This paper explores the use of instant messaging (IM) in the workplace through an ethnographic study, focusing on its role in informal communication and its implications for media theory. The authors describe how IM supports various informal communication tasks, such as quick questions, coordination, scheduling, and maintaining social connections. They highlight the immediacy and flexibility of IM, which facilitates rapid and context-rich interactions. The paper also introduces the concept of "outeraction," which refers to communicative processes outside of information exchange, such as negotiating availability, maintaining social connections, and managing conversational progress. These outeraction processes are essential for effective informal communication and are not fully captured by current media theories. The authors discuss how IM's features, such as buddy lists and visibility, contribute to these outeraction processes. They argue that IM's ability to provide plausible deniability and manage interruptions makes it more suitable for initiating and sustaining conversations compared to other media like phone calls and emails. The paper concludes by suggesting that IM's outeraction capabilities should be integrated into technologies designed for informal communication, particularly in media spaces for remote collaboration.This paper explores the use of instant messaging (IM) in the workplace through an ethnographic study, focusing on its role in informal communication and its implications for media theory. The authors describe how IM supports various informal communication tasks, such as quick questions, coordination, scheduling, and maintaining social connections. They highlight the immediacy and flexibility of IM, which facilitates rapid and context-rich interactions. The paper also introduces the concept of "outeraction," which refers to communicative processes outside of information exchange, such as negotiating availability, maintaining social connections, and managing conversational progress. These outeraction processes are essential for effective informal communication and are not fully captured by current media theories. The authors discuss how IM's features, such as buddy lists and visibility, contribute to these outeraction processes. They argue that IM's ability to provide plausible deniability and manage interruptions makes it more suitable for initiating and sustaining conversations compared to other media like phone calls and emails. The paper concludes by suggesting that IM's outeraction capabilities should be integrated into technologies designed for informal communication, particularly in media spaces for remote collaboration.