Measuring dynamic collaborations: Collaborative health assessment tool

Abstract

The changing nature of organisations in the public sector means that collaboration has become an imperative for many. Notwithstanding considerable scholarly agreement about factors contributing to successful collaboration, a broadly accepted model of collaborative practice has not coalesced. In this paper, we put forward an augmented collaboration assessment tool. Building on existing research, we argue that systems thinking can help us better account for the dynamic and multidimensional nature of collaboration – a process in which partner organisations are interconnected and organised in a way that seeks to achieve a common purpose that they could not have achieved alone. We tested the validity of our tool using a three‐stage, iterative mixed‐methods approach. Our research confirms the value of a diagnostic tool to assist collaboration partners navigate an often uncertain terrain. It further establishes the value of our tool in illuminating a collaboration's dynamic interactions as a means to evaluate ‘collaboration health’.

How can collaborative practices be supported in an era of new public governance? Lessons from an education initiative

“…Adaptive systems are highly complex, but can be distilled into six main features: (1) interconnected components, (2) interdependent relationships, (3) layered structures, (4) emergent properties, (5) interaction with the environment, and (6) feedback loops (Salignac et al, 2019). As Meadows ( 2008) points out, a system comprises interconnected components, which for this collaboration are the partners involved.…”

“…In a recent publication, Salignac et al (2019) presented the Collaboration Health Assessment Tool (CHAT) -a theory-driven tool that seeks to take account of the dynamic nature of collaboration. The CHAT tool draws upon existing collaboration literature as well as key concepts from the field of systems science.…”

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“…The collaboration between the project team and all partner organisations associated with HRW will be assessed annually via the Collaboration Health Assessment Tool 41 to gain the stakeholders' perspectives of their involvement in HRW. Data relating to HRW governance and broader stakeholder engagement will also be collected via review of project documentation, interviews with programme staff and the project log.…”

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