So, give me several real life examples and how the work day would develop?

Excellent article Janna! Sacramento is a wonderful place for the coworking trend to emerge. First let it be known that I work at Capsity Offices, a Coworking Office in midtown, so most definitely my view will be skewed towards this model.

I think coworking is a method for blending the diversity that exists in Sacramento. The different silos that were created can be merged in a way that allows for uniqueness but also a sort of unifed identity; which is why we started our coworking office. We knew we liked to work, create, and have fun, so why not invite everyone over and share what we have. Our focus is on blending the small/micro businesses and social networking communities.

The work day is typical of any other office in the sense that you have a place to work with the space providing all of the necessary assets such as Wi-Fi, beverages, private office, print, fax, etc. Where the divergence happens is at the cultural and social levels as well as lowering overhead.

In Coworking spaces, the physical and cultural boundaries can be creatively over come through the work environment that provides an implicit support and comfort with creativity and motivation. The environment consists of people that genuinely appreciate each other and are more relaxed.

Some real life examples occur from SacStarts who coworks out of Coffee Garden every Tuesday and The Urban Hive who is housed in a Midtown building with unlimited potential for all things cultural. In San Francisco there is Sandbox Suites and Citizen Space. In Chico there is Uptime Studios. And the list continues to grow.

I think the goal is simply this: make the work environment more user friendly!

So to be coworker you have to spend your day behind a computer doing more than one job? What kind of product do people produce when being a coworker? I must say, both you have said allot without explaining anything.

Nice Article Janna!

Our space has really evolved ever since we incorporated the coworking concept to our building. It is a community in which people are more open to sharing ideas and being creative. As Janna mentioned, it is for the professional that refuses to be bound by the cubicle. It's for the person that works from home or a coffee shop. It is for the executive that doesn't benefit from a creative environment in their corporate office.

The creative environment can be a place where the sharing of ideas happens between the individual, entrepreneur, or solopreneur. It builds a culture in which it is safe to share ideas and solve problems between people that are going through similar situations. It proves that it’s not about what you know but who you know. Connecting individuals to the right resources is a necessity for anyone that is trying to move forward with their business.

Coworking solves some of the problems that many individuals face when they work alone. They are more creative, they connect with others and implement ideas, and they are more productive throughout their day.

I think a great example of coworking would be a coworking space I visited recently, Sandbox Suites. When I walked into the building I immediately knew that it was a coworking space. The environment was friendly, relaxing, and professional. There were the usual conference rooms, private offices, and lounging areas. It was like a coffee shop where people were working together, but there was less noise. When speaking with the owner, Roman, he mentioned that many people are attracted to concept; therefore, opening similar spaces around the area.

I really believe it’s about giving it a try and experiencing it for yourself. Check out Capsity Offices and The Urban Hive and see what it is like!

To be honest, Coworking is what you make of it. We've only given you our interpretations of the trend, so I apologize for lack of detail.

Here are a couple examples of people who have used our space as a coworker, and why
1.) Mobile Account Executive, go into a private office to make a sales pitch or meet a client for one on one. Doesn't want to use a coffee shop.
2.) Journalist, needs an open desk to type up their latest research without having to be in a lonesome library.
3.) Real Estate Agent, wants to network with people and ask about using twitter. Wants to get out of their home office.
4.) Lobbyist, needs a space to read some paperwork away from the usual sterile office
5.) Graphic Designer, hops onto the Wi-Fi and prints out some samples, doesn't need to be in a dedicated studio
6.) Social Person, surfs the web and joins our events, simply likes to network
7.) Massage Therapist, use a private office for sports massage session

I hope these examples delineate the model a little more clear. Please understand that this is only our interpretation of how we want to work and is by no means the only method. It's our goal to be as inclusive as possible and use the open office space for as many activities as possible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coworking

It sounds like coworking is basically when several self-employed people, or folks whose work is untethered to a particular location, share office space. It sounds a bit like having roommates, only in an office setting instead of residential. Basically you chip in some rent, and you get a mailing address, phone answering service, Internet connection, and I assume some space in the office fridge. Jonathan did a story about it back in February:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/3246/Capsity_Offices

Or at least that's about all I can figure out in between all the marketingese.

Richard Florida's "Creative Class." Feh.

I'll be honest, if I were a creative professional working as an independent contractor (a software developer for example) I would love to be in an office space with independent graphic designers, advertising sales people, a small start-up company and a print broker.

Sacramento has a successful history of shared small business space. In the late '90s they were called incubators and we had a number of them around town. Chris Soderquist ran a lively one in a basement in old Sacramento. The McClellan Technology Incubator is still home to a number of innovative green companies.

In addition to sharing printers and coffee pots, they also shared access to veteran management talent and sometimes legal and accounting experts along with a line to venture capitalists and angel investors.

Like this generation of coworking spaces, they became community resources, hosting networking events, launching community initiatives and supporting nonprofits.

People have a basic human need to interact with other people so as large corporations downsize, it is only natural that "solopreneurs" look to fulfill that need in ways that enhance their productivity.

Thanks for all the great comments. To be fair, I must disclose that I am a co-founder at The Urban Hive in Midtown, and I can absolutely speak to what a day of work is like there. Yesterday, we started with what we call Cereal Creative, which was a 30-minute round table discussion/brainstorm over (yes) cereal. At lunch, we all watched the new TED Talk by Seth Godin. We ended the day by cracking open a few beers for Buzz Night.

But in my opinion, the space is not THE thing. Coworking is much more than what's happening in one specific space, in a single location. It's also more than the jobs or tasks that people get paid to do. It's intangible and as such not always the easiest thing to describe, but there are stories that illustrate the abstract. Now, that's what I want to write about: how collaboration -- people coworking -- can bring change to a community, to Sacramento. Places like The Urban Hive or Capsity are simply conduits, a central location for collaborators to gather, dream, brainstorm, share ideas, connect with like-minded people with whom they can collaborate, and they continue the cycle.

How do the cattle feel about this cow-orking situation? Is orking good or bad? I think I got orked the other day on the bus. How can I tell?

"Think Outside The Cubicle"

"The City's Creative Class"

I love it!

Looking forward to stopping by...

-BloggerCasey™

I've been 'co-working' since 2000. I now service nearly two dozen stable clients from Jacksonville, FL and New York, NY to Los Angeles and even Lake Tahoe. I provide graphics, logos, websites, print work and marketing plans. On each deal, there are at least three to four people involved from accounting and sales to people like me who bring ideas to reality. I think all this talk is rhetorical.. Just do it - who cares what you call it. It's the way stuff gets done these days.