The interaction patterns for all other processes, however, are tightly coupled, so I will examine a model that utilizes raw songs as the input, and puts them through several creative processes. The outputs are various forms of media – recorded music, live performances, blog posts, photos, and video.
The process of learning a song and performing and creating various forms of media usually requires significant amounts of conformity as well as cooperative strategy. So much back and forth participation is required, in fact, that most if not all activities need all members to be collocated.
The interesting thing about my band is that three out of the four members go to UMass Amherst, but we are able to get things done without being collocated. There are several loosely coupled tasks that can be accomplished from remote locations. Songwriting, as mentioned before, is one of those activities. We utilize several tools to accomplish the creative process of songwriting. First of all, we all have personal recording rigs that we can use to make demos of songs we are working on. We send recordings to each other via email, and lyric ideas with Google Documents. We also work on blog posts together via the internet, and video as well.
The greatest task we accomplish over the Internet is promotion. Remotely located, we can use Internet resources to promote our music. We can use other media, too, such as the telephone and mail. Often, we spend our semesters booking shows, sending press kits to radio stations, and dealing with producers, all while building a fan base on social networking sites.
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Very interesting post Pete. It sounds like your band has found some very effective ways to use collaboration tools to further your success. I think that modeling your band as a cognitive system would be much less accurate if your activities consisted only of individually writing songs and then bringing them to the band's practice space. However, it sounds like your band has recognized the need for a collaborative process and appropriately adopted Google Docs and other tools to help fight the disadvantage of being widely distributed. In a group like a band, where mutual understanding and group maintenance are key, these collaboration tools are probably a crucial tool for effectively collaborating.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think this was a very interesting example of a cognitive system. It must be pretty hard to get everything done when all of the members of the band are not face to face. However, it seems like you guys have found a way to communicate effectively and collaborate on your work. I wonder, if you guys were all located in the same area, would you get as much done as you do now or would it be basically the same? Since you guys are separated you know you have to put in more energy to make things work, but if you weren't separated you may take advantage of that fact and maybe not put in as much energy.
ReplyDeleteCreative collaboration must be a huge challenge given your distance, but you are correct in concluding that the availability and distribution of internet and media has and will continue to be a great asset for you.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should consider a google search on creative collaboration to find more useful resources. Other social networking sites also provide certain niche sub communities that could be helpful for you.
I completely agree with your assertion about the importance of FTF interaction. IN several groups that I have been part of, I have experienced similar positive effects stemming from the reliance on FTF rather than computer mediated communication for the completion of goals.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting thing I found about your post was the fact that you would overlook acts or words of gratitude. This might seem rude, but I have found it to be that the most cohesive groups are the ones that do not feel the need to communicate and recognize each every accomplishment.