I've been looking forward to this weekend for a while and so far it's been everything that I hoped for... I've met some really cool people and feel a little smarter today than yesterday. That's not a bad accomplishment for a Saturday and it beats doing laundry, which is what I would have done today had I stayed home.
Instead, I got up with the sun and hauled myself into downtown Houston to participate in Tech Fest 2009, where I've spent the last couple of hours knocking around between workshops and talking with vendors about the latest testing tools and accessibility guidelines.
If this doesn't mean anything to you, I can relate. I'm not a techie either, at least not in the sense of being a software developer or a systems administrator. But, I'm starting to make it a point to attend more technologyconferences and workshops because I've finally admitted that when it comes to today's high tech, high touch workplace, you can't run and you can't hide, so you might as well learn to speak the language!
I think my efforts are paying off... and in some surprising ways. This afternoon, I sat in on a workshop called "Virtual World Evangalism" where I learned how people are holding real world business meetings in virtual worlds like Second-Life.
Retreats, trade shows, on-line chats, web conferences and even ropes course team-building exercises have filled my days and nights, but this was the first time I was asked to gather around a virtual bonfire near a treehouse on an island while an avatar dressed as an elf led my colleagues through a brainstorming session!
Now, I don't live under a rock, virtual or otherwise. I email, live chat, Twitter and Facebook. I'm Linked-In and I have MySpace. Although I don't own property there, I've even visited Second Life, which was created way back in 2003, a long time ago by today's tech standards.
In short, I've spent a lifetime communicating and have even been paid to do so, but frankly I was blown away at the creative ways the business community is now embracing technology as a way of bringing real people together in a real-time setting to engage in important conversations that end up having a major impact on the real world.
When wrapped in whimsical clothing, it can be easy to dismiss such cutting edge efforts as fun and games, but what early adapters advocate often morphs rather quickly into a useable product to become widely embraced by the mainstream.
In this case, our presenter ended the session with a story about how physicians are working with virtual world technology to create on-line patient consults with people who are unable to leave their homes, thereby creating an effcient and cost-effective way to bring healthcare to the home-bound.
Instead, I got up with the sun and hauled myself into downtown Houston to participate in Tech Fest 2009, where I've spent the last couple of hours knocking around between workshops and talking with vendors about the latest testing tools and accessibility guidelines.
If this doesn't mean anything to you, I can relate. I'm not a techie either, at least not in the sense of being a software developer or a systems administrator. But, I'm starting to make it a point to attend more technologyconferences and workshops because I've finally admitted that when it comes to today's high tech, high touch workplace, you can't run and you can't hide, so you might as well learn to speak the language!
I think my efforts are paying off... and in some surprising ways. This afternoon, I sat in on a workshop called "Virtual World Evangalism" where I learned how people are holding real world business meetings in virtual worlds like Second-Life.
Retreats, trade shows, on-line chats, web conferences and even ropes course team-building exercises have filled my days and nights, but this was the first time I was asked to gather around a virtual bonfire near a treehouse on an island while an avatar dressed as an elf led my colleagues through a brainstorming session!
Now, I don't live under a rock, virtual or otherwise. I email, live chat, Twitter and Facebook. I'm Linked-In and I have MySpace. Although I don't own property there, I've even visited Second Life, which was created way back in 2003, a long time ago by today's tech standards.
In short, I've spent a lifetime communicating and have even been paid to do so, but frankly I was blown away at the creative ways the business community is now embracing technology as a way of bringing real people together in a real-time setting to engage in important conversations that end up having a major impact on the real world.
When wrapped in whimsical clothing, it can be easy to dismiss such cutting edge efforts as fun and games, but what early adapters advocate often morphs rather quickly into a useable product to become widely embraced by the mainstream.
In this case, our presenter ended the session with a story about how physicians are working with virtual world technology to create on-line patient consults with people who are unable to leave their homes, thereby creating an effcient and cost-effective way to bring healthcare to the home-bound.
Now, how cool is that?
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For information about Computer/ Information Technology courses offered through the Business and Social Sciences Division:
Recently, LSC-Online received a mini-grant from the LSC Foundation to develop virtual student resources in Second Life. To learn more, go to http://www.lonestar.edu/154406/
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