* CollectiveX Web-based collaboration
Today we have a different take on Web-based collaboration. Most Web-based collaboration systems are freeform: they impose little or no structure on participants, which is good and makes them easy to use. The bad is the lack of structure, which makes for a lower informational content and captures less actionable “stuff.”
CollectiveX is a novel take on group collaboration that provides a reasonable amount of structure to amplify informational value and “actionability” without creating a rigid system that could stifle group interaction – increasing what the company refers to as ROI – “return on involvement.”
To use CollectiveX you first create a profile for yourself. CollectiveX is very clever here: it asks you a series of questions and using a template it automatically builds a resume for you to complete with your top current objectives. You can define how much detail is available to which users. An e-mail address at collectivex.com is also created.
When you create or join a group you will see the bios of the other members (to the level each allows) so you can learn about their professional expertise, affiliations, key connections (who they know) and their objectives (what they are trying to achieve).
An interesting restriction is that CollectiveX only allows you to see as many key connections of any other group member as you yourself have shared. This means that if you have shared, say, two key connections with a specific group you will only be able to see, at most, two connections for each other member. This is intended to encourage groups to be more open.
Whenever group members’ key connections or objectives change you will see a note on the group summary page and you can also be notified by e-mail according to your account preferences.
Calendaring is a key feature of CollectiveX supporting both group and personal calendars. If you receive an invitation to an event and accept it the event is added to your personal calendar. Calendar data can be exported to Outlook or iCal (importing will be supported in a later release).
Discussions take place in the group’s discussion area. There are two types of discussions: Forums and E-mail Blasts. By default, there are two forums: announcements and general discussions (you can add your own forums to the list). Under each forum, messages are divided into topics.
A Message Blast sends a message to all group members and optionally automatically creates a topic under an existing forum. If a topic is created then users are directed by e-mail to that topic. A future release will allow e-mail replies to be routed and added to the topic.
The File Cabinet feature allows files to be uploaded and made available within the group.
A detailed, narrated tour of all the system’s features is available at the CollectiveX Web site.
CollectiveX pricing is grouped into two categories: Lite Plans, which include advertising, and Professional Plans.
The basic Lite Plan is free for unlimited users and includes 10MB of file storage, group networking, group calendar and group discussions. The free plan omits E-mail Blasts while the other Lite Plan, priced at $19 per month, adds that feature and ups file storage to 500MB.
The Professional Plans ranging from $36 to $149 per month remove the advertising, increase file storage, enhance security, increase access control granularity, and add premium support and branding.
CollectiveX will appeal to groups of moderately computer literate users who are motivated to achieve a goal. This is an impressive Web application and one to watch – there’s nothing quite like it.
