IM Efficiency
How about this from the Herman Trend Alert – Use IM to Reduce Interruption (sorry, no link).
Most people believe using “instant messaging” (IM) software to chat at work leads to an increase in disruption. In fact, a study published recently by researchers at Ohio State University and University of California, Irvine found that workers who used IM on the job reported fewer interruptions than their colleagues who did not.
The research showed that IM is often used as a substitute for other, more disruptive forms of communication such as the telephone, email, and face-to-face conversations and thus it actually leads to an increase in productivity. Dr. R. Kelly Garrett of Ohio State and James N. Danziger of UCLA, Irvine co-authored the study.
Those results just seem like a stretch to me, but I am not an IM guy. When I do use it, I feel more obligated to respond quickly – even more so than with email.
Posted By Derrick Moe | Communication, Team Management, Trends | | 
Comments(3)
Hi Derrick,
We use IM a lot here at ESR. I personally use it with our research team during phone calls with clients or vendors. It enables us to collaborate in the background during those calls to assure that we’re covering all relevant issues in the right way.
We have been very careful not to let it intrude. For example, I rarely IM our research director unless I need an immediate response.
Derrick,
I think that IM is fantastic. I use it to communicate with my recruiting team, my web guy and my marketing assistant. It is quick, doesn’t require as much disruption as a phone call or email and provides instant satisfaction. I think that the corporate world should embrace it but with some rules around it.
Aren’t there always rules?
Ok, you guys are turning me around on this topic. I have developed a bit of a text message ability so instant messaging can’t be far behind. I have IM’d (is that a verb?) Lee during a conf. call to make sure we are on the same page. Beyond that, I am a neophyte.