Collaborative working

Collaboration: actively working together

• involves two or more parties working together
• working as a team is ideal as able to review each others work and suggest improvements

GROUP PLANS: before starting work on a project group must plan the project by considering deadlines, how work will be reviewed etc. establish milestones

ISSUES:

• establishing what it is team have to produce
• deciding on best solution
• appointing project manager
• establishing strengths and weaknesses of each memeber of hte team so appropriate work given
• dividing project into smaller tasks
• establishing dates for meetings
• establishing methods by which team members communicate with each other

RISKS:

• costs escalating - using spreadsheet software to track budget
• completion date being delayed - see effect of delays and what can be done to get back on track
• loss of work - virus checkers, firewall
• work produced not being fit for purpose - monitoring and reviewing works regularly

ENSURING CONSISTENCY: ways can be inconsistent

• layout appears different for each page
• style of writing can be different
• words can be spelt differently
• colour schemes are different for no reason

Teleconferencing: communication between two people at remote sites using video and/or video

Videoconferencing: ICT system that allows face-to-face meetings to be conducted without the participiants being in the same room or even the same geographical area

• allows people to hold a 'virtual' meeting

ADV:

• less stress as employees do not have to experience delays at airports, accidents, roadworks etc
• improved family life as less time spent away
• they do not have to put in long working hours travelling to and from meetings
• saves money as business does not have to spend money on travelling expenses
• imrpoves productivity of employees as less time wasted travelling
• meeting can be called at short notice without too much planning
• greener as fewer people flying to meetings, cuts CO2 emission
• less traffic, less stress, less pollution

Workflow: scheduling of independent tasks using a manual or automatic system

Sharing files: important to name files carefully, saving using different version names helps avoid losing work called version control.

Transferring files safely: encryption can be used, use of usernames and passwords and firewalls = no hackers

Advantages of teleworking for the individual/employee:

• no expenses for travelling to work
• no time wasted commuting
• you can live wherever you want
• ideal for disabled people
• no need to take time off to see to workmen
• less stress no getting stuck in traffic
• can fit work around family commitments
• can sometimes work own hours

Disadvantages of teleworking to the employee:

• employee may feel isolated
• some employers may pay teleworkers less as there is more competition for jobs
• boundary between home and work lost
• other people in the house may keep disturbing you
• may not be a quiet place in the house to work
• loss of status for some staff
• no workmates to go out with
• home costs such as heating, lighting increase