Collaboration at a Distance

Olson, Gary M., Ann Zimmerman, and Nathan Bos, Scientific Collaboration on the Internet. MIT Press 2008

There is evidence that research is increasingly collaborative and operates at a distance (in part because granting agencies encourage this). But collaboration at a distance is more likely to fail.

The concluding chapter suggests there is an emerging science of distance collaboration; this draws on computer science (though rapidly changing technology provides both opportunity and challenge), management science (though non-profit research presents quite different challenges), Science and Technology Studies, information, and behavioral economics.

Olson et al. note that collaborations differ in many ways (size, question, degree of common ground) and develop a typology. Best practices will vary by type.

Several additional factors become critical when collaboration occurs at a distance:

· Since work that requires regular interaction is hard to achieve at a distance, it may be advisable to stress a modular approach in which different nodes (research sites in a network) work on separable pieces of the puzzle for long periods.

· It is useful if different nodes can communicate in real time (time zones cannot then differ too much).

· Information management and sharing become even more important.

· Social cohesion is harder to maintain and thus requires special attention

· Resource allocation across nodes is critical

· There are various technologies that can facilitate collaboration at a distance. Team members often have to be trained in their use. And technical support both locally and centrally is required.

Collaboration Wizard is an online tool that teams operating at a distance can access at any stage in the research process. They will be asked general questions about problems, successes, and the nature of their research (as part of ongoing research on team interaction at a distance) and provided with advice.