Chapter 5: Teamwork and Global Considerations

• Appreciate the role of teamwork in technical communication
• Complex documents are usually collaborations
• Technical writers often collaborate
• In the digital age, people are able to collaborate across time zones and continents
• The internet allows for teams to interact
• Manage a team project and run a successful meeting
• Teamwork requires organization, cooperation, structure, and clear communication
• Manage a Team Project
• Choose a group manager
• Define a clear goal 
• Determine which type of document are you creating
• Divide tasks and give clear expectations for each
• Create a timetable
• Plan meetings
• Establish a method for responding to work from other members
• Establish a method for dealing with interpersonal problems
• Prepare a management plan
• Keep everyone up to date on progress
• Run a Meeting
• Set an agenda and circulate it prior to the meeting
• Everyone should come prepared
• Summarize minutes from the previous meeting
• Everyone should speak
• Stay on topic
• Continue moving along
• Don't lecture or dictate
• Summarize
• End on schedule
• Help team members overcome personal differences
• Personality, gender, and culture can all become sources of conflict between members
• Everyone should be heard
• Take opinions and feelings seriously
• It's ok to disagree
• Offer/ accept constructive criticism
• Find something to agree on
• When the group makes a decision, support it
• Never attack anyone
• Use listening skills and creative thinking in group settings
• Listening Skills
• Listen actively to avoid misunderstandings
• Always assume you aren't listening enough
• Don't dictate
• Have an open mind
• Be courteous
• Thinking Creatively
• Brainstorming, brainwriting, mind-mapping, and storyboarding are effective ways to get ideas out between group membes
• Review and edit the work of your peers
• Review for
• Accuracy
• Organization
• Clarity
• Use of visuals and page design
• Edit by
• rephrasing
• clarifying
• replacing words
• correcting spelling, usage, or punctuation
• Not all feedback has equal value
• Be prepared to explain why you made the edits you did
• Avoid unethical behavior as a team member
• Don't intimidate
• Don't take credit for others' work
• Don't hoard information
• Understand how to work productively on a global team
• Use available technologies
• email
• project management software
• instant messaging
• groupware
• digital whiteboard
• blogs
• teleconfrencing and videoconfrencing
• Understand who your team members are
• Humor, slang, and idioms don't always translate into other languages
• Culture differences prevent some references
• Use the right technology
• Social cues don't always translate well digitally
• Write with translation in mind
• Create a glossary so everyone is using the same vocabulary
• Agree on technical standards
• Be respectful
• Listen actively
• Choose your words with care
• Use visuals carefully