Collaboration is when two or more members recognize their collective interest in achieving the same overall outcome and through this individual goals become subordinate to the collective achievement. Collaboration should not be confused with cooperation. Cooperation is when each person on a team develops his or her own plan and shares them with the team. There may be joint discussion, but the focus remains on individual actions and achievement rather than on a collective strategy. Collaboration, in contrast, is built on the perceived interdependencies between members in achieving a common outcome that involves the particular contribution of the various members involved.
