# Collaboration Best Practices

Working effectively with others is key to successful project contribution. This guide covers how to collaborate smoothly, handle conflicts, and be a positive community member.

## Being a Good Collaborator

### Communicate Clearly

- **Be specific** in your questions and descriptions
- **Use examples** when explaining problems or suggestions
- **Be patient** - people have different schedules and time zones
- **Ask for help** when you're stuck - it's better than struggling alone

### Respect Others' Work

- **Read existing content** before making changes to understand the current approach
- **Build on others' contributions** rather than completely replacing them
- **Give credit** when you're building on someone else's ideas
- **Discuss major changes** before implementing them

### Stay Focused on the Mission
Remember we're all working toward the same goal: defending democracy in Alberta. Keep discussions:

- **Constructive** rather than critical
- **Focused on the work** rather than personal preferences  
- **Aligned with our values** of democratic participation and transparency

## Working with Issues

### Finding Work to Do

1. Check the **Issues** tab for tasks marked "good first issue" or "help wanted"
2. Read through the description to understand what's needed
3. Comment on the issue to let others know you're working on it
4. Ask questions if anything is unclear

### Reporting Problems
When you find a bug or have a suggestion:

1. **Check existing issues** first to avoid duplicates
2. **Use a clear title** like "Mobile menu doesn't work on iPhone" 
3. **Provide details**:
   - What you expected to happen
   - What actually happened
   - Steps to reproduce the problem
   - What browser/device you're using

4. **Add labels** if you have permission (bug, enhancement, etc.)

## Handling Disagreements

### When You Disagree with Feedback
Sometimes you might disagree with a reviewer's suggestions:

**Step 1: Understand their perspective**
- Ask clarifying questions
- Consider that they might have context you don't
- Look at how similar issues were handled before

**Step 2: Explain your reasoning**
- Share why you made the choice you did
- Provide evidence or examples if relevant
- Be open to finding a compromise solution

**Step 3: Involve others if needed**
- If you can't reach agreement, ask other team members for input
- Tag project maintainers for guidance
- Remember the goal is the best outcome for the project

### When Others Disagree with You
If someone challenges your review or suggestion:

- **Stay calm and professional**
- **Re-examine your position** - you might have missed something
- **Focus on the project's needs** rather than being "right"
- **Be willing to change your mind** when presented with good reasoning

## Managing Merge Conflicts

Sometimes Git can't automatically combine changes - this creates a "merge conflict."

### Why Conflicts Happen
- Two people edited the same lines in a file
- Someone deleted a file that another person modified
- Changes were made to the same section but in different ways

### Resolving Simple Conflicts

1. **Don't panic** - conflicts are normal and fixable
2. **Look at the conflicted sections** - Git marks them clearly
3. **Decide which version to keep** or how to combine them
4. **Remove the conflict markers** (`<<<<<<<`, `=======`, `>>>>>>>`)
5. **Test that everything still works**
6. **Commit the resolution**

### When to Ask for Help

- If you're not sure which version to keep
- If the conflict involves code you didn't write
- If there are many conflicts or they seem complex
- If you're new to Git and feeling overwhelmed

## Communication Channels

### Where to Discuss What

**Pull Request Comments**: For discussing specific changes in your submission

**Issue Comments**: For general discussion about problems or improvements

**Project Chat/Forum**: For real-time questions and community discussion

**Email**: For private matters or when you need direct help

### Response Time Expectations

- **Pull request reviews**: Usually within 2-3 business days
- **Issue responses**: Within a week for non-urgent matters
- **Chat messages**: Best effort during business hours
- **Emergency fixes**: Tag maintainers for faster response

## Building Community

### Help Other Contributors

- **Answer questions** when you can help
- **Review others' pull requests** if you feel confident
- **Share resources** you've found helpful
- **Welcome new contributors** and help them get started

### Stay Engaged

- **Follow project updates** to stay informed about changes
- **Participate in discussions** about the project's direction
- **Attend community meetings** if they're held
- **Share the project** with others who might want to contribute

## Red Flags to Avoid

These behaviors can harm the collaborative environment:

- **Personal attacks** or hostile language
- **Dismissing others' contributions** without constructive feedback
- **Making unilateral decisions** about major changes
- **Ignoring established processes** without discussion
- **Taking credit** for others' work

## Video Tutorial

*[Administrator: Add a video tutorial showing examples of good collaboration, how to handle feedback constructively, and conflict resolution strategies]*

## Quick Do's and Don'ts

### Do:

- ✅ Ask questions when unsure
- ✅ Give specific, helpful feedback  
- ✅ Test your changes before submitting
- ✅ Respond to feedback promptly
- ✅ Help others when you can

### Don't:

- ❌ Make personal attacks or hostile comments
- ❌ Ignore project conventions without discussion
- ❌ Submit untested changes
- ❌ Take feedback personally
- ❌ Work in isolation on major changes

## Remember

Good collaboration makes everyone more effective and creates a positive environment where people want to contribute. By following these practices, you're not just improving the website - you're helping build a stronger community committed to defending democracy in Alberta.
