Com130_Collaborative_&_Individual_Writing_Process

One advantage of the collaborative writing process is the ‘two heads are better than one’ principle. When you have a variety of people on your team then a variety of knowledge also exists with that group. A second advantage is that a group offers a wider expertise and skill set for the project at hand. The project leader can sort out tasks based on the various skills and expertise to help get the job done more quickly and efficiently. A third advantage of collaborative writing is that the opportunity exists for co-workers to get to know and respect each other. This will result in people working more closely and producing a better product. A disadvantage of the collaborative writing process is that disparities in the workload may exist. This will cause some team members to have to work harder than others. A second disadvantage is interpersonal conflicts. When people do not get along projects tend to stall or are not completed as thoroughly as they should be. A third disadvantage of this type of writing is that projects can take longer to produce. People in groups have to allow for time to share opinions, ask questions and conduct their part of the research. Bringing that all together can mean delays in projected deadlines. There are certain situations where projects are better prepared by an individual instead of a group. One example such as this is when a document needs to be produced quickly and one individual is the expert on the topic. One expert can quickly offer sound advice and produce the necessary documentation to cover the subject. However, it is rare that a large technical document is completed by anyone other than a group or team of individuals.