How to streamline your collaboration processes
Collaboration across teams and individuals can create some really fantastic results, however, if the process is clunky and difficult, the work suffers and often, so does morale. To get the best from your collaborations, consider streamlining the processes...
Managing assets
If you have a team that are all dealing with digital assets such as images, video, documents etc. you are going to need to make it as easy as possible for everyone to find exactly the files they need, as quickly and simply as possible. When managing images like this, you should use a DAM (Digital Asset Management) tool to ensure that everyone has access to only what they need and that the latest version of images are available, to avoid any incorrect graphics being published. You may find that after several years in business you have some images stored locally, others on Google drive, and no real filing or naming systems which means your team has to really search around to find what they need - wasted time that could be better spent on work. DAM is a time-saving investment.
Open communication
Especially if teams are not working in the same office, communication is key in effective collaboration. Using something like Slack is a really great way to revolutionise working in teams. Unlike email, you can set up “Channels” for different projects so that everyone who needs to be, can be included. Threads are much easier to follow than multiple email strings, and it keeps everyone in the loop.
Project management tools
As great as pen and paper are, there are not always the most efficient when it comes to collaborating with people over different teams. There are so many options for project management tools that allow for efficient collaboration, from Notion to Asana and beyond. It's a case of finding what works for your teams and taking the time to set them up properly so that they work as effectively as possible. These tools allow you to allocate work to specific people, and to have teams able to see where the progress is on specific tasks. You can leave comments, set deadlines, and upload links and samples to the boards which everyone can access from wherever they are. Perfect if some of your team are working remotely or for you to keep an eye on.
It can take people a while to feel comfortable with new systems, especially if this is the way things have always been done, however, once they can see the effects and benefits, as well as how much easier their work can be done, they will be more likely to buy into the processes. Taking the time to set up new processes and ways of working can feel like a lot of hassle, and it does require someone to take some time out of their working day to set it all up correctly, but the time, energy, and money it will save in the long run will be worth it.