4. TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION
4.3 Collaborative Writing
Suzan Last and Candice Neveu
You have likely had at least one opportunity to work and write collaboratively with others, as this is an increasingly common way to work, both in school and in the workplace. The engineering design process, at least in part, entails working collaboratively to gather, organize, manage and disseminate information.[1] This information is often carefully analyzed and used to make important decisions, so it is critical that team members collaborate effectively in managing these communications tasks.
Engineers report spending a considerable amount of their time writing, and they frequently engage in collaborative writing (CW). A recent survey asked various professionals what portion of their work week was devoted to writing, collaborative writing, and international communications.[2] The results shown in Table 4.3.1 indicate that collaborative writing makes up a significant portion of overall writing tasks.
| Engineers | Programmers | |
|---|---|---|
| Time spent writing | 35 | 25 |
| Time spent planning and writing documents collaboratively | 19 | 12 |
| Time spent communicating internationally (across national borders) | 14 | 18 |
Research has also shown that “writing in general and CW in particular have been recognized to be fundamental to most professional and academic practices in engineering.”[3] Figure 4.3.1 shows that engineers rate writing skills as extremely important to career advancement.[4]
Like any kind of teamwork, collaborative writing requires the entire team to be focused on a common objective; according to Lowry et al., an effective team “negotiates, coordinates, and communicates during the creation of a common document.”[6] The collaborative writing process, like the Tuckman team formation model, is iterative and social, meaning the team works together and moves back and forth throughout the process.
Successful collaborative writing is made easier when you understand the different strategies you can apply, how best to control the document, and the different roles people can assume. Figure 4.3.2 outlines the various activities involved at various stages of the collaborating writing process.
Collaborative writing strategies are methods a team uses to coordinate the writing of a collaborative document. There are five main strategies (see Table 4.3.2), each with their advantages and disadvantages. Can you think of any other benefits or limitations?
| [Skip Table] |
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| Writing Strategy |
When to Use | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-author
One member writes for the entire group |
For simple tasks; when little buy-in is needed; for small groups |
Efficient; consistent style |
May not clearly represent group’s intentions; less consensus produced |
| Sequential
Each member is in charge of writing a specific part and write in sequence |
For asynchronous work with poor coordination; when it’s hard to meet often; for straightforward writing tasks;