STROBE and a Busy day

Well no story about rebates and cloud sculptures because of a wicked project about Data Flow Diagrams and STROBE.

STROBE is a really interesting study. it stands for

STRuctured OBservation Environment

This is a breakdown of how to read poeple based on thier office and appearance.

Office Location
-Accessible
Main corridors open doors
Major traffic flow area
Increases interaction frequency and informal messages
Inaccessible
May view organization differently
Drift apart from others objectives

Desk Placement
Visitors in a tight space, back to wall, large expansive desk
Indicates power position
Desk facing wall, chair at side
Encourages participation
Equal exchanges

Stationary Equipment
File cabinets and bookshelves
If not present person stores few items of info personally
If in abundance person stores and values information

Props
Calculators, Personal computers, Pens, pencils, rulers
If present person processes data personally

External information sources
Trade journals or newspapers indicate the person values outside information
Company reports, memo’s, policy handbooks, indicate the person values internal info.

Office lighting and color
Warm Incandescent lighting indicates
A tendency toward more personal communication
More informal communication
Brightly lit, bright colors indicate
More formal communications (memo’s reports)

Clothing worn by decision makers
Male
– Formal two piece suit – maximum authority
- casual dressing (sport jacket/slacks) – more participative decision making

Female
– Skirted suit – maximum authority

At work tomorrow check out a co workers office and see if they fit the profile created with strobe. So far it has been pretty accurate althought I am oftem wary to put people into a profile liek this it is neat to see how it can at first glance appear to work.

I don’t like to place poeple into these categories because the individuals may not arrange their offices or take actions in a manor which is cognizant of the output or impression given.

More On Rebates and Cloudgate Wednesday evening.