Invisible Work
September 10, 2007
Shane has been busy working on getting the bugs worked out of our new scheduling software and I have been trying to get all the staff development sessions entered into the registration system. At the same time, we are working on updating the website and the content on it and making sure that all classes and connections work as anticipated. We also do the equipment installations, too.
The days are flying by as we answer questions, coordinate projects, and make sure all equipment works. We know what we do all day and some days we feel a greater sense of closure on projects than other days. One thing that is certain is that we LOVE what we do and keep plenty busy.
During a recent visit with an employee primarily responsible for desktop support who will begin to support a class taught through videoconferencing, a comment was made that this person was not looking forward to it because of a personal dislike of “invisible work”. The way the comment was said with a wrinkled nose and guttural-ish “Hmmmph” indicated to me that this person did not view “invisible work” in a positive light.
I had never really thought of coordinating student projects, managing technical aspects of equipment, and coordinating all the details that are required to connect 15,000 students in 500 connections as “invisible work”…but you know, to the people located in my physical building, it is invisible. 
The more I think about it, our work is probably invisible to district administrators, also.
My question for those of you reading:
How visible is your work? How do you communicate the outcomes of your programs with administrators and key decision-makers?
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Good question on ‘visibility’. I suppose it depends who one’s audience to be ‘visible’ to are. On the one hand, the role I’m in I deal primarily with school district technology leaders and to some degree it’s visible. On the other hand, I’m much more removed now from the classroom and classroom teachers, so from that vantage point it’s much less visible.
Sometimes my work feels less ‘real’ because I’m not actually out there ‘doing’ project work with students and teachers but instead am working behind the scenes guiding policy or shaping grants to school districts who have more of the hands-on role.
Ooh good question Rox - both my brain cells hurt
[...] I am reminded of the scene from the Wizard of Oz. In today’s world of videoconferencing and invisible work, most of us are known by our web presence or our on camera [...]