Synchronous Online Collaboration Helps Us
By Ranggi R.
Published on February 09, 2023
What is online collaboration? You may already know after reading this article. However, do you think working together on the internet would suit your group’s culture?
Before moving to online collaboration, you should first know the difference between synchronous and asynchronous.
Synchronous vs Asynchronous Online Collaboration
Working together on the same task, at the same time, and in different or the same place, is called Synchronous online collaboration. A popular word for this type of collaboration is ‘live-editing’. This activity happens when you and your colleagues are trying to get something done in a shared file or screen in real time.
Meanwhile, asynchronous means working together on the same task at different times. Like passing the baton in a marathon. It is similar to email, you can get a new task from your boss, download the paper, get it done, and send it to others to finish the process.
From the two types above, the key point is ‘real time’.
Digital Gathering
People are used to getting things done in physical space. Generally, people go to the office, meet co-workers, and get their work done every day. However, what if your colleagues are in different places? Do you need to take miles away from your place only to meet them? Well, it seems like a waste of your time and money.
Fortunately, there is synchronous collaboration. With the help of technology, interacting through electronic communications in real time can help people stay connected in non-physical spaces. Once you and your colleagues use a virtual collaboration tool, you can work remotely anywhere.
Types of Virtual Teams You Need to Know
A virtual team has its own type, depending on how we use it and for what purpose we create a virtual team. Following are the types of virtual teams listed below:
- Networked Teams
Having a specific issue that needs to be solved? Then consider networked teams. You can add members inside or outside your organization as needed, and drop them when it is done. Simple and quick collaboration is efficient.
- Parallel Teams
Formed by members of the same organization, parallel teams are for those who want to develop ideas in a system and review a process. Unlike network teams, parallel teams have permanent membership and are usually formed for a short time.
- Product Development Teams
Developed in the 1990s, the product development team is the most classic virtual team of its kind, making it a pioneer of virtual teams. Product development teams gather experts worldwide to perform a specifically outlined task, such as development of new products, information system, or organizational process, with specific and measurable deliverables.
- Production Teams
A production team is formed when each member who has a role gets together to do work, both permanent and temporary members. Members with assigned roles can work independently.
- Service Teams
Service virtual teams have members across different time zones. This service team model is set up to work independently and perform work in continuation. When one member in one continent is offline, the other member in another continent is online to serve customers.
- Management Teams
Management teams are formed by managers from the same organization working in different geographic areas. These members get together to discuss corporate-level strategy for organizations with offices in more than one location.
- Action Teams
Formed to provide an immediate response to a problem, action teams are ad-hoc teams, which is for a very short duration of time.
Let’s Virtualize!
As mentioned above, we have many advantages by relying on virtual teams. Therefore, start your steps with online collaboration with virtual teams now.
See you in the virtual team.