Collaborating in Google Docs is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a dramatic improvement upon emailing a Word doc back and forth. On the other hand, it makes collaboration too easy: People can see your changes in real time — and they often respond before you’re done.
The same principle holds when you’re waiting on someone for their edits. Do you assume that the email Google automatically sends when changes are made means the doc is now yours? Or do you wait until your collaborator formally notifies you that they’re passing the baton?
Opportunities for miscommunication abound: Either instructions get ignored, or expectations get misaligned.
So what’s the solution? Josh Bernoff is curt: “Don’t watch me edit.” Kat Boogaard is explanatory: “Please send me an email when edits are ready. I don’t monitor Google Doc notifications.” Eric Doty leaves a comment in the doc that says, “I’m still working on this.”
Here’s the message I use:
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As I work, Google may send you notifications that I have questions. Unfortunately, there’s no way to turn these notifications off. Please ignore them.
Similarly, if you check the doc yourself, you may see questions I’ve left for you that you’re tempted to reply to now. Please resist that temptation.
I tend to work in batches. For example, in the morning I’ll pick the low-hanging fruit. In the afternoon, I’ll take on the more substantive issues. In the evening, or even the next day, I’ll review everything with fresh eyes.
If you pop in between these periods, you’ll be looking not at a document that’s ready for your review, but at the sausage being made. (If you’re interested, this Wall Street Journal article delves into detail about the perils of premature editing.)
The bottom line: Kindly wait for me to email you that I’m done. Trust me: We’ll both be happier that way.
