A methodology for redesigning the collaborative processes with undesirable multi-way task dependency

As a first effort in analysis, design and implementation of a specialised collaborative database that maintains records of collaborative structures for business applications, an innovative methodology for planning, analysis and design of such databases is introduced. This methodology was based on an awareness model in which awareness is defined in terms of collaborative semantic concepts such as actors, roles, and artefacts. Also, a LotusNOTES-based software called AWT (aware-ware template) was introduced in that paper for implementing the methodology of that study. According to that methodology awareness levels of the actors can be assessed, raised and maintained at desired/required levels. One practical limitation of that methodology which creates inefficiency and unnecessary overhead problems was that each simple task must participate in one, and only one collaborative task. In other words, during the design phase of the collaborative process, no simple task could be linked to more than one other simple task. The question in this paper is that how to apply AWT software to a collaborative process where a simple task already is designed to be related to more than one other simple task without loss of efficiency and clarity. This paper provides a guideline for redesigning such collaborative process in a way that the requirements of the AWT are met without any arbitration or loss of originality and integrity in the collaborative process. To further, clarify the technical issues involved in this enhanced methodology a case study representing a collaborative process called 'cohort of students' is used.