Why You Must Lead or Follow

Something curious happens when we confront things we don’t like. Instead of the useful choices of taking action to improve things or accepting things as they are, we often just sit on our asses, point fingers and complain. We’ve developed the passive habits of spectators, rather than the active roles of creators and supporters.

Berkun, Scott. ScottBerkun.com (2006). Articles>Collaboration>Management

Wikibility Cultural Key Drivers: Collaboration

The true collaboration occurs when people have the possibility to co-work on the same sub-task, activating a mechanism of new knowledge creation. Collaboration is not so obvious if is not clearly supported: the risk is to exchange this 'together' learning process with a simple cooperation process, producing not new knowledge but only a simple addition of individual regress knowledge.

Cammarata, Vincenzo. Grow Your Wiki (2008). Articles>Content Management>Collaboration>Wikis

Wikibility Cultural Key Drivers: Openness

Strictly linked with transparency concept, openness is at the base of the principle that people work better if they have access to the right information and possibility to assume that all over the organization. The simple access to other group member data or the possibility to know activities scheduled also in other groups are normal operations in a mature context such as is allowed to look to other team solutions or results in order to decide something for the own team.

Cammarata, Vincenzo. Grow Your Wiki (2008). Articles>Content Management>Collaboration>Wikis

Wikibility Cultural Key Drivers: Peering

A common element between Wiki philosophy and innovation successful case histories, is the partial or total absence of structure or, saying better, of hierarchy. The possibility, in fact, to contribute in the same way, indifferently at which level you are involved in the organization, is one of the first steps towards the reduction of barriers to collaboration, participation and involvement in the organizational life.

Cammarata, Vincenzo. Grow Your Wiki (2008). Articles>Content Management>Collaboration>Wikis

Wikibility Cultural Key Drivers: Sharing

The possibility of sharing improves an effective distribution of common resources (meeting room, projector, corporate car...). In a more general acceptation of the term, the availability to ideas or previous solutions useful for different use is an advantage that make co-creation of new knowledge and a healthy circulation of knowledge possible.

Cammarata, Vincenzo. Grow Your Wiki (2008). Articles>Content Management>Collaboration>Wikis

Wikinomics: What does it Mean for Technical Communication?

Communication technology has changed the way we think of the workplace. It is no longer a physical location with equipment and personnel coming together in one place. Equipment and people can now be spread across the campus, across the city, across the country, or across the globe. At the same time the authors write that the hierarchical structure of companies is changing along with the geography. Employees no longer need to do specific tasks given to them by a local supervisor, but instead they can all take responsibility for the welfare of the organization. Each and every employee can have his or her ideas for innovation taken seriously. An interesting corollary to this discussion, not brought up by Tapscott and Williams, are benefits of the collaborative workplace, not directly related to the bottom line.

Hackos, Bill. Center for Information-Development Management (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Online

Wikipedia and the "Informalation" Revolution

This is the great debate currently raging between Wikipedia's advocates and its critics. Wikipedia's supporters argue that an 'open source' structure in which anyone can perform updates will lead to the highest quality of information. Wikipedia has similar structure to Linux, an open source operating system which anyone is free to modify. Supporters also point out that unlike traditional print encyclopedias, or even software-based ones such as Microsoft Encarta, Wikipedia is continually updated in real-time, therefore much of the information is extremely relevant and timely.

Brooke, Andrew. STC Puget Sound (2005). Articles>Web Design>Collaboration>Open Source

Wikis for Supporting Distributed Collaborative Writing  

Wikis allow distributed teams to collaboratively write and edit documents through the Internet in a shared online workspace, without the need for special HTML knowledge or tools. The flexibility of wiki technology is a boon for increased cooperative work on large team projects. However, wiki technology also complicates notions of usable design as the information architecture of a wiki site may be created on the fly by all participants rather than by a dedicated technical communicator. This paper describes the basic technology of wikis, some advantages and disadvantages, and areas of concern with regard to information design.

Wei, Carolyn, Brandon Maust, Jennifer Barrick, Elisabeth Cuddihy and Jan H. Spyridakis. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Collaboration>Writing>Wikis

Wikis for Supporting Distributed Collaborative Writing  

Wikis allow distributed teams to collaboratively write and edit documents through the Internet in a shared online workspace, without the need for special HTML knowledge or tools. The flexibility of wiki technology is a boon for increased cooperative work on large team projects. However, wiki technology also complicates notions of usable design as the information architecture of a wiki site may be created on the fly by all participants rather than by a dedicated technical communicator. This paper describes the basic technology of wikis, some advantages and disadvantages, and areas of concern with regard to information design.

Wei, Carolyn, Brandon Maust, Jennifer Barrick, Elisabeth Cuddihy and Jan H. Spyridakis. STC (2005). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration>Wikis

Winning the Cross-Cultural Marathon    

Differences in value systems often impact how effectively individuals collaborate. In today's growing markets, where boundaries have, literally and metaphorically, blurred to the point of disappearing, developing a better understanding of the factors that influence successful cross-cultural communication and international team-work remains a challenge. But with a little thought, cultural awareness and planning, this can be done successfully.

International Journal for Technical Communication (2006). Articles>Collaboration>International

Wizards and Guides: Principles of Task Flow for Web Applications, Part 2

In part one of this article the discussion was one of views, forms, and the manner in which they could be combined into a task structure known as a hub. This installment expands on those themes by exploring two other types of task structures commonly employed in web applications--wizards and guides.

Baxley, Bob. Boxes and Arrows (2004). Design>Web Design>Workflow>Collaboration

Women's Technologies, Women's Literacies: Sewing and Computing Across the Years    

This article compares the historical and contemporary clothing industry with the current microelectronics industry. It argues that the development of paper patterns, along with the perfection of the sewing machine as a technology in the 1870s, democratized fashion for lower and middle class women just as the development of the World Wide Web and Web-making software has democratized publishing for authors before unable to gain access to an audience for their writing. Comparing the businesses of three groups of women using the World Wide Web, this article finally problematizes these historical and contemporary democratizing technologies the sewing machine and the computer by pointing out both obvious and more subtle socioeconomic realities which undercut some utopian promises of publishing in Cyberspace.

Rohan, Liz. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2001). Articles>Knowledge Management>Collaboration>Gender

Working in Global Teams  

Virtual, global teams require us to use our communication skills in ways that were unimaginable twenty years ago. Learn about ways to build successful working relationships in virtual environments.

Doulton, Melanie. Intercom (2007). Articles>Collaboration>International

Working Together: Developing a Joint Documentation Project in Two Countries  

As companies become more internationally orientated, joint projects among groups in different countries are becoming more common. These projects offer unique opportunities, including learning about another culture and the chance to travel. They also present obstacles, including difficulties in communication. Time differences allow a small window for phone calls. Periodic face-to-face meetings are essential, since they build under- standing and tolerance that carry over into communication by phone or electronic mail. Cultural and national differences in business practice further complicate the picture. It is important to work out all procedures, standards, and objectives in writing for the project to succeed.

King, Nancy. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration>International

Working With a Designer

Katherine Huck, owner of Keystone Design, explains 'all the stuff you never knew you wanted to know' in a short and simple handbook entitled Working With a Designer. This hanbook is designed to create a bridge between the designer and the non-technically trained client, explaining in very simple terms key concepts that will make the designer and client's lives much easier.

Huck, Katherine. Elisabetta Bruno. Design>Collaboration>Graphic Design

Working with a Technical Editor

If you have never worked with an editor before, you may be wondering what to expect, and what the editor will expect from you. If you have worked with an editor before, you probably have some expectations about the relationship. Whether your past experiences were good or bad, you may be quite surprised to discover that the new editor's expectations are rather different from yours. This article looks at some aspects of the writer-editor relationship and what each of you can do to get the best results out of working together.

Weber, Jean Hollis. TECHWR-L (2002). Articles>Writing>Collaboration

Working with an Offshore Team

Do you ever find yourself causally picking up the phone to call your subject matter expert over in India? No, neither do I, and at least half my subject experts are in India. Another group is in Egypt, a few are in Russia, one is in Japan, and some are on the eastern U.S. seaboard. (And yes, there are a few in Oregon too?but I walk down the hall to ask them questions.) So how do you get information when your developers are many time zones away?

Lizak, Samantha. STC Williamette Valley (2004). Careers>Collaboration>Outsourcing>Offshoring

Working With an Overseas Development Team  

Working as a writer in the United States when the development team is overseas poses a number of unique challenges. This paper discusses the challenges that I have faced and makes practical suggestions for improving the project setup and procedures involved.

Kratts, Aimee. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Collaboration>Regional

Working with Graphic Designers  

Offers suggestions to technical writers or project managers on how to successfully communicate design specifications to graphic designers. According to Petersen, an ideal design specification should include an introduction stating the purpose of the document and its audience, tender requirements, a list of elements that need designing, a list of document limitations, a list of necessary hardware and software, design suggestions, printing and distribution information, a list of people involved in the project, and design and project schedules.

Petersen, Judy H. Intercom (2000). Careers>Collaboration>Graphic Design

Working with Groups

Writers are often assigned to carry out a group research project, give an oral presentation to the class, and/or write a group paper. What do you do?

University of Central Florida (2000). Resources>Collaboration>Writing

Working with Subject Matter Experts: Strategies to Gain Cooperation and Win Respect  

Working well with SMEs is essential to our success as technical communicators. This article recommends strategies to employ to improve your relationships with SMEs – seeking buy-in, increasing transparency and cross-functional teams, expressing expectations clearly, setting common goals and objectives, and making success a shared accountability.

Mason, Catheryn L. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration>SMEs

Workplace Relationships

Examines the ways in which electronic communication has affected interaction of coworkers in the workplace and the responsibility of technical communicators to ensure positive interactions with coworkers.

Dutton, Kyley. Orange Journal, The (2005). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration

Write Your Help Desk's Mission Statement to Raise Team Awareness  

One sure-fire way to improve help desk morale and raise awareness of your technical support team is to write a help desk mission statement. Get some tips on what to include and find some samples of other mission statements.

Davis, Jeff. TechRepublic (2003). Articles>Business Communication>Collaboration>Help

Writer-Editor Interactions: What Works?  

Successful writer-editor relationships require a commitment from both parties to teamwork, open communications, and shared accountability for the success of each project. The benefits from this ejj?ort include better igformation products for users and a more congenial working environmentfor you. Equally important, your clients will develop cor@ence and trust when they see a project’s writer and editor combining their skills and collaborating on shared project goals.

Collins, William L. and Susan M.J. Lester. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Collaboration>Editing>Writing

Writer-Editor Relationships in Revisions

Editors, professional or otherwise, can be annoying individuals. The trick is to focus on the helpful parts of that annoyance and try to ignore the less-helpful parts.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Geoff-Hart.com (1995). Articles>Writing>Editing>Collaboration