Modern, computationally-driven, interdisciplinary research demands close collaboration between individuals from many disciplines. Systems biology is one such interdisciplinary field, drawing on computational and experimental expertise to elucidate complex biological systems and processes. In our efforts to better understand the regulation of cell division in budding yeast, the development of a shared, project-specific style of communication became just as much a goal of the collaboration as the development of our models. Finding this common language for the collaboration helped us overcome cultural barriers, understand the nuances of each other’s work, and enhance the precision and interpretability of our models.