Types of Collaboration

Name: Types of Collaboration
Author: Amy Russell

Learn about different types of collaboration and how they impact success

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Course: On-Demand

(calm music) Welcome to Types of Collaboration. In these lessons, we'll explore the different types of collaboration you may encounter while working on a team. While collaboration can look different depending on the situation, there are two basic forms that the process usually takes. Open collaboration and closed collaboration. The specific situation, project, or problem being solved will help determine what type of collaboration will work best. First, let's look at open collaboration. Open collaboration takes place when individuals are brought together to generate ideas or solutions for a large-scale issue. This type of collaboration can occur with people inside the same organization, and can also include people from outside. Open collaboration may often include a large number of people and may take more time to complete a project or reach a solution. Here's an example of what open collaboration might look like. A community college is working to develop a new degree program. The team brought together to tackle this project includes people from within the college like department chairs, instructors, marketing professionals, and student advisors. The team may also include key people from the community being served such as representatives from local high schools, deans from four-year institutions that accept transfer students, and relevant industry professionals that would potentially employ students from the community college's degree programs. By using all of these perspectives, the community college can ensure that this new program meets their needs, the needs of potential students, and the needs of the community. Now, let's take a look at closed collaboration. Closed collaboration brings together smaller groups of individuals with specific skills or knowledge to solve a more narrowly focused problem. This type of collaboration usually happens among people who already work closely together and is typically more efficient than open collaboration because the team members may have similar roles and understandings of the issues being discussed. An example of closed collaboration would be a task force that is created to develop and implement new safety procedures for a company during a community health crisis. Members of this team could include employees from the company's facilities, safety professionals, internal communications departments, and experts on current health guidelines and compliance standards. All of these people would work together to determine the actions needed to establish, communicate, and enforce rules that will keep their employees safe. This type of project does not benefit from a great number of perspectives, as its focus is on standards and safety in a single company.

Beginner Provider : Amy Russell 5 Lessons · 15m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Urdu, Chinese

Course Description

Collaboration on a team can take on many forms. The style of collaboration depends on the nature of the work or the type of project. While understanding the basics of how to collaborate can benefit you in any situation, it’s important to know how you can adapt to different work scenarios. The best way to interact with others might depend on whether the collaboration is open or closed or whether the team comprises members from only your department or individuals from across the organization. If you have teammates who don’t work in the same location as you, you will need to find ways to keep connected virtually and make everyone feel included. No two teams are the same. Keep in mind that various types of collaboration can lead to diverse perspectives and experiences. Being part of a team filled with diverse thinking can give you an opportunity to learn from others with backgrounds different than your own. This can enhance the team’s work as well as your experience as part of that team.

In this course on Types of Collaboration, you will learn more about different styles of collaboration and the benefits of each one. You’ll also discover how diversity in team structure and composition can enrich the team’s effectiveness and your experience as a team member.

What You'll Learn

Distinguish between open collaboration and closed collaboration
Identify the benefits of cross-departmental collaboration across departments and divisions
Recognize the importance of diversity in collaboration of any type
Describe ways to make virtual collaboration effective
Explore how diversity, culture, and collaboration shape team effectiveness

Key Takeaways

The style of collaboration depends on the nature of the work or the type of project, and adapting to different work scenarios is important.
The best way to interact with others may depend on whether the collaboration is open or closed and whether the team is from one department or from across the organization.
When teammates work in different locations, you need to find ways to stay connected virtually and make everyone feel included.
Various types of collaboration can lead to diverse perspectives and experiences, giving you the opportunity to learn from people with different backgrounds.
Diversity in team structure and composition can enrich both the team's effectiveness and your experience as a team member.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will this course teach me about collaboration?

This course on Types of Collaboration teaches different styles of collaboration and the benefits of each, including open versus closed collaboration, cross-departmental collaboration, virtual collaboration, and how diversity in team structure and composition can enrich a team's effectiveness and your experience.

Does this course cover working with remote teammates?

Yes. It addresses how to keep connected virtually with teammates who do not work in the same location and how to make everyone feel included, and it includes a lesson on Virtual Collaboration along with describing ways to make virtual collaboration effective.

What topics or lessons are included in this course?

The course includes the lessons Open Collaboration and Closed Collaboration; Collaborating Across Departments and Divisions; Virtual Collaboration; Diversity, Culture, and Collaboration; and Test Your Knowledge.

How does diversity relate to this course?

The course explains why diversity is important in collaboration of any type and how diversity in team structure and composition can enrich the team's effectiveness and your experience, giving you an opportunity to learn from others with backgrounds different from your own.

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