What tools and tactics do you use to promote collaborative practices?

I mentioned in my last post that Dudley CVS are shaping ways that they will support and enable collaboration in Dudley borough. I’ve been thinking about a few simple things groups can do which enable collaborative practices and which I’ve suggested we try out in Dudley CVS.

Using the “Yes, and…” approach

A simple tactic we can use in meetings is to build on contributions with “Yes, and…”. I first came across this a global service jam and found it a really useful guideline. It helps people to build on ideas rather than shutting them down. There’s a nice perspective on it in this post: The “Yes, And…” Approach: Less Ego, More Openness, More Possibility.

I think when people start using this it’s important to reflect on how easy or difficult we each find it, and what difference it makes.

Using collaborative online tools

Rather than producing ‘read only’ documents for meetings and discussions, inviting all members of a group into a shared Google Drive folder is a really simple way for everyone to contribute to the content of what is prepared and recorded. Two things I’ve found really useful about using Google Drive are:

• People from different organisations can access the same files with no need for constant emailing and subsequent storing of files on multiple organisation servers.
• People can simultaneously work in the same document, you can see what others are adding or editing, and the version you have in the folder is always the most recent. (You can view a revision history and see who made what changes.)

When it gets to project planning and implementation, free online tools like Trello and Slack can really help with collaboration. I’m hoping that use of tools like these will increase as they reduce the need for reports and updates in meetings.

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Example of a use of Trello, by a group of people working in local government across the UK who deliver activities together by planning and ‘meeting’ online[/caption]

Drawing strength from diversity

Dudley CVS staff and Trustees bring a width and depth of knowledge and experience from a variety of fields. We can maximise on this diversity, and seek to increase it as we take forward work around collaboration. Here’s a useful short post about How Diversity Improves Collaborative Problem-Solving

What approaches, tools and considerations do you use to promote collaborative practices? Leave a comment, tell us a on twitter (@colabdudley) or email colabdudley@gmail.com and we can add your ideas to this blog.