Research activity in 1998
In the course of 1998 the research activity was oriented to the improvement of the conceptual framework supporting the design of coordination mechanisms and on the improvement of the related prototypes.
More specifically, the conceptual framework has been enlarged by articulating the notion of coordination mechanism in two main classes: those supporting the coordination of predefined activities which are characterized by versatile and partially specified protocols, and those supporting the dynamic part of cooperation which depends on the current context. In this respect, the notion of awareness mechanism has been introduced. Awareness is the key-word denoting the part of communication devoted to the sharing of information about the current situation among the cooperative actors.
As in the case of protocols and the related mechanisms, awareness mechanisms have to be versatile and incrementally specified by the actors themselves. To this aim an awareness model has been defined: it is based on a metaphor derived from natural sciences, namely the reaction-diffusion metaphor. This model helps identifying orthogonal linguistic constructs whose combination allows for the definition of an open-ended set of awareness mechanisms in accordance with users' needs.
The prototypes constructed previously (Ariadne and ABACO) have been re-implemented in a Java-based agent environment (JAFMAS) by enlarging the provided functionality. This makes them compositional and open to be executed in a distributed architecture on the WEB. Moreover, a the component devoted to define and activate awareness mechanisms (called AW-Manager) has been extended to a multi-layer . The conceptual integration of the frameworks supporting the two above mentioned classes of mechanisms has been specified and its implementation was started together with the identification of a formal framework where to define conceptual tools supporting this integration.
1998 Publications
C. Simone and M. Divitini, Integrating communication contexts to support coordination: the CHAOS project Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)., An International Journal, 8 (3) pp. 1-46, 1998.
C. Simone and M. Divitini, Ariadne: Supporting Coordination Through a Flexible Use of Process Knowledge. In Information Technology for Knowledge Management, ed. U.M. Borghoff and R. Pareschi. Berlin- Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 121-148, 1998.
C. Simone and M. Divitini (1998): LAP-based mechanisms for maintaining the contexts of cooperation. (to appear in Accounting, Management and Information Technology)
S. Bandini, C. Simone, The reaction-diffusion metaphor to model cooperative work, Prestige J. of Management and Research, vol.2 n. 1, Indore, pp. 1-21, 1998
S. Bandini, M. Magagnini, G. Mauri, C. Simone and G.Pavesi. CA-Based Computational Models and Percolation: the Generation of Porous Media and the Simulation of Filler Networks, AUTOMATA 98, Workshop on Cellular Automata (IFIP Working Group "Cellular Automata and Machines") pp. 1-12, December 10-12, Santiago (Chile), 1998.
C. Simone, K. Schmidt, Taking the nature of cooperative work seriously. In Parallel and Distributed Processing ‘98 (CSCW Section), Madrid., pp. 273-278, IEEE Press.
S. Donatelli, C. Simone, and D. Trentin, Combining abstraction and context: a challange in formal approaches to workflow management. In Workshop on "Workflow Management: Net-based Concepts, Models, Techniques and Tools" within the 19th IC on Applications and Theory of Petri Nets, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 194-209, June 22st 1998.
S. Bandini, C. Simone, Integrazione di forme di coordinamento in sistemi cooperativi, WSDAAL98, Pontignano, Settembre 1998.
S. Bandini, E. Illy, C. Simone, F. Suggi, A Computational Model Based on the Reaction-Diffusion Machine to Simulate Transportation Phenomena: the Case of Coffee Percolation, in S. Bandini, R. Serra, F. Suggi Liverani (eds.), "Cellular Automata: Research towards Industry", Springer Verlag, pp. 157-164, London, 1998.
S. Bandini, C. Simone, Awareness in Flexible Coordination, Atti del Primo Congresso Italiano di Sistemica (G. Minati ed.), Apogeo Scientifica, pp. 135-147, Milano, 1998
