Best Practices and Guidelines for Collaboration in Workplace Communications
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This presentation outlines industry best practices for collaboration in workplace communications. The discussion includes the following: why we collaborate, benefits of collaboration, potential problems in collaboration, how to effectively collaborate, types of collaboration, and how to ensure successful collaboration.
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Best Practices and Guidelines for Collaboration in Workplace Communications
- 2. Why collaborate? • Subject: expertise from different areas – Research project for paraplegics: biomedical engineering, electronics, neurophysiology, physical therapy • Process: alternative viewpoints – Industrial engineer to improve production capability for cabinet company: materials buyers, cabinetmakers, schedulers, shippers (industrial design team for concepts/designs + mechanical engineering team ensures designs can be manufactured)
- 4. Why Collaborate? • Product: websites, newsletters, user manuals require various experts: – Website for families of people w/cystic fibrosis • Healthcare pros, patients, relatives, medical researchers
- 5. Why Collaborate? • Benefits: workplace and personal – Post-911 alternatives to travel: Web conferencing increased 61.5% (although travel is increasing in 2005), video/voice conferencing – Beyond safety, more work done, faster decisions, more competitive, enjoyable, ability to work with otherwise unavailable colleagues, overall increased productivity
- 6. Possible Problems • Time • Discomfort • Control • Credit • Conflict • Criticism • Ethics • Style • Responsibility • Technology
- 7. Is there a possibility of an open clash between opposing groups? • Attitudes of group members • Methods of enforcement • Content of project • Background and expected outcome differences
- 8. How do we collaborate? • Two or more people share the responsibility and credit for designing, editing, and putting out the report. • Team members get advice from co- workers who are experts in their particular department. • In a larger team project, a coordinator will need to combine all the different teams’ effort into one report.
- 9. Types of Collaboration • Coauthoring – Manager of hardware/software design company co-writes article for technical report series: • Shared responsibilities: planning, drafting, revising technical report • Initial meeting includes discussion of content, purpose, organization, evidence and schedule plan • Agreement to rough out ideas separately and meet again (ideas exchanged through email) • Document moves through review and editing
- 10. Types of Collaboration • Consulting with Colleagues – Manager prepares info sheets for new product line. Must link new product to design of info sheet, create sense of corporate competence, arouse customer interest to seek additional info: • Works with colleagues in engineering (specs), marketing (target), graphic design (artist), communication (editor), publication (corporate publishing specs, printing costs), quality control (technical review/user testing).
- 11. Types of Collaboration • Contributing to Team Projects – Manager must coordinate team of hardware engineers, software designers, systems analysts, info designers, budget planners. Each member responsible for individual section of document. – Individual contributions will vary. Each must understand his/her role.
- 13. How can we ensure successful collaboration? • Be involved and accommodative. • Identify/acknowledge your strengths/weaknesses. • Be an “active listener”. • Be inquisitive. • Contribute your research. • Think over the ideas other’s have contributed.
- 15. Manual Groups • Choose Project Leader • Read assignment together • Choose “recording secretary” • Assign tasks • Plan next meeting • Exchange digits • Discuss conflict management • Contribute your ideas and be a good listener • Let others know if you will be late or absent • Keep your eye on the big picture • Each member writes a memo
Editor's Notes
- Collaborative relationships come under four categories. Topic: A research project in building an electrically powered wheelchair will need input from biomedical engineering, physical therapy, and electronics. Process: There is more than one way to tackle a problem. Feedback on whether a certain way to resolve an issue is feasible or not will cut cost and time. Product: If you are building a car, you would like to get input about the engineering, cost, and economics. Interpersonal Benefits: Working together tends to be more enjoyable than working individually. They will get to interact with coworkers they may not get to otherwise.
- Now that we are working together as a team, how does each member fit into the group.
- Affective Concerns -may arise because of strongly held beliefs about religion; politics; business ethics; or gender, racial, or ethnic prejudices. Procedural Concerns -settle details of meetings: time, place, duration. -agree on what preparation should be done for meetings. -discuss collaborative approach the group will use -identify the responsibilities each individual will assume. -agree to minimize affective and procedural conflict. Substantive Concerns -agree on purpose -agree on project objectives and outcomes. Cultural Differences
- Co-Authoring Each member of the team gets equal credit in the final product. Consulting with Colleagues Example from book:(packet information sheets for new product line) Engineering - to get accurate product specification. Marketing - to get information about the target market. Graphic Design - to work with the artist to design the information sheets and pocket folder they’ll go in. Communications - to work with an editor assigned to the project. Publications - to get corporate publishing specifications and printing costs. Quality Control - to arrange for technical review and user testing. Contributing to Team Projects Individual contributions do not have to be equal, but if the collaboration is successful, all the individuals need to have some say in what responsibilities each person should assume and suggest the collaborative approach that should be used.
- Since we are putting a lot of time and effort into this project, we want to make sure that all these efforts are not wasted. We want assurance that the collaboration is a success.
- Be engaged and cooperative Always come prepared for any collaborative meeting, which means gathering necessary information and having something to contribute. Be able to articulate the purpose of your collaborative work. What’s the task? What’s the process? What’s the goal? Be articulate in expressing your views. Don’t assume body language or silence will sufficiently (or accurately) convey your views. Be cooperative and supportive rather than competitive and antagonistic. Be direct in stating your own opinions, but don’t trample on the ideas of other collaborators Listen Active listener - engaged, attentive, interested, paying attention to what collaborators say Ask questions Share Reflect
- Because we all know that there are no two people alike, we need to consider the difference each contributor can have.