Cartoonist Scott Adams, creator of the famous "Dilbert(TM)" cartoon strip, recently used Cisco Unified MeetingPlace(R) to draw and collaborate with a nationwide audience, highlighting the potential of Cisco(R) Unified Communications to improve collaboration and illustrating how the network can serve as a platform for life's experiences.

By seamlessly integrating voice and Web conferencing capabilities, the rich-media conferencing solution allowed approximately 100 Cisco customers and partners to brainstorm with Scott Adams and watch as he developed their ideas into a Dilbert cartoon strip.

(Editor's note: See Scott Adams using Cisco Unified MeetingPlace to create a cartoon strip at: http://newsroom.cisco.com/video/dilbert.html.)

According to Richard McLeod, director of Unified Communications Solutions for Cisco's Worldwide Channels team, organizations of all shapes and sizes can learn from Adams and Dilbert. "While very few businesses are interested in boosting their ability to draw cartoons, all organizations are looking for ways to improve collaboration, creativity and innovation."

The initiative, dubbed the "Corner Cafe: Dilbert Comes to Your Desktop," was jointly hosted by Cisco and a number of its leading channel partners, including Calence, Coleman Technologies, Dimension Data, INX, Logicalis, MSN Communications and Nexus IS.

"Businesses today are struggling to improve communications and employee collaboration across the enterprise," says Ron Temske, director of IP Communications at Logicalis. "This innovative event with Scott Adams and Dilbert is helping open our customers' eyes to the exciting possibilities for their organizations."

Editor's Note: A video of the event can be found on News@Cisco http://newsroom.cisco.com/video/dilbert.html and B-roll footage is also available upon request.