Work and IM

I use IM a lot at work. I try to only use it when I need a quick answer or find out if someone is available. Often I use IM to find out if the person is somewhere I can call them or to ask them when I can call them. I am a big fan of using IM to find out if it is worth me walking over to someone's cube. Sometimes I will get into a real conversation on IM, but that is not too often.

I was thinking about this when I saw M Roth's tips for work IM. These are pretty good tips. Reading this makes me want to examine how I am using instant messages.