Comments on: The new standards for experiences somewhere and Anywhere http://blogs.yankeegroup.com/2008/05/19/the-new-standards-for-experiences-somewhere-and-anywhere/ the global connectivity experts™ Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:13:21 -0400 hourly 1 By: Carl Howe http://blogs.yankeegroup.com/2008/05/19/the-new-standards-for-experiences-somewhere-and-anywhere/comment-page-1/#comment-2465 Carl Howe Fri, 23 May 2008 13:46:23 +0000 http://blogs.yankeegroup.com/2008/05/19/the-new-standards-for-experiences-somewhere-and-anywhere/#comment-2465 I couldn't agree more, Camille, and remote offices and workers always bear the brunt of Anywhere rudeness and lack of courtesy. Said another way, we're not considerate about how we conduct our Anywhere business. But I also believe that technology choices also bear some of the blame. I recently did a presentation where I tried to facilitate an exercise by voice conference. I solicited contributions from the phone first, but was chagrined to discover that the audio for the conference was literally incomprehensible in the room. In this case, it wasn't the other person's microphone, but the very poor IP audio connection. So much for VOIP offering better phone experiences -- it certainly didn't in this case. I could go on: Sharepoint presentations that never share, render, and advance correctly, Powerpoint presentations that require 20 minutes of fiddling to get the projectors to work, conferencing systems that require specific platforms, browsers, and plug-ins to work properly, and meeting invitations that don't update correctly are just some of the examples of technology that stands in the way of great Anywhere experiences. The perception is that the technology is advanced; the reality is that it is rudimentary at best unless used extremely carefully. I say this as a early adopting technology geek, so don't take this as technophobia. But we as presenters and organizers must choose our technologies carefully to ensure that they really do work Anywhere, and not just in the office. I couldn’t agree more, Camille, and remote offices and workers always bear the brunt of Anywhere rudeness and lack of courtesy. Said another way, we’re not considerate about how we conduct our Anywhere business.

But I also believe that technology choices also bear some of the blame. I recently did a presentation where I tried to facilitate an exercise by voice conference. I solicited contributions from the phone first, but was chagrined to discover that the audio for the conference was literally incomprehensible in the room. In this case, it wasn’t the other person’s microphone, but the very poor IP audio connection. So much for VOIP offering better phone experiences — it certainly didn’t in this case.

I could go on: Sharepoint presentations that never share, render, and advance correctly, Powerpoint presentations that require 20 minutes of fiddling to get the projectors to work, conferencing systems that require specific platforms, browsers, and plug-ins to work properly, and meeting invitations that don’t update correctly are just some of the examples of technology that stands in the way of great Anywhere experiences. The perception is that the technology is advanced; the reality is that it is rudimentary at best unless used extremely carefully.

I say this as a early adopting technology geek, so don’t take this as technophobia. But we as presenters and organizers must choose our technologies carefully to ensure that they really do work Anywhere, and not just in the office.

]]> By: Camille Mendler http://blogs.yankeegroup.com/2008/05/19/the-new-standards-for-experiences-somewhere-and-anywhere/comment-page-1/#comment-2459 Camille Mendler Mon, 19 May 2008 19:41:02 +0000 http://blogs.yankeegroup.com/2008/05/19/the-new-standards-for-experiences-somewhere-and-anywhere/#comment-2459 Let me say something old fashioned: Courtesy still matters in the Anywhere world. In fact, it should matter even more. I've lost count of dreary conference calls where a) noone bothers to speak into the microphone b) noone bothers to ask for remote attendees' opinions and c) noone bothers to count timezones before setting up the call in the first place (working in pyjamas isn't always a choice). Technology can help with some of this (like world geography), but much still comes down to what Mama taught you in the first place. Let me say something old fashioned: Courtesy still matters in the Anywhere world. In fact, it should matter even more. I’ve lost count of dreary conference calls where a) noone bothers to speak into the microphone b) noone bothers to ask for remote attendees’ opinions and c) noone bothers to count timezones before setting up the call in the first place (working in pyjamas isn’t always a choice). Technology can help with some of this (like world geography), but much still comes down to what Mama taught you in the first place.

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