Web Based Software

I was reading the June issue of Macworld on my flight back to Austin last night and it had an article about the rise of web-based programs. One program it specifically mentioned was Adobe's Photoshop Express, which I've started using. You can see some of my photos here.

I was having a discussion with someone using Rally's web-based agile project management software over the weekend. His conclusion was that while it was ok, there were some desktop features that this program didn't do as well because it was web-based. To me, the biggest limitation to web-based stuff is that you have to be connected to use most of it (though that is starting to change). For someone that does a lot of work on airplanes, this is a problem, at least until more planes start offering in-flight wi-fi. So for most things, I'll stick with my desktop application.

On a side note, I was featured in today's post on Dan Schawbel's blog, Personal Branding.

IT Does Matter

So I'm reading the book Does IT Matter by Nicholas Carr. His premise is that IT, like the railroads or other past technology innovations, gets to the point that because they are available to everyone they don't offer a competitive advantage and should be viewed as a commodity.

I think the difference between the railroads or the introduction of electricity and IT is that IT is continuing to evolve, and I'm not saying that just because I started a new job today with a software company. Successful companies will continue to take advantage of the latest innovations to stay ahead of the competitors. Companies in IT that want to stay in business will continue to find solutions to make customers successful.

A hot new book

As I was reading some of my usual blogs, I came across two different references for the book The Adventures of Johnny Bunko. It's a career guide written in manga, the Japanese style of comics.

Watch the trailer.

Zen and Presentations

Around where I live, the redbud trees are blooming. They are by far my favorite trees. I missed most of their splendor last year because I was in Japan (and missed the cherry blossoms there because I came back home for 2 weeks at their peak). So here's a picture of one.

I came across a great blog site, Presentation Zen. I am working on becoming more active as a public speaker, and this site has some good advice. A particular article that caught my eye compared Bill Gates to Steve Jobs from a presentation perspective. The article talks about the Zen principle of simplicity, or kanso and that "beauty, grace, and visual elegance are achieved by elimination and omission."

The blog post goes on to compare the style of Jobs (visual Zen master) and Gates, who embodies the Microsoft method of presentations that many of us have seen. I'll admit I've even created some like this myself. But next time I put together a presentation, I'll think about simplicity and how to create the most impact with the least amount of stuff in my slides.

On a side note, I recently switched from a Windows machine to a MacBook. I think even the Mac computers have that same Zen approach.

Stuck in an airport

I'm stuck in an airport lounge in Texas, waiting for some weather to clear so I can go home. I had a conversation today with a colleague about what makes projects late (not usually weather).

Our conversation centered around scope creep. Because projects take so long, end users ask for a lot of requirements because they don't think they'll have a chance to get anything else once the project is done. Then they change their mind because it takes so long to deliver what they ask for that the business has changed and now they need something new.

The answer of course is to break the project up; deliver a little at a time. It took me a while the first time I tried to convince a sponsor this was the way to go with a project, but after I successfully delivered a small first release followed by a second release, he became convinced on this approach to running a project. No more huge list of requirements, no more long time periods between gathering requirements and delivering on them, and a happy sponsor. Now if only I could do something about weather delays!

Happy Earth Day

It's Earth Day today, at least in the northern hemisphere. It's a day to appreciate the environment and think about what we can do to make it better.

My son is working on an interesting project that is in the spirit of earth day. He's taking an old bike of mine (my first real racing bike) and rebuilding it to be a commuter bike he can ride to work and school. So he's recycling and when he's done he'll be reducing his carbon footprint by not driving as much. For my part, now that the weather has improved, I've started to ride my bike for errands rather than driving. What can you do?

Getting Old

My wife is responsible for the database at the church where she works and they are looking at moving to a new tool. One question she had for me was can a company get to tied to its history and not be able to evolve. My answer was of course.

It’s not just companies; people can do this as well. Are you evolving? As project managers, we can get into ruts, running the same types of projects for the same organization. It’s important to continue to learn new skills. Reading is one way to stay up with the latest trends. Going back to the classroom is another; whether it’s for a formal degree or a new certification. Conferences, like this week’s Scrum Gathering in Chicago are also a great way to hear new ideas (see the DrunkenPM blog for more on this).

In Seven Habits for Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about sharpening the saw. What are you doing to keep your saw sharp?