Rethinking Community Collaboration Through a Dialogic Lens: Creativity, Democracy, and Diversity in Community Organizing    

Community collaboration has become an influential interorganizational phenomenon that provides innovative solutions for social problems. This critical case study uses dialogic theory to investigate how collaboration stakeholders negotiate creative and democratic outcomes. Findings demonstrate how a dialogic moment, although embedded in a homogenous partnership that facilitated discursive closure, constituted meaningful organizational change. The study empirically extends the theoretical claim that diversity resides in the communication situation and reveals that collaboration practices and stakeholder models are better understood when grounded in dialogic theory.

Guarrello, Renee. Management Communication Quarterly (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Community Building>Organizational Communication

Return on Investment: Our Value as Technical Communicators

Before technical communicators can talk to managers or developers, we need to understand their language and perspective. Managers think in terms of value added as return on investment (ROI).

Boos, Diane. STC Puget Sound (2004). Articles>TC>Collaboration

Reviewing a Peer's Work  

If we've been asked by a peer to review his or her work before it is sent out to be scrutinized by the world, our job is to neither edit nor rewrite the information. Our job is to give helpful, specific feedback about where the information communicates well and where it needs work. The more we understand about how to review a peer's work effectively, and how doing this is different from editing, the better feedback we can provide.

Gillihan, Dana L. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Collaboration>Editing>Writing

Riffing for Originality

Riff is a metaphor from jazz to describe a form of improvisation in which one musician borrows and builds on the musical phrase of another.

Clark, Roy Peter. Poynter Online (2004). Articles>Writing>Collaboration

The ROI of Usability and Making Usability Routine

Makes the business case for usability, and examines the impact of making usability routine throughout an organization.

Weinschenk, Susan and Jay More. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Collaboration>Workplace

The Role of Double Agents in Writing Projects  

Double agents on writing teams provide benefits to both product developers and technical writers with their unique skills and perspectives. You'll be more likely to get the information you need when you need it because your double agent has already set the stage for success. Learn the benefits of having a double agent working with technical writers as a part of the product development team. Discover valuable secrets never before divulged to the public that you can use to work with your product developers. Take out your magnifying glass and look for the clues.

Mobley, Karen L., Kathryn L. Turk and Judith R. Fisher. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Writing>Collaboration>SMEs

The Role of the Editor in the Technical Writing Team

Editing today covers far more than printed materials. In this discussion, I am assuming a technical editor may be required to deal with: printed materials (for example, books, pamphlets, quick reference cards); electronic (for example, online documentation, online help, web pages); video scripts; computer-based training materials. I am also assuming that the audience for the material being edited is not comprised of other technical people; or if it is, the editor is not the person responsible for ensuring the technical accuracy of the material.

Hollis Weber, Jean. Technical Editors Eyrie (2002). Articles>Editing>Collaboration>Technical Writing

Roles Needed in an Intranet Team

A multi-disciplinary approach is needed when establishing an intranet team. Due to the diverse range of responsibilities, a large number of skills are required. This briefing outlines the major roles in an intranet team.

Robertson, James. Step Two (2003). Design>Web Design>Collaboration

The Rules of Digital Engagement

For contract web workers, consultants, and freelancers who work with far-flung collaborators, multiple clients, and constantly shifting teams, the rules of digital engagement--the way we interact with each other and resolve conflict in virtual space--are constantly changing. As we adapt to new ways of collaborating, we must also learn how to communicate effectively, set expectations, and build team confidence in an evolving work environment.

Follett, Jonathan. List Apart, A (2008). Articles>Web Design>Collaboration>Workplace

Rules of the Game: Contract Consulting and Negotiating Skills  

A panel of experts will discuss how negotiating with vendors, business partners, peers, or employees can turn differences to mutual gain. Whether the technical communicators finds professional fulfillment and financial success from permanent or contract employment, as an employee or as a manager, the panel will offer suggestions, rules of thumb, and examples of how to optimize success in the work environment. The perspectives offered will be from the viewpoints of the consultant, the contractor, and the organization. Two papers, “Successful Contract Consulting” and “Negotiating Rules for Technical Communicators” provide background for this panel.

Currie, Cynthia C., James T. Currie, Laurie Modrey, and Emily A. Sopensky. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Consulting>Collaboration

Running a Successful International Teleconference  

Kratts suggests guidelines for minimizing confusion during international teleconferences.

Kratts, Aimee. Intercom (2001). Articles>Collaboration>International>Teleconferencing

Running Group Critique  

Feedback is central to learning. Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes, but practice without feedback does not allow students or training participants to improve.

Doumont, Jean-Luc. Intercom (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Collaboration

Same Tools, New Ideas: A Real-Life Example of Information Sharing and Reuse  

Sharing information between writers in a team is a great way to maximize resources and minimize cost.

Kucbel-Saumier, Melissa. STC Region 7 Proceedings (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Writing

Scientific Collaboratories: Evaluating their Potential

The evaluation of scientific collaboratories has lagged behind their development. So few evaluations of scientific collaboratories exist that fundamental questions regarding their potential have yet to be answered: Can distributed scientific research produce high quality results? Do the capabilities afforded by collaboratories outweigh their disadvantages from scientists' perspectives?  How does the scientific process change in the context of a collaboratory?

Sonnenwald, Diane H., Mary C. Whitton and Kelly L. Maglaughlin. ASIST (2002). Articles>Collaboration>Scientific Communication

Self-Directed Work Teams  

Describes how a team of employees with broad control over the direction and outcome of a project can work more efficiently than a single individual assigned the same tasks.

McNeill, Angie D. Intercom (2000). Articles>Management>Collaboration

Sensemaking and Identity: The Interconnection of Storytelling and Networking in a Women's Group of a Large Corporation    

Based on the action research model of inquiry, this article is an interpretive ethnographic case study, exploring the power of narratives as a sensemaking device for members of a women's resource network in a large corporation during a time of significant organizational change, and the influence of storytelling on the networking practices of its members. Data are based on participant observation, formal and informal interviews, focus groups, and document analysis, including presentations, meeting notes, and e-mail correspondence. Drawing on the concepts of sensemaking, identity construction, and habitus, analysis of the members' stories suggests three key conclusions: reliance on collectively constructing stories; use of stories to deal with ambiguity and anxiety; and use of stories to construct and regulate identity. When viewed through a narrative lens, these results illuminate the interconnection of storytelling and networking strategies in a women's resource network that provides a hybrid of both expressive and instrumental benefits.

Bird, Shelley. JBC (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Workplace>Gender

Sensitivity to Other Cultures  

Shares experiences and observations collected from working with colleagues in Asian cultures. Discusses the importance of actively working to accommodate the needs of communicators from other cultures by beginning the dialogue in their language.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2006). Articles>Collaboration>International

Services Academics Offer: Considering Ways Organizations Can Seek Help from Universities  

In technical communication, we talk about bridging academy and industry quite often, and we usually brainstorm ways that academics can forge relationships with professional organizations. This paper focuses on the reverse: helping technical communicators seek out academics who can help with workplace writing problems. Academics can offer expertise in training, problem-solving methodologies, and research facilities and can help organizations work through problems of collaboration, technology, design, and communication.

Smith Diaz, Charlsye. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Collaboration>Industry and Academy

The Seven Sins of Deadly Meetings

And seven steps to salvation. Tools, techniques, and technologies to make your meetings less painful, more productive -- even heavenly.

Matson, Eric. Fast Company (1996). Articles>Collaboration

Seven Things New Managers Must Do in the First 90 Days  

Discusses the creation of managed and sustainable workflow.

Hackos, JoAnn T. and Marty Williamson. ComTech Services (2000). Careers>Management>Collaboration>Workflow

Sharing Ownership of UX

By working closely together in harmony, product management, UX, and engineering can achieve synergy, making the product user experience greater than the sum of their individual efforts.

Gabriel-Petit, Pabini. UXmatters (2007). Articles>User Experience>Collaboration

Shopping for Ideas at UPA Idea Markets

Ever feel that the best part of a conference happens between sessions? Ulf Andersson did. So, in the 1970s, he created a format for conference sessions called an 'Idea Market.' Attendees are free to roam from one idea station to the next, until they find a topic that grabs their attention. 'Activators' at each station stir up lively discourse on a variety of subjects in an interactive, fluid session. I had attended Idea Markets at other conferences and thought that they might be perfectly suited to UPA conferences because of the potential for getting practitioners buzzing about a variety of topics. So, I submitted a proposal to conduct an Idea Market at UPA in 2002 as a special type of 'panel' session. The reviewers had a tough time grasping the concept. Fortunately, the panel co-chairs went with it, and the first-ever Idea Market launched successfully.

Chisnell, Dana E. Usability Professionals Association (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Usability

Should Academic Programs in Technical Communication Try to Strengthen the Bond between Academia and Industry?  

Whether the answer to this question is a resounding yes or no, we need to address this question when we consider models for strategic development. My own experience is that technical communication is drawing closer to issues present in both academia and industry, issues such as visualization of data, usability and field testing of products, design of instructional material for the web, and other research issues. But as the two domains need each other to begin to solve problems, the collaboration is fraught with perils, perils such as who states the problem, who manages the project, what resources are available for working on the project, and who owns the results? As we begin to try to strengthen the bond, do we currently have models for successful collaborations? Are there strategies in place that lead to success? Are certain approaches doomed to failure?

Feinberg, Susan G. CPTSC Proceedings (2000). Academic>Education>Industry and Academy>Collaboration

SIGDOC Reminiscences    

In the mid 1970's, technical writers documented weapons of mass destruction for the military and its contractors. There were few computer-related jobs outside IBM and the other manufacturers. Corporate systems development managers did not know that people existed who were interested in such work.

Rigo, Joe. Journal of Computer Documentation (2001). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration>History

Situated Learning in Cross-Functional Virtual Teams    

This paper reports an interpretive study of three cross-functional teams in a single company. The teams were virtual because each was composed of workers located in a small southern U. S. town and a northern U. S. city. The conceptual framework of situated learning within communities of practice guided the interpretation of transcripts of interviews with 22 managers and team members. The results suggest that virtual teamwork creates special demands that require workers to devise local practices for coordinating their work with remote team members. Through different combinations of remote and face-to-face communication, using a variety of communication media, the learning of work practices became situated in the virtual community rather than imposed by managers or specially designed coordinating technologies.

Robey, Daniel, Huoy Min Khoo and Carolyn Powers. Technical Communication Online (2000). Articles>Collaboration>Workplace>Online