Collaboration: The Microsoft Way

Last week, former Apple executive Michael Mace wrote a scathing indictment of the company, titled "Who Killed Apple Computer?" He bluntly states "that Apple Computer as a whole was a massive failure." You can find it here, on the Apple Computer History Weblog.

Mr. Mace takes responsibility for Apple's inability to "transform the world by setting people free from bad computer design and stifling corporate dictates." Likewise, he lays blame on his coworkers of the time.

Let me be clear: I am not trying to bash Apple. But Mr. Mace's reasons for Apple's "failure" are interesting in understanding one of the major reasons for Microsoft's market success. The former Apple exec largely blames the company's problems on lack of collaboration between employees, many of which worked within "walled fortresses." Bluntly, he states: "Those of us who were managers often failed to insist that our teams work together."

I find this interesting because of the contrast to Microsoft. In terms of design and innovation, Apple has long ranked high for the chic and approachable. Sometimes, the designs are so understated and their practicality so obvious, it's hard not to ask, "Why didn't I think of that?" Microsoft simply isn't known for the same software design elegance, and the company is too-often ridiculed for the Windows 9x-era of crashes, bloatware or, more recently, insecure applications.

But--and this is a big BUT--Microsoft employees do work together. Collaboration and coordination are longstanding Microsoft cultural traits. So much this is true, Microsoft has started making collaboration tools core elements of most 2003 version products.

Microsoft's collaborative culture makes the company very responsive to competitive threats. The character also means Microsoft can quickly focus resources from multiple product divisions when executives see there is a need. These could be seen during the so-called browser wars with Netscape, when Microsoft rapidly churned out new Internet Explorer features and caught up with Netscape in about 18 months and three product versions. During the same period, Microsoft fast churned out first versions of Internet Information Server and other Web-oriented software for inclusion with Windows NT 4 Server.

The results of Microsoft collaboration are seen in newer products, such as MSN, which new version borrows features developed by the Windows Digital Media or digital photography groups.

Too often, success in any market has more to do with how well a business is run rather than how good the products are. Apple's products often are more highly-regarded than Microsoft's. High regard is fine, but in business sales count more; sales success is on Microsoft's side. I believe the company's collaboration culture is one of the major reasons.

Posted by Joe Wilcox at September 12, 2003 09:33 AM