Oct 27th, 2022

Feature Article

Collaboration

  Written by: David Stevens, Director of Business Development

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Teamwork with a twist.

On the surface, teamwork and collaboration may seem like very similar activities. However, there is one key differentiator: the people involved. Teamwork assumes the same members are engaged from start to finish, project to project, time after time. Collaboration, on the other hand, is coordinating and working alongside an ever-evolving team across industries, expertise, location, etc., to get things done.

Uniform teams allow for routine, gradual improvements, but in today’s world it is rare that we have the luxury of working with the same people time and again. Big solutions require more than a singular entity. Unilever’s CEO, Paul Polman once said, “the issues we face today are so big and so challenging, it becomes quite clear we can’t do it alone, and so there is a certain humility in knowing you have to invite people in.” It is this element of inclusion that makes collaboration so powerful and vital to what we do here at Clientek.

As I have alluded to in previous articles, I am an avid YouTube viewer. Among the dozens of channels I follow, one of the most fascinating is Corridor Crew. This gifted group of visual effects artists offer a unique and insightful perspective on the world of VFX. Among the most interesting things I’ve come to learn is just how many VFX teams, companies, and organizations must collaborate to produce the visually riveting actions films we all know and love.

The average AAA Hollywood title requires the participation of upwards of 10-15 different organizations. Each film necessitating different perspectives, techniques, and expertise. Yet, with involvement from individuals across the globe, these 100+ million-dollar movies are seamless in their presentation of the outputs delivered by disparate teams.

Comparably, during my time here at Clientek, I have learned that there are countless benefits to working collaboratively with our clients. Some of the most profound being:

Speed
Many hands make light work. When managed appropriately, involving more people in the development of a solution allows value to be delivered more quickly. The quicker we arrive at delivered value, the quicker a client can recognize a return on investment. With open communication and the intention of moving a project along collaboratively, production becomes faster and more efficient.

Knowledge
Working together across industries and expertise produces an organic learning environment. Formal and informal knowledge transfer diversifies the knowledge of individuals and allows all parties involved to reach a new level of understanding. Rather than acquired knowledge benefiting a single individual or team, it benefits the entire collective group. Not only is this beneficial for the current project, but for future engagements as well.

Results
More minds make for better solutions. By increasing the breadth of a project’s checks and balances, we allow a solution to mature and adjust itself naturally. The result is a product that has passed through the hands of everyone involved, receiving numerous seals of approval. By the time the solution enters production, all parties are mutually satisfied.

Your team may be great, but taking them to the next level will require you to allow outsiders in. Collaborative solutions are not only delivered faster, but with greater insight and superior results.

Join in.

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