Work by Remote

It’s true! Leaders or managers have closed minds or are set in their ways. If this is the general case, then no wonder conflicts arise in the organization, which they often term as politicking.

I’m just lucky that my Boss listens to me, and takes my suggestions well—oftentimes, too well. But for those who are not as lucky, I pity you. And I wish your Bosses could read this article on North Colorado Business Report.

The article likens project management to an endeavor which one must need an open mind. In Zen principles, have a “beginners mind” that displays openness, eagerness and a lack of preconception. It’s like learning a new skill, where you are eager to learn the ropes.

Shirley Esterly, the author, suggests ways on how to project manage using a philosophical approach. Read HERE.

But going back to Zen, I’d like to develop that open mind. This should be the case for every team member, leader or member. That at every new project, they keep an openness to discover new things, to try out new things.

Nokia is calling all mobile and web application developers worldwide to submit best-in-class applications for use on Nokia devices.

Developers can submit applications for the 2009 Calling All Innovators contest in these categories:

• Internet Innovation
• Flash
• Emerging Markets and Mobile Necessities

Submissions for the contest will be accepted until 30 June 2009, and the winners will be announced in September 2009.

Join now!

I love good slogans!

But how do you create a good copy of a company slogan?

That is what I’ve been thinking the whole day today. We are revising our company website and well, I was asked to review it and suggest links and other things that a good company website should have.

So, now I’m thinking…

1. What is a good copy for a company slogan?
2. What elements should go into that slogan?
3. How should it be phrased?
4. How do you write a slogan that is effective?
5. Who should I be thinking when I write that slogan?

I need suggestions please.

Catch the first and only event in Asia for web designers by web designers!

<form> function() & .class : the first Philippine web design conference is initiated by the newly formed Web Designers Organization. The event hopes to unite 400 professionals and aspiring web designers to discuss and share the latest trends, current opportunities and challenges in the web-design field.

The event will be on July 10, 2009, 8am-5pm at the Asian Insitute of Management (AIM), Makati City.

The speakers:

• Rico Sta. Cruz - Creative Director, U.S. Auto Parts Philippines
• Nap Lara - Software Developer, Friendster
• Regnard Raquedan - Web & Usability Consultant
• Jojo Esposa - Founder, Philippine Web Accessibility Group
• Marco Palinar - User Interface/Web Design Consultant
• Gail dela Cruz-Villanueva - Creative Director, Sheero Media
• Luis Buenaventura II - Co-founder and Social Software Architect, Syndeo Labs Director of Engineering, Exist Global

Register now!

Or help spread the word and get a chance to win free tickets to the conference.

Interested in sponsorships? Click HERE.

Yesterday afternoon, I read on Inquirer.net that Microsoft Philippines will be cutting down on its workforce soon. According to the article, the company has 95 employees in the Philippines.

Then yesterday evening, I had dinner with college friends and our talk turned to recession and then to jobs. One of my friends disclosed that her company would be letting go of people by Friday. Of the 95 employees left—since the others have resigned and gone on to greener pastures overseas—only four of them will be retained.

It’s true that the news becomes more real if it happens to somebody close to you. Or you’re experiencing it yourself.

So I went home last night thinking about job security and lay offs, which bring me to the following questions:

Is allowing your employees to telecommute more efficient and less costly?
Instead of laying them off, is it more feasible to let them work from home?

News has it that because of the swine flu, office attendance has dropped 40%. Just imagine the waste it has on productivity.

You can really appreciate telecommuting in times like this when an epedemic breaks out. You can work at the confines of your home, and spared from worrying about getting the virus. Although, staying in doesn’t give you a 100%  guarantee that you won’t catch it.

But it’s definitely a good option.

The article on PCWorld ends:

Telework is like a corporate insurance policy — but one you can use on a regular basis and benefit from daily, adds Wilsker. In addition to addressing business continuity plans, “employees are going to be happier, plus telework is good for the economy, it’s good for the environment, it’s good for all these wonderful things.” Read more…

It’s a fact that software developers are in demand and thus are mostly well-paid. But we also know the other law of life. You have to be at the right time at the right place, and that if an opportunity comes, you have to grab it.

Other times, the right opportunity comes but we don’t know how to spot it or even take care of it well that it just slips through our hands and passes us by.

Here’s an interesting article on PCWorld: How to Land a Six-Figure Software Developer Job.

The author shares the sites that give tips on salaries, how to ace that interview and handle tricky questions.

Check it out!

As mobile workers are getting to be the norm, many companies have put their trust in these workers, too. Even if these workers are mobile, they are treated as part of the organization. In fact, many of them are integral parts of the organization.

So what is your business model for work-at-home workers?

Here’s a a reference, which I hope will help you.

View:  The Work-at-Home Model for Improved Customer Loyalty

It used to be that quality people would go, If it ain’t broke, then leave it as is. Not  anymore. If it ain’t broke, then improve it.

Just because your projects are all running and seemingly smoothly, it doesn’t mean  you can sit back and relax. At least not with website projects. Websites are probably the most vulnerable and volatile entity to handle. I sure often feel like  watching the shares on a stock market go up and down.

Like a stock market player who watches over his shares and be ready to buy and sell at the ring of the bell, I, too, have to watch out for spammers or hackers, information loading, server overload, etc. at every click of the mouse.

There is really a need to evaluate your projects at all times. You do not know on which page your user lands on your website, and so you have to make sure that every page is accessible and that it contains the relevant information.

Based on my experience, it pays to be evaluating your projects regularly so that you can feedback issues to your team promptly.

I’m sharing with you the ways of evaluating your projects (the word project here is interchangeable with website, as websites happen to be my projects).

1. Start with a plan every day. As a project manager, this is very crucial. You have to plan your day every day. Have a list of to-do for the day only. Breaking down your to-do’s per day makes it easier and definitely makes the tasks manageable.
2. Put criteria in your plan. The criteria will guide you on which aspect or part of the project will you be looking into for that day. Example: (a) check programmers’ progress - how far have they accomplished? (b) check on the shared Task List - is the programmer’s progress match that with the Task list? (c) check the project site - Is the homepage all in tact? Are the links working? Any content development issues from the Admin page?
3. Take down notes. More often, as you navigate through the site, a new idea comes to you. The idea can be about a new feature or content, a new page, a new app, a new layout, a new design, even a new project! Anything that improves the site’s usability.
4. Do your homework. Visit websites and bookmark those that you like. Study how they work and efficiently. Also, research about your projects. With your homework in hand, evaluate your site against the concepts and principles that you’ve gathered. Check out similar business models and try to adopt those that work for your project.
5. Do a group evaluation. Evaluate the project as a team, together. It’s also useful and more efficient, if you and your team do the evaluating together or simultaneously. Ideas are exchanged instantly, and you come up with fresh and often better ideas. Isn’t it that two heads are better than one?

This is Day #8 of 31DBBB

Project Management Blog emphasizes the importance of synchronizing Business goals with PMO goals. “It is imperative to understand the overall Business goals of an Organization while it comes to executing Projects.”

Program and Project Management blog over at Toolbox for IT suggests project management solutions that help managers monitor reports efficiently. “It is for this reason amongst many that I find the reporting element should be as automated and efficient as the PM can make it…”

Over at Journyx Project Management Blog, Curt Finch, CEO of Journeyx, shares insights on finding profit in hard times. “Tracking time and expenses on a per-project or per-customer basis can give you a true understanding of where you are working profitably as an organization…”

At DailyBlogTips are the top 25 web desing blogs. It’s a good comparison of successful web design chronicles. I’m happy to find my favorite web design blog to be there, at number 2 at that! None other than the Smashing Magazine!

Which brings me back to my lates favorite post from Smashing Mag: “15 Essential Checks Before Launching Your Website.” I already emailed this post to my programmer team, and I hope we’ll be able to tick each item out as we go along.

This is Day #7 of 31-Day (Blogging) Challenge.