[consulting] Video Conferencing?

[Katherine Lawrence]

I would like to comment on this. Most of my experience with video 
conferencing was while working with Gemini Consulting 
http://www.geminiconsulting.net/ where we had frequent client meetings 
with 10 people at each site. It was a novelty at first with high 
expectations and it did work, but after a time we used the system less 
and less. The technology was not as transparent as we had hoped. The 
video was still video and it did not span the miles, but more than that, 
as the number of people on each end decreased, so did our desire to use 
the system. For example, it started to seem silly for three people on 
one end to crank up the system to talk with three or fewer on the other end.

I suppose the webcams we all have are like that. At first they were fun, 
but later they just sit there.

In the long run, Skype works for us ... even from desk-to-desk within 
our offices. It is less disruptive to people who are in-the-groove. What 
Laura Scott, our President and Creative Director, has observed is that 
people have four basic periods throughout the day when people get into 
the groove. These periods depend on the specific person's own 
biorhythms. For example, I've noticed that if there is a mid-morning 
meeting that breaks the groove, it is hard to get restarted. It's as if 
I have to wait for the next biorhythm cycle to focus in. Thus limiting 
disruptions and the scale of the disruptions is key. Moreover, the 
remote developers we have are pretty knowledgeable and so far we have 
resisted over-communication with them. Just describe what needs to get 
done and they get to it.

Our best times with the virtual people are at the big gatherings.

We're all very excited about Barcelona.




Michael Haggerty wrote:
>
> I know a lot of other Drupal shops work as virtual companies.
>
>  
>
> Does anyone on this list use video conferencing to communicate with 
> remote developers? If so, are there any specific challenges you have 
> encountered? Any benefits / drawbacks you have run into?
>
> Thank you,
> Michael Haggerty
> Managing Partner
> Trellon, LLC
> http://www.trellon.com
> (p) 301-577-6162
> (c) 240-643-6561
> (f) 413-691-9114
> (aim) haggerty321
>
>  
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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-- 
Katherine Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer
pingVision, LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company
interactive media design
1350 Pine Street, Suite 5
Boulder, CO 80302-4847

1.303.415.2559 phone
1.303.502.5222 fax
katherine at pingv.com