Mark Elliott is a sought-after keynote speaker, author and consultant. In 2007, after finishing his PhD, Mark founded Collabforge, a firm that specialises in helping organisations turn their collaboration challenges into high-impact innovation opportunities. Mark has led Collabforge in delivering over 500 projects with Australian and international government agencies and universities.
Mark has published and delivered keynote presentations on his work to the United Nations, federal governments, international think tanks, and academic and professional conferences around the world. Mark is also a performing musician and composer, having worked collaboratively as an artist his whole life. He has played in countless bands, written works for orchestras and ensembles, and performed in experimental improv groups. Mark now lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and four high-energy boys.

Introduction xi

Part I - Understanding Collaboration 1

1 What Collaboration Isn't 3

2 What Collaboration Is 9

3 Why Collaboration Often Falls Short 17

4 When Collaboration Succeeds 25

5 Collaboration Design 38

6 The Three Principles of Collaboration 46

Part II - The Collabforge Method 59

7 Decide 64

• Tool 1: Your Value Proposition for Collaboration 67


• Tool 2: The Collaboration Premium 71


• Tool 3: Support for Collaboration 76


• Tool 4: The Shared Capability Baseline 82


• Tool 5: Space for Collaboration 85

8 Convene 92

• Tool 6: A Draft Collaboration Design 94


• Tool 7: The Why-How-What Pitch 96


• Tool 8: Participant Mapping for the Core, Community and Crowd 99


• Tool 9: The Double-Sided Value Proposition 103


• Tool 10: The Ask 105


• Tool 11: Inputs to Your First Group Discussion 107

9 Cocreate 113

• Tool 12: The Facilitation Runsheet 114


• Tool 13: Individual Perspectives 117


• Tool 14: The Why-How-What Discussion 120


• Tool 15: Ideas on Display 123


• Tool 16: Aligned Understandings 127


• Tool 17: The LEGO Challenge 129


• Tool 18: A Shared Definition of Collaboration 133


• Tool 19: The Collaboration Plan 136


• Tool 20: Detailed Participation Map and Core Formation 140

10 Resolve 145

• Tool 21: Question-Storming 148


• Tool 22: Hearts and Elephants 151


• Tool 23: Check-in 154


• Tool 24: Soliciting Constructive Feedback 157


• Tool 25: Brainstorm, Bundle and Bind - the 3Bs 160


• Tool 26: A Collaboration Self-Assessment 163


• Tool 27: The Perspective Modeller 170

11 Maintain 175

• Tool 28: A Single Source of Truth 176


• Tool 29: Refocusing and Realising Outcomes 180


• Tool 30: The 3Cs Engagement Plan 185


• Tool 31: An Activity Catalyst 190

12 Grow 195

• Tool 32: The Golden Staircase 196


• Tool 33: A Growth Assessment 202


• Tool 34: Onboarding Participants 206


• Tool 35: A 3Cs Analysis of Technologies for Growth 211


• Tool 36: When to Stop Collaborating 217

Conclusion 220

Afterword 225

Acknowledgements 227

Index 229