CHAPTE

R4
WRITING
COLLABORATIVELY
Minu Jobby
BCOM Unit

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 Draws on greater knowledge base
Draws on greater skill base
Better Ideas flows in
ADVANTAGE Improves communication among
S OF employees
COLLABORATI Helps new employees adjust well to the
ON
org
Motivates employees to help in growth of
org

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 ∆Time consuming
∆Groupthink
DISADVANTAG
ES OF ∆Yield disjointed document
COLLABORATI
ON ∆Inequitable workloads
∆Demotivated
∆Interpersonal Conflict
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 WHERE DOES COLLABORATION
HAPPEN
IN ORGANISATIONS?

PROJECTS MEETINGS

BCOM4931_MJ 4
HOW TO MANAGE A PROJECT
1. Break down large project into smaller tasks

2. Plan your project

3. Create and maintain accurate schedule

4. Put project decisions in writing

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HOW TO MANAGE A PROJECT
5. Monitor the project

6. Distribute and act on information quickly

7. Be flexible regarding schedule & responsibilities

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 Break down project topic (project
1. Break down larger goal) into smaller
components/parts: foundation
project into smaller step of project management

tasks
Make a list of what steps your
team must take to complete the
project

Working backwards from what is

to be delivered or completed for
your reader is a good idea
 EXAMPLE: BREAK DOWN PROJECT INTO
SMALLER TASKS
EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2
PROJEC TO DEVELOP ECO- PROJECT REDESIGNING
T NAME TOURISM NAME UNIVERSITY WEBSITE
PROJECT - To introduce “green- PROJECT - Redesign homepage to meet
OBJECTIV OBJECTIVES
travel” hiking tours local and international user
ES - To reduce carbon footprint needs
by 40% - Develop content strategy to
- To educate tourists of improve existing site content
local culture and heritage - Introduce decentralized
content maintenance

8
 EXAMPLE: STEPS TO COMPLETE EACH
OBJECTIVE

Project name: Developing Eco-tourism

Objective Steps
1. To educate a. To meet tour guides and provide training programs
tourists of local b. To produce pamphlets for visitors raising awareness of
culture and heritage local culture
c. To produce brochures for visitors providing
information of heritage sites

9
How to do Backward Planning?
March 10:
Send out
Survey March 18:
Survey analysis
completion
March 24:
Report Draft
completion
March 28-
Backward Planning is process of working Report
backwards from the deadline. Starting Submission
with the deadline, chart out when tasks
needs to be completed

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 Example: Backward Planning through Gantt Chart
Tasks Year 1 Year 2
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D
Task 1
Task 2
Sub-task A
Sub-task B
Sub-task C
Task 3
Task 4
Review
Revisions
Delivery

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HOW TO PLAN A PROJECT
Create a Work Plan

Discuss how project will be completed from start to

finish

Prepare & Produce necessary documents

(Audience needs; Project Specifications etc)

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 Project Plan
Project analysis slide 2
BACKGROUND & AIMS TARGET GROUP

RESOURCES PROJECT EXPECTED RESULTS

EXPECTED RESULTS & KEY

TIMELINE PERSONNEL

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 Accurate schedules are also called Work
3. Create schedules
and Advantage of scheduling: collaborators
can plan ahead, allocate time and meet
maintain deadlines
an When changes are made, modify &
accurate update schedules
schedule Schedules must be accessible to
collaborators (eg: cloud or Project
website)
BCOM4931_MJ 14
 Written down decisions during
4. Put collaborations is the best
decisions Written down decisions helps
in team members remember what
happened
writing
If necessary, update the
decisions
BCOM4931_MJ 15
 Track the progress of the project
Using status reports to monitor
5.Monito the progress
Measure performance of
r the members
Project Utilize expert consultant to
check progress
Meetings
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 Help collaborators get
6.Distribut information they need
e and act
on This will help teams to
informatio complete the project
n quickly efficiently and make
effective decisions
BCOM4931_MJ 17
 Revise responsibilities and
7. Be flexible schedules when task
regarding completion is delayed
schedules & Adjust plan and methods
responsibilities
when new information
comes available

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 Conducting Meetings

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5 ASPECTS OF EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT MEETINGS

Listen well Set Team’s Agenda Prepare Meeting Documents

Listening involves understanding and Carry out various tasks to complete Agendas & Minutes transform meetings
interpreting the information. the goals and objectives. and boost team productivity.

Maintain Diplomacy Constructive Criticism

Respecting team members’ and Be open to constructive criticism. It’s called
maintaining proper etiquette is vital Growth.

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 Pay attention to the speaker
A. Listen for main ideas
Listen Listen with an open mind
Ask questions
well Provide feedback

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 Define team’s task
Choose team leader
B. Set Define task for each member
your Establish working procedures
Establish procedure for resolving
team’s conflict
agenda in Create style sheet
Establish work schedule
meetings Create evaluation materials

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i. Team’s Task: Members must ensure consensus on

 Tasks & Objectives

 Deadlines

 Length of document

 Audience, Purpose & Scope of written document

23
ii. Choose a Team Leader

 Leader of the team is the link between team and management

 The Leader keeps team on track

 The leader leads meetings

 The Leader coordinates communication amongst team members

24
iii. Define or Delegate Tasks for each member

 3 formal ways to delegate tasks to team members’

 According to technical expertise

 According to stages of writing process

 According to sections of the document

 Informal roles during conduct of meetings can be assigned to
members ( eg: clarifying, conflict-handling etc)
25
iv. Establish working procedures

 Where & when will the meeting take place

 What procedures must be followed during meetings

 What tools should be used to communicate with team members

 When and how many meetings should take place

26
v. Discuss conflict-resolving procedures

 How will disputes be discussed and resolved?

 Does the team need to reach full consensus on decisions?

 Will the team take votes on important topics? Will the majority rule?

 Who will mediate the conflict?

27
vi. Set and create a style Sheet
Business Report Style Sheet
1. Headings Font type:
 A style sheet defines the
2. Headings Font size
characteristics of writing style
3. Headings Colour:
that the document will have
4. Sub-heading Level 1 Font type:
5. Sub-heading Level 1 Font size:
6. Paragraph Font type/size:
 A style sheet ensures consistent 7. Spacing rules:
design for headings and other 8. Alignment:
textual features 9. Text Justification
10. ………

28
 The date/time period that a major
task/phase of work is completed is
vii. Establish work schedule referred to as a MILESTONE.

Project Start February 20, 2024

Week 1 2 3 4 5
Start February 20, February 26, March 08, 2024 March 14, 2024 March 20, 2024
2024 2024
PHASE 1 Conduct needs
analysis
PHASE 2 Conduct
Survey and
analyze data
PHASE 3 Draft Report
PHASE 4 Proofread and
Submit
Project End March 20, 2024
29
Project
MILESTONE
S

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SAMPLE WORK SCHEDULE FORM

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 viii. Create Team Member
Evaluation Form

Evaluating team performance is an important element

of team working. It can take a number of forms, such
as: reporting on progress informally at weekly team
meetings, group reviews at key stages along the way,
and full and formal external evaluation once the project
is completed. Encouraging the team to take
responsibility for this evaluation process makes it much
more a part of everyday work and less of a
management control exercise. Managers and teams
need to agree what needs to be reviewed and
evaluated, how it is to be done and how it can help the
team to be more successful.

32
C. PREPARE MEETING DOCUMENTS

MEE MEE
TING TING
AG MIN
EN UTE
DA S
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D. COMMUNICATE DIPLOMATICALLY
Diplomatic communication is the ability to understand other people
and be sensitive to their opinions, beliefs, ideas and feelings
Listen carefully without
interrupting
Give everyone a chance to speak
Avoid personal remarks and
insults
Don’t overstate your position
Don’t get emotionally attached to
your viewpoints
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E. PROVIDE CONTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
Start with a positive comment

Discuss specific areas of improvement

Talk about the document, not the writer

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DESTRUCTIVE CONSTRUCTIVE
CRITICISM CRITICISM
“Your conclusions in “Good effort, Huda. There
the report are are some things, in my view,
which can be improved in this
incomplete. The report. The report conclusions
paragraphs are have strengthened your
disorganized and arguments but I have trouble
information is sloppy. understanding how this
Though I like the impacts society…I wonder if
clarity can be enhanced if
design touch that you information flows from
have given through, it general to more specific
lacks a thorough information, especially in the
finesse.” Introduction part.”

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 SOCIAL MEDIA, ELECTRONIC TOOLS
AND COLLABORATION
• Companies encourage employees to use social media to find
information, create information and sustain relationships with
customers and stakeholders.
• Organizations' use social media to tap into the knowledge and ideas
of everyone in/outside the organization.
• Social media collaboration tools helps team members to work
harmoniously on content creation, planning, scheduling, and
analyzing results.
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MAJOR TECHNOLOGIES THAT ENABLE
COLLABORATION

VIDEOCONFERENCI
WORD MESSAGING NG
PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIE TECHNOLOGIE
TOOLS S S

SHARED
WIKIS DOCUMENT
WORKSPACE

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1. WORD PROCESSING TOOLS
Word Processors offer 3 powerful features that can be
used for collaboration

B. Revision C.
A. Comment Feature: add, Highlighting
Feature : add revise and delete Feature : call
words; also
electronic the writer’s
indicates who
comments made suggested attention to a
changes passage
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 2. MESSAGING TECHNOLOGIES

INSTANT E-MAIL TEXT-MESSAGING

MESSAGING
• Real-time or synchronous
communication
• Helps to communicate textual
information at the same time
from different locations
• Eg: AOL Messenger, MS
Teams
• Asynchronous medium of
communication
• Helps transfer files such as
documents, spreadsheets,
images, videos
• Eg: Gmail, Yahoomail
• Messages on cellular
phone MICROBLOGGING
• Eg: Whatsapp,
-Communicating very
Telegram, Slack
brief textual messages
-Eg: Twitter, Yammer

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3.VIDEOCONFERENCING
TECHNOLOGIES
 A conference between two or more participants at different sites by
using computer networks and electronic whiteboards to transmit
audio and video data.

 Faster computers, rapid Internet connections, and better cameras now

enable 2 to 200 participants to sit at their own PCs and share
applications, spreadsheets, presentations, and photos.

 Can range from inexpensive (Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft

Teams) to expensive systems (eg: 360 Video Conferencing tools)
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3.VIDEOCONFERENCING
TECHNOLOGIES
 Suggestions for effectively participating in
Videoconferencing Systems:
Be accustomed to the technology
Arrange for tech support
Organize room to enhance participation
Make eye contact with camera
Dress professionally
Minimize distracting noises/movements

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4. WIKIS
 A Wiki is a website that allows the collaborators (authorized users) to
add, edit and change information. It is very easy to use.

 Wiki platform allows the user to edit content easily and without
specific knowledge of technical computer languages.

 Wikis are used for creating instructions, manuals and policy

documents

 Eg: https://www.notion.so/product

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5. SHARED DOCUMENT
WORKSPACES

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5. SHARED DOCUMENT
WORKSPACES
It is a technology framework that brings together all
application, tools, resources etc. needed to get a work done
through collaboration

Functions: Document creation, storage, editing, sharing,

tracking progress, in-built design automation

Example: Google Drive

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End of Chapter

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