Collaboration

 What is Collaboration?

Collaboration is a working practice whereby individuals work together for a common purpose to achieve  benefit.

Collaboration enables individuals to work together to achieve a defined and common purpose. It exists in two forms:

Synchronous, where everyone interacts in real-time, as in online meetings, through instant messaging and Asynchronous, where the interaction can be time-shifted, as when uploading documents or annotations to shared workspaces;

Collaboration at the conceptual level involves:

• Awareness – We become part of a working entity with a shared purpose
• Motivation – We drive to gain consensus in problem-solving or development
• Self-synchronization – We decide as individuals when things need to happen
• Participation – We participate in collaboration and we expect others to participate
• Mediation – We negotiate and we collaborate together and find a middle point
• Reciprocity – We share and we expect sharing in return through reciprocity
• Reflection – We think and we consider alternatives
• Engagement – We proactively engage rather than wait and see