1. Everyone has been doing ZOOM #remote happy hours with friends, trying to emulate the regular world. We're all likely making the same mistakes.
What have you noticed? What new habits have been working? Here's my list of advice but I want yours too. First up...
What have you noticed? What new habits have been working? Here's my list of advice but I want yours too. First up...
2. Even in the real world, at a restaurant, 4-6 people is the most that can maintain a single conversation.
So a 10 person ZOOM call is bound to be frustrating. It's just too many people. That is unless you've arrived at new habits and etiquette.
So a 10 person ZOOM call is bound to be frustrating. It's just too many people. That is unless you've arrived at new habits and etiquette.
3. Useful habits:
- remind everyone to mute when not talking
- Avoid interrupting (lag makes this extra annoying)
- raise a hand before you speak
- use 'ask a question and go around the room'
(surprise! these are good non-pandemic habits too! They matter more now because...)
- remind everyone to mute when not talking
- Avoid interrupting (lag makes this extra annoying)
- raise a hand before you speak
- use 'ask a question and go around the room'
(surprise! these are good non-pandemic habits too! They matter more now because...)
4. The flatness of video screens, the bad sound quality and the time lag REDUCES our natural conversational abilities.
We all have to shift and compensate - and NOT try and replicate the normal world. Remote is different. It can work, but we have to adjust.
We all have to shift and compensate - and NOT try and replicate the normal world. Remote is different. It can work, but we have to adjust.
5. People often come late to real world happy hours, no problem. But remote, it's more disruptive: it triggers a new wave of hellos and (repeated) updates with everyone.
Not sure how to fix this yet - no one wants a happy hour facilitator, you know?
Not sure how to fix this yet - no one wants a happy hour facilitator, you know?
6. It seems it's always a mistake to try to have a side conversation during a big group happy hour. It gets confusing/frustrating FAST.
It's best to do a private follow up even if just an SMS/email, when someone joins a happy hour and I realize I want a 1-on-1 interaction.
It's best to do a private follow up even if just an SMS/email, when someone joins a happy hour and I realize I want a 1-on-1 interaction.
7. And of course with any group of people you have folks who talk too much and folks who are quiet.
Someone should do the host duties every 10 minutes or so and "go round the room with a fun question" or take the floor to offer it to someone who is quieter. #facilitation
Someone should do the host duties every 10 minutes or so and "go round the room with a fun question" or take the floor to offer it to someone who is quieter. #facilitation
8. Deliberate experimentation has big benefits.
I was on a 9 person "music jam" - we attempted a sing-a-long. It was a complete disaster (#deathbylag).
But it was hysterical. I laughed more than any other #pandemic call. Very fun, just not in the way it was intended.
I was on a 9 person "music jam" - we attempted a sing-a-long. It was a complete disaster (#deathbylag).
But it was hysterical. I laughed more than any other #pandemic call. Very fun, just not in the way it was intended.
9. AHA. I just thought of a good one.
Many of my calls are with sets of couples. But couples share a screen! Which flattens things even more.
"Remote first" rules would say each person should have their own screen. Then they fill the camera better, probably better sound, etc.
Many of my calls are with sets of couples. But couples share a screen! Which flattens things even more.
"Remote first" rules would say each person should have their own screen. Then they fill the camera better, probably better sound, etc.
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