To learn more about the book go to 42 Rules for Successful Collaboration

TECHNOLOGY
Using Collaboration Technology to Improve Communication

We all know the benefits of collaborating on projects using technology, but are we asking too much of the technology? Can the technology realistically replace or improve on the face-to-face interaction of a traditional meeting? Once you get together and collaborate - what are the next steps for all involved? From a corporate bottom-line perspective, does the ROI end justify the means?

Many times data are not captured or misinterpreted without getting clarification, and technological solutions compound the problems by documenting it online. The old saying holds true: ‘Garbage in — Garbage out.’ Staff in remote, outsourced locations often feel left out, ignored and "out of the loop." Too often the collaboration technology is more trouble than it's worth and will generate productivity losses greater than the actual cost of the product.

Some of the benefits

I’m not saying project management (PM) technology isn’t beneficial. It can literally transform the way you manage projects. But you shouldn’t expect even the best-matched software for your project to magically transform your team into productive happy workers. It really requires a new way of thinking. One of the major challenges with completing any project can be summed up in one word — communication. How can technology actually improve communication? One way is by holding all users accountable.

Without accountability, projects get side-tracked and it’s easy for team members to hide flaws and blame others for the lack of progress. Software technology can easily show project managers as well as team members the status of projects and where bottlenecks are. Acting on those statuses and bottlenecks is another matter that depends more upon the people and the environment in which the work is being performed. Committee-based decisions are the norm in larger organizations where many levels of approval are required, further delaying the bottlenecks.

Case in Point

A project manager was convinced he had a rock star employee and justified his high salary with glowing reports to board members. Just one problem - the manager had no way to prove the success of this employee until he began using collaboration software. The project manager and the entire team soon discovered the employee didn't live up to the hype, and he was fired. He took credit for other people's work when it benefited him. Projects were easily delegated to other team members and the time/money/productivity saved ensured a timely project deadline.

But don’t expect software alone to be the magic bullet that keeps your projects on target. Human involvement will clearly determine the success of any project. Teams get credit for who they are not the product they use. The software should support the people and not vice versa.

Create a Communications Plan

Creating a communications plan is essential in managing projects. This plan must clearly define the process and the timing of the project to all involved. Your plan should keep all recipients or stakeholders updated on the progress of the project — goals, resources, status reports, budgets, etc. — and this progress should be disseminated to stakeholders in a timely manner.

An effective communication plan can make the difference between success and failure in your project. If you’re searching for a PM software to help you with your projects, consider one that allows you to communicate clearly and easily with your team, as well as one that provides reports for status updates.