interesting collaboration tools (no really)

I have mentioned in a couple of my tutes some ideas that are really useful (I reckon) for getting better results from working together in groups - not getting stuck in deadlocks, not getting the wrong end of the stick about where each other is coming from, and ways to encourage productive disagreement that leads to a synthesis of ideas. They sound dull and abstract but they are actually not: the first idea is the 'ladder of inference'. This is about learning not to assume or infer things about other people's thoughts and actions. Some simple examples. (The idea is to try not to climb the ladder of inference.) This leads on to the second idea which is about balancing advocacy (for your own point of view) with inquiry (into the other person's point of view) check em out, try em out, blog em out