Shameless self promotion part the Nth - IM in the FT

[sbisson]

Here's my first piece for the FT's Digital Business section - looking at just how businesses can get the most from instant messaging...

Glue that can help teams bond and gel

It is all to easy for office communications to disintegrate into endless telephone tag or firing e-mails to colleagues who are away from their desks.

So it is hardly surprising that instant messaging quickly moved from the consumer world into the enterprise – the mix of quick text chat and knowing who is logged on and ready to respond (“presence” information) was an answer to perennial problems.

But instant messaging (IM) is not just about quick conversations. IM technologies can be a social glue to help hold business communities together, allowing teams to communicate and share information without being tied up in more formal channels.

Read and enjoy!

Comments

Sarbanes-Oxley?

[hunkymouse.livejournal.com]

Nice piece!
If I'd written it, I'd probably have mention S-O rather more prominently. Interesting to see IBM recommending their own brand...

Re: Sarbanes-Oxley?

[sbisson.livejournal.com]

600 words - and there's an awful lot more to compliance in general than SarbOx..

[ramtops.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why more companies don't use closed IRC servers - perlmonger set one up when he was encubed at a Very Large Mobile Phone manufacturer, and it was invaluable.

stops people needing IM clients on corporate machines, too!

[sbisson.livejournal.com]

I usually recommend Jabber - it lets them use SSL clients for folk working at home without VPNs...

[therealdrhyde.livejournal.com]

I recommend that office-bound people occasionally get up off their fat arses, wander around the office and talk to each other.