Collaborative Editing
7 things you should know about..
Col aborative Editing
Scenario
What is it?
Freddy was late to class but managed to squeeze
Col aborative editing is the practice of a group of individuals
into the last seat in the auditorium; the class was
simultaneously editing a document. Using col aborative editing
packed. The lecture was on geomorphology, and the
tools, authorized users can edit a document, see who else is
professor had begun the class by returning to the
working on it, and watch—in real time—as others make changes.
outline he had started in the previous lecture. Freddy
Unlike simple version control, in which a single working copy
opened his laptop and joined the wireless network.
of a file is managed among editors one at a time, col aborative
Freddy fired up his col aborative editing application
editing al ows multiple users to make changes at the same time.
and scanned the list of documents accessible to
A group of individuals—in the same location or geographical y
those in the room. Finding a set of notes that had
separated—can use col aborative editing tools to create a docu-
already been started, Freddy requested permission
ment that reflects the contributions of the group, without having
from the document owner to join. When he accessed
to track and coordinate edits.
the notes, Freddy saw that two people he knew were
Col aborative documents are similar to wikis in that multiple users
connected to document he was looking at, and he
can change, add to, and delete content. They also resemble instant
could tel that they had been studiously taking notes
messaging in that users can see the input of al other users imme-
since the class had started. Looking over what they
diately. Some col aborative editing tools include instant messaging
had entered so far, Freddy quickly determined that he
features so users can communicate in a chat session paral el to
had not missed any new material in the 10 minutes of
the document they are editing.
class he had missed.
1
Freddy knew the strengths of each of the other peo-
Who’s doing it?
ple col aborating on the notes because he regularly
Col aborative editing was conceived as a tool for software devel-
worked with them in lectures and on formal group as-
opers, providing a way for two or more programmers to write
signments. Sue was a very fast typist and a fastidious
code together, cross-checking each other’s work and brainstorm-
note taker. In a lecture, she could capture what often
ing how the application should work. Today, col aborative editing
seemed to be a verbatim transcript of everything the
tools are being used more broadly. Authors co-writing a text can
instructor said. Joe was the organizer. As Sue typed,
use col aborative editing to streamline the process of creating and
Joe would move sections of text around on the page
revising content. A group of attendees at a workshop can write a
and insert headings to add structure. Joe didn’t type
single set of notes that are more complete than an individual could
very wel , but he excel ed at creating categories of con-
write alone. Similarly, some meeting organizers have come to rely
tent and keeping notes organized, even when a lecture
on col aborative editing tools. Prior to a meeting, the leader writes
fol owed lots of tangents and seemed on the surface to
an agenda. During the meeting, attendees use col aborative edit-
be disjointed. Freddy’s contribution typical y involved
ing tools to access the agenda, update it with information they wil
providing comments on the notes, bringing in ideas
present, and take notes on topics as they are covered.
from other lectures and even other courses, setting the
current lecture topic into a broader context.
Some educators are using col aborative editing as a demon-
stration tool. For example, an instructor can put a document
Sue and Joe were glad to have Freddy’s participation
2online where the students in a class can access it. The instruc-
in the lecture notes, even if he was a few minutes late
tor assigns read-only rights to the students, who watch as the
arriving. Because today’s lecture topic was difficult for
instructor edits or updates the document, demonstrating a meth-
all three of them, they knew that their combined notes
od of proper revision. The instructor then al ows each member of
would be especial y helpful later, studying for the final
the class to edit the document in turn, while the other members
and working on their semester projects.
of the group watch.
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Col aborative Editing
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3How does it work?
With col aborative editing, a user creates a document and announc-
Most col aborative editing applications are platform-specific, limit-
es to other eligible users—who are often on the same subnet—that
ing their usefulness to people on different kinds of systems. The
it is available for editing. Depending on how each document is
tools most commonly used by those with Macintosh operating
set up, some users can see but not edit it, while others have ful
systems are not compatible with either Linux- or Windows-based
access. Many applications are built with “zero-configuration” tech-
computers. Similarly, Windows-based tools general y do not work
nology, which automatical y locates users on a local area network
with Apple computers. These platform compatibility issues rep-
and connects them without any input from the users; with other
resent perhaps the biggest obstacle to broader adoption of col-
tools, users must manual y add themselves.
laborative editing.
A window identifies users who are connected to the open docu-
Because col aborative editing puts substantial control into the
ment and assigns each a unique color. Each user’s cursor and al
hands of the editors, any one of whom could sabotage an entire
of his or her edits are highlighted with that color, and al edits are
document very easily, the practice requires high levels of respect
displayed immediately, al owing everyone participating to see who
and trust among the editors. In addition, some users may be
does what, as it happens. The real-time nature of col aborative
uncomfortable moving editing and revision into a quasi-public,
editing prevents simultaneous edits from overwriting one another,
shared space.
which, though uncommon, is possible with wikis. It is possible to
change another author’s text, but because editors can see chang-
Where is it going?
es instantly, the revision process is truly col aborative.
Makers of col aborative editing applications are beginning to
Why is it significant?
address cross-platform compatibility. Some tools in development
are Web-based, requiring only a browser and Internet access. As
4Colaborative editing is a more efficient method of creating and tools become increasingly platform-independent, the opportunities
revising documents. Before col aborative editing, a group of users
for col aborative editing among wider-ranging groups of people wil
who al needed to participate in a document had to coordinate
expand significantly. Col aborative editing tools are simple to use
their editorial steps, maintaining control of several versions of the
and are particularly wel suited for students working on a variety of
document to ensure the integrity of the changes. In addition, such
projects. Other developments are likely to include versioning, which
processes typical y require a project leader to coordinate different
al ows users to see a history of changes and who made them,
rounds of editing and resolve conflicts. With col aborative editing,
and further refining of protocols, both explicit and implied, that
al of these steps happen simultaneously. Contributors can see 6
establish expectations for appropriate and acceptable editing.
edits as they are made, saving time and eliminating the possibil-
ity that edits could be inadvertently overwritten or that conflicting
What are the implications for
edits wil be resolved improperly.
As a functional hybrid of wikis and instant messaging, col abora-
teaching and learning?
tive editing creates a new dynamic for group work, whether for a
Group work and multitasking are fast becoming two of the hall-
formal paper or a set of lecture notes. Working simultaneously on
marks of today’s learners, and col aborative editing is a natural fit for
a document can build a sense of community among the editors
environments that support learning activities with technology. As
that is not possible if the document were simply passed from one
students are increasingly asked to complete group assignments,
individual to the next.
col aborative editing tools offer an efficient way to accomplish
them while taking part in an activity that many see as fun and that
What are the downsides?
encourages them to engage with the material. Students in a large
lecture or a small class can benefit from using col aborative editing
Effective col aborative editing depends on a conscientious docu-
tools to take “community notes”—reinforcing the material covered,
ment owner and a trusted group of editors. Although col aboratively
seeing what other students identify as valuable, and developing a
edited files are stored on the document owner’s computer, partici-
shared sense of respect among participants. Col aborative edit-
pating editors can make local copies of the file, which can result
ing has special applicability for distance learning, where students
in the document’s “splintering” into several versions. If the original 7
5
may be separated by time and space but are stil expected to
of a document is closed during an editing session, the “master”
work together on projects and to develop a sense of community.
can be handed off to any of the other users. Further editing of the
document could result in lost edits and versioning problems. Edit-
ing tools also do not store a history of changes. Although each
editor’s changes are color-coded during editing, no record of the
changes is stored—just the text is saved. The only way to preserve
a snapshot of a document showing current edits is to take a screen
shot or, with some applications, to export the document to a PDF.
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December 2005
