Show #6: Working Together While Apart (Virtual Teams)

This week we discuss strategies, technologies, and trends for virtual teams and remote collaboration. Thanks to Jim McNeill for joining us as our guests on the show.

If you missed the show you can listen in below or download the MP3 file.

Show # 6: Working Together While Apart

The increase in outsourcing and advances in communication technology have both forced and allowed many organizations to explore virtual teamwork; while new to some, freelancers and artists are accustomed to working this way. Joined by artist and freelance graphic designer Jim McNeill, we discuss the challenges and benefits of virtual teams and collaborating across distance.

Here’s what we covered:

• In the News:
  
  • Happy 25th Birthday to the PC – boy have things changed!
  • Flight delays and new rules for carry on when traveling internationally – Are there other ways you can meet and collaborate without travel?
• Top 5 Virtual Team Tips: From our book 2-Minute Virtual Team Tips. You can also download a free tip book on our resource page.
• Our Guest: Jim McNeill, Artist and Freelance Graphic Designer. Be sure to check out the Jimplex (for some fun Flash animations) and find out more about these tessellations. Jim has been sharing his talent with us for years and is responsible for almost all our logos including The Anywhere Office, You Can Work From Anywhere, and MusicIsland.

Other Resources (including some things we mentioned in our Top 5 Virtual Team Tips):

• Online Virtual Offices and Shared Workplaces:

  • Webex Weboffice – One of the best web based virtual offices and the one we use to keep everyone on the same page.
  • Yahoo Groups – Looking for a free alternative? While not nearly as full featured as the Webex solution Yahoo groups are another way to keep your group or team connected.
• Free Conference Call Services:
  (for real time discussions, meetings, and brainstorming)
  • FreeConferenceCall.com – up to 96 people on a call and free call recording – WOW!
  • FreeConference.com
  • Mr. Conference
• Ze Frank on communicating via email – the always irreverant zefrank with a lesson on email communication

To listen to the show you can use the flash player below or download the MP3 file. Use the PLAY IN POPUP link below if you want to use our flash player and roam the web while listening.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:45 — 12.5MB)

Whitepaper on Remote Access and Business Continuity

On this weeks radio show we talked about business continuity and the role that remote access can play in organizations being prepared for workplace disruptions. Citrix Online (makers of GoToMyPC) was kind enough to supply us with a whitepaper they have written titled “Business Continuity: Managing a Workforce Disruption with Remote Access”

Here is a summary:

Although no one can say with certainty whether an avian influenza pandemic will occur, business continuity experts and government agencies stress the importance of preparing now. While most companies have focused much planning effort on protecting systems and workplace assets in the event of a loss of power or server failure, many haven’t planned how employees will continue working if they are confined at home for extended periods.

This paper describes how you can complete the missing part of your business continuity plans by using remote access to provide employees with access to information and resources during an unexpected disruption. Remote access, when planned properly, can reduce the risks to your business during a workforce disruption.

You can download the full whitepaper below.

E-Book PDF: Open in New Window | Download (88.3KB)

Google is more than a search engine

Our website spotlight from this weeks radio show was Google. I know what you’re saying . . . come on guys . . . everybody knows Google. But do you really know what they offer?

Sure everyone knows Google as one of the best and most popular search engines. But Google has a host of other services and products they offer – all of them free that really cater to living a digital lifestyle. Check out this Google Page that lists them all with links to check them out.

Here are a few of our favorites:

• Alerts – Why search the web for topics of interest when you can setup an alert and Google will email them to you?
• Desktop – A great tool to catalog and search for files and email on your computer. It actually creates a full text index of your computer so you can search for and find information as quickly as you can on the web. Also has some great tools for viewing photos and subscribing to blogs (like this one).
• Earth – Google earth is guaranteed to make your head spin and your jaw drop as you say “WOW”. Explore the world from your PC.
• Picasa – An amazing program that catalogs all the photos and graphics on your PC letting you quickly find and share them with others.
• Gmail – Google’s own web based email with a generous 2 GB of storage space and lots of great features.
• Video – Search TV programs as well as watch videos from other people on the web (or post your own).

There are lots of other goodies they have available so take a look around.

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