Tips for Successful Collaboration, Cont. |
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Skills for Collaboration |
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Creativity
Creative ideas are produced effectively in a group setting. However,
creativity is not merely limited to producing artwork or communications.
Many types of problems are best solved with a creative solution.
There are several techniques that can inspire new ideas: Brainstorming,
Mind-Mapping, "5W+H",
Cause and Effect Analysis, and Synectics.
Brainstorming. Brainstorming is an
activity in which participants suggest as many ideas as possible
in a limited amount of time. Initially, ideas are suggested without
censure or judgment — even if they seem a bit silly or "out
there". This has the effect that one idea may spark another
and so on. The objective is to generate a large pool of ideas
from which the group can begin to filter. The following guidelines
will help a brainstorming session to be successful:
- Select a quiet, comfortable setting.
- Determine clear goals for the session.
- Appoint someone to write ideas down, perhaps on a white board
so everyone can see them.
- Start generating ideas! Write down every single one of them.
Don't criticize or judge an idea's relevance or worth. Ideas
don't have to be limited to words. If you are working on a visual
design problem, participants can quickly make sketches and submit
those.
- Keep going until everyone runs out of ideas. You can take
a break in the middle if you want to.
- Take another break.
- Now, evaluate the list. Eliminate the ideas that aren't useful,
and begin classifying and categorizing the rest. If any new
ideas come up, feel free to add them.
Mind-Mapping. This is similar to brainstorming,
but it is more structured. The main idea is written down with
a circle drawn around it. Then as participants suggest related
ideas, they are written down and lines are drawn to connect related
ideas with the main idea. If another idea branches off a related
idea, it is visually mapped that way. The resulting visual resembles
an organizational chart or a flow chart. Symbols can be used to
indicate the function or category of different ideas.
5W+H. This method of exploration and
creativity examines several questions:
- Who is the reader or viewer? Who does the
communication or visual represent?
- What is the subject of the communication
or visual? What are the surrounding subtopics and circumstances?
- When will it be read or viewed? Will there
be any sense of urgency for the reader or viewer?
- Where will it be read or viewed? Will it
be read at work, at home, during transit, or during recreation?
- Why will it be read or viewed? What is its
purpose? What benefit will be provided to the reader/view? What
benefit will be provided to the communicator?
- How will it be read or viewed? Will it be
read from a printed page, a computer monitor, or some other
venue?
Cause and Effect Analysis. This creative
approach focuses on the causes of a problem. Initial causes can
be identified according to the following categories: machine,
human, material, and/or method.
Sub-categories can be created, if appropriate, under each heading.
Synectics. This is an approach in which
collaborators of diverse personalities, background, professions,
or specializations are intentionally placed within a group. With
such diversity, a problem can be addressed from a variety of perspectives.
Techniques such as brainstorming, metaphors, analogies, role playing,
and simulations are used to first define the problem. Then using
the same techniques, participants view the problem as if they
were an eyewitness to the problem — they place themselves
in the scenario. Ideas and solutions emerge from this unique perspective.
Communication
Effective collaboration requires good communication skills. Technical
Communication, by Rebecca Burnett, provides excellent some guidelines
for communication:
- Be engaged and cooperative
- Listen
- Conform to conversation conventions
- Ask questions
- Share
- Use technology effectively
- Reflect
Additionally, collaborators need to be comfortable working in
teams. This means that responsibility and credit is often shared,
and a sole individual may not get all the glory. Collaborators
also need to feel secure enough personally to accept constructive
criticism and not become defensive or offended. However, having
said that, providing tactful input and constructive criticism
and always showing respect toward others is very important, also.
Conflict Resolution
When human beings communicate, there is always the potential
for misunderstandings and conflict. There are several types of
conflicts: affective, procedural, and substantive.
Affective Conflict.
"Affect" refers to your personality, values, attitudes,
and mood. It also relates to how sensitive you are in interpersonal
communication — your ability to empathize and see things
from another person's point of view. On the negative side, it
pertains to how easily you are offended or intimidated. Affective
conflicts in collaboration are the most destructive and non-productive.
There are always two parties in a conflict. To minimize the potential
of your contribution to affective conflict, be aware of your own
bias, attitude, or mood, and set them aside during collaboration.
This awareness will help prevent these negative affects from offending
or stirring up conflict among others.
If your collaborative partner seems to be exhibiting negative
behaviors as a result of bias, a bad attitude, or a foul mood,
there are some constructive ways you can approach this. Avoid
using categorical terminology like "always" or "never."
For example, don't say, "You never have anything positive
to say", or "You always interrupt me."
But rather, simply share what you are observing about the problem,
share how it affects you, and offer a solution. For example, you
could say,
"I'm noticing that your comments are often negative and
don't focus on a solution. This makes it difficult for me to
offer new ideas. It would be beneficial to me if you pointed
out some of the positive aspects of my ideas and offered solutions
for the problematic aspects."
Another example might be,
"It seems as if you often interrupt me while I'm talking.
You have some really good ideas, but I tend to lose my train
of thought if I get interrupted. Can I finish my thought?"
Note the use of the word "often," which is much less
condemning than saying "always." People always respond
better when they are given the benefit of the doubt. It also minimizes
defensiveness and helps them to save face.
Procedural Conflict. Sometimes conflicts
will arise regarding the collaborative process itself. If guidelines
about meeting schedules, communication venues, roles and responsibilities,
and conflict resolution strategies are defined at the beginning,
things will run a lot smoother.
Substantive Conflict. Substantive conflict
pertains to the content of the project itself. Similar to procedural
guidelines, the purpose and desired outcomes of the collaboration
should be defined at the beginning. However, unlike the previously
mentioned types of conflicts, substantive conflict has value in
the initial stages of collaboration. It serves to refine the problem-solving
process and integrate ideas and solutions that had not been previously
considered.
Collaborators should be encouraged to voice specific concerns
or submit a differing point of view regarding the substance of
the project. They should also be encouraged to freely share alternative
solutions. In substantive conflict opposing ideas or suggestions
should always be submitted respectfully and without investment
in protecting your own ego. You should have the attitude that
you are all on the same team and are working together to solve
a problem.
Eventually, however, a consensus should be reached so that team
members can get busy with their tasks. If this type of conflict
isn't resolved early in the process, it can become destructive
and undermine the project.
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