Instant messengers best practices
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Instant messengers are commonly used in corporate networks. This document provides best practices for configuring and using instant messengers appropriately at work. It recommends turning off unnecessary notifications, enabling chat history saving, and using meaningful statuses. Statuses like "Available" and "Busy" help colleagues decide whether to initiate chat. Proper etiquette like greeting others and keeping messages brief and work-focused is advised. Personal or confidential information should not be shared over instant messenger.
Instant messengers best practices
- 1. INSTANT MESSENGERS: BEST PRACTICES -Raghunath Soman
- 2. • Instant Messengers are an integral part of any corporate network. • Most popular are Skype, Yahoo, MSN. • Office Communicator bundled with MS-Outlook 2007/2010 has some great features.
- 3. • Most people tend to regard instant messaging just as personal chatting. • Here are some of the best practices that will make life easier.. For you, and your colleagues!
- 4. • As soon as you install an IM application, spend a few minutes to configure it. • Turn off unwanted notifications. Do you really need to know when each of your 150 contacts came online and who went offline? • Turn off sound alerts, unless you wish to be awakened from your afternoon nap. • Enable saving of chat history…. You never know what piece of information may be required. • In the status area, rather than writing a stale quote, consider having a contact number. It is far more useful.
- 5. Status Status Set this when… If you see this, then… Available You are at leisure. You have just Feel free to ping and talk arrived in office, or have some free about any matter time Busy You are working on some project task Ping only if you wish that needs considerable discuss project stuff. Keep concentration. (Coding, creating a your messages brief, to- Visio diagram) the-point Do not disturb/ You are in a meeting OR you need to Do not ping! In a Meeting focus really hard. If matter is important, send Use this status for small periods, not email marked high-priority. more than couple of hours at a time. If matter is urgent, consider sending an SMS.
- 6. Status Status Set this when… If you see this, then… Away This status is usually automatically Do not type any set when you lock the computer confidential or scandalous matter. Just type “hello” and hope that recipient will get back to you Inactive This status is usually automatically Treat this as available for set when IM has not been used for work-related discussions, considerable time but not necessarily for personal chat Offline/Invisible This status is usually automatically Use e-mail for any set when user logs out from IM or communication shuts down the computer
- 7. Best Practices • If you want something or are asking a question put it in your first message.
- 8. DOs • For personal matters, first say Hi, and ask if the person is free. • For work related matters, prefer writing the question in first line itself. • Read once before you hit Enter! • Be aware of other person‟s typing speed. • Use proper emoticons to convey you‟re just kidding. • Always consider the possibility that your recipient may have some company reading your texts. • Learn how to politely say „bye‟ and get back to your work
- 9. DON‟Ts • Do not send important files via IM. Send them via e-mail. • Do not use „funny‟ names as IDs. • Do not use photos of public figures or celebrities as your profile photos. • Do not use IM to spy on your friends/colleagues by using the invisible mode. • Avoid too much slang or SMS lingo. “#s luk gd… lnch @ 2. tty l8r” • Never share critical, confidential data through IM (credit card details, PIN numbers, passwords)
- 10. Thank You!