Why is it that all of a sudden, we are hearing this background clatter getting louder and louder to the point where it is now sounding like the new mantra is collaboration? I am seeing it and hearing it more and more these days. Collaboration is the new driver. Collaboration needs to happen. Collaboration is what we need to succeed! Some say we need the “cloud” to collaborate and be more effective. Others tout E2.0 as the collaboration platform of choice and still others talk about the formation of collaboration architectures to help us formalize the collaboration environment and tools in order to become more efficient.

In my view, all of this is nice but let’s stop and take a breath here. Collaboration, like ECM, is not purely a set of technologies that will inherently move an organization to collaborate. In fact we do not need technology to collaborate but it does make it easier and simpler. Collaboration requires a cultural mindset and managerial support that fosters one to be open and share information and knowledge. Knowledge Management, Enterprise 2.0 and now the world of collaboration all promote the concept of an open and sharing organization for the purpose of being more effective and efficient. The types of collaboration tools available today certainly exceed those of yesteryear and I am certainly in favour of this focus. Imagine a world where we can work from anywhere at anytime and be fully productive; a world where the global workforce is truly in a global workplace without geographical limitation. To a degree, that time is here.

I think collaboration is a wonderful thing and know first hand as do many, that without it, many aspects of business like development and problem resolution would suffer. My point in all of this is simply to take time and understand what the term collaboration means, not in the sense of a dictionary but in terms of how you and your organization define it. As with any technology, you need to identify your business goal and requirements in relation to how you want to work as an organization. Once you understand this, assess how the different technologies support those goals and meet your requirements. Everyone wanted portals when they first hit the scene but a portal without purpose was a portal failed. The same holds true of wikis. A wiki without purpose is a wiki unused. The must be purpose in all we do in order for it to be beneficial. Know the organizational readiness. Know what you are trying to accomplish. Know it can be done.

 What say you? How are you addressing the collaboration needs of your organization? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

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Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

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Read the full story originally posted by AIIM Knowledge Center Blog.