Embodied social proxies, basically robots that serve as in-office proxies for remote workers, helped involve remote workers in watercooler conversations and even deeper design discussions. However, the ESPs also made them late to meetings and created some etiquette issues around volume.…
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How to create an avatar for work-related virtual worlds
As virtual worlds become prevalent in business, we need to learn how to present ourselves effectively. Since first impressions count just as they do in face-to-face teams, we need to take our virtual appearance seriously. In these environments, appearance is based on our avatars.…
Read MoreWhen to Use Video for Remote Team Communications
Does video really perform as well as face-to-face interaction? How does it compare to audio-only communication? Does it always outperform text-only channels like email? Let's look at different types of tasks and see how video affects the work and communication quality experienced by remote teams.…
Read More3 Sources of Conflict in Remote Teams, and How to Avoid Them
All collaborative groups experience conflict. Dealing with that conflict is difficult enough in teams working face-to-face, but remote teams experience additional challenges, such as communicating primarily over email and working in different time zones. What can we do to minimize sources of conflict?…
Read MoreHow to Use Communication to Establish Trust in Remote Teams
What remote teams actually experience is known as "swift trust", which happens when you don't have the time or means to build trust through multiple interactions. While this type of trust cultivates easily, it's also very fragile. How can you establish trust using communication tools?…
Read MoreFrom Choke to Flow: Breaking Down Your Creative Blocks
On days where our tools, skills and energy come together, our output seems to flow seamlessly. On other days, though, no matter how many tools we use or how many cups of coffee we consume, something seems to be blocking us from getting anything done.…
Read More3 Goal-setting Tips That Don’t Work (And 3 That Do)
We should be more attentive in setting our goals, determining what works in practice, and what only seems effective in theory. By looking at our goal-setting behavior together with the goals themselves, we'll be more likely to accomplish more this year.…
Read MoreGantt, PERT, or Task Calendar: Which Scheduling Model is Best for Your Project?
With a new year comes new projects, and with new projects comes plans to execute them. These plans may work -- or not. The key is to find the right model, or combination of models, that can help you schedule your projects more effectively.…
Read MoreBridging the Gap: How to Improve Communication Between the Office and Remote Workers
Some teams are made up of some members who work on-site and some who work remotely. While most research shows that little difference in performance between the two groups, this kind of team poses a challenge, because the on-site workers tend to ignore the remote workers…
Read MoreTaking Over Someone Else’s Project: How to Handle the Transition
I sometimes find myself taking over other people’s projects, like rewriting existing website content or finishing website designs. But taking on another person’s project can be challenging, especially if they are no longer around. So how can you make the transition as smooth as possible?…
Read MoreHow to Avoid “Social Loafing” on Your Next Project
One of the problems with collaboration is that when it’s done without much planning, it leads to what's called "social loafing," where members of a group working together exert less effort than they would if they worked alone. Here are some tips to help prevent it:…
Read MoreHow to Take Effective Conference Notes
If your primary goal at conferences is to learn, then note-taking is essential. But how can you focus on note taking when you have other things on your mind such as networking and the other sessions you have to attend?…
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