Scribd
Upload
15 views

TW 04

This document discusses approaches to collaboration on writing projects including dividing work, assigning specialists, passing drafts between writers, and working side-by-side. It describes roles in writing teams such as team leader, planner, and archivist. The writing process includes planning, budgeting time and money, communicating, and modular writing where large documents are broken into elements. Effective teamwork requires running good meetings, setting goals and rules, agreeing on revisions, and using computers to share work. Writers and subject matter experts must collaborate well, with writers focusing on document structure and SMEs providing technical expertise.

Uploaded by

Mohamed Thaer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
15 views

TW 04

This document discusses approaches to collaboration on writing projects including dividing work, assigning specialists, passing drafts between writers, and working side-by-side. It describes roles in writing teams such as team leader, planner, and archivist. The writing process includes planning, budgeting time and money, communicating, and modular writing where large documents are broken into elements. Effective teamwork requires running good meetings, setting goals and rules, agreeing on revisions, and using computers to share work. Writers and subject matter experts must collaborate well, with writers focusing on document structure and SMEs providing technical expertise.

Uploaded by

Mohamed Thaer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Collaboration and Writing

◼ Approaches to Collaboration
◼ Collaboration and the Writing Process
◼ Teamwork

Approaches to Collaboration
◼ Divide and Conquer
◼ A large project is divided into sections
◼ Sections are assigned to team members
◼ Specialization
◼ A large project is divided into sections
◼ Sections are assigned to team members based on their expertise
◼ Sequence
◼ Drafts of a document are passed from one person to the next
◼ Dialog
◼ Two writers pass drafts of a document back and forth
◼ Often an editor/writer relationship
◼ Synthesis
◼ Two writers work side-by-side on a document
◼ Most seamlessly collaborative approach
◼ Works best when writers are very familiar with each other
Collaboration and the Writing Process
◼ The Writing Team
◼ Team Leader
◼ Contact for team members and clients
◼ May be the project manager
◼ Planning coordinator
◼ Manages communication among team members
◼ Keeps track of benchmarks and deadlines
◼ Prepares for meetings
◼ Archivist
◼ Keeps minutes of meetings
◼ Assembles files of all written material associated with the project
◼ Prepares material to be stored in organization’s archives
◼ Planning
◼ Analyze your audience
◼ Identify the stakeholders? What is important to them?
◼ Identify the desired outcome
◼ What information will make the document successful?
◼ Where can that information be found?
◼ What tasks will be necessary to accomplish the team’s goals?
◼ Budgeting Time and Money
◼ Identify benchmarks—deadlines for specific tasks
◼ Completion of preliminary research
◼ Organization of collected information
◼ Planning of graphics
◼ Completion of first draft
◼ Editing of late draft
◼ Document design
◼ Publication of document
◼ Schedule Chart Guidelines
◼ Include Only Main Activities
◼ List Activities in Sequence
◼ Create New Formats When Needed
◼ Be Realistic About the Schedule
◼ Managing Finances
◼ Prepare a budget early
◼ Know your organization’s policies for authorizing and reimbursing
expenses
◼ Communication
◼ Face-to-face meetings
◼ Electronic mail
◼ Computer conference
◼ Groupware
◼ Modular Writing
◼ Large documents are broken down into smaller elements
◼ Smaller elements are assigned to different people
◼ Smaller elements are stored electronically
◼ Smaller elements can be assembled in to a variety of larger documents in
multiple formats
◼ Requires careful planning
◼ Requires a thorough style guide
◼ May include shared templates
◼ All documents that use an element can be updated automatically with a
single change to the source element

Teamwork
◼ Running Effective Meetings
◼ Common Problems with Meetings
◼ Start and end too late
◼ Purpose is unclear
◼ Note everyone in the meeting needs to be there
◼ Conversations get off track
◼ Some people dominate; others don’t contribute at all
◼ Meetings end with no sense of accomplishment
◼ Get to Know Your Team
◼ Set Clear Goals and Ground Rules
◼ Agree on a Revision Process
◼ Use Computers to Communicate
◼ Writers and Subject Matter Experts
◼ Writers contribute expertise in document design, writing, and editing
◼ Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) contribute technical
- SME: is a person who has accumulated great knowledge expertise
◼ Writers and Subject Matter Experts
◼ Guidelines for Collaborating with SMEs
◼ Use the SME’s Time Wisely
◼ Put Questions in Writing When Possible
◼ Prepare for Interviews and Meetings
◼ Treat the SME with Respect

Written by Ziad Ahmed

You might also like