Is Clubhouse yet another fad

or is it the new social app

we need right now?

COMMENTARY

by Aina Aliieva

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

We live in innovative times. As Project Managers and Agilists, it is our obligation to discover and implement new ways in which to collaborate and work.

Networking has played a significant role in my professional growth. Prior to 2020 and the implementation of social distancing measures, I had networked in person extensively. I volunteered with PMI, delivered in-person presentations and attended local public events to boost my presence. Social media was not something I prioritized.

During lockdown, that all changed. I attended professional events online, though my own participation became relegated largely to a passive listener rather than active participant. At first, it was difficult to network online since many were unfamiliar with the various platforms. My peers and I tried “breakout rooms,” which were short, one-on-one, online meetings which were limited to five minutes. Sometimes, it could be awkward when the two of us shared nothing in common, and at other times there were dead spaces when no one showed up to my room, leading to lengthy wait times until another breakout occurred.

Online interactions gradually improved with the advent of Miro/Mural boards, Kumospace and other platforms, which allowed for greater engagement, yet still felt artificial and inorganic.

By chance, I learned about a new app called Clubhouse. It is very new, but is experiencing explosive growth.

What is Clubhouse?

Clubhouse is a live audio app that allows people to either listen passively or to actively participate in live discussions in rooms, the vast majority of which are not recorded. When the room ends, that conversation is gone forever. That creates a uniqueness and scarcity to the conversation. If you’re not there, you’ve missed out.

What differentiates Clubhouse is its mono-media approach. It is Audio Only. You will not see written transcripts of conversations, nor are written comments or private chat messages present. You just use your ears and voice.

As you enter a room, you are enveloped by the voices of active conversations. If you raise your hand, you may be called on stage to join in the discussion. Likewise, you can easily create your own rooms or clubs and lead a discussion with people with similar interests to you.

You can listen while you multi-task

Like a podcast, Clubhouse’s audio-only format allows you to work on other tasks while not missing anything that is said. If you’re running out of good podcasts to listen to, Clubhouse can fill that vacuum very well.

More…

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How to cite this article: Aliieva, A. (2021). Is Clubhouse yet another fad, or is it the new social app we need right now? Commentary, PM World Journal, Vol. X, Issue IV, April. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/pmwj104-Apr2021-Aliieva-is-clubhouse-yet-another-fad-commentary.pdf

About the Author

Aina Aliieva

Toronto, ON, Canada

Aina Alive (Aliieva) has 10+ years working in Project Management and an Agile environment.

She has managed and consulted on Technical, Construction, Telecom, Retail and Engineering projects. Aina is a Transformation Leader, Coach & Mentor. She helps individuals, teams and organizations in their transformation journey. Aina is passionate about productivity, creating a positive work environment and building Dream teams.

Aina has a Masters’s degree in electrical engineering and an MBA in technology. She holds PMP and PMI-ACP certificates. Aina is a proud member of PMI CWCC (Canadian West Coast Chapter), PMIT (Toronto Chapter), PMI Ukraine Chapter and UAE PMI. She is also a Program Manager, Disciplined Agile in PMI CWCC and DA Ambassador in PMIT.

Aina is an experienced public speaker and coach. In her free time, Aina participates in different mentorship programs, speaks at webinars and interviews people for her blog.

She can be contacted at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aina-aliieva/

To view other works by Aina Aliieva, visit her author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/aina-aliieva/