#22021
Group Think: Building in Quality 
What kind of organizational structure is best for sharing information that will result in quality decisions? Researchers at the University at London provide insight into what empowers management groups make better more competitive strategic decisions. The quality of decisions is improved when all members of the group have access to information.
Rulke, Diane L. and Joseph Galaskiewicz. HRZone (1998). Articles>Collaboration
#18862
Group Work and Collaborative Writing
Working with a group on a project can be a pleasure: responsibilities are equitably divided, the tedium of work is punctuated by conviviality and commiseration, and large problems dissolve under scrutiny from a variety of perspectives. Working with a group can also be frustrating, the seemingly indirect and digressive, as well as anxiety-ridden and inconvenient. But still, the product of group work has better odds for success than does the product of an individual.
Connery, Brian A. and John L. Vohs. University of California Davis. Articles>Collaboration>Writing
#23663
Growing Your Practice by Managing Business Relationships 
Independent contractors and consultants know the value of working cooperatively with other professionals to complete complex projects. 'Other professionals' includes subcontractors, other independent contractors and consultants, and business partners. The formation of these kinds of strategic relationships can help meet the demands of today’s diverse markets and clients. This paper outlines some of the basic issues that surround business relationships, including planning (estimating and bidding), formalizing project-based contractual relationships, and exploring more permanent partnership arrangements.
Barker, Thomas, Ryan Bernard, Melanie G. Flanders, Rob Moschak and Nicole Wycislo. STC Proceedings (2003). Careers>Freelance>Consulting>Collaboration
#28888
Growth of Science and Technology Journals in India 
This paper estimates the growth of Science and Technology (S&T) journals in post-independence India.
Shafi, Muzamil. International Journal for Technical Communication (2007). Articles>Publishing>Scientific Communication>Collaboration
#26087
Nobody would deny that usability guidelines, applied in context by a usability professional, are extremely valuable in guiding a website evaluation. The problem occurs when non-professionals apply these guidelines out of context. This can result in an unimaginative site that looks bland and homogenous. To design usable sites that truly engage customers we need to replace simple guidelines with a customer-centred design process.
System Concepts (2005). Design>Web Design>Style Guides>Collaboration
#10219
Handling Tough Situations: The Art of Buying Time
We have discussed the advantages of attacking tough situations not all at once but in four phases: (1) minimal immediate response, aimed at buying time; (2) realistic preparation based on a complete scenario; (3) problem-solving discussion focused on reaching an agreement; and (4) follow-through to ensure that agreements are carried out. The main argument for this approach is simple: to be persuasive, you need good arguments; when you are surprised and upset, you can't think of your best arguments; therefore, whenever possible, give yourself time to calm down, think, and prepare properly.
Reimold, Cheryl. IEEE PCS (2000). Careers>Collaboration
#10220
Handling Tough Situations: The Short Method
We discussed how to buy time when you are assaulted by an unpleasant surprise. Our argument was that few people respond well to challenging situations unless they have some time to prepare. Therefore, whenever you can, you should divide the task into four distinct phases: (1) minimal immediate response, (2) preparation, (3) problem-solving discussion, and (4) follow-through. Unfortunately, some situations don't let you postpone a full discussion. For such cases, you need the 'short method,' which condenses phases 1-3.
Reimold, Cheryl. IEEE PCS (2000). Careers>Collaboration>Project Management
#31015
Explains how a leading global law firm manages its market and client research. Outlines the firm's divisions, business activities and client base. Explains in detail how the firm uses business research, covering use of market intelligence on the business issues that an individual client faces, and the gathering of intelligence about the client, to disclose the nature and extent of the firm's ambitions to advise the organization concerned. Discusses the staffing of a law firm's business research capability, pointing out that not only staff expertise but also confidentiality concerns mean that it is not always efficient for lawyers to access internal and external information sources directly. Suggests that defining the minimum business research necessary improves the usefulness of the information delivered and saves the firm time -- and that removing the uncertainty about what is required improves job satisfaction as well.
Blaxland, Diane. Business Information Review (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Legal>Collaboration
#25011
Harnessing the Earthquake: Reaching Group Consensus When Changing the Documentation Process
A causal-analysis session is a problem-solving method that brings groups of people together to jointly solve common problems and make process changes. This method ensures that everyone who will be affected by a process change has the opportunity to provide input and agree to the solution. In large departments, reaching group consensus is a challenge. This paper presents our department's implementation of the causal-analysis method.
Coppola, Carolyn M. and Kristine Logan. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration
#30100
Calm tension, communicate more easily, and run your projects more efficiently by applying the right relationship management techniques.
LaFerriere, Keith. List Apart, A (2007). Articles>Management>Collaboration
#25368
Have Women Websters Achieved Equality On the Internet?
Will cyberspace fulfill our dreams of creating a new work environment where not only women but men can choose to work remotely at home, rocking babies with one hand while pushing pixels with the other? There are no easy answers.
Bucqueroux, Bonnie. Wise-Women (2004). Careers>Web Design>Collaboration>Gender
#14755
Helping New Writers Through Their First Year
Von Haas examines techniques for helping new technical writers achieve success in the profession.
Von Haas, Elaina E. Intercom (2002). Careers>Collaboration>Mentoring
#29336
The Hidden Relationship Between Project Managers and Technical Writers
Want to know the secret to better quality documentation and improved software design? Will Kelly outlines how the key is an effective relationship between project managers and technical writers.
Kelly, William T. TechRepublic (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Project Management>Technical Writing
#14051
Hot Politics: The Changing Places of Political Participation in the Age of the Internet
Among the many complexities of power, economics, interests, personality, passions, social interaction, ideology, culture, and religion that keep politics both more and less than rational deliberation are those that arise from the dynamics of literate interchange, the historical formation of forums, and the generic shaping of utterances within those forums. Recent research on genre and discursive systems, along with situated cognition and action, suggests that the character of the local activity space is extremely important for what happens, what people think and learn, and what social consequences emerge. While the shape of politics to emerge in the cyber world is still somewhat obscure, by considering the forums of political interchange that are emerging on the internet, how they draw on previous forums and genres of political interchange, and the pressures that seem to be encouraging the heightening of certain elements within those genres, we may gain a first reading of some choices in front of us.
Bazerman, Charles. UCSB (2000). Articles>Collaboration>Online>Politics
#18377
How Can We Assist Clients in Becoming More Successful at Conflict Resolution?
A void exists in our social skill set that leaves us incapable of successfully resolving the conflicts we face in our personal and professional lives. Conflict and dispute resolution is a skill we all must learn. Practitioners need to assist clients to reach beyond just settling their current conflict. We should include the skill building, coaching and support necessary for disputants to make the paradigm shift from disputing parties to conflict resolution advocates with a positive perspective on conflict and its resolution.
Odidison, Joyce. Mediate.com (2002). Articles>Communication>Collaboration
#23385
How Do You Believe You Add Value to the Development of an Information System?
In recent months, as part of my doctoral research, I have been interviewing technical communicators, users and developers of information systems to try and find out if in fact the work of a technical communicator is of value to those developing and using information systems. The interviews demonstrated clearly that technical communicators do add value. This was further confirmed in Paris where I discussed my work with technical communicators at the Comtec '97 conference. The following discussion encapsulates some of the comments from participants at Comtec '97 and the interviews I conducted.
Fisher, Julie L. TC-FORUM (2003). Articles>Collaboration>TC
#29341
How Do You Deal With a CEO Who Wants to Run the IT Department?
A CEO is enamored with technology but doesn't understand the issues involved in implementing his time- and money-hungry IT ideas. What would you do to solve this problem?
Roberts, Becky. TechRepublic (2003). Careers>Management>Technology>Collaboration
#28631
How Employees Fight Back Against Workplace Bullying
Adult bullying at work is a shocking, terrifying, and at times shattering experience. What's more, bullying appears to be quite common, as one in ten U.S. workers report feeling bullied at work, and one in four report working in extremely hostile environments. Workplace bullying is repetitive, enduring abuse that escalates over time and results in serious harm to those targeted, to witnessing coworkers, and to the organizations that allow it to persist. Bullying runs the gamut of hostile communication and behavior and can consist of excluding and ignoring certain workers, throwing things and destroying work, public humiliation and embarrassment, screaming and swearing, and occasionally even physical assault. What makes workplace bullying so harmful is its persistent nature. Exposed workers report that bullying goes on and on, lasting for months and--in many cases--even years.
Lutgen-Sandvik, Pamela. Communication Currents (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Collaboration
#29546
How Important Is It To Streamline Communication
Today's organizations must contend with increasingly complex communications environments that feature a wide array of communications methods. Employees, business partners, and customers communicate with one another through infinite combinations of phones, voice messaging, e-mail, fax, mobile clients, rich-media conferencing and other communication gadgets. One thing that is very important is proper communication. Whether you use the age-old snail mail or an email, the key to success lies in effective communication. One should get clear message as to what exactly is required or told by you. It is very important to streamline communication whether you are conversing in person or through an age-old snail mail, email or over the phone.
ArticleMuse (2007). Articles>Communication>Collaboration>Minimalism
#24496
During scientific researchers' collaborations, authors draw on many extratextual resources (social, intellectual and empirical) which are deployed in their texts.
Bazerman, Charles. WAC Clearinghouse (1991). Articles>Scientific Communication>Collaboration
#26996
How Product Teams Benefit from Usability
Product teams can leverage usability in three simple ways. First, usability can disambiguate requirements. Second, it can push a product closer to perfection with a small investment. Finally, usability helps product teams inform the organization about potential and expected support issues.
Rhodes, John S. Apogee (2006). Articles>Usability>Collaboration
#31526
How to Avoid Networking Faux Pas
It's no secret that networking is a key factor in career success. And failing to keep an active network can hinder your employment prospects if you suddenly find yourself in the job market with no contacts or references. As a professional communicator, you already know how important connections are. But a network must be continually nurtured, and you may be neglecting yours unintentionally. Here are 10 common networking mistakes and tips to avoid them
McDonald, Paul. Communication World Bulletin (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Community Building
#22837
How to Become a Value-Add Technical Communicator to Scientists, Engineers, and Technical Staff
At one time or another most technical communicators have had to work with scientific/technical professionals who were the authors of their own research projects or product documentation. As a group, engineers more so than scientists do not view writing documentation as a critical (though perhaps important) part of the product or their job description. The technical publications team in Motorola’s RISC Systems Engineering Division has adopted seven strategies developed by the author that will help get engineers, programmers, and other technical professionals clamoring for the services of technical communicators. This paper addresses these seven strategies.
LeVie, Donald S., Jr. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Collaboration>Engineering
#30808
How to Convince Others of the Importance of Documentation
If you've been a technical writer for long, chances are you've had to convince someone of the importance of documentation. It just comes with the territory. People often don't see the value of writing technical manuals. So how do you convince them?
HelpScribe (2008). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration
#29254
How to Deliver Bad News to Customers
In order to be effective in the usability business, you have to face the fact that you'll have to deliver bad news. You have to talk about what's not working. You might have to bruise egos and make your client uncomfortable.
Rhodes, John S. Apogee. Careers>Consulting>Usability>Collaboration
