DPP launches remote working project during Covid-19 pandemic

The DPP has partnered with Signiant to launch a four-month research project into the development of remote and distributed working across the media industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

The research aims to examine how companies are making structural adaptations to overcome some of the challenges caused by Covid-19 lockdowns, as well as looking at personal journeys undergone by those in the industry. 

With several major countries in lockdown in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, many productions have been forced to go remote. This means a shift to more cloud-based and remote working tools. 

• Read more: Producing live during a lockdown 

The DPP project will consist of a monthly survey made up of around 20 questions, which will be completed by companies from around the world and across the supply chain, during a four-month period. 

It announced the project will examine how the industry has responded and what the longer-term consequences will be on production. Once lockdown is lifted, will media and entertainment companies go back to traditional methods of working, or will this open the door to more flexible practices? 

The survey will track how companies are being impacted by the crisis and how they are adapting to new ways of working, and will be supplemented by a weekly “flash survey” made up of around five questions, looking at the emotional impact on respondents. 

DPP managing director Mark Harrison said: “We’re living through a key moment in world history, and we know nothing will ever be quite the same again. 

“It’s important that we capture in real-time how this crisis is changing the way we work. Research such as this will give us unique insights that will enable us to gain wisdom from an otherwise traumatic event.” 

The DDP plans to hold a virtual event midway through the survey period where it will explore some of the emerging themes and look to add some qualitative depth to the quantitative research. 

The organisation aims to publish an interim report at the midway point, with the full report expected to be released in July 2020. 

Signiant chief marketing officer Jon Finegold added: “As Signiant solutions play a critical role in connecting the global media supply chain, enabling global collaboration, we’re working hard to do our part to help the industry keep content flowing. The current pandemic has certainly magnified something we’ve always believed and that is ‘we are all in this together’.” 

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