Article: A framework to define web-based communities Journal: International Journal of Web Based Communities (IJWBC) 2006 Vol.2 No.3 pp.339 - 359 Abstract: Nowadays, web-based communities have become the best way to exploit capabilities of internet interaction. They allow users to keep in touch and thus offer multiple possibilities to coordinate a group of people with a common interest in working or learning about a common subject. Nevertheless, virtual communities, such as those that exist on the internet, are often rigid. In most cases they are designed as ad hoc projects with specific design requirements. But in order to create a virtual community, an accurate previous analysis should be undertaken. This analysis requires the consideration of three complementary aspects: the social structure of the community, the collaborative model specifying the requirements for working together and the behavioural model describing guidelines to achieve adaptiveness. This paper presents a theoretical framework that pays special attention to these aspects. It permits defining web-based communities in a straightforward way. Furthermore, the framework has been implemented as a web design-based tool in order to create declarative specifications that facilitate the integration into other web-based community projects. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: A framework to define web-based communities

Authors: Javier Velez, Beatriz Barros, Felisa Verdejo

Addresses: Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, Dpto. Lenguajes y Sistemas Informaticos, C/ Juan del Rosal, 16, 28040 Madrid, Spain. ' Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, Dpto. Lenguajes y Sistemas Informaticos, C/ Juan del Rosal, 16, 28040 Madrid, Spain. ' Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, Dpto. Lenguajes y Sistemas Informaticos, C/ Juan del Rosal, 16, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Abstract: Nowadays, web-based communities have become the best way to exploit capabilities of internet interaction. They allow users to keep in touch and thus offer multiple possibilities to coordinate a group of people with a common interest in working or learning about a common subject. Nevertheless, virtual communities, such as those that exist on the internet, are often rigid. In most cases they are designed as ad hoc projects with specific design requirements. But in order to create a virtual community, an accurate previous analysis should be undertaken. This analysis requires the consideration of three complementary aspects: the social structure of the community, the collaborative model specifying the requirements for working together and the behavioural model describing guidelines to achieve adaptiveness. This paper presents a theoretical framework that pays special attention to these aspects. It permits defining web-based communities in a straightforward way. Furthermore, the framework has been implemented as a web design-based tool in order to create declarative specifications that facilitate the integration into other web-based community projects.

Keywords: collaboration; virtual learning communities; experimental learning; society metamodels; policies; web based communities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2006.011763

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2006 Vol.2 No.3, pp.339 - 359

Published online: 20 Dec 2006 *

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Title: A framework to define web-based communities

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