Instant Messaging…The Way To Go

I found a post over at LifeHacker about a new study. The study, done by Computer Standards and Interfaces, says that instant messaging is more efficient that email when it comes to non-face-to-face meetings. According to the study, “It seems that teams that collaborate using a instant messaging software like MSN messenger or GoogleTalk generate more ideas than those who reply on email instead.”

My first reaction was “duh”. Instant messaging is obviously faster because it is real-time, and being that it is real-time, people can feed off of each other. Plus, most IM services allow conference chats where several people can join into a private chatroom. Lifehacker, though, goes into the fact that face-to-face meetings are probably the best. I beg to differ. Here’s why…

In my experience, face-to-face meetings are highly inefficient. Unless a high level of discipline is put over the meeting, they often end up being a BSing session. BS sessions can be valuable, but they are often much less efficient than if the participants were working alone. In my experience, then, face-to-face meetings are a last resort. IM is a good way to have back-and-forth conversations while still being able to get something done. Plus, you have a log of the conversation (in most IM programs, anyway).

You gotta love it when people fund studies of the obvious.

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