The idea might seem fanciful, but AI multi-agent collaboration is becoming a thing. This Fast Forward article by Will Knight on Wired, called Many Chatbots Make Light Work, talks about software to let you...
...create multiple AI agents with different personas, roles, and objectives that can be prompted to solve specific problems.
That future will excite some and horrify others. It may not even be the future. The article was published in June 2024, and it would be hard not to be somewhat aware of the strides AI has made since then. But while we still can, let’s return to “the real world”, the world of humans, and the idea that:
Knowledge may be power, but collaboration is king.
Many of us will have observed or worked in environments where the opposite seemed more the case. Corporate silos, each overseen by a leader who ran their operation with all the authority of a feudal warlord, sure that the most direct path to the top must be paved with the bodies of their peers. Knowledge was power, power was king, and the sharing of information was akin to treachery.
As Patrick Lencioni put it in his book Silos, Politics and Turf Wars:
Silos – and the turf wars they enable – devastate organizations. They waste resources, kill productivity, and jeopardize the achievement of goals.
These days, progressive organisations know that the sharing of information is critical to the empowerment of individuals, and this in turn promotes productivity and job satisfaction, leading to happier customers and healthier bottom lines.
There are about as many lists of collaboration benefits as there are books and articles on the subject. Rather than create a new Top 5, here’s the one Anita Campbell came up with in her article 5 Benefits of Collaboration in your Small Business, first published on Small Business Trends, and my paraphrasing of those benefits:
- More efficient processes - things flow more smoothly and get done right the first time.
- Better communication - overcome fragmented, incomplete or siloed information.
- Tapping into employee strengths - working together allows people to focus on activities most suited to their individual abilities and interests.
- Access to better workers - more flexibility in terms of geography, working from home, etc., broadens the pool of potential staff.
- More satisfied customers - happy workers, good at what they do and able to work efficiently, will translate into better service for your customers.
To quote Anita again, here is what typically happens when you don't have access to collaboration tools, or a culture that supports their effective use:
Instead of important information being readily available to all...it’s buried in individual inboxes. Or one person was told about something, but never shared that with others on the team who need to know.
When it comes to collaboration, Orchid is here to help
Orchid's Sage add-ons touch many domains, including automation, streamlining financial processes, and operations, but improved collaboration is at the heart of almost everything we do.
The following products form the core of our Collaboration category of Sage 300 add-ons:
- Notes: The easy way to attach shared, context-sensitive notes to Sage 300 screens, presented where and when they are needed, and all stored and managed within Sage 300. Say goodbye to monitors plastered with personal reminders, or thumbing through operations manuals.
- Document Management Link: Easy access to essential documents, just a click away from related Sage 300 screens. Links to documents are presented where you can find them, when you need them. Supports staff mobility, while reducing your reliance on paper-based documentation.
- TeamWork: Jointly developed by Orchid and AutoSimply, TeamWork enables mobile, chat-based collaboration between Sage 300 and non-Sage users, integrated with easily configurable workflows. All chats, status changes, and approvals are securely stored within Sage 300 for visibility, reporting, and auditing.
Talk to your Sage Business Partner for more information about how Orchid products can contribute to better collaboration in your business.
