In business much writing is done on a collaborative basis. The writing principles do not change, but the process might change. When you are involved in a group effort, you have to adjust schedules and take style preferences, backgrounds, and different abilities into consideration. Although the group report may be much better than a report you could have done on your own, its quality depends on the cooperation of several people. In addition, the group must discuss approaches to the report.
Planning is the foundation of successful group writing projects.
Only after the group has discussed the issues and the writing plan, should the writing stage begin. At the end of the planning stage the group must have a clear understanding of the task, be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the members, have an outline for the report, and assign specific tasks to each member. In the planning stage, the group must also set goals regarding the formality of the writing, the level of difficulty, the level of abstraction, and the use of active and passive voice. The group can take three approaches to writing. The first approach is most likely to produce a report with stylistic unity and effective transitions.