eekim.com: EEK Speaks

Wed, Nov 16, 2005

Coworking Open House, November 21 #

Lots of folks have envisioned a world where the future of work is like the movie industry today. People form teams to tackle a task, then break up when the task is over, only to reform in new teams later. We're very close to this vision becoming a reality in a geographically dispersed way. In my three years at BlueOxenAssociates, I've worked with different folks all over the world, and I have yet to meet all of my clients face-to-face. (K1I)

That to said, there's something lost when you're always working in a distributed fashion. Tools and online community prevent you from being totally isolated, but there's a beautiful energy that usually only manifests itself in a face-to-face setting. (K1J)

Folks generally compensate for this deficiency by creating their own local communities. Most of my work is remote, but I still manage to see lots of folks face-to-face, and the benefits are immeasurable. I'm lucky enough to be in the BayArea where we have a disproportionate number of brilliant, passionate people doing amazing things. That said, building this local network took a lot of work and time and a bit of serendipity. I have to be proactive about maintaining face time with good folks. (K1K)

Rather than be individually proactive about working with folks, many people have created communal spaces for the like-minded and like-spirited. This is a long-standing practice among many communities. BradNeuberg recently started such a space in SanFrancisco, which he calls coworking. He's holding a free open house next Monday, November 21, 2005. I met Brad at one of ChrisMessina and AndySmith's barbecues this past summer. He's doing interesting work, and he seems to be in the center of an interesting community. If you're a free-lancer or remote worker looking to spend some quality time with other good people, I encourage you to check it out. (K1L)

/events | Posted at 3:35pm

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EEK Speaks

A blog about collaboration, community-building, and the various goings-on at Blue Oxen Associates, with occasional digressions on food and other vital matters.