Bracket has been working on a toolkit that can be used by those hoping to work collaboratively on a project with others. The initial framework is here. It is intended to be a work in progress, inviting contributions and developed as the model is tested.  There are also some suggestions from facilitators/providers of social media, gathered from Social Media Camp London 08.

The model was developed with social designers hoping to initiate collaborative projects, at System Reload London. But maybe elements can be applied to other areas, ensuring that the specific characteristics and needs of the community are considered.

Why develop a toolkit for collaborative working? We’re in a collaborative age, where to make an impact it makes more sense to work together with others. Social designers cannot address all of the important issues on their own – collective action is necessary. We can share our knowledge, experience, resources and skills to get further than we could ever do individually. And whilst there are lots of online tools out there which enable people to interact and discuss, when people need to get actual ideas off the ground, how can they do this effectively? Online tools can facilitate the process, and support communication, but all the web 2.0 in the world can’t make things happen – people do.

BarCamp have brilliant guidelines for getting their grassroots events up and running, and it’s safe to say that they have contributed to a whole global movement of ‘unconferences’ in the tech-world. Wouldn’t it be great if we were able to do the same with other ideas and projects? It would be fantastic if everyone, if they needed it, were able to use various frameworks to make a real collective difference, or respond to opportunities that are too big for them on their own.  In the same way that you can find lots of business plan templates on the web and use the one that suits your needs, how about a template for collaborative action?  One might argue that people sometimes need support to understand the elements of a business plan, and maybe this means there needs to be more support around collaborative projects, which will empower individuals to continue themselves.

Similarly, it might be difficult to organise a BarCamp unless you have attended one yourself, and really experienced it (as I did last week).  So perhaps what we need are lots of examples/case studies of collaborative projects, as well as real-life opportunities for people to get involved and experience how it really works.  The ability to project manage collaborations effectively will play a large part in getting ideas out there.  But this needs to be approached carefully, so that it remains collaborative, where everyone involved has the opportunity to contribute and co-create.

“Turning ideas into action” seems to be a hot topic at the moment. David Wilcox is developing a wiki called ‘designingcollaboration’ intended to shed some light on the process. This will be an important and relevant resource for those working in this area. Chain Reaction, an upcoming event in November 2008, also provides a toolkit for ideas. There have been some interesting collaborative initiatives, like Social Innovation Camp and RSA Networks (both of which David Wilcox evaluates on his blog) and it seems like it’s the time to assess what makes them successful/unsuccessful so that we can use the knowledge to move forward.

Hopefully the toolkit on the Bracket site can be part of the ongoing contributions.