Groupware Function: E-mail

In many ways electronic mail is the most successful of the groupware tools, certainly in terms of volume it is currently used by 75 million world wide. In fact, one of the main reasons for the introduction of the corporate networks which have enabled group working was to get everyone connected with e-mail. Electronic mail has become so prevalent that you may say it really needs no introduction. However, there are degrees of sophistication in which e-mail can be used, and many potential problems with its implementation, that are worth guarding against. We focus on these during this coverage.

E-mail works well in offices because it is a more rapid replacement for a well established way of passing memos and messages between staff. Like voice mail it doesn't rely on the person you need to talk to being available. It offers a number of advantages over traditional mail: it is faster to send and faster to receive; collections are instantaneous, not twice daily. It is also faster to review and then reply. These advantages of speed in decision making translate to cost savings for companies using e-mail.