Computer-Supported Cooperative Work: History and Focus

Ten years ago, Iren Greif of MIT and Paul Cashman of Digital Equipment Cooperation organized a workshop that had far-reaching effects. Twenty people from different fields—but with a shared interest in how people work—gathered to explore technology’s role in the work environment and coined the term “computer-supported cooperative work” to describe it.

Since then, thousands of researchers and developers have responded to this initiative. Although the CSCW conferences were held in the United States, the topic was picked up immediately in Europe and Asia, where related work and serious interest already existed.

This article describes the people and the work founded under the CSCW umbrella.