Collaboration, just another business buz word? Yes! On the condition you don't understand it, don't practice it, or both. So what is the big deal about collaboration? Most projects have a greater chance for success if the customer and the supplier collaborate. This makes collaboration a desireable component of your toolbox.

Collaboration is accomplished when two or more bring together their skills to accomplish a mutual goal. In software development collaboration occurs between the customer representative and the architect/designer. The customer provides content and definition of the proposed software with validation and response from the architect. The architect translates the business needs into screens, reports, and process that the customer agrees upon. Notice that each of the previous sentences show activity from both individuals simultaneously. Each activity that is primarily performed by one of the two individuals is validated and agreed upon by the other.

Each of these individuals represent a host of others. The customer representative represents all his or her fellow associates, who are involved on an as needed bases to clearly define the business rules which will be executed by the proposed software. The architect represents his or her development team, who will be included as needed to address technical issues that will have a bearing on the success of the project. In spite of the number of individuals involved, there must be two people; one respresenting the customer and one representing development team to take the lead in striving for a collaborative relationship.

Often it is easier to understand what something is by understanding what it is not. In Practicum Training you will learn how to clearly identify the difference between a disfunctional relationship between a customer and architect and a healthy collaborative one.