Basecamp

Basecamp is a free project management tool used by professionals. It’s main purpose is to have members of a project log in and post the progress being made on a message based system. The messages are displayed in a time-line manner. The can hold an unlimited amount of characters, and documents or other media features can be embedded or attached along with the message. It also allows people to keep track of what projects are being worked on, as there is a dashboard homepage for each member showing what projects are open, no matter what the amount.

As a managing tool, it is also popular among companies that have collaborated together for a project. All it takes is a login name, and companies can add each other to whatever project is that’s being worked on. This is a convenient way for all members to be informed of the progress of the task, and limits the opportunity for miscommunication among colleagues.

Other important factors of Basecamp are it’s features. There is a calendar, to-do list, time bar, and a Basecamp search engine. This allows for all professionals to be aware of expected deadlines, and the amount of time to be expected working on the project. Basecamp is a very popular alternative to communication via email for many companies. It is a way to mass communicate and organization.

Basecamp offers businesses a community of project management. It provides a place where all members belong. Virtually no one can be left out because everything that is posted sends notifications to all members working on the project. It can help strengthen ties between colleagues, both within and outside the company, purely based on the convienent way of mass communication (Ellison, Steinfeld, Camp).

Another important affordance Basecamp provides as a community is it is extremely accessible. Other devices such as skype can fail with poor Internet connections, but Basecamp is a place to communicate without having to video chat. There is even mobile application for the tool. It also provides a common place for members to work together if they are in different areas. Basecamp offers itself internationally.

During my internship this fall at a company called 721 Media Center, I became a member of Basecamp. I can personally say the Basecamp was my first means of communication with other members of the company on several projects. It provided me with organization and a way to keep up with what was going on. For businesses and professionals, Basecamp is a necessity. www.basecamp.com

Resources:

Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook "friends:" Social capital and college students' use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4), article 1. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue4/ellison.html