#30726
The Effects of Favor and Apology on Compliance 
This study was designed to test the effects of favor and apology on compliance and to explain any potential effect via indebtedness, gratitude, and liking. Two experiments were devised to accomplish these ends. In the first experiment favor and apology were varied in the absence of a transgression to see if apologizing for not providing a favor can be used proactively to increase compliance. In the second experiment favor and apology were varied in a more common scenario, following a transgression. Results show that favor has a positive effect on compliance mediated by gratitude when using a general prosocial request and by liking when using a more altruistic request. Results also suggest that apology has a positive effect on liking and that apology has an indirect effect on compliance under certain conditions.
Goei, Ryan, Anthony Roberto, Gary Meyer and Kellie Carlyle. Written Communication (2008). Articles>Collaboration
#30727
This study investigates the effects of shared cognition on group member satisfaction and group task performance. The hypotheses are that groups who have shared cognition concerning communication rules, such as politeness and efficiency, will be more satisfied with their group processes and will perform a task better than will those in groups lacking shared cognition concerning communication rules. The research involved 67 groups (N = 236) performing a radio assembly task for 20 minutes. Group members in the shared cognition condition received the same instructions to communicate politely (or efficiently). In the non-shared cognition condition, some members in a group received instructions to communicate politely and other members in the same group received instructions to communicate efficiently. The data are consistent with the part of the hypothesis relating to satisfaction but not to the one relating to performance.
Park, Hee Sun. Communication Research (2008). Articles>Collaboration
#14511
Electrify Your Work: Empowerment 
We’ve all heard about empowerment. It means being innovative, taking risks, reaping rewards. But how do you apply it to your work? How can you empower yourself and others? This demonstration examines the true meaning of empowerment and offers time-tested scenarios to drive the points of empowerment home. See the empowered individual; feel the teamwork blossom; and learn how to “just say no”!
Walech-Roth, Laura L. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Workplace>Collaboration
#21430
Elephants in the Living Room: The Destructive Role of Denial in Web Design
Four of your fellow development team members, all trying to do their specific jobs to the best of their abilities, have the power to sink your best effort at interaction design. As an interaction designer, it is your job to see they don't do so. (If you are not an interaction designer, read on anyway; you may be surprised to learn that you may be part of the problem.)
Tognazzini, Bruce. Nielsen Norman Group (2000). Articles>Web Design>User Interface>Collaboration
#15127
Eleven Commandments for Business Meeting Etiquette
Offers some rules on business meeting etiquette.
Smith, Gary M. Intercom (2000). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration
#15128
Eleven Commandments for Conducting a Business Meeting
In response to Gary M. Smith's article 'Eleven Commandments for Business Meeting Etiquette,' which focuses on the conduct of those attending meetings, Sullivan presents eleven rules for the organizers and speakers of meetings.
Sullivan, Christine A. Intercom (2000). Articles>Management>Collaboration
#31567
Employees Want to be Led by Leaders Who Lead
Virtually every employee in an organization performs a discrete set of tasks. Only the leader sees the big picture -- unless the leader does a good job of conveying that big picture to his workforce. Of course, there's more to leadership than getting people to buy into your vision.
Holtz, Shel. Communication World Bulletin (2003). Articles>Management>Collaboration>Rhetoric
#31758
Enabling Information Sharing Integrity
Most companies accept the rapid obsolescence of their documents as an unavoidable cost of doing business. Its not. When dynamic documents replace static documents, users can bring together disparate, distributed data and content and combine it in a single document that is always accurate and up-to-date.
Sorofman, Jake. Content Wrangler, The (2008). Articles>Content Management>XML>Collaboration
#27049
It's supposed to make life easier, but e-mail has become a big pain. Enter the wiki, new software that could change the way you communicate.
Dahl, Darren. Inc. Magazine (2006). Articles>Collaboration>Online>Email
#30199
Ensuring A Successful CMS Implementation
The single most important factor in a successful CMS implementation lies with you and your people. Your staff members are the principal users of the system, and the SMEs in your organization are the secondary users. It is their adoption of the new processes and governance structures that makes or breaks a CMS implementation. According to some, process and cultural change accounts for 90%, while technology contributes only 10% to the success of a CMS.
Hamer, Emma C. Rockley Bulletin (2007). Articles>Content Management>User Centered Design>Collaboration
#23942
The Enterprise Information Portal and eBusiness
The rapid advance of the Internet, groupware, relational databases and search engines allows knowledge workers to come together and share ideas and information as never before.
KMworld (2001). Articles>Collaboration>Online
#14686
Essentials of Successful Cooperation
Brys discusses ways that technical communicators can lay foundations for good working relationships with subject matter experts.
Brys, Catherine M. Intercom (2001). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration>SMEs
#13286
Establishing an Editorial Forum
With the advent of the World Wide Web, many areas besides Publications produce documents for outside customers. This paper discusses how to establish and organize a forum to make, track, and publicize company-wide style guidelines.
Gelb, Janice. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Collaboration>Style Guides
#14146
Establishing and Building Mutual Respect with Technical Team Members 
As a technical writer, are you finding yourself wishing for just a bit of respect from the engineers, SMEs (Subject Matter Experts), or other technical people you work with? Are you finding that these folks seem to stonewall you on every question you have or every goal you're trying to achieve? Are they obstreperous? Difficult? Or just plain unhelpful? When I hear technical writers complaining about--er, describing--such troubles when working in a team environment, my first reaction is to want to sit and observe how they actually interact with those seemingly impossible team members. In my experience, I've found that the problem isn't always with a surly SME or with an engineer who lacks communication skills. Certainly, there are cases where other team members just don't value any contribution other than their own; however, most often, I have found the problem is with the technical writer's approach to the team environment--and have found that the problem began from the very start of that writer's involvement with the team.
Ray, Eric J. TECHWR-L (2002). Careers>Collaboration>Workplace>SMEs
#12934
Extending Your Tech Writing Skills: Pitching a Newspaper Column Idea
Before pitching a column idea to your local newspaper editor, take time to examine whether becoming a columnist is right for you. In taking on a newspaper column, you not only take on a long-term commitment, but you also establish a responsibility to people in your own community. So, to begin, you might read Extending Your Tech Writing Skills: Becoming a Columnist, which identifies considerations for becoming a columnist. If you decide that becoming a columnist does suit your interests and goals, then the following tips and ideas can help you land a column with your local newspaper. As you'll see, examining and refining the topic, overcoming the competition, using a creative approach, and following up appropriately can help.
Ray, Deborah S. TECHWR-L (2001). Articles>Writing>Collaboration
#27586
Extreme Programming (or XP) is a popular software development process that encourages a return to the days of little or no documentation, Design After First Testing, and Constant Refactoring After Programming. Despite its popularity, not everyone thinks XP is a good idea.
Software Reality (2005). Articles>Collaboration>Agile>Extreme Documentation
#29280
By crossing the characterizing facets with constraints, you are combining the subjective needs of the project stakeholders with the objective constraints of the project in a way that ensures all points of view are fairly considered. It also ensures that a project requirement is not included or excluded simply because one person yelled louder than the others.
Polansky, Adam. Boxes and Arrows (2007). Design>Project Management>Collaboration
#26536
Facilitating Research on Global Partnerships in Technical Communication Programs
Discussion about fostering international relationships for academic programs in technical communication.
Farkas, David K., Kenneth T. Rainey and Bruce Maylath. CPTSC (2005). Presentations>Education>Globalization>Collaboration
#24500
Factors in Reader Responses to Negative Letters: Experimental Evidence for Changing What We Teach
This article summarizes the scholarly discussion about negative messages and reports the results of two pretests and two experiments using negative letters. The results show that buffers did not significantly affect college students' responses to simulated letters refusing credit and denying admission to graduate school, and strong resale was counterproductive. Students responded least favorably to rejection when they were surprised by it and when their other options were limited. On the basis of these experiments and the published literature, the author recommends that negative letters normally begin with the reason for the refusal, using a buffer only if one of several exceptions apply. If the reason makes the company look good, it should be spelled out in as much detail as possible. If an alternative or compromise exists, the writer should suggest it. Although a positive ending is not necessary, if one is used, a bland positive is better than a strong one, especially in letters to clients or customers.
Locker, Kitty O. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (1999). Articles>Editing>Collaboration
#22023
Born to lead or learn to lead? Truth is -- no one knows for sure. But there is a small industry of writing, teaching, and speaking built on the proposition that you can at least talk about it. Studies by the Center for Creative Leadership and the Honeywell Corporation suggest that, after direct experience, the second source of learning about leadership is conversation with others.
Breen, Bill. Fast Company (1996). Articles>Management>Collaboration
#18934
Fifteen Tips for Remote Collaboration
It will always be easier to rally a group of people who work in the same building, but you can accomplish just as much (or more) with a motivated remote team. Getting team members motivated in the first place and holding their interest are your goals. Here are fifteen quick and useful tips to get you started.
Young, Indi. Adaptive Path (2003). Careers>Collaboration>Online
#20325
Knowledge gaps arise when a small team in an organization creates or compiles a body of knowledge that needs to be deployed to a larger group of people. A gap then exists between the small team that has the knowledge and the larger group of people who need it. In the normal course of doing business, healthy organizations naturally create knowledge gaps, and the healthiest organizations create the most knowledge gaps.
Reid, Clifford A. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Collaboration>Communication>Knowledge Management
#31209
Five Facets of Successful Global Communication
Managing internal communication across a global organization is an exciting and challenging task. How this task is approached will vary widely depending on the culture and structure of the particular organization, as well as the location of its headquarters.
Samuels, Paul. Communication World Bulletin (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Collaboration>International
#23970
Five Ways to Get the Most from In-House Designers
Over the last two years, we've heard from increasing numbers of executives who want to bring interaction design in-house because they've realized how critical it is to product success. There are plenty of challenges involved in doing this, including hiring and training the right people. One of the challenges companies may not expect, though, is in deciding how to use those resources once they've been found.
Goodwin, Kim. Cooper Interaction Design (2003). Design>Project Management>Collaboration
#24959
Flexible Diff-ing in a Collaborative Writing System
Discusses the use of computer-generated information about what has been revised in the display of editing in word processors.
Neuwirth, Christine M., Ravinder Chandhok, David S. Kaufer, Paul Erion, James Morris and Dale Miller. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (1992). Articles>Editing>Word Processing>Collaboration
