Program for Achieving Effective Collaboration

Background -- Why a Comprehensive Program is Needed.

Organizations in both public and private sectors are spending -- and will continue to spend -- significant sums of money implementing technology solutions that connect people and allow them to work together.  Over the past ten years collaborative computing and groupware have become increasingly popular because of the growth in networks and the pressure organizations are experiencing to re-invent, re-engineer, and become more competitive and profitable.

Hardware and Software Are Not Enough

Current initiatives are intended to promote information sharing, electronic commerce, distance learning, and a host of collaborative activities that promise to radically change and improve the way people work, conduct business, and produce results.  However, a significant number of these initiatives focus exclusively on developing and deploying hardware and software because many companies that provide the technology, and the organizations that deploy it, have yet to recognize the importance of all the other critical organizational and management variables that must also be considered for collaborative work to be successful.

People are Key

Consequently, contrary to media "hype" and consistent with ongoing results from those who have tried, clearly show that genuine collaborative capability is rarely achieved.  More than just technology is needed because technology alone is not the problem. The problem is getting people to work with one another so they can use technology effectively to support and enhance their ability to work together. 

What many have lost sight of is that work is still performed by people and results are achieved by them. Without a focus on improving collaborative capabilities through a comprehensive integrated, and balanced approach -- rather than simply concentrating on implementing technology -- success is unlikely.  There will still be a gap between the needs of organizations interested in really improving their collaborative capabilities and the products and services now being offered by marketplace providers who focus primarily on technology.

CSG's Comprehensive Approach Provides a Real Answer to this Critical Need

CSG provides four primary services to meet the needs of organizations seeking to change or improve their collaborative capabilities:

• Collaboration Assessment
• Collaboration Planning
• Collaboration Solutions Implementation
• Collaboration Follow-up Evaluation

These services fall into two categories: activities related to Designing Change and ones associated with Achieving Change. All are suitable for all types of situations – from small groups to the entire organization – and all are designed to address the unique requirements of improving collaboration.

Taken together, these services enable groups of individuals who work together to consider, understand, and effectively overcome many of the challenges associated with efforts to improve collaboration. They make it possible to move from any current collaborative state to a desired new one and to succeed in accomplishing any type of transition for which strong collaborative capability is a prerequisite.

Initial Assessment

Initial Assessment provides a clear picture of an organization's current situation and a reliable indication of its potential for achieving desired objectives.  It also pinpoints potential obstacles to success and establishes an internal baseline for measuring future improvement.  The Initial Assessment uses two survey instruments -- designed and exclusively owned by CSG -- to assess an organization's ability and readiness to collaborate.  Survey findings, supplemented with input from focus groups and one-on-one discussions with key client personnel, provide a comprehensive picture of the organization's current readiness for change and baseline ability to collaborate.

Blueprint for Change

• Shared vision for improvement;

• Set of operating objectives;

• Prioritized list of potential pilot projects and training opportunities, and

• "Road map" or "blueprint" for accomplishing change that includes specific action steps.

Solutions Implementation

Solutions Implementation enables the organization to carry out the collaborative solutions outlined in the Blueprint for Change.  During this phase, CSG involvement can range from coordinating or supporting the activity of internal resources or outside vendors to direct hands-on implementation and involvement.

Follow-up Evaluation

Follow-Up Evaluation provides a way for CSG to document the degree of change -- in terms of both collaborative capability and real operating results.