J. Favela and D. Decouchant (Eds.): CRIWG 2003, LNCS 2806, pp. 300–313, 2003. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003 A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing the Use of Context in Groupware Márcio G.P. Rosa 1 , Marcos R.S. Borges 2 , and Flavia M. Santoro 2 1 Departamento de Ciências da Computação/UFRJ Caixa Postal 2324, Rio de Janeiro, 20001-970, RJ, Brasil marciorosa@frb.br 2 Departamento de Ciências da Computação and NCE/UFRJ Caixa Postal 2324, Rio de Janeiro, 20001-970, RJ, Brasil {mborges,flaviams}@nce.ufrj.br Abstract. This article presents a conceptual framework for the identification and classification of contextual elements included in groupware applications. Contextual elements store information that helps group members to characterize and to understand the interaction and its associate information. The conceptual framework can be used not only to guide the development of new groupware applications but also to analyze existing groupware. We illustrate the use of the framework in the analysis of three groupware tools. 1 Introduction The groupware support to cooperative groups aims at generating better results than when team members work together without computational support. Fast communica- tion channels for distributed teams and computerized memory are only two examples of where technology may enhance the group’s interaction. However, technology also gives rise to problems, which are hard to overcome, making existing complex tasks even harder to accomplish. One of the most important aspects in supporting cooperation is the context upon which interaction occurs among group members. Perhaps because in face to face interactions this aspect is almost taken for granted, many groupware tools have almost completely neglected the presentation of contextual information. Another reason may be due to the complexity of dealing with many kinds of context. Whichever is the case, however, the absence of support to contextual elements may reduce the value of the groupware and in some cases jeopardize its benefits. Contextual elements can be about group members, the group itself, the scheduled and the completed tasks, the interaction that led to the concluded task and about the environment where the interaction took place. This information helps group members to know each other and be aware of their goals and the issues that influence them. With this information at hand, the group should be able to increase their level of awareness and cooperation. This paper addresses the identification and the representation of contextual ele- ments aimed at increasing the level of cooperation among group members. By explic- itly defining contextual elements, we believe we can help groupware designers in