the int.unity internet platform BSCW

Multilingual Telecooperation –
The int.unity BSCW Platform
Thomas Koch
OrbiTeam Software GmbH
Final Symposium int.unity
Brussels, 28 January 2004

CSCW – Computer Support for
Cooperative Work
! Computer-supported cooperative work
– Multidisciplinary research field
– Information sciences, sociology, organizational
theory, etc.
– Support mechanisms in cooperative work
! Possibilities and limits
– CSCW systems
! Systems that support cooperative work
! Analysis, design, classification and evaluation
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CSCW – Motivation
! Starting point
– Group of people with one mutual task/aim
! People from different organizations
! With different languages, time zones, systems
– Problems in cooperation
! Due to insufficient information technology
! Loss of time and information in communications
! Coordination problems, inefficiency
! Information flooding
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CSCW – Aims
! To improve cooperation through
– Use of adequate technology
– Faster information transfer
– Better use of existing knowledge
(e.g. Knowledge Management)
– Support of more flexible organizations
(e.g. virtual teams)
– Great employee motivation
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Classification of CSCW Tools
! Communication
– Message sending, conferences
– Users dispersed or at same place
! Cooperation – mutual information spaces
– Joint, simultaneous processing
– Asynchronous cooperative work
! Coordination
– Scheduling, process planning, structured workflows
– Implementing group activities according to causal and
temporal dependencies
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The BSCW Groupware Platform
! Groupware System
– Software for asynchronous cooperative work
! Basic Support for Cooperative Work
– Platform for the support of dispersed cooperative groups
– Concept: Shared Workspaces
! Manner of work
– Knowledge sharing within working groups
– Archiving of relevant information by members of the working
group
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BSCW – How It Works
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! Easy system access
– From own PC via the Internet
– Via a web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer)
– Registration with name and PIN
! Access to documents
– Document storage on
(central) BSCW server
– User transfers documents
! From PC to server
! From server to PC
– Access control, versions,
working groups, etc.
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Thomas Koch

Use of BSCW in the int.unity Project
! Joint workspaces for
project members
! Cooperation in topicrelated
groups
(teams)
! Exchange of
documents in
German & English
! Access to language
tools
! Information forum
discussions
(threaded news)
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CSCW Aspects in the int.unity
Project
! Easy access for participating
users
– No complicated software
installation
– Dynamic working groups
! Change Awareness
– Event history in workspace
– Daily news via e-mail
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Use of BSCW in int.unity
! Project management
– OrbiTeam operates BSCW server for int.unity
! http://intunity.orbiteam.de
– Current project documentation
– Content discussion in project groups
! Expansion of functionality
– Alignment of BSCW system to project requirements
! Through software development
– Integration of the language technology
! In cooperation with project partners
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Project Aims and Demands
! Project aims
– Provision of a technical platform for site-dispersed,
multilingual telecooperation between trade unions
– Setup of a virtual network between the participating unions
– Knowledge sharing of virtual teams in three current
themes of union work
! User requests
– Easy support in the use of complex language tools
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Integration of the Language
Technology
! Practical implementation
– Integration of two essential tools for language
technology
! CLAT – language control
! AT – automated translation
! User viewpoint
– Optional language control of documents
! Suggestions for possible language improvements
– Automated translation of documents
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Language Control
! CLAT = language control
– Checks documents before translation
– Feedback for user
! Integration
– User can “check” document
– CLAT document application in BSCW
– Results of language control stored in BSCW
– User notified (via e-mail)
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Language Control: User Viewpoint
! User writes document
– Choice of language
! … starts language control
– Selects options for
CLAT tool
! Results visible in BSCW
– New document in
personal area
– Critical spots are marked
– Further information in
additional window
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Automated Translation
! Integration of automated translation
– Use after language control and
optimization by author
– Source document must be stored on platform (BSCW)
– Destination document also stored on platform
! Entry formats for translation
– Documents (tech. restriction: HTML format)
– Messages (in discussion forums, no language control)
– Free texts (ad-hoc translation, e.g. for e-mail)
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Document Processing
! User creates document
– Document is uploaded to personal area of system
! User starts language control of document
– Choice of interesting control messages (grammar, spelling, etc.)
! System creates control text for user
– Original text noting critical text sections
! User revises document
– Changes according to messages from control text
– Document is replaced in BSCW
! User starts translation of the document
– Selects source and destination languages
! System delivers translated document
– Result of the automated translation of revised text
! User releases documents to group
– Transfer of original document and translation
to shared workspace
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Technical Integration: Architecture
BSCW server
text
user
document
(.html)
{de}
{en}
XML (.xml)
CLAT processor
(local)
CLAT
feedback
HTML
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AT server
(remote)
Thomas Koch

AT Integration: Technology
! Distributed translation service
– AT engine offers service via network
– Remote Procedure Call (XML-RPC)
– API for system integration with BSCW
! Staggered flow
– User requests translation in BSCW
– BSCW sends document to AT server
– AT server carries out translation (…)
– AT server notifies BSCW of result
– BSCW fetches translation result from AT server
– BSCW notifies user (e-mail)
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CLAT Integration: Technology
! Integration of external application
– CLAT processor runs on BSCW server
– BSCW transfers document and parameters to CLAT processor
– Pre-processing of the document (HTML cleaner)
– CLAT issues in XML format
– Visualization via BSCW (HTML rendering)
! Technical restriction: document format
– Documents for language control / translation in HTML format
– BSCW offers conversion service (Word2Html)
– Information on storage of MS Word documents in HTML
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Informal Multilingual Cooperation
! Discussion forums
– Short texts in topic-related forums
– User can create, read and reply to
messages
– Forum as annotation
with regard to document
! Application in int.unity
– Intensive use within teams
– User request: automat. translation of
messages
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Discussion Forums: Translation
! User creates message
– In ‘own’ language
(here: German)
– System creates automat.
translation
– Portrayal of message in original
language and translation
(user request!)
! User reads message
– In ‘own’ language
(here: English)
– and replies to message…
! Discussion with no language
barriers!
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Translation of Free Text
! User request:
– Simple, ad-hoc translation
– Without language control
– Without document
! Realization
– Simple form
– Text entry (or Copy & Paste)
– Direct translation result
! Application
– Preparation of brief texts
– Correspondence (e-mail!)
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Summary
! Support of trade union cooperation
– Through the use of technological tools
! Internet-based cooperation platform BSCW
– Easy access from London, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt,...
– Central storage of jointly discussed documents
– System supplies context for documents
! Language tools CLAT and AT
– Simple translation of documents
– Aid to improve language quality
– Multilingual discussions
– Through user cooperation!
! Thanks to ver.di and CWU
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Further Information
! int.unity
www.intunity.org (Homepage)
intunity.orbiteam.de (BSCW platform)
! BSCW
www.bscw.de
! OrbiTeam
www.orbiteam.de
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