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J.Randolph Radney

Teaching in Social and Technological Networks « Connectivism - 0 views

www.connectivism.ca/?p=220

teaching connectivism networks social eLearning writing english

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 22 Feb 10 - Cached
  • Technological networks have transformed prominent businesses sectors: music, television, financial, manufacturing. Social networks, driven by technological networks, have similarly transformed communication, news, and personal interactions. Education sits at the social/technological nexus of change – primed for dramatic transformative change. In recent posts, I’ve argued for needed systemic innovation. I’d like focus more specifically on how teaching is impacted by social and technological networks.
  • social and technological networks subvert the classroom-based role of the teacher. Networks thin classroom walls. Experts are no longer “out there” or “over there”. Skype brings anyone, from anywhere, into a classroom. Students are not confined to interacting with only the ideas of a researcher or theorist. Instead, a student can interact directly with researchers through Twitter, blogs, Facebook, and listservs. The largely unitary voice of the traditional teacher is fragmented by the limitless conversation opportunities available in networks. When learners have control of the tools of conversation, they also control the conversations in which they choose to engage.
  • Course content is similarly fragmented. The textbook is now augmented with YouTube videos, online articles, simulations, Second Life builds, virtual museums, Diigo content trails, StumpleUpon reflections, and so on.
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • Thoughts, ideas, or messages that the teacher amplifies will generally have a greater probability of being seen by course participants.
  • The following are roles teacher play in networked learning environments: 1. Amplifying 2. Curating 3. Wayfinding and socially-driven sensemaking 4. Aggregating 5. Filtering 6. Modelling 7. Persistent presence
  • Views of teaching, of learner roles, of literacies, of expertise, of control, and of pedagogy are knotted together. Untying one requires untying the entire model.
  • Fortunately, the experience of wayfinding is now augmented by social systems.
  • I found my way through personal trial and error. Today’s social web is no different – we find our way through active exploration. Designers can aid the wayfinding process through consistency of design and functionality across various tools, but ultimately, it is the responsibility of the individual to click/fail/recoup and continue.
  • The curator, in a learning context, arranges key elements of a subject in such a manner that learners will “bump into” them throughout the course. Instead of explicitly stating “you must know this”, the curator includes critical course concepts in her dialogue with learners, her comments on blog posts, her in-class discussions, and in her personal reflections.
  • Sensemaking in complex environments is a social process.
  • Perhaps we need to spend more time in information abundant environments before we turn to aggregation as a means of making sense of the landscape.
  • magine a course where the fragmented conversations and content are analyzed (monitored) through a similar service. Instead of creating a structure of the course in advance of the students starting (the current model), course structure emerges through numerous fragmented interactions. “Intelligence” is applied after the content and interactions start, not before.
  • Aggregation should do the same – reveal the content and conversation structure of the course as it unfolds, rather than defining it in advance.
  • Filtering resources is an important educator role, but as noted already, effective filtering can be done through a combination of wayfinding, social sensemaking, and aggregation. But expertise still matters. Educators often have years or decades of experience in a field. As such, they are familiar with many of the concepts, pitfalls, confusions, and distractions that learners are likely to encounter.
  • To teach is to model and to demonstrate. To learn is to practice and to reflect.”
  • Apprenticeship learning models are among the most effective in attending to the full breadth of learning.
  • Without an online identity, you can’t connect with others – to know and be known. I don’t think I’m overstating the importance of have a presence in order to participate in networks. To teach well in networks – to weave a narrative of coherence with learners – requires a point of presence. As a course progresses, the teacher provides summary comments, synthesizes discussions, provides critical perspectives, and directs learners to resources they may not have encountered before.
  • J.Randolph Radney on 22 Feb 10
     
    Here are some additional thoughts that relate to my teaching approach in courses.
J.Randolph Radney

Stanford Students Start Their Own Course-Management Web Site - Wired Campus - The Chron... - 0 views

chronicle.com/...30837

students course stanford start education

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 08 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • A student-run Web site at Stanford University seeks to convince students to input their class assignments to keep themselves—and their classmates—more organized. It could, founders hope, grow into a student-run course-management system.
  • Once one student adds an assignment in a class, everyone else in the class has it added to their calendars, as well. Ultimately, he’d like to expand the site to include social events on campus, to help students better plan every aspect of their lives. He also plans to allow students to flag incorrect assignments.
J.Randolph Radney

English Courses Links - 5 views

www.diigo.com/...english-courses

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 09 Jan 10 - Cached
  • J.Randolph Radney on 09 Jan 10
     
    This is my list of resources for English courses.
John Boulton

University of Calgary : 4.1.3 BComm Graduation Requirements - 0 views

www.ucalgary.ca/...ha-4-1-3.html

shared by John Boulton on 21 Mar 11 - No Cached
    • John Boulton
      John Boulton on 21 Mar 11
       
      Equivalent to our BBA program. Different numbering and a few different courses, but main business courses very similar to TRU. I do not think this page is layed out properly... I think a table would have explained it in a better fashion.
    • John Boulton
      John Boulton on 21 Mar 11
       
      Simply to use the sidebar. The red colored theme is gone on this page...
Japjot Singh

Programs & Courses | Justice Institute of British Columbia - 0 views

www.jibc.ca/programs-courses

shared by Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11 - No Cached
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      Very necessary and Userfriendly approach.
  • Still haven't found what you're looking for? Contact Us
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      Very tailored approach to help the visitor
J.Randolph Radney

Online Research and Writing Courses - 1 views

www.onlinecollegeclasses.com/research-writing.html

google education web2.0 social technology Communication

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 10 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • These study tools are designed for students confronting unfamiliar problems and struggling to stay current with their classes. Each is tailored to the specific subject it is included in, though there may be some crossover.
ivanhartling

7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media - 10 views

mashable.com/...job-search-secrets

shared by ivanhartling on 08 Nov 10 - Cached
  • About 1 year ago Dan Schawbel 607 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media
    • Kai Zhao
      Kai Zhao on 17 Nov 10
       
      hello team?
  • About 1 year ago Dan Schawbel 607 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media
    • Yingpeng Wu
      Yingpeng Wu on 17 Nov 10
       
      hi there
  • 7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • The current environment
    • Yingpeng Wu
      Yingpeng Wu on 17 Nov 10
       
      FBI
    • Yingpeng Wu
      Yingpeng Wu on 17 Nov 10
       
      gg
    • nikki hogg
      nikki hogg on 17 Nov 10
       
      Really lengthy homepage, it would be nice if they have a sort of table of contents with hyperlinks that could take you to each of the 7 secrets
    • ivanhartling
      ivanhartling on 17 Nov 10
       
      I don't like how long this page is. It requires a lot of scrolling to navigate and I think it would be easier if the 7 secrets were seperated into seperate pages.
    • nikki hogg
      nikki hogg on 17 Nov 10
       
      the sidebar on the right is a bit distracting and it makes it challenging to focus. it isnt that easy to quickly navigate through this site
  • 1. Conduct a people search instead of a job search
    • ivanhartling
      ivanhartling on 17 Nov 10
       
      Title catches your attention.
  • J.Randolph Radney on 08 Nov 10
     
    This supplements Chapter Seven of the course text, providing some social media job search ideas.
Cassaundra Rowe

Personal Characteristics & Skills of a Probation Officer | eHow.com - 2 views

www.ehow.com/-skills-probation-officer.html

shared by Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10 - No Cached
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      The toolbar makes it easy to navigate the website
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      The search box will make looking up certian keywords easier for any user
  • References Bureau of Labor Statistics: Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      Allows for users to look at referances
  • ...17 more annotations...
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      The list of Characteristics and Skills allows it to be read easily.
  • Top 5 To Try How to Become a Probation Officer in Canada Juvenile Probation Officer Qualifications The Training Required for a Probation Officer in Pennsylvania Definition of a Juvenile Probation Officer Probation Officer Rights
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      Top 5 links related to the subject helps to further the research aspect.
  • Related Articles & Videos How to Become a Probation Officer in Canada Juvenile Probation Officer Qualifications The Training Required for a Probation Officer in Pennsylvania Definition of a Juvenile Probation Officer Probation Officer Rights (play this video) How to Become a Probation Officer (play this video) Estate Planning & Probate (play this video) How to Get Out of Financial Aid Academic Probation (play this video) The Probate Process Explained (play this video) How to Become a Probate Attorney More
  • Ads by GoogleGlobe & Mail - LeadershipGets tips and advice from prominent figures on how to effectively lead.www.theglobeandmail.com/Office Skills TrainingHands-On Office Skills Training Flexible Scheduling. Start Today!www.AcademyofLearning.com/AdminSecretary TrainingLearn the skills you need to become an Administrative Assistantwww.icslearn.caHR + Training ResourcesWebstore wtih 100's of tools, games assessments, courses, kits, surveyswww.ReadyToManage.comBankruptcy in BCThere are 6 easy steps to becoming Bankrupt. Free advice 1800-605-9390www.bankruptcyadvocates.ca
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      This clutters the web page. It is too close to the body of text.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      The colour scheme is easy on the eyes. It is a nice contrast.
  • print email favorite share
  • print email favorite share
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      I don't like the flashing of this picture. It draws the attention away.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      I do not like pictures on a web page that I am trying to read.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      This one really does not communicate anything about Probation Officers.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      I like how these are at the bottom of the page. Some websites have them on the side or on top.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      I am refering to the other unrelated articles at the very bottom
  • Globe & Mail - Leadershipwww.theglobeandmail.com/Gets tips and advice from prominent figures on how to effectively lead.ADT ® - Official Sitewww.ADT.comEssentials Plus® Alarm System - Only $99 Installed!Secretary Trainingwww.icslearn.caLearn the skills you need to become an Administrative AssistantAsk A Lawyer Online NowLaw.JustAnswer.com12 Lawyers Are Online! Ask a Question, Get an Answer ASAP
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 01 Dec 10
       
      I feel this should be put somewhere else not right below the text of the article. For a few moments I thought it was a part of it.
  • Law-Abiding
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      The large font of the characteristics allows the reader to know what the characteristics are, as they stand out.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      The font on thsi website is a perfect reading font. The background also is perfect for this type of website.
  • be & Mail - Leadershipwww.theglobeandmail.com/Gets tips and advice from prominent figures on how to effectively lead.Ask A Lawyer Online NowLaw.JustAnswer.com12 Lawyers Are Online! Ask a Question, Get an Answer ASAPLeadership Classes Onlinewww.VillanovaU.com/CertificateLearn to Influence, Persuade and Be a More Responsive, Proactive LeaderSales Management TrainingTopLineLeadership.com/train-manager
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      This looks as if it is a part of the text.
  • Related Ads google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad); Leadership Skills Communication Skills Probation Officer Presentation Skills /ehow_radlinks_ads.html?term=Criminal%20Cour
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      This is another repeat of the Top 5 to try and the related articles.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      I am unsure if th comment box is really needed. But I like how it is at the end. It might be a basic thing ont he website, however some articles don't really need it.
  • Read Next Article UserAction.add(function() { $.getScript("http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=dmseo", function(){ addthis.init(); }); });
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      This is another navigation key that is helpful for users. It just needs to be moved closer to the actualy text.
    • Cassaundra Rowe
      Cassaundra Rowe on 04 Dec 10
       
      I also find it nice that the next article is related to this topic
J.Randolph Radney

YouTube - lynda.com: Moodle Essential Training for Students - 2 views

www.youtube.com/watch

lynda.com moodle student training

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 13 Jan 10 - Cached
  • J.Randolph Radney on 13 Jan 10
     
    This is the introductory video from a series designed to help you better understand how MOODLE works in courses.
J.Randolph Radney

ENGL 181_WL: Plain English Orientation Videos for Web 2.0 Media - 2 views

mymoodle.tru.ca/...view.php

plain video English

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 06 Mar 10 - No Cached
  • J.Randolph Radney on 06 Mar 10
     
    This set of links is on the MOODLE course site for English 181; students should be able to access the links once they have supplied a username and password for MOODLE.
J.Randolph Radney

Business Communication (BComCA): 2005/09 - 0 views

bcomca.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_archive.html

blog business communication

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 27 Mar 10 - Cached
  • J.Randolph Radney on 27 Mar 10
     
    This is a blog from a business writing course.
J.Randolph Radney

Discussion Board Etiquette - 1 views

www2.uwstout.edu/...discuss_etiquette.html

discussion etiquette board forum netiquette moodle discussions Online social blog

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 24 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • Brevity is appreciated. Since reading other's comments or articles can be very time consuming, try to be straight to the point, although respect that this is an academic class. Too little is just as troublesome as too much!
    • J.Randolph Radney
      J.Randolph Radney on 26 Jan 11
       
      Brevity is a good idea, but not at the expense of clarity.
  • give a frame of reference in your post by quoting or summarizing the content to which you are responding
  • The me-too post certainly is a frustration in the online environment and does not add any depth to the discussion or learning.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • be sure to post substantive ideas and avoid the "I agree" posts which just clutter up a discussion board.
    • J.Randolph Radney
      J.Randolph Radney on 25 Jan 11
       
      This is not to say you can't agree with someone, but when you post, make it worth everyone's while to read a comment, extension, or application of ideas, rather than merely an agreement.
  • Subject lines that just repeat the original poster’s subject line with the Re: added (Re: Re: Re: Unoriginal subject line) give no indication to the reader if the new or added content will benefit him or her as a learner
  • Each time you post or reply to a post, update the subject line to match the content of your posting.
  • Make sure you are posting under the appropriate heading or thread.
  • The Discussion Board is part of a college course, so your writing style should conform to the rules of standard English.
  • J.Randolph Radney on 24 Jan 11
     
    What do you think of these principles as writing guidelines for forums and blogs?
Japjot Singh

Justice Institute of British Columbia | Canada's leading public safety educator - 1 views

www.jibc.ca

shared by Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11 - No Cached
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      The website uses blue color to appeal to its viewer.
    • J.Randolph Radney
      J.Randolph Radney on 09 Mar 11
       
      There are different sorts of appeal; what kind is blue likely to evoke? What sort of appeal is this (logos, ethos, pathos)?
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 10 Mar 11
       
      Blue color is likely to evoke the emotional approach of the reader. So, i would say it pathos
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      The website uses various links at the bottom of the first page, so that viewer can get a better understand of the website. It also provides the company's contact details at the top right and bottom of the page, making it really easy for someone who wants to quickly look at some important data and then contact the company for more detailed information.
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      The main page has a very strong impression on the viewer as it provides a very detailed information about six main outlines on the top of the first page and can be really helpful.
    • J.Randolph Radney
      J.Randolph Radney on 09 Mar 11
       
      What do you mean by 'impression'?
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 10 Mar 11
       
      By " Impression", I mean to say that the website impresses the viewer by providing almost all the required information under six main outlines on the front page. These "Drop down" boxes give an impression of a good website.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Future Students Current Students Alumni International Clients Faculty & Staff
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      Use of Quicklinks to target particular individuals for simplification of information.
  • Five things to know about JIBC
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      Describes how jibc is changing itself to get more better(Enhancing law enforcement capacity, New JIBC website)  and providing extended services (like tution tax receipts)
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      Uses various social networks to be accepted by wide variety of viewers.
  • Find Programs Find Courses
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      A handy quick search for easy individual approach.
    • Japjot Singh
      Japjot Singh on 09 Mar 11
       
      Rhetorical Analysis on www.jibc.ca
Sabina Donnelly

Detox campaign | Greenpeace International - 2 views

www.greenpeace.org/...intro

shared by Sabina Donnelly on 14 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • Many hazardous chemicals can also be transported in our oceans, atmosphere and food chains and accumulate in places far away from their original source. They have been found to build up in the bodies of animals including birds, fish, whales, polar bears and even human breast milk. The problem and the solution are therefore not only a cause of local concern. This is a truly global issue.
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 14 Jul 11
       
      Again, this is aimed at readers who are far away from where this problem is occurring. It brings the issue close to home and hopefully motivates the reader to action
  • “Just do it”
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • “Impossible is nothing”
  • “Make the Change”
  • Of these brand owners, one group stood out in particular as the most likely champions of a toxic-free future - the world’s largest sports brands. Not only are these brands self-proclaimed leaders and innovators, but they have the size and influence to work with their suppliers to begin bringing about real change on the ground and eliminate the use and release of these hazardous chemicals.
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 16 Jul 11
       
      This rhetoric is aimed at Nike and Adidas. Greenpeace uses irony by highlighting these companies' slogans.
  • The alkylphe
  • nols and PFCs found in the samples are a cause for serious concern, as these chemicals are known hormone disruptors and can be hazardous even at very low levels
  • Clean w
  • ter is not only a basic human right - it is the world’s most threatened essential resource
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 16 Jul 11
       
      Greenpeace has gone to these companies' websites and selected quotes which express their commitment to environmentally friendly practices. This shows the hypocracy of these companies as they advertise green initiatives while they really do not know or control where their supplies come from.
  • 2/12 Play A Greenpeace campaigner takes a sample of yellow-coloured waste water from the discharge pipe at the Youngor Textiles Factory.
  • A Greenpeace campaigner takes a sample of yellow-coloured waste water from the discharge pipe at the Youngor Textiles Factory.
  • Greenpeace
  • A Greenpeace campaigner takes a sample of yellow-coloured waste water from the discharge pipe at the Youngor Textiles Factory
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 17 Jul 11
       
      This photo and its caption have a lot of impact on the reader. The caption describes discoloured water which can be seen in the collector's sample bottle. Futhermore, the photo shows an odd yellow sludge/waste coming out for the pipe. In the background of the photo, you can see the turbid river water and smoggy air. What is particularily effective is the use of hyperbole. The odd looking sludge is the largest and central object in the photo, dwarfing the person standing next to it.
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 17 Jul 11
       
      another aspect of visual rhetoric that is used in this photo is accent. Compared to the bleak and grey background, the yellow sludge jumps out from the photo
  • At 6:00pm in the evening, a pipe on the north side of the Youngor International Garments City factory dumps large quantities of foul smelling waste water into the river
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 17 Jul 11
       
      Photo # 11 in the slide is particularily effective because the subject of the photo is covering his mouth and nose with his hand while looking down at the discoloured redish purple water coming out of the discharge pipe. When we read the caption, we find that he is doing this due to the terrible stench of the water. Both the caption and the subject's reaction in the photo make the experience more real for the reader as we can imagine the experience as if we were there.
  • Wastewater is intended to be treated at the treatment plant.
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 17 Jul 11
       
      Greenpeace uses irony in the photo and its caption. We see settling ponds of water in a textile factory and learn in the caption that it is supposed to be treated. The irony is that this is for show was chemical analysis of water shows that the water is not treated
  • A Greenpeace campaigner takes a sample of yellow-coloured waste water from the discharge pipe at the Youngor Textiles Factory
    • Sabina Donnelly
      Sabina Donnelly on 17 Jul 11
       
      This photo and its caption have a lot of impact on the reader. The caption describes discoloured water which can be seen in the collector's sample bottle. Futhermore, the photo shows an odd yellow sludge/waste coming out for the pipe. In the background of the photo, you can see the turbid river water and smoggy air. What is particularily effective is the use of hyperbole. The odd looking sludge is the largest and central object in the photo, dwarfing the person standing next to it. Sabina Donnelly 1 minute ago Radney's Business Writing Course another aspect of visual rhetoric that is used in this photo is accent. Compared to the bleak and grey background, the yellow sludge jumps out from the photo
azizkhaled

Personal and Business Banking | Moving to Canada: HSBC Bank Canada - 0 views

www.hsbc.ca/home

shared by azizkhaled on 17 Jul 11 - No Cached
    • azizkhaled
      azizkhaled on 17 Jul 11
       
      Just under their slogan, the sentence starts with "We are committed to meet your needs locally". And it ended with "... experience and expertise that spans the globe". Of course this is repeating their slogan in a more detail yet its not a long introductory to deliver their message to their clients. It said what it needed to say to appeal to customers by ethos.
    • J.Randolph Radney
      J.Randolph Radney on 21 Jul 11
       
      This is a good start, but I would expect more commentary on the page than just one note.
J.Randolph Radney

Open Textbook Library - 0 views

open.umn.edu/...BookDetail.aspx

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 07 Jan 16 - No Cached
  • J.Randolph Radney on 07 Jan 16
     
    This is an American OER for use in Radney's OABW 2100 course
J.Randolph Radney

When Working From Home Doesn't Work - The Atlantic - 0 views

www.theatlantic.com/...540660

communication

shared by J.Randolph Radney on 07 Oct 17 - No Cached
  • the research starts to make a little more sense if you ask what type of productivity we are talking about.
  • If it’s personal productivity—how many sales you close or customer complaints you handle—then the research, on balance, suggests that it’s probably better to let people work where and when they want.
  • But other types of work hinge on what might be called “collaborative efficiency”—the speed at which a group successfully solves a problem. And distance seems to drag collaborative efficiency down. Why? The short answer is that collaboration requires communication. And the communications technology offering the fastest, cheapest, and highest-bandwidth connection is—for the moment, anyway—still the office.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • For jobs that mainly require interactions with clients (consultant, insurance salesman) or don’t require much interaction at all (columnist), the office has little to offer besides interruption.
  • The power of presence has no simple explanation. It might be a manifestation of the “mere-exposure effect”: We tend to gravitate toward what’s familiar; we like people whose faces we see, even just in passing. Or maybe it’s the specific geometry of such encounters. The cost of getting someone’s attention at the coffee machine is low—you know they’re available, because they’re getting coffee—and if, mid-conversation, you see that the other person has no idea what you’re talking about, you automatically adjust.
  • But IBM has clearly absorbed some of these lessons in planning its new workspaces, which many of its approximately 5,000 no-longer-remote workers will inhabit. “It used to be we’d create a shared understanding by sending documents back and forth. It takes forever. They could be hundreds of pages long,” says Rob Purdie, who trains fellow IBMers in Agile, an approach to software development that the company has adopted and is applying to other business functions, like marketing. “Now we ask: ‘How do we use our physical space to get on and stay on the same page?’ ”
  • The answer, of course, depends on the nature of the project at hand. But it usually involves a central table, a team of no more than nine people, an outer rim of whiteboards, and an insistence on lightweight forms of communication. If something must be written down, a Post‑it Note is ideal. It can be stuck on a whiteboard and arranged to form a “BVC”—big, visual chart—that lets everyone see the team’s present situation, much like the 727’s instrument panels. Communication is both minimized and maximized.
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