Today was my weekly conference call with Liston, Josh, and Dr. Tiell to go over the project. A guest joined us on the call, somebody who is interested in partnering with ICC to deliver the program that he is working on. After the meeting was finished, Dr. Tiell sent an e-mail to all parties about the timeline for nailing down any joint efforts.
This was just a regular phone call today, meaning we dialed a central number that happens to be here in Iowa and discussed our plans with each other that way. Most of the time, meetings are conducted via Zoom. It is as close to face-to-face communication as we are going to get, being in different parts of the country. Other methods of reaching out include e-mail, text messaging, and WhatsApp. The last method is essentially text messaging, except that it is performed through downloaded software, so SMS rates do not apply if you are using WiFi (Svetlik, 2018).
There is a downside to a lack of physical contact, as I have learned through the whole working from home during the pandemic. You often feel disconnected from what is happening. Not everyone checks e-mails as regularly as I do, so it can take a while to get a response if you reach out to someone that way. Even picking up the phone can be hit or miss because you hope the other person will answer, otherwise you have to leave a message and wait for them to get back to you just like with e-mail.
Overall, however, the ICC’s communication methods work pretty well. They keep me in the loop on the status of the project, and I happily return the favor.
Reference
Svetlik, J. (2018, July 10). What’s the difference between WhatsApp and texting? Retrieved from https://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/internet/social-media/whats-the-difference-between-whatsapp-and-texting-11364277942163