Rich vs. lean media
There is an idea in communication studies known as Media Richness Theory that states that the success of a group is, somewhat, based on the media they use. The theory believes that face-to-face communication is the richest form of media, while texting is the least rich, or leanest.
The reasoning behind this is because, through texting and some other forms of computer-mediated-communication, it is impossible to see nonverbals that give context to what is being communicated. Technology such as Skype or FaceTime has worked to bridge that gap in making virtual communication more contextual.
Face-to-face ideal, but not always practical
While face-to-face communication is typically the best for group meetings, there are many factors that make this difficult. Proximity, differing schedules and inconvenience are some of the many reasons why people are moving toward computer-mediated-communication.
There are a number of group collaboration websites, including: Trello, Asana, Squarespace, etc.
While the end goal is ultimately the same, every platform is unique in its own way.
Therefore, it is important to find a group collaboration website that finds the needs of your groups’ project.
Enter Lapdes
Lapdes is one of the new kids in town with the mission of enhancing virtual group work. Their purpose comes in the simple form of “Plan, Track, and Collaborate,” as the software, designed for team collaboration and project management, is built for small businesses.
According to the company, “Lapdes apps for work is a team collaboration & project management software built for businesses, education and government. Organize your schedule, define your tasks, store your documents, manage your notes, and socialize with Lapdes Apps for Work. With tasks, wiki, notes, calendar, documents & social network; Lapdes enables teams to move from start to finish. Lapdes’s unique blend of tools is everything any team needs.”
The four facets of Lapdes
Through the four facets of social, tasks, documents, and Wiki, Lapdes is able to operate. Each of these facets works in its own way to perpetuate group success.
With social, Lapdes acknowledges that strong communication is the backbone of group success and efficiency. With this acknowledgment, users are able to post messages, events, and milestones, pose questions to other users, and share updates and files to the newsfeed. Both private and public conversation outlets are available.
Through tasks, Lapdes enables users to create team projects, schedule tasks, and track progress so that nothing goes unnoticed. Tasks works as a way to keep all members on, well, task.
The documents element allows for users to sync, store, and save files from their computer. These files are backed up to Lapdes’ cloud and allows for safe storage and easy access.
Finally, Wiki is implemented when users create multiple workspaces that are organized per project, team, or other criteria. This element keeps all group members informed with relevant information.
Lapdes is currently in beta and is designed for small group collaboration.
