Facebook: The Missing Manual, 3rd Edition

Chapter 11. Collaborating on Projects via Facebook

Expensive groupware, workflow management tools, and other collaboration programs have been around for quite a while. With its open-door policy and privacy concerns (see Chapter 14), Facebook is certainly no replacement for a dedicated, bulletproof collaboration program like Lotus Domino or Novell Groupwise. But you might find that some of Facebook’s tools are handy—and free—ways to help your team get work done quickly. This chapter gives Facebook’s messaging and subscription tools (which Chapters Chapter 5–Chapter 8 introduced you to) a decidedly business-like spin. You’ll see how to use them to keep team members, coworkers, and clients in the loop—and projects on track.

Note

Some employers block access to social networking sites such as Facebook. The top two reasons? Loss of productivity and security concerns such as those explained in Chapter 14. If your company won’t let you use Facebook at work, you can probably skip this chapter—unless you want to collaborate on non-work projects using the site.

Keeping in Touch

The same Facebook features that let you and your friends “talk” online—Messages (Breaking Up: Unfriending Friends), Events (Chapter 8), Groups (Chapter 7), Friend Lists (Organizing Your Friends), Chat (Chatting), and Notes (Deleting a Friend List)—can help you keep up to date with coworkers, clients, and customers. The features work the same way whether you’re interacting with your old college roommate or your boss. But ...