Tool Orchestration in e-Collaboration

Abstract

In this study the authors start by highlighting the lack of a “tool orchestration” framework in e-collaboration environments (either for work or learning purposes). To address this issue, they propose the MAPIS3 software architecture to efficiently manage the key problem in tool orchestration, which is the efficient data transfer among various tools used in e-collaboration activities. To evaluate their proposal, they present a case study of a flexible e-collaboration scenario that cannot be implemented automatically with any known architectures or tools. This scenario entails transfer and processing of students' collaboration data emerging originally in a chat tool to an IMS-LD compatible application (“player”) and, finally, to a Moodle installment forum. The overall implementation was evaluated both from the developer's and the student's perspective. Results indicate that seamless data flow establishing tool orchestration can be achieved by the proposed approach in a cost-efficient and flexible manner. Moreover, the authors highlight and discuss how data flow and flexible management supported by the architecture may have a profound impact on the quality of users' collaboration.