Collaboration Celebration?

Team projects are becoming easier to manage because of the many resources available. These resources include technology like Google docs, e-mail, video conferencing, and group tweets. Companies are using these to complete team projects faster and with fewer problems. In my class project, we used e-mail constantly to share ideas and to get our completed slides to one another. In other group projects outside of this class, I have used Google docs to share information instantly. My team was able to fix other member's mistakes without causing conflict. I can see that in a large company setting, these technologies would be very important in order to share information.
Outside of the classroom, companies are using these same technologies to finish projects. The people who started Jetblue were from all over the country. They were able to use technology to work together to build the company. This saved them the cost of moving all the team members to the same area or having to fly them in for meetings to discuss their progress.
Using this technology doesn't always mean that a great team is going to be formed. Without social interaction, a team’s progress may be hindered. In my Developing Teams and Interpersonal Skills class, we discussed how understanding team and social norms are vital for a team to work effectively. Human interface allows a team to reach the performing stage of a team.
A Business Week article outlined how some of these new collaboration tools are more than workers need. IT departments are having a hard time keeping up with the technology available. The article said, “The gap between how we use information technology in our personal and professional lives is growing, leading to higher employee dissatisfaction with corporate IT departments that 'can't seem to catch up' with new technologies.” Teams should use technologies that can best help them, but it is important to have personal interaction as well. The balance of the two concepts can make a team successful.

Source
http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/feb2010/ca20100211_233652.htm