The HIM approach to collaborative work is one of many new and transformational approaches emerging in response to a working world that is more connected than ever. In today’s rapidly changing business environment all organisations must collaborate both internally and externally to meet stakeholder needs, make the best use of resources and optimize the benefits they deliver.
This is a challenge, since organisations are aware of the need to develop collaboration strategies but the range of collaboration tools is bewildering. New techniques, methods and technologies emerge continually and hundreds of these tools overlap in functionality. In short, there is no standard way to identify the right combination of tools for your own needs - the best tools to support your collaboration strategy.
If this challenge resonates with you, then you may be interested to know of a new international research project: the Architecture for Collaboration Tools (ACT) Initiative. The ACT Initiative brings together organisations and individuals with collaboration expertise in order to provide a generic, independent collaboration framework that will enable organizations to develop their future collaboration strategy and identify the most appropriate supporting collaboration methods, techniques and technologies.
As well as myself, the core ACT Team includes Amanda Crouch, CEO and founder of the Global Business Partnership Alliance, a research led organization that enables organisations to develop effective business relationships and collaboration, and Frits Bussemaker, who is partner with CIOnet, an European Community of over 2500 CIOs and direct reports, and founder/chairman of Dutch BPM-Forum, the Dutch chapter of strategic-alliances.org and a community for Dutch members of parliament.
Organisations already participating in ACT include leading commercial companies, government departments and industry bodies in many different sectors, as well as research organizations, management schools, universities and independent thought leaders in the collaboration field. If you would like to join them, get involved with ACT and be among the first to use the ACT framework, then the first step is to support our work by taking our survey:
Your input forms a critical part of our research, and we value it highly.