COOPerator's issue-space

The discussion facility or issue-space is a subset of the shared workspace within which the group members can discuss all sorts of problems in a structured manner. In contrast with mail messages and annotations, the nodes that make up the issue-space are always accessible to all co-authors.

COOPerator's discussion tool is based on gIBIS which is described by Begeman and Conklin [1988]. gIBIS is a very comprehensive discussion environment. Within the context of a co-writing tool like The COOPerator such an elaborate instrument for debating would overshoot its mark. Therefore, COOPerator's discussion environment is a simplified derivative of gIBIS. The following figure, which was adapted from Meijer [1994], shows the structure of a discussion:

A group member can contribute to the discussion in three ways:

• He can coin an issue which he thinks is worth discussing or
• he can react to an issue by stating his position with regard to that issue or
• he may respond to a position by issueing either supportive arguments or counterarguments.

Between these contributions, four possible relationships exist:

• an issue may be about another issue that is already subject to discussion. In this case, the former issue represents a split off of the latter;
• a position is always brought in regarding an issue;
• an argument can either be in favour of a position or
• may be against a position.

Some problems may not be solved using the discussion facility. As examples of issues which may not be resolved through computer-mediated discussion, Meijer mentions urgent problems (which are, indeed, difficult to unravel in an asynchronous interaction environment) or emotional problems for which the computer is not the right means of communication. In any of these cases, the agenda may be used to plan a face-to-face group meeting.

Due to time constraints, the issue space has never been incorporated into the first prototype of COOPerator's client application.