Two years ago, I gave the closing keynote for the winter 2021 edition of Chicago Camps. Many teams who have remained wholly or partially remote have found more balance since this time, but the importance of finding new ways to connect remains. Here’s the video from the event - hopefully it will give you some ideas!
Remotely Human
Necessity is the mother of invention… and this year, have we had necessity! Many teams were suddenly forced to work entirely remotely, requiring major adjustments to work styles and tool sets. While most technology companies supported remote work to a certain extent, it’s been quite different to remove in-person possibilities completely. Gone are the casual water cooler chats, taps on the shoulder, work social events, and other interactions that can be the glue of strong working relationships. For those of us in the UX practice, we’ve also faced the challenge of conducting research from our homes, and running brainstorming sessions without post-it walls and collaboration space.
Some of the adaptations in this time may stay OF this time when workplaces open up again. But which ones should we bring into the future? What have we learned about connecting while remote? What elements make us feel engaged and human? What tools have people used to fill the gaps? We’ll explore some ideas and approaches that may help us and our teams through this winter, and beyond.
