Web-Based User Interface Tool for Social Network Group Collaboration

A computer-implemented method for facilitating communications within a social networking system group, the method comprising:

• maintaining a list of members of a social networking system group, each member being a user of a social networking system;
• providing a web page for the group, wherein the web page contains a first communication interface for uploading content items to a chat window that enables real-time communication among a plurality of members of the group, and a second communication interface enabling members of the group to view or upload content items to a message board within the web page;
• responsive to a member of the group uploading a first content item via the first communication interface, displaying the first content item within the chat window to the members of the group who are online;
• and
• responsive to a member of the group uploading a second content item via the second communication interface, displaying the second content item within the message board and sending a notification about the second content item to all of the members of the group.

A computer-implemented system for facilitating communications within a social networking system group, the system comprising:

• a computer processor;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium storing computer program modules configured to execute on the computer processor, the computer program modules comprising:
• a group membership module configured to maintain a list of members of a social networking system group, each member being a user of a social networking system;
• a communication interface module configured to provide a first communication interface for communicating in a first communication channel and a second communication interface for communicating in a second communication channel;
• a transmission module configured to:
• responsive to a member of the group uploading a first content item via the first communication interface, transmitting the first content item to members of the group via the first communication channel, the first content item transmitted to members of the group who are online;
• and
• responsive to a member of the group uploading a second content item via the second communication interface, transmitting the second content item to members of the group via the second communication channel, the second content item transmitted to members of the group who are offline and to members of the group who are online.