5.1 What technology should be used and how?
Without technology, virtual teams could not exist. Ganttic (no date) breaks down the use of relevant technology into three broad categories:
Communication tools
- Chat tools – useful as a less official space to share jokes and build team camaraderie
- Video and voice chat – should be used sparingly or when you need to convey emotion
- Email – useful for official messages.
Project management and scheduling software
- Scheduling tools – provide an overview of where everyone is and what they are doing
- Resource management – useful for planning out projects and maintaining efficiency
- Project portfolio management – gives the team the big picture of what’s getting done, what’s scheduled next and what’s been completed.
Collaborative workspaces
Tools such as online whiteboards provide a space for your team to:
- work together
- brainstorm ideas
- give feedback to one another.
Another way to categorise your methods of communication would be to divide them into synchronous or asynchronous tools.
Synchronous communication is the exchange of information between two or more people in real-time. It may take place in person or through phone calls or video meetings. Other types of remote synchronous communication include SMS text messages or real-time chat tools such as Slack or Microsoft Teams (Knott, 2023).
Knott goes on to describe situations where synchronous communication might be your best choice, including:
- discussions of sensitive projects or issues
- provision of critical feedback
- when building rapport
- when a crisis has happened and immediate attention is required.
Asynchronous communication refers to any kind of communication where there is a delay between when a message is sent and when the person on the other end receives and interprets it (Knott, 2023). An obvious example would be email, but some of the real-time chat tools could also be included here if clear boundaries are set about when messages will or won’t be accessed.
Knott lists some of the situations where asynchronous communication is preferable, including:
- when an immediate answer isn’t necessary
- collaboration needs to happen with teammates across different time zones
- you want to offer context before or after a real-time event
- a complex concept or task needs to be explained and documented for later reference.
Activity 4 Different tools used for communication
Reflecting on your own experiences of virtual communication, whether in the workplace or socially, make a list of the different platforms you have used or are familiar with. You might choose workplace messaging tools or social media platforms.
Now consider which of these you prefer to use to communicate and why.
Comment
You might have listed:
- Instant messaging, e.g. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Slack, Microsoft Teams
- Video chat, e.g. Zoom, Facetime, Skype
- Social media, e.g. Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram
- SMS texting
- Phone call – mobile or landline
Obviously there’s some potential overlap between these examples, with several social media platforms offering multiple methods of communication (e.g. Facebook), and there are many more that haven’t been mentioned here.
In your workbook, note any examples from this list that you are unfamiliar with and would like to explore further. Which ones did you decide you felt most comfortable with? In what way do they align with your own communication style? Reflecting on this could give you a useful insight into your preferred communication methods and perhaps explain why you find other methods more irritating! For example, you might prefer to take your time crafting a well written email to a specific person or team, or perhaps you feel that several short messages to a team chat sharing thoughts as they occur to you suits your style better.