Document Review Meets Social Software and the Learning Sciences

Abstract

Collaborative review of documents is an integral process in many fields and enterprises. Yet, most knowledge workers are dissatisfied with current practices and products, especially when several or more contributors are involved. Today, a new approach to document review is urgently required to meet the growing needs of the global economy and to improve the outcomes of document-centered group work. Although many products available today have provisions for shared annotation, co-editing, and co-authoring of content, a satisfactory solution remains elusive for a variety of reasons. A product developed by the author and others offers a unique solution to the problem of document review by enabling several or more contributors to carry on threaded discussions tied to specific sections of a page. Such capabilities enhance the document as a medium for negotiating meaning and, potentially, provide a practical approach to harnessing the cognitive and social interaction potential of groups.