SFSU ISYS 363 Group Project Part 1 MARINERS

1. Group Project Presentation - Mariners
San Francisco State University – ISYS 363 Section 1

2. Our Mission
• Our task is to find and test several software-based group collaboration tools that will make it
possible for our team to complete a multi-stage assignment regardless of whether or not we
can physically meet in person. We are expected to evaluate each tool based on knowledge we
have acquired while studying business and information systems. We are looking to compare
each tool’s effectiveness in helping us to combine our efforts and create a successful project
as well as its ease-of-use on all of our different digital devices. Only the most effective and
appropriate tools will make it through our stringent screening process
• All of the members of our group have dramatically different class schedules and live
scattered out all over the bay area. This means that we are never all at San Francisco State
University at the same time. We also have dramatically different work schedules. This means
we are not always available to be in front of our computers at the same time for a live
person-to-person chat. For this reason we will have to be able to send and receive important
messages to each other individually and to all members of the group as a whole. We must
also be able to work collaboratively on the same document. This means we will need to find
a service that provides an online location where we can take turns updating and editing the
same file.

3. The Parameters of the Project
• We will be researching video and audio conferencing solutions provided by
Google+ Hangouts, Skype, and Viber. We will be researching messaging and
bulletin-board services from Ilearn, SMS, FaceTime, Gmail, and Facebook. We
will be comparing online document collaboration and storage tools from Google
Drive, Dropbox, Box.com and Evernote.
• Some of the software tools we are researching provide secondary services in
addition to their intended purpose. Also some of them work together to provide
increased effectiveness through smooth multi-tasking. We plan to take into
account the increased utility provided by these certain versatile super-tools when
considering which software we will choose to implement in the latter parts of the
assignment. After learning everything we can about these tools and the services
they provide, we will single-out the five tools that work the best for our group’s
collaborative needs and briefly describe their attractive features as well as their
unfortunate shortcomings.
• The key leaders here are the Google products, Skype, and Facebook.

4. Google Drive
• Pros:
– Completely free to use up to 15 gigabyte storage limit (no trial period).
– Multi-Platform including Windows, Mac, IOS Mobile, and Android Mobile.
– Syncs Documents automatically as they are updated/changed.
• Cons:
– Requires a free Google Account (a.k.a. a Gmail Account).
– Requires an Internet Connection to upload/download file changes.
– Limited to 15 Gigabyte Storage capacity (not great for numerous large media
files like music, video, or large-format images).

5. Facebook
• Pros:
– Multiplatform social media that allows user to login on any operating system
and able to access through mobile phone
– May create a private page for everyone to log in and post comments
– Immediate notification of updates.
– Chat, private message, video, and document share capabilities.
• Cons:
– Must create a user profile.
– Excessive exposure to useless recommendations and ads.
– Unnecessary newsfeed notification

6. Skype
• Pros:
– Can be used for free.
– Is very popular already and most people have it or have at least heard of it.
– Takes only five to ten minutes to download.
– Is user-friendly.
– Has the capability to do screen-sharing.
• Cons:
– Can not video conference with multiple people for free.
– Video and audio quality can be unreliable and/or static-riddled, especially
when using equipment other than laptops.
– Sometimes requires multiple restarts to get working properly.

7. Google+ Hangout
• Pros:
– Can be used for free.
– Allows for video conferencing with multiple people.
– Allows the use of additional apps.
– Calls to the U.S. are free.
– For iOS, Android, and the web.
• Cons:
– Requires a Google account.
– The more apps in use, the slower the connection.
– Not as widely known and thus requires time to get to know.

8. iLearn
• Pros:
– Free.
– We already have a private group forum.
– Can be accessed on mobile devices as well as via computers.
– Provides member e-mails.
– Is connected to our e-mail so posts can be sent to us immediately.
• Cons:
– Posts can only be edited for 30 minutes after they are posted.
– Easily congested with sub-forums and posts.
– No other collaboration tools beside forum.

9. Winners: Google Drive & Google+ Hangout
• Pros largely outweigh the cons as the cons will not
affect our group as much:
– Most of us already have accounts,
– We are already prepared to have to be online,
– We don’t expect to need anymore than 15gb of space,
– And we are willing to learn.

10. References
• 20 Collaboration Tools for College Students:
– http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/college-life/collaboration-tools-for-students/video-collaboration-tools#.UlTLAVDrzEg
• Pros and Cons for Using Skype for Business Video Conference Calls:
– http://www.etgroup.ca/pros-and-cons-using-skype-business-video-conferencing-calls
• Overview of Google Drive:
– https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424384?hl=en
• Viber F.A.Q.:
– http://www.viber.com/faq
• Videoconferencing in the Classroom: Skype vs. Google Hangouts
– http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/skype-versus-google-hangouts.shtml
• Google Launches “Hangouts” Messaging Service for iOS, Android, and Web:
– http://www.macstories.net/news/google-launches-hangouts-messaging-service-for-ios-android-and-web/
• Getting Started with Teaching Online Through Ilearn:
– https://ilearn.sfsu.edu/local/hub/