ePLATFORMS

Eplatforms in my professional work

Today the line between work and private life is blurred. Eplatforms are not only for fun, but also a way to work. This is especially the case in the creative industries. In this blog post I examine which eplatforms I use in my professional work and introduce five new platforms that could support my daily tasks. Benefits and risks of social media are also discussed. 

My current work and digital tools

My professional life is a combination of different fields while also studying business administration and sales management. Because of this, digital tools are an essential part of my work. Communication, project management, marketing, education scheduling, event planning, music production, music education, leadership and sales are all connected to different platforms.

I currently use a wide variety of digital tools and social media platforms. Some used daily, while others only occasionally, but still relevant and important.

For communication, I use Whatsapp, Telegram, Discord, Zoom. I used to use Slack, but it not used in the work environments I work in.

For marketing and social media visibility I use Instagram, Facebook , TikTok, Mastodon, LinkedIn, YouTube, WordPress.

For artist management, I use Bandcamp, Bandcamp for Artists, Spotify, Spotify for Artists, Apple Music, Apple Music for Artists, Qobuz.

For productivity and project management I use Kitsas, Trello, Google product family, Microsoft product family, Apple product family.

For music production and notation, I use MuseScore and StudioOne.

For data analysis I’m using Google Analytics.

In addition, I use various learning environments and booking systems in teaching and event production. Because digital tools are such a major part of my daily work, it was a challenge to find platforms I hadn’t used in a work context some way.

Five new platforms and how I could use them at work:

• Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines notetaking, project management, databases, and more.

I could use Notion to organize my music projects, concert schedules and grant applications in one place. Now the information is a bit scattered across different platforms and folders. Notion could help centralize the materials and streamline workflow.

Notion is flexible and the user can build customized databases. I see potential in that, too.

However, the flexibility could be a bit overwhelming. This may require some time to set up properly, and the learning curve could be steep. 

• Monday

Monday is a project management tool that helps teams plan, track, and manage their projects. I could use Monday especially in the event planning and production. Producing events requires a lot of planning and coordination. There are many moving parts, marketing deadlines, completed work and other factors that must be considered.

This could reduce the stress and miscommunication and improve efficiency.

On the other hand, Monday could be a bit too heavy for a small-scale creative work. They also require commitment from the team members. If only one person is using the tool, it could be a burden and become useless.

• Mural

Mural is a collaborative online whiteboard platform designed for brainstorming, planning and visualising ideas. In my field Mural could be useful in creative project together with dancers, musicians and other artists. Seeing the ideas on a digital whiteboard could make it easier for the team to understand the vision and make decisions. 

I see Mural useful in brainstorming, designing, mapping ideas and a planning tool during meetings.

A challenge with Mural is that digital collaboration can become fragmented. If teams use multiple platforms, visualising the big picture can be difficult. Creative processes require a lot of collaboration and communication and having the wrong tools can make it even harder to work together.

• Open badges

Open badges are digital certificates that can motivate students to learn. Documenting the learning process can create a sense of accomplishment. A student could get badges for completing bigger assignments, completing beginner instrument skills, learning music theory and performing in concerts. 

These badges could make learning more fun and make learning goals more visible. I can see myself using this in my teaching.

One possible risk is that if badges are too easy to get, they could become meaningless. The other risk is that their usefulness depends on whether the future institutions and employers recognise them.

• Pi

Pi is an AI assistant that is designed to be empathetic and supportive. Pi could be useful in the same way as ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI assistants. The main difference compared to other AI assistants is that Pi is designed sound like a friend. It could be useful in practising negotiation skills and sales. It can be helpful to get feedback on the tone of your voice and the way you communicate.

Pi isn’t built for massive data dumps, which is a downside. Then again, I see Pi as a tool for sparking creativity and getting feedback before the heavy-duty work.

I chose these tools because they all had something that could fix a problem that I have in my fragmented working environment. 

Benefits and risks of social media

For creative professionals, visibility in the social media is important. Social media helps artists to reach a wider audience and build a community. One major advantage of social media is networking. Through social media it is possible to connect with other artists, industry professionals and potential clients. This is especially important for in the international context. 

Creative professionals share their work, get feedback and build their brand. Educational content and behind-the-scenes videos and interactive posts can help to strengthen the relationship with the audience.

However, social media can also be a double-edged sword.

One challenge is the constant pressure to produce content and be available. People may feel pressured to constantly respond to comments and messages to remain active. This can blur the borders of work and private life, which can lead to burnout. 

Privacy and security are also a concern. Professional accounts can be hacked, and personal information can be leaked. Also, online harassment and cyberbullying can be a problem.

What is needed for successful use of digital applications?

Digital literacy is one of the most important skills in the digital age. This means being able to read and evaluate digital content. Technology should be used to solve problems, not to create them. Not having the digital literacy skills can lead to all sorts of problems, such as falling for scams.

Communication skills are essential in digital environments. Online communication does not have the same nonverbal cues as face-to-face communication. Remote communication can be challenging and lead to misunderstandings.

For a professional, it is important to maintain boundaries between work and private life. Creative professionals need the time to be creative and to recharge without the pressure to be available and produce content.

Conclusion and self-assessment

This assignment made me understand that digital platforms are very integrated in my professional life. Many tools that I started using for fun are now part of my work.

The task and the course in general have helped me to think more critically about the role of digital tools and cyber security. Technology can improve our lives, but it can also create pressure and carry significant security risks.

Of the platforms introduced in this task I think Notion and Monday has the most potential to be integrated in my daily work. Pi might also become a study buddy that helps me to get creative ideas and feedback. 

In conclusion I think that digital work includes willingness to learn and to adapt. At the same time, I sometimes struggle with balancing multiple platforms and maintaining boundaries between work and private life. In the future I would like to follow the development of the digital tools and learn more about the different use cases in the creative industry.