Background: In the last session workshop we organized a video conferencing with the company who bought our company. The work shop explored the idea of 'Coordination' in designing of communication system.
Objective: In this workshop we have to reorganize the same video conferencing using the concept of co-ordination designs such as
Objective: In this workshop we have to reorganize the same video conferencing using the concept of co-ordination designs such as
- Common ground approach
- Affordance
- Space
- Deictic references etc.
and also, we have to keep in mind the emotional, technological aspect of the people and available resources.
Proposed design of Communication system for the given case: In order to achieve the goal of the video conferencing meeting and to make it successful, a proper communication needs to be put in a place prior to the meeting. We suggest to use the following system for effective communication.
Note: Steps written in blue should be followed by the child organization (company Q), and which written in red should be followed by parent company (the buyer one, company U).
Step 1. As this video conference is going to be organized by Q company, Q company is the responsible for the success of the conferencing and for the co-ordination of the meeting.
Step 2. Company Q should have very clear objective of this conference. Company Q should do some research about the background of company U, so that they can have better idea of the people whom they are talking.
Step 3. Before planning anything company Q should check whether they have all the required equipments to execute this conference, if not, such a meeting should not be planned on the first place.
Step 4. Once objective are clear, company Q should identify the people from their own organization as well as from the company U who they want to be in meeting, who are going to attend the conference.
Step 5. After identifying their own people, company Q should organize an internal meeting so that each of them can have the better understanding of the objective of the video conferencing. and should prepare an clear agenda of the conference. {Common Ground Approach}
Step 6. Company Q then ask company U for the video conference and its necessity. This information can be communicated using an email. Also Q company should ask company U for the date and time suitability as well as the availability of equipments required.
Step 7. Company U should analyze the objective and should discuss the same with their people. Also they should check the availability of required equipment/technology. If everyone agrees then they should come up with 2-3 different date and time schedules for the meeting, keeping in mind the time zone difference and convenience of the company Q people as well as their own and should sent the information to company Q using an email.
Step 8. After receiving the confirmation, different schedule of the meeting, Q company should consult their own people and pick one schedule. The same should be intimated back along with the agenda of meeting to company U.
Step 9. Once company U receives the confirmation information, they should ask their own people for agreement. Once all agreed, the final confirmation mail should be communicated.
Step 10. Both the Companies should ask their people to gather all relevant information and data. And they should decide their meeting place depending on the number of attendees. They should look for the equipments required such as smart board, video conferencing setup, computers, mike, speakers, pointing etc. If they don't have any required one, they should request other to use theirs, and should sent the required piece of information for the equipment. Similarly both the organizations should ask their people to follow meeting guidelines such as dress code, they should request their people to be at the place 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled time.
Step 11. On the meeting day, both the companies should start and check their equipments 15 minutes prior the meeting. They should place all the required information in place, as well as keep the resource sharing system such as net meeting, meeting-place ready. They should also assign one person as the controller of equipments.
Step 12. Being an organizer of the meeting, company Q should initiate the meeting. If possible all of them should greet each other in their own language (in most cases it is just a single word) and vice versa. Company Q should show the enthusiasm, excitement of becoming a part of company U, similarly company U should show the welcome and gratitude.{Emotional Aspect}. Also they should introduce each other with their designation. (Generally it is good in video conferencing if everyone wears a tag of their name, so that it become easy to point out.)
Step 13. Both the sides should adjust their language accent, use simple sentences/words.
Step 14. Attendees from both side should take care of the following to make the meeting for effective.
Proposed design of Communication system for the given case: In order to achieve the goal of the video conferencing meeting and to make it successful, a proper communication needs to be put in a place prior to the meeting. We suggest to use the following system for effective communication.
Note: Steps written in blue should be followed by the child organization (company Q), and which written in red should be followed by parent company (the buyer one, company U).
Step 1. As this video conference is going to be organized by Q company, Q company is the responsible for the success of the conferencing and for the co-ordination of the meeting.
Step 2. Company Q should have very clear objective of this conference. Company Q should do some research about the background of company U, so that they can have better idea of the people whom they are talking.
Step 3. Before planning anything company Q should check whether they have all the required equipments to execute this conference, if not, such a meeting should not be planned on the first place.
Step 4. Once objective are clear, company Q should identify the people from their own organization as well as from the company U who they want to be in meeting, who are going to attend the conference.
Step 5. After identifying their own people, company Q should organize an internal meeting so that each of them can have the better understanding of the objective of the video conferencing. and should prepare an clear agenda of the conference. {Common Ground Approach}
Step 6. Company Q then ask company U for the video conference and its necessity. This information can be communicated using an email. Also Q company should ask company U for the date and time suitability as well as the availability of equipments required.
Step 7. Company U should analyze the objective and should discuss the same with their people. Also they should check the availability of required equipment/technology. If everyone agrees then they should come up with 2-3 different date and time schedules for the meeting, keeping in mind the time zone difference and convenience of the company Q people as well as their own and should sent the information to company Q using an email.
Step 8. After receiving the confirmation, different schedule of the meeting, Q company should consult their own people and pick one schedule. The same should be intimated back along with the agenda of meeting to company U.
Step 9. Once company U receives the confirmation information, they should ask their own people for agreement. Once all agreed, the final confirmation mail should be communicated.
Step 10. Both the Companies should ask their people to gather all relevant information and data. And they should decide their meeting place depending on the number of attendees. They should look for the equipments required such as smart board, video conferencing setup, computers, mike, speakers, pointing etc. If they don't have any required one, they should request other to use theirs, and should sent the required piece of information for the equipment. Similarly both the organizations should ask their people to follow meeting guidelines such as dress code, they should request their people to be at the place 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled time.
Step 11. On the meeting day, both the companies should start and check their equipments 15 minutes prior the meeting. They should place all the required information in place, as well as keep the resource sharing system such as net meeting, meeting-place ready. They should also assign one person as the controller of equipments.
Step 12. Being an organizer of the meeting, company Q should initiate the meeting. If possible all of them should greet each other in their own language (in most cases it is just a single word) and vice versa. Company Q should show the enthusiasm, excitement of becoming a part of company U, similarly company U should show the welcome and gratitude.{Emotional Aspect}. Also they should introduce each other with their designation. (Generally it is good in video conferencing if everyone wears a tag of their name, so that it become easy to point out.)
Step 13. Both the sides should adjust their language accent, use simple sentences/words.
Step 14. Attendees from both side should take care of the following to make the meeting for effective.
- Less noise level in the room.
- At a time only one person should speak.
- Should address people by their names.
- Should not speak in their own language, during the meeting.
- Should not chatter, if someone else is speaking. etc
- Camera should always focus on the person who is speaking.
- If complete room is not being covered by single camera, time to time different views should be used, it keeps audience engaged.
- Noise level in the room.
5 comments:
I like it!
I can see more clearly how each company does their bit to contribute to co-ordination.
You also involve emotional aspects and this is important.
You identified the importance of having clear objectives both internally (within each company) and externally (between the 2 companies). Coordination is essential in both of these cases!
Confirmation, feedback, agreements etc, are crucial in coordination and in achieving a common ground. These involve emotional aspects, language and communication issues as you identified in steps 12-14.
Technology is also essential when it comes to designing better communication systems. You show a good understanding of the multiple aspects involved in technology-mediated human communication. Well done!
Excellent use of videos as a way to share information!
great design!! i like it..
we discuss about the emotional aspect that i do realized it is very important especially if I’m talking from company u point of view which might be a combination between anxiety and excitement of being merger
i also like the conclusion part that both companies need to discuss it clearly since it was merge between two different background companies with each best practice.. so the agreement between two companies will be necessary.
one thing that come up in my mind is.. it might be better if both companies sending their representatives profile so then each company know who's they talking and what their role in the company..
as one of U company perspective, i also suggest if we might describe what is our concerns, demands, etc as details and the other way around? so then we also can describe our agreement at the end
cheers..
The post is very descriptive. It points out a very important factor we consider when having a video conference which is the comman ground factor. Giving the steps in blue and red is also a very good idea of your own. :)
There are few errors, for instance you need to edit the line where it you have given the introduction for the companies.
"Note: Steps written in blue should be followed by the child organization (company Q), and which written in red should be followed by parent company (the buyer one, company Q)."
Company Q is the UK based company where as company U is the Indian based company. Kindly make the required change.
I like the idea of putting a group picture but I think it would be much more presentable if we have it in its actual size because it looks too stretched. The design is good otherwise and everything we have discussed is there. good work! :)
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