User interface analysis for groupware applications in the TOUCHE process model

Groupware applications require a special attention during the first development stages since, in addition to interactions of the users with the system, interactions among the users through the system should be considered. The methodological approach we present in this paper is part of a complete process model called TOUCHE. The proposal is based on several models to perform the analysis of CSCW systems. The methodology presented to address the analysis stage provides the mechanisms to specify the organization of the participants of a system, the roles they play, the interaction of the users within the system and the interaction among the different participants through the system, i.e., person–computer–person interaction. The integration within the process model is also slightly depicted. The artefacts of the whole process are robustly connected, what facilitates the inter and the intra-stage traceability. Finally, a case study is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposal.