Embedded Files
The program has a number of tools available for teams to be able to collaborate and share files with their members. Each comes with advantages and disadvantages which should be evaluated for the team's needs.
Google Drive and Apps
Google Drive and Apps
Google has a suite of applications and shared cloud storage which are accessible directly through student and employee logins.
Advantages: Can be easily shared with people who don't have Gonzaga accounts (sponsors or design advisory board members), applications are easy to learn and collaborate in using comments and tracking, google drive can integrate with a desktop app and used to share both windows and google file types.
Disadvantages: Many people are less familiar with the native applications and navigation, Googles document applications (docs, sheets, slides) do not include a number of features that can be found in Microsoft products, suite is limited (Gmail and Meet are not available) which limits some uses.
Setting up a Google Shared Drive:
Go to https://drive.google.com/ and be sure to log in using your Gonzaga username and password.
You may optionally download the desktop or mobile application at any time.
Right click on "Shared Drives" in the toolbar and select "New Shared Drive."
Name and open your new drive.
Once open, select "Manage Members" and add the members of your team.
Set the permissions level you'd like each person to have. Permissions can also be set at the folder and file level.
Anyone with a Google account is able to be added (e.g. certain sponsors or design advisory board members).
Students and employees of the university should use their Gonzaga email addresses only.
Always be cautious not to share access to confidential or proprietary information beyond authorized team members. It is strongly recommended that you consult your sponsor on how you should store and transfer any confidential or proprietary information involved in the project.
From there, you can right click and create many file types using the suite of apps provided.
It is recommended that you watch one or two online tutorials for how to use Google Drive to gain more skills. Several are listed below that are reasonable introductions to the many tools within the application:
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams
Teams is an integrated solution which all Gonzaga students and employees have access to through their accounts. Teams has a number of solutions that integrate through apps to allow collaboration through meetings, chats, emails, files/documents, calendars, and workspaces.
Advantages: Well integrated, uses applications that many are familiar with or already have, lots of web integrations for mobile or browser-based use. Use of Teams meetings can be set up to directly document meeting notes into a common filing system.
Disadvantages: Gonzaga's account configurations can make it difficult and sometimes impossible for people without a Gonzaga account to be able to access (e.g. certain sponsors or design advisory board members), can present navigation challenges for new users, and differences between native and web applications can cause confusion.
Setting up Microsoft Teams:
Go to https://teams.microsoft.com/ and log in using your Gonzaga username and password.
You may optionally download the desktop or mobile application at any time.
Navigate to the "Teams" section and create a new team by clicking "Join or create a team" and then clicking "Create a team" and filling out the required information.
It is recommended that you create a "private" team unless there a specific reason you wish for any member of Gonzaga to be able to access all your work.
Once the team is created, open it and add team members by clicking the three dots next to the team name and then clicking "Add member."
Note that Teams may not allow you to add team members with non-Gonzaga email addresses. (e.g. certain sponsors or design advisory board members) Teams may also not allow access even if someone is added due to external restrictions in their organizations.
Always be cautious not to share access to confidential or proprietary information beyond authorized team members. It is strongly recommended that you consult your sponsor on how you should store and transfer any confidential or proprietary information involved in the project.
It is recommended that you watch one or two online tutorials for how to use Microsoft Teams to gain more skills. Several are listed below that are reasonable introductions to the many tools within the application:
Microsoft Teams Tutorial (~10 min)
GitHub
GitHub
GitHub has a platform primarily used for version control and collaborative software development projects.
Advantages: Powerful version control and collaborative tools for coding with few restrictions on sharing.
Disadvantages: Primarily for coding and may not be suitable for non-code files like documents, images, and CAD. There is a notable learning curve for becoming familiar. Sharing defaults may be set to public, so caution must be exercised to keep code private if necessary.
Setting up a GitHub for your team:
If you are enrolled in CPSC-491 (Software Engineering), your organization will be set up for your team through that class.
Consider these instructions to set up an organization in a non-Computer Science major:
Go to https://github.com/ and sign in using your GitHub account credentials. If you're not already a registered user, you can quickly set up an account by clicking on the "Sign up" button.
Once you're logged in, navigate to your profile's dashboard by clicking on your profile picture in the top right corner. From the dropdown menu, select "Your profile."
On your profile page, locate the "Organizations" tab and click on it. Here, you'll find a button labeled "New organization." Click on it to initiate the organization creation process. You will be prompted to provide information for your new organization.
Choose the appropriate organization type based on your needs. Choose "Education."
Select the visibility for your organization. It is recommended you choose "Private" for most projects and then only provide access directly to those who need it.
Review the terms and conditions, and if you agree, click the "Create Organization" button.
More notes here: GitHub Organizations
To assign a repository to your new organization:
Navigate to a repository you've created earlier by clicking on your profile picture, selecting "Your repositories," and then clicking on the repository's name.
In the repository's menu bar, click on the "Settings" tab. In the left sidebar, click on "Options."
Under the "Danger Zone" section, find the "Transfer ownership" option. Click on the "Transfer" button.
You'll be prompted to confirm the transfer. Select your organization from the dropdown menu and click "I understand, transfer this repository."
After creating the repository, you can invite collaborators to your project by going to the repository's settings and clicking on "Manage access." From there, you can add individuals by entering their GitHub usernames or email addresses.
Note that collaborators need to have GitHub accounts to be added to your repository.
Always be cautious not to share access to confidential or sensitive information with unauthorized collaborators. Consult with your team and project stakeholders on how to handle any proprietary or confidential data securely.
Secure Transfer Systems
Secure Transfer Systems
Some sponsors may require that files are transferred via special online tools provided by the sponsor. These are typically needed for specially certified online encrypted transfers to avoid the risk of the file being intercepted or inadvertently transferred to someone who shouldn't have it.
If this is required, a team should work with their sponsor the Academic Director and Gonzaga IT as necessary to determine a solution.
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