Plan for Awesome Collaboration

This article from Inc. on Collaboration Gone Wild seems to be wallowing between privacy and meaningful collaboration. 

Interruptions, asking colleagues questions or having a quick problem solving chat are on the 'light' end of collaboration. 

For my mind, serious collaboration isn't about interruptions or taking off your headphones to answer a question in a partion-less workplace. 

Planned collaboration is powerful and productive. Just plan for it. 

• Right environment - quiet, noisy, spacious, cozy, indoors, outdoors, meeting room, quirky community theatre ...
• Right tools on hand - visual flip charts, white boards, ipads, props and toys, markers, post its, refreshments, space for activities, equipment, prototypes ...
• Right facilitator - leading, directing, enabling, designing, moderating, defining, capturing...
• Right people - obvious choices, 'out there' thinking people, 'in here' thinking people, industry experts, other industry experts, users, customers, colleagues, friends...

Spontaneous collaboration can be a glorious, wonderful and refreshing thing that gives you a bonus outcome you weren't hoping for. 

But mostly we need to plan for a great collaborative experience. And sure, there will be times when wearing headphones could be just what individuals need to change the pace and their state of mind for the next activity or step in the collaboration.

Don't expect it will 'just happen' or that it is always the right approach to interrupt or distract. Plan for some serious and fun collaboration and you'll hit some awesome heights.