While working in sweatpants and avoiding rush hour traffic are common benefits of
telecommuting, one disadvantage is what researchers call a lack of casual awareness.
Studies of office workers have shown that a lot of important work occurs through impromptu
meetings. By missing out on conversations in the halls or by the coffee machine
telecommuters can quickly find themselves out of the loop.
Saul Greenberg is a computer science professor at the University of Calgary who works
with technologies that help people stay in touch. Greenberg says one of the key challenges
is using technology in a way that helps people do their job while ensuring privacy.
Many of Greenberg's experiments involve video cameras mounted on coworker's desks. By
distorting the images, researchers simulate the process of glancing into an office to see
if someone is available. Once people have agreed to a conversation, the picture is
clarified. Other experiments have used recorded noises, such as keyboard sounds, to signal
when coworkers are at their desks and may be available for consultation.
Greenberg says similar technologies are relatively easy to obtain. The difficult part
for telecommuters is often deciding how available and aware they really want to be.
To learn more about technologies for promoting awareness and casual interaction, visit
our Web site at www.iota.org. For Internet On The Air, I'm Joan Silvi.
