How to Determine if Technology Provides the Best Solution

I love technology. There is nothing that thrills me more than to find a really cool app for my iPad, or discover a new way to accomplish an old task. I love tracking my To Do list with technology (I use ToodleDo), reading about new technology (using my Kindle Fire or iPad), and talking with others about technology. Sometimes, however, I've discovered that using technology is NOT the best solution.

Consider note taking, for example -- there are clearly advantages to using technology when taking notes. I use a Livescribe [video] pen and notebook for longer meetings or an app for my iPad called SoundNote [video] for shorter meetings. Both allow me to take notes and record synchronized audio at the same time. Then, when I am reviewing my notes later, I can simply click on a word within my notes and listen to the audio conversation that accompanies that note. I can bounce around within my notes and only review the areas that need further clarification. Pretty awesome.

Sometimes, however, trying to scribble a note using an iPad or smart phone is simply not convenient. I've tried several apps on both my Android smart phone and my iPad that are designed for scribbling a quick note. Unfortunately, they simply do not work fast enough. If I am caught in a conversation with someone in passing, by the time I pull out my phone, fire it up, launch the app, and try to enter the piece of information I need to remember, too much time has passed. Invariably, I find myself asking for forgiveness as the person waits on my technology.

A much better method of capturing information on the fly is the old-school method of using a 3x5 card. I can whip out my 3x5 card (with pen attached) and scribble down a phone number or email address much quicker than I can accomplish a similar task using technology.

How do I decide if technology is the best solution?

1. Evaluate whether or not I am really saving time or being more productive. Techno-geeks like myself tend to favor technology simply for the sake of using some cool gadget or tool. In order to be truly productive, we must be honest about the tools we are using. Recently, someone described a colleague by saying, "he loves to use productivity tools, but he's really not that dependable. He forgets things a lot." That is an indictment we all need to avoid.
2. Examine the return on investment before making a decision. There are two factors to consider when evaluating return on investment: how much will this technology cost me in terms of money, and how much will this technology cost me in terms of time to learn. Technology that has a steep price and/or steep learning curve is usually not a good investment. A good example is the Mac OS application OmniFocus. Do a quick Google search on OmniFocus and you will read rave reviews. It's is the Cadillac of task management tools. Unfortunately, you will also read a lot of comments and reviews noting how difficult OmniFocus is to learn and master, and the fact that you will spend close to $140 to purchase the Mac OS app ($80), the iPad app ($40), and the iPhone app ($20). That is a steep commitment both in time and money to use OmniFocus.
3. Expect technology to function when and where I need it to function. We live in a connected world. In my technology toolbox I have Windows computers, Mac computers, an iPad, an Android phone, and a Kindle Fire (Android tablet). I want all of these devices to play nice with each other. With services like Dropbox and SugarSync, having access to my data from anywhere or anyplace is not a problem. What throws a kink into my workflow, however, is when I have one piece that doesn't want to play with the other pieces in my technology toolbox. A good example is WordSearch Bible Software. WordSearch offers access to a good library of Bible study resources that are not available via Logos Bible Software, my Bible study software of choice. I use the Preachers Outline & Sermon Bible to help with preparation when I am teaching, and this resource is not available via Logos, but is via WordSearch. Unfortunately, WordSearch is Windows only. In fact, WordSearch is one of the few applications I still use that is Windows only. What a pain! Logos Bible Software, on the other hand, allows me to start researching a topic at work, go home and read some more about a topic using my iPad or Android Kindle, pickup where I left off using my Windows computer, and even read my resources on my Android phone. Unbelievable. I use WordSearch only when I need to access the POSB and a few other resources that are not available via Logos, but in an apples-to-apples comparison, I would steer any new Bible student towards Logos rather than WordSearch.

How about you? What helps you decide whether or not technology offers the best solution over old-school methods?

Warning: Information Overload

While spending time on my mid-year review, I spent some time focusing on an ongoing problem for many of us: information overload.

As I prepare to write my Master’s paper in the next few months, I am trying to become more skilled at personal information management. There are lots of tools to help us manage information, but I’ve learned that a critical part of our own personal information management system involves filtering. That’s right, simply choosing to be smart about what information we allow into our space. If we are trying to process too much information, we will find ourselves quickly overwhelmed.

Here are a couple of steps I am employing to help me manage and filter the flow of information coming at me right now:

• Avoid web (meaningless) browsing. This is not only a source of a tremendous amount of meaningless information, but is also great time waster. For many of us with a “geek” mentality, this is a tough one. I would rather browse the web, for example, than watch television. Still, if I am sensing I am getting close to information overload, it’s time to log off and shut down. When I do hit the web, I try to do so with purpose. Within my GTD system I have established a @Web category that helps me spend time on topics that will advance a goal or project one more step. I’ve also learned it’s a good idea to have a pen and sheet of paper on the desk while working on the web. When an idea crosses my mind that I need to look into further, I write it down and put it on my @Web list as opposed to dropping what I am doing and jumping to a new topic. Understand that by its very nature, the Web is meant for browsing. Every paragraph we read can contain hyperlinks that open a new browser window and open an entirely new topic. It’s easy to loose direction. Trust me, I’ve been there. Still, with a little discipline, you can begin to tame the web and provide more purpose to your browsing experience.
• Unsubscribe. We all love something free, and invariably, as we come across blogs or sites that seem to provide good free content, we pop in our email address or subscribe with our blog reader and wait for all of that free information to start flowing into our inbox. Over time, however, you know what happens: suddenly you have dozens of emails hitting your inbox every day from people you don’t even know. Moreover, all of this free information is actually costing you a lot of time to process. This is where it’s important to take control. Part of my semi-annual review is to go through my inbox and my RSS reader and unsubscribe from lists I am no longer interested in. How can I tell if I’m no longer interested in a list? Simple, if I have ceased reading the blog entries or emails from a certain site, it’s time to unsubscribe. This past week, for example, I reviewed my Google Reader subscriptions and found more than 100 feeds I was no longer reading on a regular basis. It took less than an hour, but I had brought my Google Reader subscription list down to a more manageable 80 feeds from the nearly 200 I was subscribed to.

While researching / reading on this topic, I came across the following article from Seth Gillespie on “How to cope with information overload.” He provides the following advice:

• Alter your work routines. It’s very easy to become a victim of your routines. The insatiable need for more information is one of them.

• Plan your day and prioritize your time. This is often an impossible goal, for many people. But it’s an important first step that can help you focus your energy on what’s most important.

• Cut your phone time. The average worker would be shocked if he knew how much time is wasted on the phone. And a relatively small amount of time is spent on important calls. A Reuters survey said that 20 percent of all voice-mail time is spent fumbling through menus.

• Manage e-mail. Respond only to important e-mails. Get rid of all junk e-mails. Simply respond by indicating your wish to be removed from the mailing list, and make sure you have a good spam filter.

• Monitor your Internet time. Most of us waste hours on the Internet. It’s very easy to get lost and distracted when searching for something. Stay focused so that your Internet searches are targeted. It wouldn’t be wasting time to learn Boolean search terms. This will narrow your searches, and cut your Internet time dramatically.

• De-clutter your desk. Regardless of where it comes from, the average worker is still drowning in paper–most of which he doesn’t need. Look around your desk and office, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you discover that a healthy percentage of the paper that’s been piling up can be trashed, and the rest can be filed for future use. Ideally, your desk should be clear. It should contain only what is pertinent to what you are working on at the moment or during the next couple of days. If you tend to let things pile up, it’s a wonderfully cleansing feeling to see only what’s important at the moment in front of you.

• At home, try to disconnect from the office. If possible, try not to take work home. For most career builders, work becomes an obsession–and it’s often not necessary to take work home. For many compulsive overachievers, it’s hard to disconnect from the office and its routines and change your rhythms so you can focus your energy and attention on fulfilling non-work related routines.

• Pursue a hobby, sport or interest–anything that’s not work-related.

• Shut off your cell phone or Blackberry when you get home. If your job doesn’t demand that you be on call 24 hours a day, make it a rule to shut off your cell phone or Blackberry at a certain hour, say, 7 or 8 p.m.

What are some steps you employ to help you manage information overload?

E-mail Etiquette

Roger C. Parker is one of those prolific writers and commentators that I have grown to appreciate tremendously. I first met Roger through a webinar hosted by Mindjet. Roger appears to be a multi-talented individual, but I have come to know Roger within the arena of helping authors get published and in helping non-design people like myself look good in print. I have been a subscriber to his “Published and Profitable” web site since last fall.

While the focus of Roger’s writing and communications is not necessarily on productivity or technology, these topics bleed through in all that he presents. Many of his ideas are turn-key, simple thoughts that can be implemented immediately into your current workflow.

A Little Background

First, I need to provide a little background. Recently, I shared in a conversation with my wife one of the side lessons I have learned this semester in my class on Distance Education, which is part of my master’s degree through the University of Northern Iowa.

By it’s very nature, Distance Education relies heavily on text-based communication. This includes discussion forums, online chats, and e-mail. As I’ve watched and observed my professor, Dr. Ana Donaldson, facilitate this course, I have grown to appreciate how skilled she is at online communication. No e-mail or discussion posting, no matter how trivial, goes without a response.

As I’ve reflected on this, I have observed how many professional people, many of whom I would rate as excellent communicators offline, are simply atrocious when it comes to e-mail communication. Not only do they write poorly when they communicate via e-mail, but most importantly, they completely ignore many of the e-mail communications sent to them!

This, in my judgment, is simply unprofessional and does much to damage the overall credibility of an otherwise skilled professional.

E-mail is clearly an important—if not vital--communication tool in the 21st century. Still many of the people in middle- and upper-management today are baby boomers who started their careers without e-mail. It is an acquired skill, not something native to their generation. Those who want to be viewed as skilled communicators both offline and online need to learn some basic “E-mail Etiquette.”

A Simple Lesson in E-mail Etiquette

Now, to Roger’s comment:

Because e-mail has been a major part of our lives for several years, there's a temptation to take it for granted.

In particular, there's a temptation to assume that every e-mail we send will reach the intended recipient and--most important--be noticed.

Unfortunately, that's not true in 100% of the cases. Some e-mails get lost in transit, others get lost in the recipient's increasingly filled in-boxes.

That's why I paid attention when Jeffrey Fox, last week's Published & Profitable expert interview guest, described he immediately sends a "Got it!" reply/confirmation every time he receives a personal e-mail. It takes just a second to Reply, yet his confirmation projects an image of professionalism. Most important, his colleagues know that, if they don't receive a confirmation, something has gone wrong, and they follow-up by phone.

Strong brands and reputations are often built on simple, easy-to-follow, routines that show you care.

I couldn’t agree more! Nothing is more frustrating than to send an e-mail, whether it’s a simple “FYI,” action item, or request, etc., and have the e-mail simply disappear into cyberspace. Nothing. Nada. Did they get it? Do they agree or disagree? Should I move forward? Do I need to follow-up with a telephone call? In many cases a simple “Got it!” answers these questions.

So, take one small step forward in making a giant contribution to your professional image; don’t let a bunch of unanswered e-mails collect in your inbox.

Do you agree? No long answer is needed…a simple “Got it!” will do. :)

Making the Most of Your Computers

The Feb. 18, 2009 issue of Church Leaders Intelligence Report provided an excellent article on “Making the Most of Your Computers.” Here is the critical part of the article:

At the recent AICPA Not-For-Profit Financial Executives Forum held in Anaheim, Randy Johnson, executive vice president of Network Management Group, Inc. offered his top-ten tips on extending the life of your desktop tools.

Happily, most of these tips do not require additional out-of-pocket expenditure. Consider asking for the advice or participation of someone well-versed in information systems and technology if you don't feel comfortable implementing these tips.

1. Back up files no longer needed and delete them locally.
2. Remove programs no longer needed, and make sure to remove program file folders not removed by "uninstall."
3. Convert drive to NTFS, if not already; this increases the size of read/write blocks and significantly improves speed.
4. Defrag the drive (twice!).
5. Install the latest SP release for Windows and Office, if applicable.
6. Determine that you are not running multiple spyware/virus software.
7. Run MSCONFIG and remove auto start programs you do not need.
8. Keep the Tray lean and mean; remove programs you do not run regularly, like Hot Sync for Treo and others.
9. For Microsoft Vista, remove gadgets like the weather, stock quotes and CPU activity. This is critical if you are running on a single CPU system/older system upgraded to Vista.
10. Upgrading memory to two or three gigabytes is the only additional out-of-pocket item, but it will significantly improve performance.

Nonprofit Times 2/11/09