How collaboration works in a remote working environment‍

Find out the various ways how collaboration works in a remote workplace and also the tools you need for more efficient collaboration.

The importance of collaboration in the workplace

Before delving into how collaboration works, it is necessary to refresh the importance of good collaboration in the workplace. As we have already highlighted, collaboration among teammates is super important to successful remote work.

In the above linked blog, we have mentioned how good workplace collaboration leads to benefits such as:
- Better ideas
- Faster output
- Focused communication
- Improved interpersonal relations

To achieve a good output from collaboration in the workplace, a lot of measures need to be taken at every level.Now surely you can imagine that it's not easy. Then, how does it work? Here is a brief of the various ways collaboration works in a remote environment.

Find below tools that can make this collaboration better for your team.

Code Collaboration

Code collaboration or pair programming is when two or more programmers work together. These are the one who codes (driver), and the one who assists (navigator). In a remote setting, since the two aren't together to collaborate, collaboration works differently for them. Live coding tools are then used. You can read more about it here. Alternatively, you can use no-code tools like Webflow. Find out what Webflow is here.

Design Collaboration

Design collaboration works slightly differently. The stages of design thinking are all put to use. These are empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. As you can imagine, this is tougher in a remote work environment. Varied ideas have to come together. Therefore, how does it work? Find out more on this page.

Document Collaboration

An ultimate requirement working remotely is documentation. It is important to have everything documented and easily available. Additionally, all should have access to the documents. Document collaboration is when two or more people can work on the same doc. Indeed, it is a lot easier if your work isn't lost and can be shared. See why you need document collaboration tools here.

Visual Collaboration

In remote work, it's obvious you'll have video calls with your team. Thus, you will have important discussions. How do you get the most out of this? What should you do to have ideal meetings? Find out more about how visual collaboration works here. The tools you can find today are ideal for an experience like an in-office one. So, even if your team mates are in another continent, you will still have the benefits as if it was side by side.

🗣️Boss: We aren't brainstorming as much as in office. Remote is making us less creative 🤦‍♂️

👩‍💻 Emp 1: I am beating my own work estimates now 🔥

👥 Emp 2: 4 of us collaborated on @MiroHQ & came up with 2 new features 🚀

Don't complain. Do real work, remotely 🌏#remotework

— Hrishikesh Pardeshi (@hrishiptweets) October 29, 2020

More on how collaboration works in a remote environment

There isn't one final way for successful collaboration. Tried and tested methods could work. On the other hand, you might have to try your own ways. You can find more about the 7 norms of collaboration, or the issues faced by remote teams in our other blogs. Do let us know what you think of them. Also, if there is a method of collaboration you think always works, write to us about that, too. We would always be happy to learn what works for you :)

P.S. Do be careful to not confuse collaboration with cooperation. Find out more on how and where they differ here.