What is Collaboration?
Collaboration scale for project planning
The ideal level of collaboration (number 6 in the table) is when the distribution of decision-making power is balanced, and we are at the center of a true meeting experience, engaging in concerted action/collaboration.
This table was initially designed for a context of collaboration with a community. Thus, the terms used refer to this type of project. However, the table is equally applicable in a partnership context. In this case, consider the promoter and the community as the two main partners.
In the case of a joint project between two partners, level 6, which is collaboration, is the goal. This level promotes a balanced distribution of decision-making power between the two parties, leading to concerted action.
Collaboration can be assessed for different purposes throughout the project. In the following sections, you will find various tool suggestions based on this collaboration level scale.
"A collaborative project aims to weave together different threads, each produced by different stakeholders, into a coherent and meaningful whole. But 'working together' is a learning process that requires time and perseverance. The first attempt may not go exactly as planned or as smoothly as expected. But with each project, as the collaborative spirit grows, the experience will become increasingly enriching."
- Bellemare, D., Bergeron-Martel, O., & De Coninck, P. under the direction of Élisabeth Kaine (2016). Le petit guide de la grande concertation : création et transmission culturelle par et avec les communautés, p. 96
