subject: Colocation For Larger Businesses - Is It Cost Sound? [print this page] It is an age old discussion; determining if it is worth the money to move disparate groups that work on the same projects together. Common wisdom used to assert that there was absolutely no question that a team that works in close physical proximity work better. This premise needs to be looked at more carefully to determine if technology has overcome the need for colocation.
Theories abound among the pundits who routinely expound on the nature of group dynamics. The common concept of forming, norming, storming and performing applies well to groups intentionally brought together for a specific task. When it comes to day to day, year after year business operation, there is a different dynamic at work.
Communications seems to be at the heart of the decision to either allow groups to be separated or all be moved close together. The management wizards believe there is more to it than just having everyone together for the weekly gathering for guidance. They insist that people communicate nearly as much outside the formal structure as they do within it.
Studies of the movement of workers within a build have shown that without any impetus or interference from management, a pattern of interaction develops in most companies. People tend to get eat lunch at similar times. This natural congregation within the building may harbor unscheduled brainstorming sessions.
The original chaos theory gave us the infamous butterfly effect. Contrary to popular belief, the notion actual says that natural event, like the weather, will move forward in a wildly different end patter from a nearly immeasurable difference in its starting point. So the movement of a butterfly disturbs the atmosphere nearly insignificantly, but that change might eventually create a tornado where one might not have formed.
This unusual description of how people communicate through random contacts throughout the day may have some traction. There is ample anecdotal evidence that the interaction of individuals without a formal connection has driven some amazing creativity, especially in research and development. Famously one Computer Company insisted every worker have some creative invention on their desk, and then insisted every worker spend at least five minutes a day checking out co-workers creation.
There are difficulties trying to get everyone together if they start of physically separated. Moving divisions or other groups of people from their established offices into a new place is rife with problems in addition to the capital expenditures. While the issues may seem trivial, everything from smaller rooms, a lack of windows and fewer bathrooms contribute to a lingering malaise when people are moved.
In addition, there are new technologies that allow video facilitated face to face meetings at which attendees not only see one another, but share data in any digital format. As for those chance contacts in the hallway or discussions after the staff meeting, local area networks with electronic mail and in some cases chat capabilities more than make up for it. In short, this is a global economy, and if a company can work with other companies across the globe, its directorates should manage just fine in cyber space without hosting colocation.
