

Users can access the service through its website and app or through the Gmail website and app. The service provides direct messaging, group conversations, and spaces, which allow users to create and share tasks and files. Initially designed for business environments and teams, it’s now available for general consumers. It is always recommended to set multiple managers to ensure someone is always available to manage the Space.Google Chat is a communication service offered by Google, previously known as Hangouts Chat. As the Space Manager, you will be able to add and remove users and elevate other users to Space Manager. The person that creates the Space will automatically be assigned as the Space Manager.

Once you have decided how you’re department will be using Spaces, you can get started on setting it up. Change your availability status and mute notifications in Google Chat.Turn Google Chat notifications on or off.For more information on how notifications work across devices and what options are available, check out the links below from Google Support.

Notification settings can even be different based on each device that is being used, so you may want to consider different notification expectations for different types of devices - for example, not requiring as many notifications on mobile devices versus computers.ĭevice operating systems also handle the setup of notifications a little differently.
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Making sure everyone understands how they should be able to be reached/notified and how to set that up is very important. Notifications are generally set based on an individual’s preferences, and you will not be able to override an individual user’s settings. Creating a document for your department to review is a great way to make sure you make those expectations clear and available to everyone. That means you may need to, as a department, come up with a set of guidelines for how and when to use Spaces versus other communication methods like email or even Chat, and how individuals should be expected to set up and use things like notifications and mentions. If you have decided to use Spaces for your department, you should first understand that Google generally operates on the principle that individuals can use it to organize and optimize things for themselves. Here is some more information from Google Support about what Spaces could help you do. Carefully consider if you need more options or functionality. You can keep in touch with teams (even across departments!), share files, and create and assign tasks for projects. Spaces is a fairly simple system that is already integrated with our Google Workspace and can be used across Swarthmore. How well does the system you are considering integrate with other systems you use? Does it even have to integrate with any other systems?.What functionality is critical for the success and usability of your team or department? Not all chat and communication systems function the same way, and some come with extra options that you may need for getting the best collaboration.Are you already using an app or system? And is that meeting all of your needs and wants?.When choosing a way to keep departments and teams in touch with each other, there are a lot of things to consider:

Is Spaces right for your department or team? You can start voice or video calls from both Chat conversations and Spaces.įor Google’s official breakdown of what each option has available and some examples of uses for each, you can check out Google Support’s page: About spaces and group conversations. You can even create and assign tasks and share files with Spaces. Spaces can be used for medium-length or high-collaboration projects, for teams to chat and collaborate about their various projects, and to give quick notifications to individuals, teams, or your whole department. Chat is basically like a text conversation and is better utilized for short, informal, or side conversations - like if you’re planning a surprise party for a coworker or have a quick question about who to include in an email being sent out. You generally want to use chat when you are having short conversations 1-on-1 or with groups of people. It is an ideal way to keep a team in touch with each other and allow them to fully collaborate. Google Spaces is used for longer-lasting conversations and group projects. It is a fast way to follow up with coworkers or ask quick questions. Google Chat is used for quick 1-on-1 or group conversations.
