Some Tips for Collaborating Effectively
• Find ways of recognizing everyone. For example, each group member could talk
about a strength that he or she can contribute to the project.
• Listen carefully—and respectfully—to every group member.
• Establish some ground rules. Whether online or face-to-face, the way your group runs
its meetings can make or break your collaborative effort. Spend part of your first
• Get organized. Use an agenda to organize your meetings, and be sure that someone
takes notes. Don’t count on anyone’s memory, and don’t leave all the note-taking to
one person! You may want to take turns developing the agenda, reminding everyone of
upcoming meetings via email or text message, maintaining written records, and so on.
• Develop nonthreatening ways to deal with problems. Rather than telling someone that
their ideas are unclear, for instance, you might say, “I’m having trouble making the
• Build in regular reality checks to nip any potential problems in the bud—for example,
reserve some time to discuss how the group is working and how it could be better. Try
not to criticize anyone; instead focus on what’s working and what could be improved.
• Encourage the free play of ideas, one of the most important benefits of working
down, yet remain open and consider everyone’s ideas.
• Expect the unexpected. Someone’s computer may crash, interlibrary loan materials
may arrive later than expected, someone may be sick on the day when she was
• Be flexible about how you meet. If getting together in person poses problems, use
video chat or Google Docs to meet and work. Your school might provide a course