 |
Jason Fried: Why modern workplaces don’t work
March 05, 2010 | Author: Adam Levine
Jason Fried, 37Signals co-founder, exactly knows how to create beautiful systems. Basecamp users and Ruby on Rails developers know this. Recently he published the video with his vision of how to create a beautiful workspace (on the example of 37Signals) and how online tools can help. Jason started with the fact that in most companies collaboration is organized absolutely wrong. It's based on the constant interruptions. Employee just turns on the computer, and the interruptions begin: instant messages, email notifications, phone calls and of course, co-workers that come and ask something. No one can work productively in such environment. And, often collaboration software (especially messengers and microblogs) doesn't help to mute this noise, but increase it.
Of course, we can't say that messengers and microblogs - are evil. All depends on how to use them. For example, in the 37Signals office all communications and collaboration take place in Campfire online chat. Even if employees are sitting close to each other at the same table. And it's normal if the chat window is closed, or the chat notifier is turned off. So, if you sent a message to your colleague and he doesn't respond, it meens that he is busy and will answer later, so if your question is not very urgent - wait. Jason believes that in 90% cases it can wait for several hours. Despite this delay, the overall team productivity increases.
Even executives at 37Signals prefers not to call employees without the urgent need. Manager does not go to the office and does not ask "so how it's going?". If they want to meet and talk, the meeting is planned beforehand and employees are invited via the chat.
This is not Campfire advertising, and Jason does not say that Campfire and Basecamp - is a medicine for all. The idea is that the collaboration tools should filter out the interruptions, put them in a separate place where the worker can see them later, but not to load employee with "real-time" signals. In addition, the tools themselves will not work if the manager does not create a proper collaborative culture in the team.
Of course, we can't say that messengers and microblogs - are evil. All depends on how to use them. For example, in the 37Signals office all communications and collaboration take place in Campfire online chat. Even if employees are sitting close to each other at the same table. And it's normal if the chat window is closed, or the chat notifier is turned off. So, if you sent a message to your colleague and he doesn't respond, it meens that he is busy and will answer later, so if your question is not very urgent - wait. Jason believes that in 90% cases it can wait for several hours. Despite this delay, the overall team productivity increases.
Even executives at 37Signals prefers not to call employees without the urgent need. Manager does not go to the office and does not ask "so how it's going?". If they want to meet and talk, the meeting is planned beforehand and employees are invited via the chat.
This is not Campfire advertising, and Jason does not say that Campfire and Basecamp - is a medicine for all. The idea is that the collaboration tools should filter out the interruptions, put them in a separate place where the worker can see them later, but not to load employee with "real-time" signals. In addition, the tools themselves will not work if the manager does not create a proper collaborative culture in the team.
See also: Top 10 Business Messaging platforms
