Reflections

From the Blackberry to seamless and intelligent communications

One specific change that will affect the information worker of the future, and which was alluded to in my last IWF post about mobility, is the rise in seamless, and increasingly intelligent, communications. Most of us who are constantly “plugged in” are familiar with the short buzz or beep that pulls us away from whatever we are currently doing and into the world that is our phones. Whether you are using a Blackberry, Windows Mobile Device, iPhone, or just a normal (”classic?”) cell-phone, you are likely to receive text messages and/or e-mails, if only occasionally. Many of us have even picked up a ringing phone, or viewed a message on our little windows to the internet, and been angry at the person initiating contact for contacting us at such an inopportune time. We know that it’s ridiculous because there is no way this person could have known where we are and if we’re busy (that’s probably what they’re calling to find out, in fact), but we let our frustration at having forgotten to silence our phones drift across the line and become focused on our poor friend.

So what is to be done? We have seen the beginnings of what is turning into more “sensitive” communication devices. Since I also pull my calendar onto my phone, I can set the ringer to automatic, which will change my ring setting to vibrate when my calendar shows that I am busy. A great start! Grand Central and Ribbit are both focused on allowing us to decide where our phones will ring, and when we would even like to receive calls. Though many of us still anxiously await their release from the wonderful world of beta, they are likely just the start of a great trend.

Here’s the basic functionality:

• Control where your calls go, specifying individuals to go to certain phones and identifying different times to receive calls at certain numbers.
• Look at your voicemail on the web, rather than just from your phone. You can keep these files for as long as you want, and will eventually just be able to view transcripts of them instead of having to just listen to the message.
• Give people just one number that you can keep forever (or until they start charging you too much and you have to try to switch to another service), which you can then use to ring whatever numbers you want.

We can also expect more sensitivity in our communications devices. Phones that will be able to sense when we are busy, and will send calls straight to voice mail. Computers that will be able to tell when we are finally being productive, and will put a hold on our new message notifications, and maybe even our IM conversations, until we start to lose focus and can use the break from what we’re doing.

So what do all of this mean for the information worker of the future?

It means that much more freedom will be available to information workers, but also that they’ll be able to control when they pull the plug on their connectivity by sending people directly to voice-mail or by preventing anything but the most urgent message from getting through. We’ll also increase our productivity, but will have that many more “Preferences” and options to configure when we receive a new device or software solution. Increased productivity, more control over our work and home lives, and portability? What more can you ask for?

Tags: Business and Technology, Management //