The collaboration process develops in stages that each require the presence of specific conditions to ensure success. At each stage, the collaboration process evolves in such a way as to ensure a negotiation / decision / action / evaluation process that takes into account the degree of project completion and the evolution of relationships among partners.

Each stage completed within the collaboration project contains its own risk or success factors. Factors pertaining to each stage of the collaboration project are presented below:

Stage 1: Start-up

• initiator's role, its leadership and implemented strategies.
• nature of the project, clarity of its definition and objectives, level of innovation, its strategic importance and universal appeal
• scope of the project, its complexity, duration, costs, and its international, local or national character.

Stage 2: Search for partners

• research process, fairness, transparency and freedom of choices
• leadership demonstrated through the ability to adhere to a single vision .

Stage 3: Project creation and start up

• number and type of partners selected
• complementarity of partners in terms of resources and expertise
• type and content of agreement, especially the formal role of each partner and measurable objectives to achieve
• leadership demonstrated through the ability to integrate the different perspectives.

Stage 4: Implementation

• presence of a "champion"
• support of upper management
• implementation team, its members, expertise, roles and powers
• communication with clients and their participation
• employee and union involvement
• training

State 5: Operation / management

• use of project management tools
• monitoring and co-ordination measures
• organisational and technical support

Stage 6: Termination of the project

• opportunities and conditions for withdrawal of a partner
• conditions for termination of agreement.

It is important to also take into consideration the factors related to the negotiation / decision / action / evaluation process that takes place during all the project stages as partners continuously interact and adopt appropriate co-management tools.

• planning and dividing up tasks
• characteristics of project team, its size, representativeness, power, experience, expertise, culture, and turnover of members
• collaboration management tools such as decision-making processes, problem resolution, co-ordination, formal and informal communication, monitoring tools and IT utilisation
• risk management tools such as lobbying, consultation with experts and use of external resources
• evaluation of goal achievement, negotiation cycle, goal updating and the nature of these evaluations
• climate of trust and equity

The 27 critical success factors listed above refer to project operations per se and to the collaboration process that supports such operations. Efficient management of relationships among partners and effective project management promote a climate of trust that can only contribute to the smooth running of the collaboration project.