, many of the tools available today rely on the internet
for their functionality. In addition, advances in computer technology made during the same
time frame lowered the cost of desk top computers making them widely available. This has had
the effect of placing a computer on the desk of almost every office worker today. The
significance is that every office worker now has the potential of participating on a virtual team.
This is allowing companies to leverage their best talent regardless of their geographical location.
Today, there are a myriad of technologies available to facilitate the activities of a virtual team.
Choice of technology to use at any given time can be determined by the format and complexity of
the information to be shared, as well as its time sensitivity. It is recommended that the
technology should be chosen on a minimum requirements basis. This will avoid any
unnecessary complications and resulting problems that can be associated with the use of
complex technology (Boule M. , 2008)
The technologies available can be broken into two distinct categories: synchronous and
asynchronous (The Pennsylvania State University, 2005). Synchronous technologies allow
information to be shared with other team members simultaneously. A conference call is an
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example of a synchronous technology. All attending members will receive the information at the
same time. An advantage to this is the ability to provide and receive feedback within a relatively
short interval. A major disadvantage is that synchronous technology is time bound; therefore all
members must be present in order to receive the message. On the other hand, asynchronous
technologies are not time bound and the information may be retrieved when it is convenient for
the individual team members to do so. Asynchronous technologies also serve the purpose of
record retention; the material can be referenced at a later date as needed. An example of an
asynchronous technology is an e-mail message. The disadvantage here is that feed back can be
significantly delayed. Each of these technologies is discussed in detail below. The technologies
are presented in an ascending order of approximate complexity or accessibility.
Synchronous Technologies
Telephony – The telephone is probably the most accessible tool in the virtual team’s arsenal.
Telephones are widely available and telephone conversations are instantaneous; a great deal can
be accomplished in a short period of time. Cellular telephones also allow team members to stay
in contact with one another even when they are away from their primary workstations.
Conference calls allow the participation of the entire team. The primary disadvantage of
telephony is the inability for the speakers to see and receive feedback from the audience’s body
language (The Pennsylvania State University, 2005). An additional disadvantage is the absence
of a lasting record of the conversation due to the fact that recording telephone conversations is
not a regular activity.
The minimum requirements are a telephone and a working phone line. It may also be necessary
to subscribe to a service if conferencing is desired. The basic telephone can also be augmented
with a speaker phone or a hands free headset. These devices allow the team members to
perform other tasks while using the telephone. Cellular telephones can range from basic call
devices to complex devices with accessibility to the internet.
Instant Messaging/Chat room – Instant messaging is a very useful tool when messages are
relatively short, casual, and no lasting record is required. This allows members to communicate
with other members instantaneously on an as needed basis. Conversations, therefore, can be
kept short and to the point. This minimizes the disruption of the parties involved and allows
them to continue with their task at hand.
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Video Conferencing- Video Conferencing services allow users to emulate an actual face to face
meeting by combining video as well as audio. In addition to the benefits of conference calls,
users also have the ability to receive cues from other participant’s facial expressions and
gestures. This allows the speaker to modify their discussion in response to these various cues
for more effective message delivery. Early video conferencing systems required a dedicated
facility (Townsend, DeMarie, & Hendrickson, Aug., 1998). Today, however, the only
requirements are a computer, a webcam, a microphone, and a high-speed internet connection.
Online Collaboration Service– Online collaboration services combine many of the technologies
already discussed as well as allowing team members access to a central repository for their data.
Files can be stored, reviewed, modified, and re-submitted for review by the other team
members. This also has a side benefit of allowing managers and other team members to
monitor and comment on other team member’s individual tasks. Many of these services also
provide instant messaging, voice conversation, an electronic whiteboard, and video conferencing
as well as the file sharing features. This allows one tool to be used to access the various
technologies discussed.
The minimum equipment required for online collaboration is a computer and an internet
connection (a web cam and a high speed internet connection would be required for video
conferencing of acceptable quality and reliability). While there are many free applications
available on the internet; a subscription is required if access is required for more than a handful
of participants. A disadvantage to using the free applications is that users may be subjected to
advertising which could be distracting to team members. Several online collaboration services
are reviewed in detail elsewhere in this report.
Asynchronous Technologies
Fax Machines - The fax machine allows users to copies of documents to other users using an
ordinary telephone line. Though this is older technology, it still retains its usefulness today.
This is especially true if the team is dealing with older documents that may only be available as a
hard-copy. The major disadvantage to using a fax machine is the lack of security. If the
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machine is located in facility used by other workers, an unintended viewer may gain access to
the document prior to its retrieval by the intended recipient.
E-mail – E-mail allows users to transmit messages to other team members via the internet. This
is very useful for distributing messages that are not time sensitive. Users are also able to share
files via e-mail for information sharing or document collaboration. E-mails can also be sent to
individual team members or to an entire team depending on the need. Because e-mail is so
popular today, the major disadvantage is that users may become overwhelmed by the volume of
messages received. If the volume is not managed, it can lead to many e-mails being ignored
altogether. This is especially true if many of the e-mails are not pertinent to the particular user.
Discussion Board - Discussion boards allow users to post messages in a forum. Individual
“threads” can be initiated by one user and are then commented on by other users in a pseudo
conversational format. The major disadvantage to discussion boards is that users must actively
access the board on a regular basis or the messages are not viewed.
All of these tools may be used independently or in unison according to the demands of the task
at hand. Again, it is very important for virtual teams to manage which technologies are used so
that their time is used effectively and efficiently. Of all of the options discussed, the online
collaboration services are very attractive and highly recommended as they offer a variety of
communications methods described within one application. This provides a common interface
for many tools a team member will use on a daily basis. As a result, users will become familiar
with the tools more quickly than if separate applications were used.
Training
Another aspect to consider regarding Virtual Teams is the level and types of training
necessary to make them effective. According to one study conducted, although many factors
combine to make virtual teams effective, there are three essential areas that must be
addressed if a team is to function well and be successful:

establishing trust and managing conflict among team members;

teambuilding; and,

utilizing communications technology.
(Act Locally, Think Virtually, 2005)
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Each of these aspects will be discussed briefly, as all other benefits of virtual teaming are often
lost if proper training is ignored.
Establishing Trust and Managing Conflict
During everyday business interaction, people have a tendency to evaluate one another based on
factors with which we are all familiar. Appearance, familiarity, perceived competence, for
instance, all factor into a personal judgment of a co-worker as someone to be trusted, or not
trusted. In virtual teams, none of those factors are available to individual team members to
assist in reaching a conclusion of trustworthiness. In fact, the temporary nature of many virtual
teams actually works against the building of trust within that team. However, the level of trust
within a virtual team can usually be directly connected to the level of success the team achieves.
One study has suggested high- trust teams better understand the “primacy of team-based goals”,
manage power struggles more effectively, and even interact socially more often, presumably
because they actually enjoy working together (Calloway & Awadzi, 2001).
In addition, there is evidence that virtual teams have greater difficulty managing conflict within
those teams, whether the issue arises from a lack of trust or not. Since conflict management and
successful team performance are directly related, it would be critical to implement conflict
resolution training. Some researchers believe that conflict is even more prevalent in virtual
teams than in face-to-face teams, making proper training in managing conflict even more vital
(Hinds & Mortensen, 2005)
Teambuilding
Closely tied to establishing trust and managing conflict, the benefits of teambuilding can’t be
overemphasized. The nature of virtual teams limits the interpersonal contact between
individual team members. As a result, some of the benefits associated with working together for
a common goal are lost. One study suggests that since natural team building that takes place
among face-to-face teams is typically not possible, specific team building activities for the virtual
team must be planned and even emphasized (Nunamaker, Reinig, & Briggs, 2009). It is not
difficult to connect the benefits of team building to the challenges of managing the process of
establishing trust and managing internal conflict.
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Using Communications Technology
Although this is not intended to be another discussion of technology as related to virtual
teaming, the issue of training on a chosen technology must be addressed. If individual team
members feel incapable of utilizing a specific technology, or even feel inadequately familiar with
its functionality, the overall effectiveness of the group will be impacted. One of the basics of
working in any team, virtual or otherwise, is communication. Several studies have called
communication the “basic condition” for effectiveness in a virtual team, and have suggested that
there is a direct relationship between competence in using a technology and communication
level (Trzcielinski & Wypych-Zołtowska, 2008). Although this may be overlooked, or
competency may be assumed, team success is often dependent on the training received for the
technology chosen.
SUMMARY PRODUCT EVALUATION
This section evaluates five internet-based tools that support virtual teaming: Dimdim Online
Collaboration, GoTo Meeting, Huddle, Vyew Instant Workspace, and Nomadesk. Each tool is
evaluated on at least the following functionality: support for virtual teaming, information
sharing, document sharing, document editing, project management, and meetings.
Dimdim Online Collaboration
Dimdim is a web meeting platform that allows a user to host or attend a live meeting, demo, or
webinar. By simply using a web browser, this meeting tool also allows users to share numerous
types of files without the installation of any software (Dimdim).
Virtual Teaming
Dimdim allows virtual teams of up to 20 attendees to meet for free, and is compatible on any PC,
Mac, or Linux machine that supports flash. For larger virtual meetings, Dimdim offers the
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ability for 50 team members to collaborate at a single meeting for $25 a month. After creating
an account, a member’s dashboard allows him to enter a current meeting, schedule a future
meeting, or view a schedule that lists upcoming meetings. Dimdim is a real-time, online
conferencing tool that enables users to share their desktop, show presentations, and collaborate
live, which are all functions that are critical for a successful virtual team.
Information Sharing
Dimdim allows users to share information through the whiteboard, the ability to use webcams,
microphones, and chat. Automatic meeting widgets are also offered so that meeting information,
such as date and time, can be sent to a personal blog or website. The meeting host can use the
widget invite other members and allow them to register for the meeting, sending them
confirmation emails and notification when the meeting actually starts. Another information
sharing component offered only by Dimdim is the record component. After recording a meeting,
Dimdim will send you a link that can be shared with members so that the content can be
reviewed or experienced for the first time for those who could not attend.
Document Sharing
Dimdim enables user to share their screen with all other members of the meeting. Users have
the ability to show anything that is seen in their web browser to any other attending member. In
addition, using the laser pointer and annotation and zoom tools allows for further document
synchronization, as changes made to your screen will also be made to other members’ screens.
Documents can be shared, edited, and managed through the whiteboard. Dimdim only offers
document sharing while the meeting is taking place. Documents cannot be shared and viewed
with other members unless they are present at the meeting.
Document Editing
Like document sharing, document editing can only occur while the meeting is taking place.
Document editing is done through the whiteboard, and any participant can make comments or
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edit the information on the whiteboard. However, the host does have the ability to lock the other
members out so that only he can make changes to the current document. Dimdim does not have
a file management system. In other words, the only opportunity to edit a document is during a
meeting. There is not a way to upload a file for other members to view at a later date.
Project Management
This tool is not very well suited for managing projects. It is basically a web-based conferencing
tool. The dashboard’s only options are “Show Computer Screen,” “Show Whiteboard,” “Show
Presentation,” and “Show Web Page” These are all tools for interacting in real time with other
team members. A tool better equipped for project management would allow members to edit
documents outside of the conference.
Meetings
Dimdim’s main function is for holding meetings over the web. A meeting is scheduled by one
person and then invitations are sent out to the designated team members with the meeting’s
time and date. Dimdim is able to keep track of a user’s scheduled meetings. A meeting’s host has
the ability to turn on or off Dimdim’s various features, such as chat private or chat public and
the camera and microphone options. Other meeting options include a countdown timer,
recording of the meeting, and the ability to show the chat transcript after the meeting. In
addition, members are provided with a dial-in number so that they are able to listen in on the
meeting if they cannot be at a computer.
Plans and Pricing
The Basic plan for a Dimdim account is free and permits up to 20 project team members.
Dimdim Pro has three levels: a 20 team member version for $99 per year, a 50 team member
version for $228 per year, and a 100 team member version for $468 per year.
14
Conclusion
Overall, Dimdim provides a great place for virtual teams to meet and communicate. Its unique
recording tool allows even those members who could not attend the virtual meeting to still be
able to review the contents of the meeting. However, this conferencing tool is not ideal to
provide virtual teams with a workspace.
GoTo Meeting
GoTo Meeting is a desktop sharing application that allows virtual teams to view a presenter’s
screen over the internet. Presenters and attendees must load a small client application the first
time they access GoTo Meeting. GoTo meeting requires each participant have a computer and
an internet connection. Voice support for collaborations is supported by either a dial in
Conference Bridge or by computer microphone and speakers using the built in voice over IP
(VOIP) support.
Virtual Teaming
GoTo Meeting allows organizers to schedule meetings and send email notifications or to create
meetings on the fly. GoTo Meeting allows presenters to share the contents of their computer
screen with up to 15 or 25 attendees based on the plan purchased. The presenter can also pass
control of their keyboard and mouse to any attendee or allow any attendee to share their screen
with the group. Meetings can be recorded for future replay. This feature can be used to allow an
absent team member to review the meeting at a later time.
Information Sharing
Presenters can pass control of their keyboard and mouse to specific attendees to allow editing of
a file. The presentation role can also be passed to another attendee and the same procedure can
be followed. There is a drawing tool menu that contains a markup pen and highlighter. When
these tools are used they affect what is displayed but they do not change the underlying file
itself.
15
Document Sharing
GoToMeeting allows the sharing of documents by either sharing a user’s desktop or an
application (e.g., Microsoft Word) during a meeting session. However, once the meeting is over
the shared document only resides on one user’s computer, not in a common workspace.
Document Editing
As mentioned above with document sharing, document editing is facilitated by sharing a user’s
desktop or an application. During the editing process the document being edited resides on one
user’s computer.
Project Management
GoToMeeting is not designed as a project management tool and does not have the features
expected of such a tool (e.g., task lists, task interdependencies, and task resource allocations).
Meetings
A Chat window is included in the meeting applet so attendees can communicate with each other
using text messages. GoToMeeting also provides integrated audio as a standard feature. This
feature allows all attendees to connect via traditional phones or using VOIP. One issue with the
traditional phone conference bridge is that a long distance phone number is used.
Plans and Pricing
A GoToMeeting account is available for $468 per year, which allows up to 15 team members.
16
Conclusion
GoTo meeting is strong tool for team meeting. It’s administrative and screen sharing is very
well executed. Document collaboration is clumsy with the limitation of one editor at a time
being manually controlled by the presenter. If additional features such as video feeds of
participants and file synchronization are not requirements, GoTo Meeting warrants strong
consideration.
Huddle
Huddle is a web-based service provided over an internet connection and accessed using a web
browser. The web application is designed around a “workspace” concept that provides
“powerful project and collaboration tools” (Huddle).
Virtual Teaming
Huddle provides a wide range of features to support project, meeting and document
management within a virtual teaming environment; three important functions for all virtual
teams. Huddle provides discussion forums that facilitate brainstorming among users, the ability
to create, upload, edit, and manage documents, whiteboards and wikis to post and discuss ideas,
team notifications for important messages, tasks lists and calendars to manage milestones and
deliverables, and virtual meetings via phone and computer to facilitate discussions.
Information Sharing
Information sharing within Huddle occurs through workspaces, discussions boards,
whiteboards, and posted documents. A workspace provides information related to a specific
project such as files, tasks, meetings, and discussions. Discussion boards provide tools to
manage and track ongoing conversations among team members over the life of the project.
Whiteboards are a method of sharing and brainstorming ideas among team members, both in
textual as well as graphical form. Posted documents facilitate information sharing by various
types of documents, such as reports, presentations, spreadsheets, pictures, and videos.
17
Document Sharing
The file sharing feature of Huddle is similar to a file hierarchy that is familiar to most users of
personal computers. Users can establish folders and subfolders to organize their files into user
defined categories. Files are uploaded to these folders and various types of files may be
uploaded, such as Microsoft Word documents and Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. Files
can be shared with others, within or outside of teams and within or outside of a user’s
organization. Users can also indicate if another user needs to approve a document after it is
uploaded into a Huddle file folder. Additionally, files are stored securely in the Huddle
application.
Document Editing
The Huddle application provides document versioning and editing capabilities. Huddle will
keep track of each version of a file that is created and edited, it locks files for editing to prevent
concurrent changes, it provides audit trails to track changes made to a file, and it also allows a
user to edit certain types of documents within a web browser.
Project Management
Huddle has a large suite of tools that assist with project management tasks. The central tool is a
dashboard that displays activities across all project workspaces a use either owns or is a
member. For example, task list, files waiting approval, calendar of events, notifications from
other team members, and synchronization of projects with desktop applications.
Meetings
The meeting feature of Huddle allows a user to view all relevant meetings in one place, meetings
either the scheduled by the user or invitations they received and accepted for meetings owned by
other users. Meetings can be easily scheduled by filling out a meeting request form with all
18
pertinent information, such as meeting title, location, date, time, contact information for phone
or web conferencing, and meeting attendees. Scheduled meetings appear on the Huddle team
calendar and a meeting request is sent to everyone who is invited to the meeting; accepting the
meeting adds it to a user’s desktop calendar application, such as Microsoft Outlook.
Plans and Pricing
Huddle has several pricing plans:

1 workspace, 1 manager, no web conferencing, and unlimited users for $8 per month

5 workspaces, 1 manager, 5 web conference participants, and unlimited users for $40 per
month

10 workspaces, 1 manager, 10 web conference participants, and unlimited users for $72
per month

25 workspaces, up to 10 managers, 25 web conference participants, and unlimited users
for $200 per month

Unlimited workspaces, unlimited managers, 50 web conference participants, and
unlimited users for $8 per month, per user.
Conclusion
Overall, Huddle is a well rounded tool to support key aspects of virtual teaming, such as
calendars, meeting spaces, document sharing and editing, and discussion boards. However, the
workspaces can become cluttered with too much information, making it difficult to quickly
locate important information. Navigation is also somewhat difficult because each screen or
section (e.g., file sharing and discussion boards) does not have easy visual cues, such as different
color schemes, to inform the user that they are using a particular function.
19
Vyew Instant Workspace
Vyew is a browser based collaboration service that allows virtual teams to communicate and
share files in an in an intuitive and easy to use interface. Being browser based means there is no
software to download. All that is required to begin using Vyew is a computer and an internet
connection. If video conferencing is desired then a web cam will be required and high speed
internet connection is recommended.
Virtual Teaming
Vyew allows users to create individual workbooks, called VyewBooks, where meetings and team
collaboration take place. The tool allows users to upload and share files as well as providing
several communications choices including chat, audio conferencing and video conferencing.
This allows users to choose minimum technology required to perform whatever task is needed.
Information Sharing
The interface presents the shared files in an electronic whiteboard format. This allows users to
add “sticky notes”, side bar notes, basic text and highlighting marks. The tool does not allow for
direct changes to the file itself. These must be made outside of Vyew using the appropriate
software. Team members should also be aware that the eraser tool treats the original file the
same as a markup. This can result in the inadvertent deletion of the document page if a user
clicks on the document itself.
Document Sharing
The file sharing tool worked very well. Files are easily uploaded into the appropriate VyewBook
and are easily viewed. Files can also be downloaded if the users have permission to do so. One
issue here is that the tool does not automatically provide the file extension prior to the
download. Users should be aware that they will need to add the specific file extension to the file
name prior completing the download process.
20
Document Editing
As mentioned previously, Vyew does not permit direct editing of a file; the file must be edited in
the application in which it was created (e.g., Microsoft Word).
Project Management
Vyew is not designed as a project management tool and does not have the features expected of
such a tool (e.g., task lists, task interdependencies, and task resource allocations).
Meetings
The Chat tool is a basic interface where a team member can communicate with the rest of the
team via short text messages. A nice feature is that the ensuing conversations may be saved for
future reference. The Voice conferencing tool works similar to a conventional conference call
where users can communicate directly with multiple team members at once. One flaw that was
noticed during testing was the introduction of static or “noise” when more than one microphone
was opened. Because of the degradation of sound quality associated with this, it is
recommended that team member make disciplined use of the push to talk button and turn off
their microphone immediately after delivering their message. The video conferencing feature
worked well and video quality was acceptable though the window for the video is quite small.
Additionally, the microphone issue is present here also so the above recommendations still
apply.
Plans and Pricing
There are three plans provided by Vyew and the cost for access ranges from free for the basic
service to $13.95 for the “Professional Service”. Each level provides an unlimited number of
meetings and SSL Secure login. The main difference between the price levels is the number of
active participants allowed to simultaneously access a VyewBook. In addition to the number of
21
participants, the number of VyewBooks and the page quantity is also determined by the pricing
level. Below are detailed descriptions of each price level:


Basic/Free Service is available at no cost to the account holder.
o
Maximum number of users is limited to 10.
o
Maximum number of VyewBooks is limited to 20.
o
Maximum number of VyewBook pages is limited to 50.
o
Users may be subjected to advertising.
Plus Service – This service is provided at a cost of $6.95 a month per account.
o
Maximum number of users is 10 with an option to add additional users at
a rate of $5.00 per month for 5 additional users.

o
Maximum number of VyewBooks is increased to 50.
o
Maximum number of VyewBook pages is increased to 200.
o
Users are not subjected to advertisements at this level.
Professional Service – This service is provided at a cost of $13.95 a month per
account.
o
Maximum number of users is 15 with an option to add additional users at
a rate of $5.00 per month for 5 additional users.
o
Maximum number of VyewBooks is increased to 150.
o
Maximum number of VyewBook pages is increased to 500.
o
Users are not subjected to advertisements at this level.
Conclusion
Overall the tool functions well and is relatively inexpensive. Though document collaboration
can be achieved, the tool functions better as a file sharing and meeting tool. This is especially
true when there is a need to present material to a larger group.
Nomadesk
Nomadesk is a service developed with the “digital nomad” in mind. Business people who rely on
laptops, or who are in several different locations throughout their workday are the target
customer for this service. As stated on the Nomadesk.com website, “Nomadesk develops the
world's first virtual fileserver that enables both online and offline document management. The
22
Nomadesk on-demand file sharing software enables…geographically dispersed professionals to
securely share, store, synchronize and backup files from any location, whether offline or online
(Nomadesk).”
Virtual Teaming
Nomadesk is primarily a tool to “share, synchronize, and backup files” (Nomadesk) and
therefore, as a virtual teaming tool, it is limited in its support of virtual team activities (e.g.,
online discussions, scheduling and holding meetings, and managing task lists).
Information Sharing
Information sharing on Nomadesk is essentially limited to sharing files. The tool does not
provide whiteboards, wikis, blogs, or other team information exchange functions.
Document Sharing
Essentially, Nomadesk allows for easy and safe storing and sharing of documents. The user can
share a document with anyone he/she chooses relatively easily, and can determine whether or
not that person can view that document, edit that document, or both. One of the nice features of
the service is the access to documents without an active network connection. This provides
extreme flexibility to the user, making this feature a tremendous asset to someone whose
business day is constantly mobile.
Document Editing
Nomadesk facilitates document editing using the program that originally created a document.
The strength of Nomadesk is that it synchronizes a copy of a file across multiple computers so
that participants always have the most updated version of the file.
23
Project Management
Nomadesk does not have tools for effective project management.
Meetings
Nomadesk is not designed to facilitate virtual team meetings.
Plans and Pricing
The “Personal Fileserver” plan is designed for an individual user. The user has the capability to
save files on up to 3 different computers. As changes are made to a document on one computer,
the changes are automatically updated to all other computers. However, this service level does
not support team collaboration. The cost for this service is $50 per year.
The “Team Fileserver” plan is available for teams wishing to share and collaborate on
documents. The administrator can synchronize to an unlimited number of computers, but
maintains control over the accessibility to the documents. Given a virtual team environment,
this is the service necessary to effectively produce team documents. The cost for this service is
$15 per month.
Conclusion
Nomadesk is a very cost-effective tool for storing, managing and accessing documents, but that
is where the benefits of this product end. It would be difficult to utilize in a virtual team
environment where real time collaboration on documents is desired, and it provides no other
communication tools. The emphasis of Nomadesk is definitely on document management,
either for individuals or teams depending on the service level chosen.
24
PRODUCT COMPARISON
Employing a “hands-on” product testing method the team evaluated and scored all the products,
relative to each other, for each key function under review: support for virtual teaming,
information sharing, document sharing, project management, and meetings. The team used a
relative rating scale from zero to five. A zero rating indicates that a product either does not
possess a particular feature or it indicates that the product was evaluated as the worst performer
for a feature. Conversely, a five rating indicates that the product’s feature was superior to all the
other products.
Product Ratings
The results of the evaluation indicate that the two best products are Huddle and Dimdim Online
Collaboration, with Huddle rated the best product overall. The worst two products are
GoToMeeting and Nomadesk, with GoToMeeting rated as the worst product overall. Vyew
Instant Workspace was rated slightly better than the two worst products, but its score was
almost half of the two best products (Table 1).
Total Score
23
GoToMeeting
1
2
1
1
0
3
8
Huddle
4
4
4
5
5
4
26
Vyew
3
3
2
2
0
2
12
Nomadesk
2
1
3
3
0
0
9
25
Project
5
Editing
1
Document
2
Sharing
5
Document
5
Sharing
5
Teaming
Dimdim
Product
Virtual
Meetings
Management
Information
Table 1: Product Feature Comparison
Relative Rating scale (0 to 5): Zero indicates product did not have a feature or was the worst, and five indicates that the product was
the best.
Pricing Plan Comparisons
Pricing plans vary widely among the five products. Product costs were estimated on a per
account basis (i.e., project manager would own the product account and each product had to
allow participation of up to ten team members). Vyew was the lowest cost option at $83 per
year for each account, followed by $180 for Nomadesk, $228 for Dimdim, $468 for
GoToMeeting, and $864 for Huddle (Chart 1).
Chart 1: Total Annual Cost per Account
Total Annual Cost Per Account
$1,000
$864
Cost
$800
Dimdim
$600
$400
GoToMeeting
$468
Huddle
$228
$200
$-
$83
Product
$180
Vyew
Nomadesk
Total annual costs for the company were also calculated assuming no more than 20 virtual
project teams annually (i.e., 20 product accounts annually). Approximate total annual costs for
each product are: Vyew at $1,600, Nomadesk at $3,600, Dimdim at $4,500, GoToMeeting at
$9,300 and Huddle at $17,300 (Chart 2).
26
Chart 2: Total Annual Cost for 20 Teams
Total Annual Cost for 20 Teams
$20,000
$17,280
Dimdim
Cost
$15,000
$5,000
$-
GoToMeeting
$9,360
$10,000
$4,560
$1,668
$3,600
Product
Huddle
Vyew
Nomadesk
RECOMMENDATION
Only one product out of the five had all the functionality necessary to support virtual teams,
particularly support for project management tasks; this product is Huddle. All the other
products lacked either key functions, such as the ability to store documents in a central
repository, or their functionality was limited. Using a product that lacked key features would
require the company to invest in additional tools to support virtual teams, thus increasing costs.
Therefore, although Huddle is the highest cost of the five tools, its rich functionality is best
suited for the virtual teams the company will continue to deploy on critical projects. However,
the evaluation team recommends a trial period for Huddle using five project teams selected for
project complexity, as well as team geographic and cultural diversity.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
The following is a high-level plan to implement Huddle. The full implementation of the product
will occur in three phases. Phase one will involve a trial of the tool with five project teams. This
trial will allow the company to learn how project teams use Huddle in a real project setting
before fully committing to the tool. The additional two phases will implement the tool with the
remaining 15 virtual teams, allowing each phase to generate additional data on how the tool is
used and facilitating adjustments to training (Table 2).
27
Table 2: Implementation Phases
Phase I: Trial (5 teams)
Phase II: Roll-out (5
Phase III: Roll-out (10
teams)
teams)
Steps:
Steps:
Steps:
1.1 Obtain 5 accounts
2.1 Obtain 5 accounts
3.1 Obtain 5 accounts
1.2 Train teams
2.2 Train teams
3.2 Train teams
1.3 Deploy Product
2.3 Deploy Product
3.3 Deploy Product
1.4 Gather Data
2.4 Gather Data
3.4 Gather Data
1.5 Evaluate Product
2.5 Lessons Learned
3.5 Lessons Learned
1.6 Lessons Learned
2.6 Adjust Training
3.6 Evaluate Further Roll-out
1.7 Adjust Training
The implementation phases will occur in three month intervals, with the first phase taking a full
six months to allow for a robust evaluation of the tool. Using this timeline, and assuming full
adoption of the tool after the trial period, we anticipate the tool to be fully deployed within 12
months from the date that the first five accounts are obtained (Chart 3).
28
Chart 3: Timeline of Implementation Phases and High-Level Steps
Months
1
2
3
4
5
6
1.4
1.5
1.6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1.1
1.2
1.2
1.3
1.3
1.4
1.7
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
29
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