Edinburgh Napier University

  Information and Communication Technologies have the capacity to transcend organisational boundaries and allow work to be done in new ways on a distributed basis (both co-localisation and de-localisation). The aim of VOTER is to investigate new technologies for distributed working, particularly Multi-Agent Systems, CSCW, Software Systems Engineering, Human- Computer Interaction and Knowledge Management; and to explore their implications for new forms of organisation. Research and development of Virtual Organisations needs highly interdisciplinary methodologies. Building on existing and previous collaborative projects and institutional and industrial links, VOTER forms a high-calibre inter-disciplinary centre of expertise in Computing, Engineering and Business for the technologies that will enable Virtual Organisations. The Centre for VOTER consists of 5 distributed specialist research studios linked through a high-speed multimedia exchange. VOTER will undertake funded projects relating to new technologies for distributed working and their organisational implications. Funding will be sought from research councils, European Union and industrial collaborators. The following Research Areas will be targeted:- Research Area I – Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) _ Agent communication language _ Intelligent agents, mobile agents _ Multi-agent systems, multi-robotic systems Research Area II – Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) _ Concurrency in engineering processes _ Global communication of complex ideas, inter-cultural aspects _ Groupware, shared whiteboard, teamwork _ Mobile computing _ Workflow process models Research Area III – Software Systems Engineering (SSE) _ Distributed system platforms, integration of heterogeneous platforms _ Development process management _ Software architecture and middleware of virtual organisations _ Software configuration management (SCM) Research Area IV – Human Computer Interaction (HCI) _ E-consultation, e-democracy / virtual democracy, e-lobbying _ Home-based systems _ Human emotion/character modelling _ Intelligent interface technology, novel approaches to HCI _ Interactive learning applications, networked learning _ Multimedia technologies and design _ Social informatics Research Area V – Knowledge Management (KM) _ Business process re-engineering and conflict management _ E-business/e-commerce _ Extracting implicit knowledge _ Information systems management _ Organisational learning and innovation _ Strategic management of knowledge