Sharing a letter of protest, I recently wrote to the bigwigs at work. Feel free to share with your children. Even if they are getting their MBAs. Again not to ridicule, but aspart of living and caring to learn other methodologies. To be clear, since the very word violence gets people up in arms -- I am not advocating any.
-- venantius There is nothing participatory about the decision to create an Open space for the Multimedia Studio. Open spaces are decreed, bearing in mind the nature and working process of any given group. So if one is emulating Google, or RGA, one must also not be disingenuous in comprehending that the scopes and time lines of their projects, are remotely similar to what we are routinely, and blithely expected to deliver against. At the Multimedia Studio, we are expected to work — and do so on multiple projects, often with unrealistic scopes, and deadlines. It is our functioning reality. The Multimedia Studio has consistently delivered, under the most trying circumstances. The fact that we have our cubicles, and some among us their offices, makes every encountered "unrealistic demand" that much bearable. Furthermore, despite the consistent bad rap, the work showcased at meetings and feel good events, affirms that a significant portion if not all of the work is realized in the Multimedia Studio. The factor that directly impact the Multimedia Studio has to do with a host of reasons all of them pointing only to getting things done. We have succeeded in this largely because we have a small world of our own, that allows for reflection, planning and setting up projects carefully, and focus. An Open environment would be like delivering us to the proverbial wolves. I will not mention any reasons in favor of Open spaces, since those are plentiful, but do not impress upon our reality. The forces that be who are eminently impressed by those reasons, have either missed or have decided to voluntarily ignore basic analysis such as mine above. If a study was conduced by an Environmental Psychologist; and upper management were fair-minded, it becomes all too apparent that the intent to change does not dovetail with an acceptance of the ground reality of what the needs of the Multimedia Studio are. If this is the way of the future at TheAgencyofRecord,* pray say, why choose the one group that needs a ridiculous amount of focus to do their their jobs -- to be used as a test case. This is not to say that others are less focused. But it one cannot understand the nature of what takes place in the studio, the programming, the math component, the constant learning to make things work, and now to even suggest how Interactive can sell — then well all this is moot; quite pointless really. In all sincerity and deep respect, Venantius J Pinto * Many of you know where I work. I am covering a technicality, and saying that I am doing so.
