Good collaboration should make the work better.

Define the assignment, deliverables, responsibilities and dependencies before beginning. Represent your experience and role in previous work accurately. If a contribution depends on another specialist or supplier, make that dependency visible in the planning.

Agency, independent-specialist and commercial-introduction relationships have different responsibilities. We agree the relevant arrangement rather than treating every introduction as the same kind of partnership.

Agree a point of contact and who can approve direction, costs and final work. Consolidate feedback so contributors can act on a clear decision. Keep review milestones and approved changes in writing.

If something threatens the scope, timing or quality, raise it while there is still room to respond. A change in priorities should come with a discussion of what it means for the work.

Share only what you are authorised to disclose, through the agreed channels. Where an NDA or specific confidentiality arrangement is needed, address it before sensitive material is exchanged.

An initial enquiry should not contain passwords, identity documents or confidential client material. Access arrangements and permissions are agreed separately for the assignment.

Agree who owns or licenses the deliverables, the permitted uses and any restrictions attached to supplied or third-party material. Identify the relevant licences rather than assuming everything included in a project can be transferred freely.

Attribution and portfolio permission also need agreement. Describe each party's contribution accurately. Ask before publishing work, announcing a relationship or sharing project results that have not been cleared for release.

Creator, venue, production, media and other supplier costs should be visible to the party approving them. Confirm who appoints the supplier, who pays, what is included and how changes or cancellations are handled before making the commitment.

Commercial introductions follow the same principle of clarity. Any fee, payment condition or partnership arrangement must be agreed separately in writing before it applies.

Be specific about what needs attention and connect it to the agreed brief. Allow the contributor to understand the concern and respond. Raise disagreements directly and respectfully, with the objective and available evidence in view.

Good collaboration asks for both a considered contribution and a considered response.