A couple of weeks ago, I ran a workshop at The Hub, Islington.  It’s the second time I’ve run this session, for which the aim is to help creative practitioners become more aware of the process of engaging in collaborative projects.  The workshop draws on the experience of the participants to identify issues they need to consider and anything that’s stopping them from collaborating effectively, and then starts to develop solutions so that projects can be productive, effective and taken through to delivery.

So far, both workshops have brought up similar themes, and the dynamics of practical collaboration seem to be getting clearer.  Some of the common themes that have come out of the workshops are:

• Ensuring a shared vision and that goals are laid out
• Identifying methods for effective team working, dynamics, and dealing with difficulties (particularly ego)
• Tools and techniques (online and offline) to encourage communication
• Is a facilitator needed and if so, what is their role?
• Ownership of ideas and intellectual property
• What makes a collaboration successful?

What seems to be clear is that some thinking needs to take place before you actually get stuck into the work.  This might be before coming up with creative ideas, brainstorming or thinking about what the final outcome might be, and will certainly be towards the beginning of any project – discussions need to take place as to how the project will be led.  Granted, we don’t want planning overkill, as spontaneity can often be magical, but finding a good balance is key.  Collaborative projects, like most things, benefit from some degree of preparation to really ensure effectiveness and productivity.

This process doesn’t always come naturally to those that are talented in generating outstanding creative ideas.  So, when initiating and engaging in collaborative projects, it’s worth considering, with reference to the above themes, what additional skills and knowledge you might need to develop in order to take it forward successfully.