What is Collaboration?Collaboration enables individuals to work together to achieve a defined and common business purpose. It exists in two forms: Synchronous, where everyone interacts in real time, as in online meetings, through instant messaging, or via Skype, and Asynchronous, where the interaction can be time-shifted, as when uploading documents or annotations to shared workspaces, or making contributions to a wikiNote: This information is taken from the body of knowledge that comprises AIIM’s Certified Information Professional. AIIM_e8118b6c-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850GoogleShared workspaces are among the most visible entries in the collaboration space. Aimed at rolling document and application sharing up with chat and perhaps versioning and other auditing capabilities, they may have more or fewer features, and may be available either for license or on a syndicated basis "in the cloud," as they say. Google Docs is a notable example of the latter, Microsoft SharePoint and EMC Documentum eRoom of the former.MicrosoftEMC DocumentumWikipediaWikis are perhaps best thought of as online encyclopedias or "how-to" manuals. They are applications that let users freely create, edit, and reorganize content using a Web browser. Perhaps the most visible example of this breed is Wikipedia, and variants exist throughout enterprises of all kinds and sizes. The plus and the minus of wikis are that more or less anyone can enter anything into the resource -- so while they're a great way to capture and share what people know, they also must be vetted to ensure nothing erroneous gets planted within (intentionally or otherwise). The good news is that, over time, active wikis tend to be of fairly high quality due to the self-policing nature of an engaged user base._e8118d4c-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850To enable individuals to work together to achieve a defined and common business purpose. _e8118e1e-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850CollaborationCollaboration is a working practice whereby individuals work together to a common purpose to achieve business benefit.OpennessCollaboration relies on openness and knowledge sharing but also some level of focus and accountability on the part of the business organizations.FocusAccountabilityGovernanceGovernance should be established addressing the creation and closing of team workspaces with assignment of responsibility for capturing the emergent results of the collaborative effort.Records... capturing the emergent results of the collaborative effort.AwarenessBecome part of a working entity with a shared purpose_e8118ec8-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8501_e8118f7c-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850MotivationDrive to gain consensus in problem solving or development_e8119030-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8502_e81190da-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850Self-SynchronizationDecide as individuals when things need to happen_e811918e-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8503_e8119242-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850ParticipationParticipate in collaboration and expect others to participate_e8119300-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8504_e81193b4-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850MediationNegotiate and collaborate together and find a middle point_e8119472-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8505_e81195d0-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850ReciprocityShare and expect sharing in return through reciprocity_e811977e-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8506_e8119846-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850ReflectionThink and consider alternatives_e811990e-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8507_e81199e0-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac850EngagementProactively engage rather than wait and see_e8119a80-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8508_e8119b2a-d4b2-11e4-a1dc-51486a7ac8502015-03-27http://www.aiim.org/What-is-CollaborationOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net