Collaboration is a crucial pillar of success, regardless of the job type or industry sector. It would not be an exaggeration to claim that the outcome of every project is dependent on the level of collaboration taking place between different team members.
In that sense, effective collaboration emerges as the backbone of success for every organization.
For that reason, it is vital for all project teams to identify any bottlenecks at an early stage. This way, they will be able to tackle any emerging problem and ensure their project progresses according to the agreed plan.
To make your life easier, we did some research, and have found some of the prominent bottlenecks that can hurt team collaboration and lead your project to a dead-end.
Here are the main problems you need to look out for and some smart techniques that you might need along the way:
- Poor Leadership
- Lack of Team Spirit
- Absence of The Right Project Collaboration Software
- Too Much Control
- Unshakable Beliefs
Now, how does a creative collaboration software can help avert the above challenges of collaboration? Let’s check it out.
How Project Management Software for Creative Teams Solve Problems in Collaboration
Challenge #1. Poor Leadership
It goes without saying that team spirit is extremely important when it comes to creative collaboration. Nevertheless, it’s not the only element that counts. Strong leadership is another substantial factor in the outcome of your endeavor.
By leadership, we are referring to that individual (or group of individuals) who will be in charge of setting up the core processes and guidelines thanks to which a team will be able to collaborate and evolve.
How does a creative collaboration software solve this problem in collaboration?
An online creative collaboration software helps overcome poor leadership by:
- Creating and assigning projects to relevant teams easily
- Monitoring creative project execution on a single dashboard
- Improving team collaboration in real-time
Related Read: Do You Need Thought Leadership in Project Management?
Challenge #2. Lack Of Team Spirit
The ability of a team to collaborate and work collectively toward a common goal is fundamental.
According to a 2014 study by Stanford University, even the mere idea of working together on a project or task can boost an organization’s performance.
More specifically, those individuals who were primed to work together remained engaged with their assigned task 64% longer than the subjects who worked solitarily. Lower levels of fatigue and an increased rate of success got reported.
In other words, just the perception of participating in a well-connected group can motivate you to have the right mindset to execute tasks.
With that example in mind, it becomes evident that establishing a trust relationship between the different members is more important than you might think.
Now, how does a creative collaboration software help achieve that?
Through collaboration features.
Task comments, shared calendar, file sharing, and email notifications are a few features that all good project collaboration software offer for efficient team communication.
Challenge #3. The Absence Of The Right Communication Tools
Finding a way to lead and unite your team is the first step toward resolving problems in creative collaboration and project success. Providing them with the right tools to communicate their concerns and develop their talent is what’s coming next. Primarily when we refer to larger organizations and projects that consist of countless members, the need for a proactive and efficient communication plan is necessary.
Good news is that modern technologies have made that easier thanks to real-time project collaboration software. However, many industries seem to keep underestimating the difference that such tools can make.
The construction industry is a representative example. Globally, as reported by McKinsey & Company, the IT spend in the sector is only 1% and it is higher only from the agriculture and the hunting industries. It comes as no surprise, then, that the building sector is losing around $1.6 billion every year due to productivity and collaboration bottlenecks.
Based on these shocking numbers it is clear that collaboration and creativity is difficult without a robust PM tool that connect the different project members and allow them to exchange updates, ideas, and knowledge in real-time could make a difference regarding creative collaboration.
Related Read: Best Remote Collaboration Tools
Challenge #4. Too Much Control
Staying on top of your team’s collaboration and project progress is good, as it allows you to prevent costly mistakes and pave the path for a successful outcome. Nonetheless, too much control can be harmful and one of the biggest problems in creative collaboration.
In many cases, team members may not have the full freedom to develop their ideas and competences due to the strictly defined limits set by the leader/manager of the group. This increased control is necessary only in situations where many inexperienced individuals are working together.
But, in cases where a team consists of experienced and creative people, there should always be room for experimentation and innovative ideas. In that way, you can genuinely get collaboration to a whole new level and create new long-term strategic partnerships.
Now, some people believe that deploying an online creative collaboration software will promote more control, but that’s not true. On the contrary, it promotes transparency.
With a creative collaboration software, like ProProfs Project, teams have a platform where they can share their ideas and innovate with other teams in real-time easily!
Challenge #5. Unshakeable Beliefs
Last but certainly not least, the tendency to prioritize on beliefs instead of facts. When a disagreement emerges in the team, it is vital to follow a knowledge or data-driven way to resolve it.
There is no room for dogmatic opinions and behaviors. Every piece of information or suggestion should be challenged and tested against objective truth.
Otherwise, there is a good possibility that the winner of a potential dispute won’t be the right but the louder side between the two. For that reason, as a team leader, you should always try to highlight the importance of sticking to facts and reach to data-driven decisions.
Setting in advance a well-articulated framework that is widely based on historical and predictive data can be extremely beneficial for your project’s outcome. Plus, it can allow your team to develop its creative thinking on a solid foundation.
For example, challenges in creative collaboration can be resolved with a software. It helps you monitor team performance and create detailed reports for managers to have insightful information regarding team productivity. This not only helps managers know where their teams lack skill, but also how much improvement is needed.
Read More: Web Design Project Management in 2022: The Ultimate Guide
Adopt Project Team Collaboration Software For Effortless Team Communication!
To sum up, it becomes clear that collaboration plays a decisive role in the success of every team project. That’s why you need a smart plan in place before you begin your effort. Further, the use of accurate and simple-to-use project collaborative tools can boost your performance and pave the way for a more inclusive and efficient working culture.
Let’s take a look at some of the frequently asked questions that will further help you understand creative collaboration and problems in creative collaboration.
Q1. What are the problems in creative collaboration?
There are three main aspects that cause problems in creative collaboration that include organizational, interpersonal, and cultural problems. For example lack of respect, poor listening skills, and different mindsets.
Q2. How do you foster effective creative collaboration in your workplace?
The best ways to foster effective creative collaboration in your workplace include know communication expectations, set your team goals, and foster a creative workplace atmosphere.
Looking For The Best Project Collaboration Software?
If you have been searching for the right project management tool and failing to find one, check out ProProfs Project. Our software offers everything needed to implement agile methodologies, thereby promoting efficient project execution.
You can check out the pricing plans and sign up for our tool here.
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