We are all familiar with collaboration that fails because of insufficient effort in one direction or another. Here is a a proposal that takes into consideration all the factors at play when a group of people collaborate. The formula I propose shows how to create collaborative success. Yes, there is probably a more complex or correct equation for what it takes to make…
Your collaboration tools may be useless
State-of-the-art collaborative tools are about as useful as a box of hammers (see photo) if no one is clear on the aim of the project. It is misguided to think that your team has a good collaborative environment just because everyone shares the same database, or that a specific social media tool is all you need to get…
Model 2 – The writing shop
Our second model of writing process shows a group of writers working together to produce documents for the organization. On the surface it may seem that nothing is wrong with the writing shop model. One problem is that the shop may be just a collective of lone writers. Other characteristics of a writing shop is that they…
Model 1 – The lone writer: A lose–lose situation
The lone writer model is more common in organizations than you might think. Whenever work is sent to a single person for execution, either to someone in the organization or to a freelance writer (often the same person each time, since that person knows the organization very well), the lone writer model is being put into action….
Which writing process does your organization follow?
There are three main types of writing models that can be used to produce documents in organizations: Model 1. The Lone Writer, where one person does most of the writing for the organization Model 2. The Writing Shop, where a bank of writing specialists produce documentation Model 3. The Collaborative Team, where various writers and subject matter…
Law 5. Agree on practices and tools and track progress
A collaborative writer is someone who works with at least one other person to produce a text and achieve a common purpose. Now, a group of writers can produce a lot of text. To ensure that all those pieces go together well, the team should agree on practices and tools while tracking progress throughout the phases of…
Law 3. Identify the writing mandate and agree on a process
When there is writing to be done, most people expect some magic to happen. The mystique surrounding the creative process is powerful. There is no magic, though. Setting words on the page is a process and having a plan is key. Very early on in the development process, your team must capture the expectations for the project….
Law 2. Respect thy collaborators as thyself
Collaboration is about working with other people. Many hands make write work! And cupcakes have been known to make projects hum along nicely. Collaborative writing involves many different kinds of expertise, since contributions are collected from various people and sources. Often that can be a lot of fun. When things don’t go well, though, nothing will smooth the…
Law 1. All writing in organizations is collaborative
It’s tempting to think of writing as a something one does alone. All writing is, to some extent, collaborative. Many book forewords tell the story of how people helped the author: editors, mentors, peers, wives or husbands, friends, kids—even the cat. The content still belongs to the author whose name appears on the cover. As Ray Bradbury…
Collaborative writing in history: The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a great example of collaborative writing. All the elements are there: a writing mandate, plenty of source material, consultation with experts, a tight timeline, committees, key writers of great skill, various drafts, and a three-day meeting, during which the text is edited by many players. The writing team is even told to take…