SUMMARY of the PROCESS of SEARCHING SECONDARY LITERATURE

Absher/CarrP1-8

ENGL 7701-S10

February 28, 2010

SUMMARY of THE PROCESS OF SEARCHING SECONDARY LITERATURE

In an effort to apply an existing situation to Project 1.8 The Process of Searching Secondary Literature, the group considered the true scenario of one project member with a background in the textile industry whois a candidate for a design position. The problem concerns geography. The company is currently located in South Carolina and the potential employee is located in North Carolina and is unable to relocate. While the young company is not adverse to hiring a remote employee, they do not have experience managing remote employees, they are not equipped with some of the existing technologies to assist with remote communication, and they have the unique challenge of sharing three dimensional textile samples between various vendors and designers.
After consulting with Dr. Southard it was decided that the group was attempting a search that was likely to yield few results being such a narrow search. After conversing via Skype the effort was made to expand the parameters of the search to Communication Technologies.

The goal became researching what tools/technologies have the capabilities to assist remote employees to work more efficiently, effectively and economically outside of the typical office setting. This topic was selected from a group of possible Communication Technologies topics including:

• investigating the effect of professional presence or appearance when working remotely,
• the importance of equipment for sound, video and location for remote work,
• the subject of security and privacy issues of telecommunication transmissions,
• the storage and transfer of documents between remote sites
• the study of remote work impacting popular culture best illustrated by the new movie, "Up In The Air".

The diary below was produced on Google docs to assist in the communication and progress of the team. Email and Skype were most commonly used as methods of communication during this process. Skype sessions generally covered issues related to search terms and discoveries. Tangents were not uncommon, but the discussions always managed to come full circle to the topic of communication and workspace tools and techniques.

Research was primarily conducted through Joyner Library. Additional sources were found on the internet in business publications, government sites and through direct communication with Mr. Tom Cross, an author of books including Telecommuting: The Future Technology of Work. Mr. Cross seems active in the industry, but a review of his credentials was not included in this search.

Common search terms: Virtual workspace, virtual employees, virtual technologies, tools for virtual workspace, tools for virtual communication, remote employees, remote employee technology, tools for virtual team communication, virtual team communication strategies, visual communication, VoIP, telepresence.

Diary and Notes

• Communication Technologies for telecommuting. Preparing for working from home.

• Decide on scenario. Working from home (Remote Employment/Employees)

• What tools are needed? Will we search for just one type of technology?

Voice – phone, microphone and speakers, visual phone
Visual
Intranet? Citrix
Software Office spreadsheet
Word
Graphic editing
Mail
Email
FEDex/UPS
Cameras
Instant messageing/text/realtime monitoring
Other

• What tools are available which require computers?

Skype, OVO = requires camera, internet connection
Google docs
Slide share
Getting a passport
iphone – mashable article
TCQ articles

• 2/25 Practiced in the library databases today – got distracted in psychology…

• 2/25 Accessed Google docs. perhaps we should use a table format?

DATE / ACTION / Notes / New Thoughts / Result
1.8 assigned
2/19 / Team Contact / Via email
2/22 / Email contact / Okay'd with situation / Run it by
Dr. Southard / Agreed
2/23 / Sent scenario / True situation / Too complex per
Dr. Southard / Reduced to using computer apps at a distance
2/24 / Trying to connect / Researched ooVoo / Perhaps limit to one tech / Presentations at a distance? Sharing documents?
IM?
2/25 / Experimenting with Google docs / Easy to make a table / Limiting topic-
>distance work
> working in groups visually on-line
> working in groups in real time
> sharing documents
> sharing presentations. / What literature is there about sharing presentations visually on-line to groups in real time?
2/25 / Google doc file save / Rejected on my computer / Saved in Google docs save menu, not my main menu
2/25 / Shared with Rachael / Noted time shared is not correct... / Looking... note on this page is correct. Note on sent page is incorrect...
2/25 / Skype meeting / Checked hardware, software with Google docs, discussed narrowing topic / More narrowing
>Appearance on-line,
>Equipment,
>Remote Communication in >Offices- management and tools,
>Remote communication in popular culture,
>Security of remote communication
>Storing and transferring data / What tools/technologies have the capabilities to assist remote employees to work more efficiently, effectively and economically outside of the typical office setting
Published in:Technical Communication Quarterly,
Volume 18, Issue 3 July 2009 , pages 259 - 280 / / 1st article I find talks about storage of data... oh well... / Distributing Memory: Rhetorical Work in Digital Environments
Published in:Technical Communication Quarterly,
Volume 16, Issue 4 August 2007 , pages 369 - 395 / / Rainey (1997) argued that the roles of designer and writer have converged, and in turn, visual communication has become a central task for many technical writers. / Visual Communication in the Workplace: A Survey of Practice
(Key Word)
Technical Communication Quarterly,
Volume 16, Issue 3 June 2007 , pages 265 - 277 / Find book. The Support Economy, Zuboff and Maxmin (2004)
Find url again…. / “The increase in telecommunications (phones, faxes, Internet connections), which has made it possible to connect any one point to any other, within or across organizations (Nardi et al., 2002, p. 206; cf. Alberts & Hayes, 2003; Deleuze, 1995; Engestrm, Engestrm, & Vhho, 1999). One result, Nardi et al. say, is that “many corporations operate in an increasingly distributed manner, with workers, contractors, consultants, and important contacts such as those in the press located in different parts of the country or across the globe” (p. 206; cf. Zuboff & Maxmin, 2004). Such organizations are interpenetrated: Anyone can link up with anyone else inside or outside the organization, and consequently any number of work activities can be intersected.”
“In their book The Support Economy, Zuboff and Maxmin (2004) claim that we are on the cusp of a genuine paradigm shift, “ / Guest Editor's Introduction: Technical Communication in the Age of Distributed Work
2005 special issue of Technical Communication / Find citation / “2005 special issue of Technical Communication, for example, Michael Albers calls for technical communicators to actively engage in identifying “how the various technologies [for communication and collaboration] should be integrated into our work practices to support effective communication” (Albers, 2005, p. 272). “ / Teaching Technical Communication in an Era of Distributed Work: A Case Study of Collaboration Between U.S. and Swedish Students
Information Systems Journal,
Volume 11 Issue 3 , pages 213 - 227 / Need to locate the source journal at ECU? / “Investigates the applicability of the technology acceptance model (TAM) to the process of adoption of desktop video conferencing (DTVC). In this study, the authors create virtual office environments using DTVC and then examine how their participants interact with each other using the DTVC medium.” / Desktop video conferencing in virtual workgroups: anticipation, system evaluation and performance.
European Journal of Psychology of Education,
Volume 15 Issue 4 , pages 467 - 478 / Need to locate the source journal at ECU for access to entire article. / “Project aims included fostering and supporting second language use, providing an innovative context for collaborative art and design projects and offering an opportunity to simulate trans-national working conditions.” / Seeing eye to eye: an evaluation of the use of video-conferencing to support collaboration.
Recognition: Best Business Resources of 2009
Best of Leadership Blogs 2009
Risesmart Career Top 100
Fistful of Talent Top 25 Talent Management Blogs
The Top 50 Human Resources Blogs to Watch in 2009
HR World Top 100 Management and Leadership Blogs
Top 100 Leadership Blogs / It’s a blog, but hummm….
GREAT LEADERSHIP


oldies, but goodies / Note for the process: felt the TCQ journal was too broad for the subject. I looked for keyword video-conferencing. Got a lot about teaching in schools. Added "in business" to Google search. Came to here. Looks like great information.
changed Google to "Virtual Team communication Strategies" / Thursday, February 12, 2009
10 Tips on How to Lead a Global Virtual Team
/ 2010 web business
“Guided Insights helps virtual teams work together more effectively. Whether you need help designing and facilitating a virtual meeting, jump-starting a global project, or navigating through cross-cultural differences, you can turn to Guided Insights.”
Changed search to "tools for Virtual Team communication"
/ YAY!! Tools!
VoIP applications
/ Back to university press… / The Effective Use of Technology to Improve Communication in Virtual Teas




/ Virtual meeting
An entire conference on tele-presence,
The New hot word....
"the end of communication and the rise of tele-presence."
I signed up for the newsletter. Tom Cross responded.
/ great illustration
2/25/10 / Skype Discussion
Bnet / / Suggested from Rachael’s husband / How to Manage Employees in Remote Locations
The Design Journal, Volume 7,Number 2, July 2004 , pp. 3-17(15) / / “Early phenomenological research into the impact of digital imaging on the creative practice of artists and designers of textiles and surface pattern indicates three key areas in which its deployment is initiating change in surface design. These include the development of a new visual language, the evolving of processes and craft techniques in the elaboration of surface and the use of digital communication, Internet and email as an integral resource in the generation and dissemination of work. This paper seeks to explore issues fundamental to the changing nature of practice that arise from the integration of digital technology. New material sourced from case study research, informal recorded interviews, meetings, and personal correspondence, illustrates the way in which a selected group of individual innovatory artists and textile practitioners are using digital technology in their working practice. Reflection upon the creative strategies deployed and the visual outcomes produced indicates several emergent issues. These include the implications of working in virtual rather than physical space, the difficulties posed by the lack of global true colour fidelity, and the way in which the digital workspace is impacting on creative practice. The digital functions of cut and paste, layering and the ability to record and iterate the actions that build the surface are influencing the visual nature of the work created. This, along with the rapid production of virtual surfaces, is stimulating new methods and processes in their physical elaboration. Historically, technological innovation has been instrumental in changing the visual dynamics of the final textile or surface outcome. Digital technology is likely to prove no exception. Problems, difficulties and concerns that are highlighted indicate areas of current and likely future research in this field.” / DONNA - DOES THIS ISSUE SOUND FAMILIAR????!!
Search term: Virtual Workspace - Joyner Library
WOW!!! Fantastic!
Textile study in a journal about communication
Digital Reflection: The Integration of Digital Imaging Technology into the Creative Practice of Printed Surface Pattern and Textile Designers
2/26/10 / Skype Discussion
Source:International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, Volume 6,Number 3, 10 May 2009 , pp. 272-292(21) / / Search term: tools for virtual workspace / Rethinking knowledge management: the role of ICT and the rise of the virtual workspace
Journal of Corporate Real Estate, Volume 9,Number 3, 2007 , pp. 168-182(15) / / Search term: remote employees / Supporting mobile worker networks: components for effective workplaces
Journal of Corporate Real Estate, Volume 7,Number 3, 2005 , pp. 271-279(9) / / Search term:
remote employees / How new infrastructure provided flexibility, controlled cost and empowered workers at Sun Microsystems
Library and Information Science Research, Volume 21,Number 1, 1999 , pp. 69-89(21) / / Search term:
remote employee technology / Working in the Virtual Office: Providing Information and Knowledge to Remote Workers
CisionNavigator: Your guide to successful communications / / commentary / Top 10 Telecommunications Blogs
Bnet / / Found with previous Bnet article on the sidebar
Provided terms for search in Joyner Lib. / Ten Tools for Remote Teams
GotoMeeting ad / / On-Demand Webinar / Managing People You Can't See -
Journal of Extension,
September 1984 // Volume 22 // Number 5 // Feature Articles // 5FEA4 / / Pros and Cons, old but valid / Teleconferencing
2/27/10 / Skype Discussion / Discussed wrapping up project. Draft summary
TECHtionary / / The Future in :
Teletechtrends
Telebiotrends
Telepresencetrends
Teletimetrends
Telespantrends
Telesocialtrends
Teleglobaltrends
Telemobotrends
Telegreentrends
Telepowertrends
Telemediatrends / TECHtionary.com Announces Eleven “Pivot-Points”
Trends for the Decade Ahead:
Executive Briefing Presentation on Radical Technological
& Radical Social Trends for the Next Decade
Tele/presence Forum / / “Best practices -- developing valuable tele-skills -
enhancing human communications with tele/presence
Creative techniques applied: lessons learned -
what has failed and what will it take to succeed” Keynote speech to be given in future Sept. 2010 at Telepresence Forum by Hal Josephson, President of MediaSense, a San Francisco firm, possible expert / From Teleconferencing to Telepresence:
Making Virtual Meetings Work For You
U.S. CERT / / Gov. help for security / Non-Technical Users
CIO Insight, September 25, 2008 Thursday 11:56 AM EST, STRATEGIC TECH /
29_T8678700882&cisb=22_T8678700881&treeMax=
true&treeWidth=0&selRCNodeID=32&nodeStateId=411en_US,1&docsInCategory=238&csi=262327&docNo=7 / Current explanation / Telepresence:
Just Like Being There
2/28/10 / Complete Summary