Archive for 'Coworking'
This Thursday: Finish your %#&*@ drafts
Posted on 14. Oct, 2007 by Chris Messina in Coworking, Uncategorized, blog
It’ll be remarkable if I get this post out, but if I do, this Thursday, Oct 18, we’re having a get-together at Citizen Space to help others do what I’m doing right now: Finish your %#&*@ drafts!
As for myself, I’ve got countless blog posts that I started, worked on and then abandoned or just never got around to finishing. Heck, I even have a category on my blog called Untitled, unfinished, incomplete.
But, no more!
This Thursday the idea is to come together and peer pressure productivity. I’ll be providing some decent coffee (leaded and unleaded) and light munchies… you bring your laptop and a penchant for finishing what you started… ages ago.
I haven’t figured out how we’ll celebrate the work we get done that night, but presuming that it’s a success, you can rest assured that there will be all kinds of epiphanal blog posts making the rounds on Friday.
Plan to show up between 6:30pm and 7:00 and then working until 11 (or until your CTS kicks in. It’ll be a good time, one way or another.
CoworkingIreland visits Citizen Space
Posted on 06. May, 2007 by Chris Messina in Coworking, Local News, blog
Paul Campbell from Ireland stopped into Citizen Space this past week on a fact-finding mission for CoworkingIreland. Here are his thoughts:
So I stopped into Citzen Space in San Francisco yesterday and I’m coming to the end of my second official day co-working, right where it all began. Chris Messina and Tara Hunt are the remaining occupiers of the office, but the place has been teeming the past two days.
I arrived in and after about 2 minutes of awkwardness I was at a desk, plugged in and good to go. I was more awkward that nobody actually acknowledged my presence – as though they were used to people walking in – and they are!
And so it’s pretty much exactly as you would expect. A couple of regulars, a couple of bedouins and an atmosphere that encourages collaboration and playtime, as well as serious business.
Antoin raised a few issues recently about the viability of co-working, and I got a chance to quiz Chris on some of them. From talking to him I got the impression that it’s important that there’s a ‘home team’ – Citizen Agency are such for Citizen Space and they handle the lease and deal with the landlord. Indeed, it’s important to have the landlord on your side – I feel, however, that co-working is actually an attractive proposition for a landlord – the ‘home team’ will generally be subsidised by the regular deskers and there’s generally a really good atmosphere.
Antoin also raised the point of office conflicts and deskers being protective of their business dealings and projects. Chris’s response to this is: deal with it, or go somewhere else. While I was there, several of the regular deskers were on calls, winning deals on large contracts for their businesses. There was a spirit of comradery and good will, rather than secrecy and remorse.
Regarding actually getting work done, there were often long periods in the office where banter would be high – I noticed Chris had a set of Shure EC3 headphones – headphones were donned by anyone who wanted to get some serious work done, including myself.
All in all, the experience and advice that I received was extremely rewarding. Citizen Space is right in there between the coffee shop and the conventional office, with all the good will and social activity of BarCamp to boot. I’m really pepped and looking forward to some good meetings next week to try and get a space off the ground in Dublin.
The Results of the Coworking Survey
Posted on 21. Apr, 2007 by missrogue in Coworking, blog
So…wow…we collected over 120 responses (including the first 11 via email that aren’t in the spreadsheet) and I spoke with quite a few people who said they didn’t get the chance to go take the survey, so I think this is representative of the fact that there is quite a bit of interest worldwide in coworking! Yay! Some great information, too…really telling us where we are at and highlighting people’s needs.
Some overview results for you:
| Country | Percent Total |
|---|---|
| USA | 58.18% |
| Unknown | 9% |
| Canada | 6.36% |
| Ireland | 3.64% |
| UK | 3.64% |
| Italy | 2.73% |
| Australia | 1.82% |
| Croatia | 1.82% |
| Germany | 1.82% |
| New Zealand | 1.82% |
| South Africa | 1.82% |
| Afghanistan | 0.91% |
| Finland | 0.91% |
| France | 0.91% |
| Poland | 0.91% |
| Portugal | 0.91% |
| Singapore | 0.91% |
| Spain | 0.91% |
| Switzerland | 0.91% |
NOTE: I’m guessing due to the anglo-centric discussions, we are getting much higher response in English speaking countries. This may present an opportunity for those in other countries to champion this movement themselves, by translating important text into their own language?
| Stage | Percent Total |
|---|---|
| Are currently looking for a space to work from (wanting to be coworkers) | 30.9% |
| Are interested in setting up a space (potential space owners) | 25.5% |
| Other | 18.2% |
| Are just watching the list (lurkers) | 10.9% |
| Are in the process of setting up a space (future space owners) | 10.0% |
| Are currently working at a coworking space (coworkers) | 2.7% |
| Are currently running a coworking space (space owners) | 1.8% |
NOTE: The trick, for me, is to turn the 10.9% lurkers (and the 18.2% others) into either future space owners or coworkers and turn those potential space owners into actual space owners so the people looking for spaces have somewhere to work!
| Features | Importance (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Atmosphere | 4.5 |
| Community Feeling | 4.3 |
| Collaborative Environment | 4.1 |
| Location | 4.0 |
| Networking Opportunities | 3.9 |
| Excellent Coworkers | 3.7 |
| Meeting Spaces | 3.7 |
| Quiet Spaces | 3.4 |
| Security | 3.2 |
| 24 hr Access | 3.1 |
| Event spaces | 2.9 |
| Privacy | 2.8 |
| Personalized Space (own desk) | 2.6 |
NOTE: For those setting up a space, think of creating a really great atmosphere as the #1 thing to concentrate on. There is a great article here on seriously great workspaces. So, do you need art? Comfy chairs? Plants? Rugs? Flowers? Games? Yep. In the end, EVERYTHING was pretty important (nothing scored less than 50%), but Atmosphere and Comunity Feeling blew the others away.
So, how can we help the people trying to set up coworking spaces?
| Needs | Percent Total |
|---|---|
| Finding Space | 13.6% |
| Money | 10.9% |
| Partner | 7.3% |
| Space Management Tips | 5.5% |
| Coworkers | 5.5% |
| Structural Health | 4.5% |
| Networking | 3.6% |
| Other | 2.7% |
…if we could encourage the lurkers, maybe #3 (Partners) wouldn’t be such a big deal and they could help us find space (#1). Money? That’s a whole other issue. Anyone have good tips? For us, we decided to take fewer risks on the monthly rent (found a fix-me-upper that doesn’t have parking spots so the building rent is lower) to make for a better space and not as much pressure on us if we lose tenants…
| Benefits | Percent Total |
|---|---|
| Community | 16.4% |
| Advice | 14.5% |
| Support | 10.9% |
| Promotio | 8.2% |
| Mentor | 5.5% |
| Coworker | 5.5% |
| Other | 2.7% |
…aaaawwwww! Community, advice and support are awesome things to get out of this list and everyone should be proud of themselves for giving so much! 
The rest of the answers are here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pVSaj5ixYmAyYm–dbRhgXw in long form. I’ve removed all of the personal information as far as I know…(like IPs and emails)
Enjoy!
Introducing: Coworking Lite at Citizen Space
Posted on 20. Apr, 2007 by missrogue in Coworking, blog
Thusfar, we’ve had two ‘levels’ of coworkers at CS: drop-ins and desk owners.
Desk owners get a whole lot of coolness for $350/month, including:
- your very own desk … store your ‘stuff’… nobody else sits there without your permission
- your own keys and key fob with 24 hour access to the space
- unlimited booking time of the conference room, lounge, space for events (as long as it’s not already in use – schedule to be posted)
- space for third parties to come in and collaborate with you (unlimited)
- wifi, power, furniture (except for you bring a nicer chair if you wish), coffee, water, office ‘perks’ (like beer and wine and snacks and stuff) and other utilities
- use of the projector, fax, whiteboards, flipcharts and printer (and other office equipment as it is added)
- moderate insurance
- growing library of cool resources: books, publications, software, etc.
We have 7 spots that are all taken at this time (including Chris and me)
The drop-ins have to sort of take a chance by whether we are going to be there or not and get the following for free:
- any available space to sit, squat or pull up a desk (except for resident desks…sorry)
- wifi, power, coffee (although it would be cool to replenish it if you drink alot) and water
- the presence of really tuned in, smart, interesting people
- ability to check out books
As long as there is space, the more, the merrier!
NOW, though, based on demand as well as the need to bring in a little more to cover those high costs, that we would add another tier of coworker. Introducing…
COWORKING LITE for $250!
What does coworking lite give you?
- Your very own key that will give you 24 hour access
- unlimited booking time of the conference room, lounge, space for events (but the full-time tenants get first right of refusal)
- space for third parties to come in and collaborate with you (unlimited)
- wifi, power, furniture, coffee, water, office ‘perks’ (like beer and wine and snacks and stuff) and other utilities
- use of the projector, fax, whiteboards, flipcharts and printer (and other office equipment as it is added)
- moderate insurance
- growing library of cool resources: books, publications, software, etc.
Basically, everything but the desk. You will have first right of refusal over drop-ins, of course (and, as it grows, we’ll manage that for you). But if all you need is an occasional office and meeting space and the ability to come and go as you please, this is a pretty cool plan.
These spaces are also limited…right now to 5 keys.
For more information, drop Chris or myself an email: tara at citizenagency dot com or chris at the same.
Please fill out our coworking survey!
Posted on 08. Apr, 2007 by missrogue in Coworking, blog
Hey there! We’ve put together a survey to help us serve the needs of the coworking community better going forward. It would help a bunch of you filled this out…I estimate it would take about 10-15 minutes:
Thanks! You are swell!
