Editing Collaborative software (section)

===Levels of collaboration===
Groupware can be divided into three categories depending on the level of [[collaboration]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intranetjournal.com/faq/lotusbible.html |title=Groupware - Communication, Collaboration and Coordination |publisher=Lotus Development Corporation |year=1995 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713051554/http://www.intranetjournal.com/faq/lotusbible.html |archive-date=July 13, 2011 }}</ref><ref>Casalino N., Draoli M. (2009), “Governance and Organizational Aspects of an Experimental Groupware in the Italian Public Administration to Support Multi-Institutional Partnerships”, in Information Systems: People, Organizations, Institutions, and Trchnologies, D’Atri A., Saccà D. (Eds.), Physica-Verlag, Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, pp. 81-89, {{ISBN|978-3-7908-2147-5}}, doi 10.1007/978-3-7908-2148-2_11</ref>

# '''Communication''' can be thought of as unstructured interchange of information. A phone call and an [[instant messaging]] discussion are examples.
# '''Conferencing''' (or collaboration level, as it is called in academic papers) refers to interactive work toward a shared goal. Brainstorming and voting are examples.
# '''Coordination''' refers to complex interdependent work toward a shared goal. A good metaphor is to think about a sports team; everyone has to contribute the right play at the right time as well as adjust their play to the unfolding situation - but everyone is doing something different - in order for the team to win. It is complex interdependent work toward a shared goal.