Basecamp is an online message board/project planning system, which is the main way for key co-ordinators to keep in touch. Of course if you simply want to send a single email to someone, that carries on as before. But where there are more recipients, or it is more complex, we use this system.
The advantages of BaseCamp are:
- if there is a discussion between many people, it is better to have one single message thread rather than a whole series of different threads by email. You can post a message then send an email to alert people: the system does not itself alert you that a new message has arrived.(We did have an email alert system but it was too confusing). It also means that new people can get up to speed fast by looking at a whole conversation up to that point. Similarly when someone takes over a new area next year, they can find out how to do the job.
- it allows us to plan projects: you can break down a task into individual tasks, and then assign them to someone, rather than simply posting a message that somebody should think about doing something (we can do that as well of course!)
- you can collaborate on documents (whiteboard) and it can track who has made what changes
- You can post files for everyone to access.
How does it work?
When you first log in, you see the dashboard. This is a quick reminder of what is going on, but you don't have to linger here as you can see it later.
Click on Amma Visit 2009, and it will take you into the main part.
Here you have a series of tabs.
Overview is what you have just seen on the previous page.
Messages. You can look at all messages, or all messages in a given subject area. You can respond to existing message threads or start a new one.
To-Do allows us to set up projects, and split the work down into separate tasks. How many jobs are needed to run an IAM? We need to book the hall, advertise it, organise the sound system, sort out the catering etc etc. By putting all the tasks in here, you can work together, and make sure everything gets checked off.
Milestones: well, we have one main milestone, the visit, but there are other milestones. We have different meetings, we have IAMs, we have Shubji's retreat etc. Each of these happens on a date, so there are milestones to meet. And each milestone can have its own to-do list.
Writeboards are where you have a document that different people can contribute to. It might be the minutes of a meeting, or a proposed visit leaflet, or an invitation to contribute by standing order. You can create your own version, and when the author wants to move to the final version, he/she can look at everyone's suggestions. Neat, huh?
Chat is, well, how young people talk to each other...
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Andrew Daws 07976 401722 http://www.androcles.co.uk
Androcles Consultants 15 Midholm, Wembley Park, HA9 9LJ