Swipe Left on Time-Wasting Meetings with Cala, The Tinder-Inspired App
The format of dating apps has changed how we, well, date. Can Cala mimic Tinder’s success to make meetings at work so much less of a stress? Its creators certainly hope so! How? It turns out that when it comes to making meetings less stressful… it takes two to tango.
Namely, developers Zack Hargett and Paulius Dragnuas.
Here comes Cala
In today’s hyper-connected world, unnecessary meetings are one of the greatest drains on productivity. They can be a colossal waste of time, leaving employees frustrated, frazzled and disengaged and, even worse, totally burnt out. But what if there was an innovative solution that could not only declutter your calendar but also bring a spark of fun into the process? Enter Cala, an app designed to help you say goodbye to unproductive meetings, inspired by none other than the popular dating app Tinder.
Sometimes, inspiration comes from the most unlikely of places!
Launched just this week, as TechCrunch reports, Cala dares users to “swipe left” on superfluous meetings. This inventive approach to managing your schedule takes a page from Tinder’s book, using the famous swipe left (AKA no thanks) or right (AKA yes please) mechanic, providing a novel way to manage your time and boost productivity. Want to make meetings less stressful?
Ditch the passive aggression of Planner and the cringe of declining “catch-ups” (and having to give reasons!) and just swipe left. As it relies on a voting system, nobody takes the brunt of the blame! Even better, in a world of AI-infused everything, the two-person team of Zack Hargett and Paulius Dragnuas found working on something simple… simply refreshing.
“As exciting as AI is right now, it’s exhausting,” Hargett states. “[It’s] oddly comforting to work on boring problems with simple technology.”
Left or right, you decide
Cala introduces an element of gamification into the otherwise mundane task of meeting management. With a simple swipe, users can decide whether a meeting is worth their time or not. In an age where time is a precious commodity, Cala empowers users to reclaim their schedule and focus on the tasks that truly matter. What’s more, it’s baked straight into Google Calendar.
Much like Tinder, Cala presents each meeting on your schedule as a card. This card includes all the necessary details: who’s attending, the purpose of the meeting, the proposed duration, and more. It’s then up to you to decide – with a simple swipe. Its two-person creative team states that the ideal outcome of Cala is additional “focus time” throughout your work day. Lucky us…?
Gamifying clearly worked for modern dating, but could more traditional workers feel slighted by their requests being met with an ever-more tempered response? Potentially.
Cala only cancels meetings if everyone swipes left (remember, that’s a “no”) together – otherwise, it’s back in that stuffy box for a two-hours-that-could-have-been-half-an-hour for everyone!
Making meetings less miserable
Cala’s innovation doesn’t stop at the individual level, however; it’s tech intended to take away the apathy and anxiety that plagues modern workers. By providing insights into meeting trends within an organisation, it promises to foster a more productive environment.
The app can analyse data to identify patterns of inefficient meetings, helping teams and leaders rethink their approach and cut down on unnecessary time sinks.
If you don’t think your meetings with Karen from accounts are helping anyone, you might just find the stats to back that up…
This data-driven approach can lead to a significant culture shift within companies, promoting open conversations about the value and effectiveness of meetings. It can encourage employees to think critically about the meetings they schedule and participate in, resulting in a more mindful, productivity-focused work culture.
So next time you feel your calendar is overwhelmed with meetings, remember there’s an app that dares you to swipe left. Give Cala a try – it might just be the productivity boost you need.
if you feel swamped in a mire of meetings nobody really wanted in the first place, pitch Cala to your community. Whilst it might seem out of place among stuffier staff, for those au feit with dating online… on paper, Cala has the potential to age like a fine wine.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/10/tinder-inspired-cala-dares-you-to-swipe-left-on-useless-meetings/
How would you make organising meetings less stressful? Is Cala solving a problem that doesn’t exist? Are meetings meant to be fun…? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Want to know more about how new tech is changing the way we work? Meet Dr Tonic here: Dr Tonic Assistant For Doctors Rolls Out in Europe.
