This page captures some of my thoughts that I have while reading the Peopleware - Productive Projects and Teams. They are somewhat random, but are interesting.

Nature As Office

After reading about the importance of workspace arrangement, the need for windows and personalization, etc., I had the idea of Nature As Office.

Instead of having offices, why not pack up a Panasonic Toughbook, with a pair of noise cancelling headphones, and work outdoor? Instead of decorating the office or trying to arrange the furitures a certain way to achieve personalization, you can just find your own tree. This also takes away the problem of finding Windows for workers, since every work spot is completely in the outdoor.

Blind Hug

After reading the story of the project manager who invited the whole team for dinner with no preparation, make the team go grocery shopping and cooking together, and thus making the first step in growing the team, I also came up with an ice-breaker/team-grower of my own.

Have all the team members line up in a circle, facing outward, and close their eyes. The project manager(s) then pick 2 people out of the circle, guide them toward the center of the circle, and have them hug each other. The project manager(s) will be the one(s) guiding the 2 people toward each other, but they have to be the one that is initiating the hugging.

Variation 1: Instead of 2 people, have 3 or 4 people do a group hug.
Variation 2: Have the whole team observe while the huggers find each other. They can open their eyes after the project manager(s) has picked the hugger.
Variation 3: Restrict what the project manager can do to guide the huggers, so that, for example, they are not allowed to touch them, or maybe only verbal guidence can be given (and no names either, so that the huggers never knew who the other person was).