Collaboration Success Stories and Challenges

From Wiki

Brainstorm – Collaboration in Africa

Successful Models

AVOIR

Two aspects:

• Mindset of collaboration
• Tools that are used

Both need to be aligned. Difficult to build collaboration mindset in a new community without existing ethos. Need to start off with face-to-face meetings to build the collaborative tool and ethos and to practice the collaboration in a F-2-F first. People building in a network environment have a vested interest in the collaboration and tend to do this better. Tone is very important on the mailing list. Should write source code and developer documentation. Most implementations are e-learning implementations and are associated with e-learning support unit at the university. F-2-F meetings. Haven’t had but would benefit from annual or even bi-annual meetings. Tools Most open source projects run on text-based communication Have only two lists as want to keep all together. Main postings are from implementers. People need a leader and are dependent on that person

OTHERS

Skype has worked. Asynchronous processes important for communication breaches. Challenges AVOIR There are cultural challenges. Reluctance to expose oneself to potential criticism. People often don’t contribute to Wiki’s. Important to get people to the point of being able to contribute. Probably not feasible to build a community that is entirely volunteer based. People sometimes don’t do what they are supposed to do cultural differences People need a leader and are dependent on that person

Ideal Collaborative Environment

• MOUs Mailing list restricted to 1 or 2 physical lists. Correct tone
• Important to define an architecture as soon as possible,
• Wiki useful for documentation but less important as a collaboration tool. Requires a consistent Internet connection that not always possible and requires much manual activity
• A version management system for the source code and the documentation.
• Text-based chat is useful but should understand the limitations.
• Ideal to have physical contact meetings once or twice per year.
• Architecture and process can be developed by consensus.
• Guidelines for collaboration
• Product champions playing various roles.
• Advisory board can facilitate coillaboration
• Modular architecture and ensure uncontrolled canes do not oocr,