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How to use the Online Collaboration Tool
What is the Online Collaboration Tool?
The ESIP Online Collaboration Tool (OCT) is an open-source software package called Plone. ESIP is using Plone to facilitate the process of identifying and choosing indicators for each of the ESIP subcommittees. If you are familiar with word processing software such as Microsoft Word, you should be able to figure out quickly how to use Plone.
What can you do with OCT?
How can you get familiar with using OCT?
The ESIP Online Collaboration Tool (OCT) is an open-source software package called Plone. ESIP is using Plone to facilitate the process of identifying and choosing indicators for each of the ESIP subcommittees. If you are familiar with word processing software such as Microsoft Word, you should be able to figure out quickly how to use Plone.
What can you do with OCT?
- Work with Web pages as easily as with Word documents. You and other ESIP participants can edit, add content, and post comments on the Web pages in the ESIP Online Collaboration Tool (OCT). It is almost as easy as using Microsoft Word. However, the major benefit of using OCT instead of Word is that everyone in ESIP can see the same versions and see everybody's comments. For example, you can add your comments and ideas to lists of proposed indicators being considered by your subcommittee, and you can see everyone else's comments. There's no need to email drafts of Word documents among lots of people or have as many conference calls to share ideas.
- Share files. You can also post files such as documents, spreadsheets, and images so that other ESIP participants have access to them.
- Calendar. OCT has an easy-to-use calendar where you can keep track of upcoming conference calls, meetings, and deadlines.
- Centralize information. A big advantage of using OCT instead of relying entirely on emails and phone calls is that the comments, ideas, plans, documents, and schedules can be made accessible quickly and easily to everyone in ESIP.
- Archive. Things that you post on OCT will stay here, so you and other ESIP participants can refer back to them.
How can you get familiar with using OCT?
- Log-in on the main OCT page. You should have received your username and password from Christine Tilburg.
- Look for the Upcoming Events box (right side of page). Click on an event to see the details.
- Look for the Calendar (right side of page). If a date is grey on the calendar, it has events scheduled. Move your mouse over the date to see events. Click on the date to see the details.
- Look for the Navigation box (left side of page). Click on Home. This will take you back to the main OCT page.
- In the Navigation box, click on Subcommittees. You'll see a list of ESIP subcommittees. Click on the name of your subcommittee. This will take you to the main page for your subcommittee in OCT.
- Click on the "Indicator Matrix for..." link.
- You'll see the matrix of potential indicators that have been identified by your subcommittee.
- Add your comments, questions, and ideas about the potential indicators. To do so, click the blue Add Comment button near the bottom of the page.
- After filling out the Comment form, click Add Comment. Your comment will appear on the matrix page.
- You can also respond to other people's comments by clicking the Reply to This button.
- Those are the basics about OCT that you need for providing your comments on the indicators.
- However, you can also make use of other features, such as uploading files that you want to share. To upload a file, click the green Add New Item button that's on the upper right part of the page (near the Upcoming Events box) and follow the directions.
- For more information about the Plone software that OCT uses, go to http://plone.org
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