Collaboration - Operational definition

Collaboration is a concept and a form of synchronous and asynchronous engagement at multiple levels, ranging from countries and firms to people observed in all areas of work both large and small scale, since ancient times. The objectives of engaging in work to achieve a common goal and collective outcomes reveal characteristics of collaboration that include nature of ties, timeless and transferrable skills of people, processes and more recently, use of technologies, irrespective of the nature of work and context.

Conoley, J., & Conoley, C. (2010) discuss the promise and characteristics of collaboration for adult relationships for energetic and creative team work. The viewpoints are based on Fredrickson’s (2002) “Broaden-And-Build” theory on fueling positive emotions.

Fredrickson’s theory include the following essential characteristics of collaboration.

Focus on strengths to pursue goals.

Eliminate perceptions that deter progress and interfere with support.

Commit to promote positive or at least neutral frameworks with adaptive explanations.

Leaders commit to promote creative, cohesive teams, and enable continuous growth for win win/ bidirectional success.

In stressful situations, provide individuals with necessary resources and emotional support.

Ask for help when needed, be grateful for the help received.

Notice the needs of others.

Exploring the domains, contexts, and environments ranging from inside and outside firms and businesses to individuals helps understand the essential characteristics of collaboration. In the context of grand challenges human beings come together to collaborate for meeting life’s essentials by nature. Scientific research and technology development requires deeper focus of experts and specialists. The expertise is unique and special for a variety of systemic issues that arise during the research. Discuss, debate, integrate, and assimilate are some of the themes of collaboration that arise.

Here are some examples:

Context: Grand challenges
Theme: Collaborating from everywhere voluntarily for a higher purpose.
Japan earthquake, Psunami. Virtual teams (Netflix experiment with collective intelligence, diversity)

Context – Collaborative Research groups
Theme – highly focused individuals integrate and assimilate for systemic issues.

Context – Practitioner and academic administration partnership

Theme – establish a learning environment, impart education.  

Context – Software development

Key themes:
Open Source Development – Community of volunteers developing software source code.

Agile software development methodology - Extreme programming or pair programming

Collaboration in the context of software development – A few details.

Software development aka programming is not limited to writing code given specifications. For complex technology development (for example web based technology development, such as Amazon recommendation system) there are several creative areas and opportunities to explore for optimal decision making. The software under development needs to meet both functional and several quality of service level agreements to cater to. There is legacy code to transform and integrate with. The application code should function under several test conditions ranging from a unit level functionality, to multiple conditions such as scaling and performing reliably for a number of users. The software thus developed is unique for the system that it is intended to function.  

In practice, prototypes are generated by senior level engineers which undergo transformation on a continuous basis to meet the requirements. Several modules of functionality are taken up by individuals creatively working in small to large team environments. Code inspections and review process involve members of the teams who meet on a regular basis to discuss and debate on the validity of the code being written. Writing code is a result of the above thought process, which requires proficiency and skill in the language being used. It takes maturity, proficiency and experience to write code in the language as well as in the context for complex software.  

Decisions for progressing on which route to take while developing software is a crucial area that benefits with collaboration of competent individuals who understand the nuances of the requirements and tradeoffs to be made. Roles of a creative team require the cognitive abilities of a detective, explorer, artist, engineer, judge, producer, provoker, think tank, facilitator, and manager. Together, the creative team engages in the learning, organization and direction of the team, and creation of the product or process (Crawford, B., & de la Barra, C. (2008)).

Collaborative team work is emphasized in Extreme programming. The team engages in programming, testing, interacting with the customer as well as consultant, project management for tracking and monitoring the tangible and intangible products developed. There are more indirect roles that include senior management to sponsor the project work. The priorities and emphasis of each of the roles vary depending on the phases of the project life cycle which includes iteration and response to feedback.  

Extreme programming practices in the software development are said to improve the satisfaction and confidence levels of the paired programming members of the team. Evidence suggests that pairing people may not always result as the better of the best individual performances. It is noteworthy to consider the net positive effects and benefits that result in working with satisfaction and confidence with pairs performing in par with the individual best performers (Balijepally, V., Mahapatra, R., Nerur, S., & Price, K. H. (2009)).

Adapting to collaboration at workplace:

Assignment:

Come up with the context, themes for collaboration at your work place. For this, consider the following questions.

How is collaboration incorporated in the context of the work flow at present?

What are your suggestions to improve the nature of collaboration?

References:

Conoley, J., & Conoley, C. (2010). Why Does Collaboration Work? Linking Positive Psychology and Collaboration. Journal Of Educational & Psychological Consultation, 20(1), 75-82.

Balijepally, V., Mahapatra, R., Nerur, S., & Price, K. H. (2009). ARE TWO HEADS BETTER THAN ONE FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT? THE PRODUCTIVITY PARADOX OF PAIR PROGRAMMING. MIS Quarterly, 33(1), 91-118.

Crawford, B., & de la Barra, C. (2008). Does eXtreme Programming support Collaborative Creativity? International Multiconference Of Engineers & Computer Scientists 2008, 1026-1032

Fredrickson, B. L., & Joiner, T. (2002). Positive emotions trigger upward spirals

toward emotional well-being. Psychological Science, 13, 172–175.