Change is good, redux

With Posterous closing soon, I've migrated many posts back to this (ancient) Blogger site. Expect odd things to happen. Contact me directly for writing samples: e@appswhisperer.com

On Communicating Well

Lately, I've been researching best practices in training, and was looking for stories about presenting in 20-minute chunks. I found this excellent video by Susan Weinschenk, on "5 Things Every Presenter Needs to Know about People".

Best quote from the video?

You know what I call slides with lots of text? Your NOTES!

Everyone needs to communicate well in order to be successful. The tips in this video are key to communicating well, and can be used in many situations:  building a presentation, writing a proposal or even networking at lunch. 

This new year, go forth and communicate!

Originally posted: January 03, 2013 at  9:32 AM

Impermanence and Silicon Valley

I like startups, and by choosing to work in this crazy environment, I feel passionate about the people and the product, but have little expectation of a long-term commitment. That's not to say I don't expect a startup to be successful, I DO, I just don't expect that it will be the same company over time, or that I will have a guaranteed role when they go big. 

In the startup environment of Silicon Valley, you will be more successful if you can go with the flow and learn to expect more change than you can imagine.

It's the nature of companies to reinvent themselves, to introduce new products and features, to respond to market demands and business challenges. On top of that, there are internal constraints: policy and procedural changes, staff turnover and budgets to meet. In startups, these factors are even more capricious - and the uncertainty about decisions and direction can cause staffers to lose faith - they feel betrayed by a company that (seemingly) changed it's mind. 

If you choose to work in a startup, you may find that the environment is frustrating, chaotic, and likely to change without notice. Will you be flexible enough, forgiving enough and able to adapt to the impermanence?

Originally posted: September 17, 2012 at 12:37 PM

 

On Motivation and Writing

The motivation to write differs from person to person. I follow a number of writers on Twitter and there are endless discussions on methods and motivations. For me, it's a state of mind.

When I'm fully engaged in a project, I wake at 4am with my head full of brilliant ideas, solving all the issues of the previous day. I find I can jot a few notes, then gratefully hit the pillow until it's time to wake and start the day.

But, when I'm unhappy at work, or struggling with an issue, or stonewalled by a situation, I wake in the wee hours and start writing, spilling the anger and injustice on paper, scribbling viciously until I calm, and perspective sets in. It will be hours before I can sleep again. The next day, I edit the angst to build a reasonable, relevant story that is post-able.

This is, by way of explanation, the reason I haven't posted in so long - I've been happy at work. That's not to say I'm now unhappy at work, rather, the work isn't there anymore. It's a consequence of working at a startup - along with the chaos and drama, there's always the impermanence to consider.

On to finding work – I've just completed the "drink heavily and commiserate with friends" phase, which is a good start to the "what do I want to do next?" phase. All of which will prepare me for the "OMG WTF I have an interview" phase.

Wish me luck!

Originally posted: August 23, 2012 at 10:53 AM

Thoughts on Delegation

This article, titled Delegate or Die: The self-employed trap, is directed to solo managers in small organizations, but the message applies to workers everywhere.

For teams to perform efficiently, it helps to have a guidebook - something that captures the group's "tribal knowledge".

When a group is small, say 3-4 people, it's easy to communicate about methods and come to an agreement on how to handle [this kind of thing] or what to do in case of [insert your favorite crisis here]. 

However, as teams grow, passing on that tribal knowledge becomes a hit-or-miss proposition, dependent on the story-telling ability of the more senior workers. For organizations that *do* take the time to document their processes, maintenance becomes a pain point - it's just too difficult to build and maintain SOPs for every situation.

That's why I like the advice in this article so much - it's about empowering staffers to make decisions and take actions, safe in the knowledge that they are acting as the group leader would. Not because they have a ginormous SOP guide, outlining every possible scenario, but because they've been given guidelines that can be used in any situation.

The guide would evolve to contain the philosopy and culture of the organization, describing methods to make decisions and take actions. Knowing that, even a new team member can be effective on day one.

Originally posted: February 24, 2011 at  8:26 PM

Boomers and the old reality

Thinking about this New York Times article Generation B - Keeping the Plates Spinning by Michael Winerip, about the career of Nina Lentini, an editor of a number of weekly e-newsletters.

The story tells us that, in a shaky economy with high unemployment, workers are asked to contribute more, sacrifice personal time, and expect no additional compensation. 

As a member of the Boomer generation, I understand and accept that the modern workplace is different, we are 'always on' and the work/life demarcation line is blurred. In fact, I'm one of the early adopters, happily trying out every new tool or application that promises to save time or improve my life in some small way. And when it's crunch time, I'm there, thrilled to be part of a meaningful project, working with a great team, meeting the deadline and delivering exceptional work. Reschedule that root canal? Sure, it's not like it will get worse... Work late? No problem, my Mom will be in town again in a few months...

But I am reminded of a time in the '80s, when many women were entering the workplace as professionals and managers for the first time. We were told we could have it all: a career, a child, a marriage. But soon we discovered that we needed a support system to make it all possible; people to help care for the child, clean the house, prepare the meals, manage the budget: all the tasks that were traditionally handled by the housewife (or maids and butlers, if you had them). Lesson learned? You can have it all, but only if you have help.

Organizations need the same wakeup call now. Downtime is necessary: to creativity, effectiveness and long-term success. And we need help. As workers and as organizations, we all need the chance to take a breath, consider what worked well and how to improve for the next time. And organizations, especially must pay attention. What is the cost of sustaining a frenzied pace? How burned out are your people? Has the quality of your products and services declined? What technologies are available to help?

I'm not asking to bring back the old reality, I'm just asking organizations to embrace today's technologies to help. To give workers the ability to do it all, have it all. To work remotely, asynchronously and be creative, then sync up via videoconferencing to coordinate goals and deadlines. 

The new reality is different, but needn't be bleak. Smart organizations will figure this out, and workers in not-so-smart organizations will move on.

Originally posted: February 21, 2010 at 12:26 PM

Training Hunters and Farmers

Seth Godin recently posted about the kinds of people who might want your product/service/technology/{enter your passion here}.

He offers a great insight to successful communications, which is to recognize the mindset of your audience, and tailor your messaging accordingly. 

When designing a training programs for said {passion}, the first step is to understand the audience:

• what is the user level of expertise?
• is this a new tool that requires transitional materials?
• what are the takeaways (goal of the sessions...desired outcome)?

And finally, as Seth describes, we must determine if the learners are Hunters or Farmers, then build the training around those expectations. This is what we know about how Hunters and Farmers learn:

Hunters prefer wikis, blog feeds and knowledgebases for learning about new applications, while Farmers want a bound copy of the user manual on their desk. When it comes to online training, Farmers prefer to join "how-to" webinars, or watch detailed instructional videos, while Hunters join forums and interact with bloggers about what they say. Hunters are more likely to record and post their own "how-to" videos on the web. Farmers, on the other hand, expect the Help links to have the answers.

As trainers, we know that everyone learns differently, that some folks are visual learners, others relate better to vocal cues, and even others want a hands-on approach. Adding the "Hunter and Farmer" philosophy to your training programs will only make your content better and more effective.

Originally posted: February 03, 2010 at 12:34 PM

 

 

 

 

You're in charge, but how do you get the best from your team?

Whether you are a manager or supervisor, if you have the ability to affect the work life of anyone in your organization, it is important to remember to give your staffers control (or the illusion of control) over things that affect how they work.
Do they need...better status updates...fewer meetings...blue pens?
Ask them what they need to be effective - listen to your team - gather their requirements. When you give your team an opportunity to be honest about how they feel, they'll tell you things you never expect to hear.
They'll ask for things that cost you little, and reap big benefits.
Think this means you're giving up control? It's called delegation - something all great leaders do.

Originally posted: December 28, 2009 at 12:34 AM

Functional Specs, Written by The Engineer

Thank goodness for engineers at startups! Without them, there would be no specifications at all; then again, interpreting the meaning of the functional specification can be a challenge:

"For the fields which are created automatically when an object is created, the field property will be the property configured in the Field Visibility if the Field Visibility is other than Visible"

Welcome to the world of Technical Communications!
FWIW, this paragraph describes "How to Set Field Visibility Based on Role."

Originally posted: December 28, 2009 at 12:04 AM

Change is Good

When we buy something new, we generally know what we're getting: something newer, cooler, faster. Whether it's a breakfast cereal or a car, it's better in some way, and we're excited, because it's all upside. The cereal has bigger, crunchier bits. The car has great lines, goes fast and gets you from place to place, in style. What's not to like? It's the same, but better.

Folks everywhere become accustomed to doing things a certain way, and so have the expectation that things will improve, but stay the same. New, improved cereal with nuts and berries? I'll take a box! New, improved tofu cereal in a tube? Not so much.

In the business world, and with software in particular, it can take weeks to learn a new system and get back to doing work efficiently. Think about the growing pains organizations endure when they convert from a (home-grown) legacy software system to a new system (like a financial application for purchasing /payroll /reimbursements, or a human resources system to manage personnel records, benefits and training certifications). To a user, it's like buying a new car and finding the accelerator and brake pedals are swapped - yikes!

With new systems, users must get up to speed quickly in order to meet goals and quotas. While users are generally willing to accept the new new thing, they don't expect to have to re-learn everything - it slows them down and they may actually break something during the learning process. No one likes to fail. No one likes to lose control.

The typical solution is something called "Change Management". When done right, CM introduces someone to the project who is familiar with user needs and the project goals, and has responsibility for building a bridge between the "app that was" and the "system that will be". These folks are communicators, and do the heavy lifting to build the means to transition users to the new system. Depending on the nature and complexity of the system, CM can be as easy as a cheat-sheet taped to the monitor, or as complex as a month-long training program for users, managers and administrators. The method varies, but the goal is the same...define how to transition from "X" to "Y", and provide users with the tools they need to become effective in a new applications environment.

It's all about setting goals, planning and communicating:

 

• check in often to keep everyone in the loop 
• a whiteboard mock-up is more reassuring than a multiple-page email 
• be comfortable saying, "...I/we don't know yet..." 
• listen and accept all forms of feedback (good, bad or otherwise)

 

Originally posted: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

Notice - Change of Venue

Find all future posts here:

http://applicationswhisperer.posterous.com/
(moving back here to blogger, since Posterous is closing)

And a cool new landing page:

http://appswhisperer.com/

Best New Application for Building your Personal Brand - Magntize

If you're interested in marketing yourself (and who isn't nowadays), but don't have the time/inclination/skills to build a website, check out http://magntize.com/  

In minutes, I set up a site that's attractive, easily navigated and personal. The result? It's all about me (my skills, contact information, photo, blog feed, twitter feed, links to sites), here: http://appswhisperer.com.  

It's a needed solution to a problem most of us have, and it's free. What's not to like?

Adventures in PC Repair

A few months ago, my faithful (six year-old) Sony VAIO TR3AP laptop started behaving badly. At first, it just shutdown without warning, and after a restart, it was just fine.


The problem progressed until the PC would stay up and running for only an hour, before shutting down. So, I ran through all the usual troubleshooting tricks:

• chkdsk
• defrag
• update MS Windows
• antivirus/spam/malware scan
• full backup
• reinstall MS Windows XP OS

Still no joy. Then, I noticed something. It was quiet. Too quiet. The fan wasn't running, and the base was toasty.

Ok, I thought, this is a problem I can fix. I opened the laptop, and 47 miniature phillips-head screws later, removed the culprit - the heatsink fan. With a model number in hand, I found a (refurbished) replacement part online. I could tell it was refurbished because, when it arrived, it was dusty and cobwebby. But, no matter, I was assured by the vendor that this was a functioning fan.

So, another hour and something less than 47 miniature phillips-head screws later, I had reassembled the laptop enough that I could plug it in and test the fan, but without the pesky cover, keyboard and bezel in place  (I needed to see that it worked). 

It didn't. The fan, I mean. But the laptop happily booted up. Then shut down. 

A scientist by training, I propose a theory, test it, refine, rinse and repeat until a solution is found. That said, the problem could only be heat-related.
What to do? Move the test lab to the kitchen, where I had access to a butter knife and two packages of frozen peas.



I placed the butter knife under the fan (under the printed circuit board) and against the metal heat sink, while balancing the handle between the bags of frozen peas.

Voila! The laptop happily booted up, I was able to connect to the wireless network and I had a functioning laptop again. The PC continues to work, so long as I keep the peas and butter knife configuration - without that, it's more of an art piece than anything else.

Upcoming posts

• Adventures in PC repair
• "I don't want to die in a car with you"
• Thoughtful articles:
  -  NY Times: Understanding the Anxious Mind
  -  Caring for Your Introvert
• Applications I can't live without:
  -  Gimp (open source photo capture/editor)
  -  threadsy
  -  twitter
  -  facebook
  -  hulu

This is What Technical Writers Do

I spent the better part of the afternoon converting engineering specs into a concise guide. See the Before and After: 

Before, wordy and unclear:

After, clear and concise with art and whitespace:

Everything is a Project

If there's one lesson to learn early in your career, it's that everything is a project.

Don't believe me? Consider something you need to do:

• Bake a cake
• Buy a computer
• Build a website, marketing program, API, CMS, HRIS, UX, SOA, etc.

Everything is a project, because to accomplish any of these things, we follow these steps:

1. Break it down into manageable parts
2. Do each bit in a reasonable time
3. Ask for help if you get stuck

These easy steps are the foundation of Project Management. Couple that with the Project Triangle (time, resources and work), and you know that:

• Time marches on
• Resources are people [, tools or $$$]
• Work hard, play hard

It's important to remember is that while Work and Resources may grow or shrink, Time, once spent, is gone forever. So, make it work!

Book Review: Julie & Julia

Julie Powell takes on Julia Child, cooking every recipe in the now infamous 1961 cookbook: "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", and blogging it all at The Julie/Julia Project.

You should read Julie & Julia because it has all the best things:

- four basic food groups *

- is set in NYC

- Buffy

* sugar, fat, alcohol and chocolate

Just finished the book, the movie is coming out August 7, and I'm looking forward to seeing it (http://www.julieandjulia.com/).

Living vicariously through others' Twitter lives...

It started innocently enough, surfing the App Store for free tools that seemed interesting or worth my time; Stanza has free books (classic sci-fi I never had the chance to read in high school), and the Amazon Kindle for books I buy; Facebook on the iPhone is ok, good as a reader, and I like staying in touch with friends and relatives. Sad, I won't write a note or pick up the phone, but I'll check relatives' FB page every day. I'm a reader - I don't stand in line or wait for appointments without something to read, and the iPhone is significantly smaller, lighter than any paperback, and holds so much more.

And then I downloaded Twitter, and started following business and technology gurus, expanded to follow writers and musicians I like, TV/Movie folks (MythBusters, Whedonverse and BBCA shows) and other tech writers in the STC.

Twitterific has a "Nearby" feature, to see tweets from people in my neighborhood - mostly sad tweens or angry people venting - we have such small lives, some of us...

And then there are the exceptional tweets - wise, inspirational, joyful, insightful. So worth it to sift through the mundane for the gems.

Speak Truth to Power

I don't know who said it, but it's something everyone should do. Speak up, be heard, stand by your principles. Don't be content to stay in an environment (work, home, school, whatever) where you don't have a voice, aren't heard, can't make a difference - you'll get grumpy, resentful, and will take out your frustrations on the wrong people.

Most of the time, the person causing your distress isn't even aware how you feel. The powerful among us (typically folks in supervisory positions) are just doing their thing, trying to meet deadlines and coordinate the effort of a group of disparate staffers, each with different workstyles and motiviations. Your frustrations are probably not even on the radar.

So, have the conversation. A calm, thoughtful, fierce conversation. Be honest with yourself. Use this format:

"When you {grevious action here}, I feel {hurt, disrespected, betrayed}, and it affects {my morale, ability to work effectively, the quality of my work product}. 


Then take a breath, and wait. As long as it takes, just wait, calmly and unemotionally, wait for your feedback to sink in. What *should* happen is that the person hears you, your feedback, and is open to making adjustments going forward. You might be pleasantly surprised, and motivated to have these kinds of open discussions with other people in your life.


That said, be prepared for a verbal blow up...if it goes badly, you really need to move on - this is a toxic environment and cannot be saved...run away!

STC Kerfuffle!

I’m a member of a Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Society for Technical Communications. As professional societies go, it’s a good one for technical writers - it provides resources for learning, needed services and their job board attracts higher-end clients.

It’s an active group; daily posts might be from newbies wanting career advice, other posts ask for references about the best tools to use, sometimes we have those trivial “how do I say it?” conversations, dotting i’s and crossing t’s, which can be fun, too. And the members are great – they mentor very well and collaborate to answer any question, solve problems or recommend resources.

And yet…all hell broke loose this week, when the listserv admin suggested that, to improve communications and possibly save money for the funding-challenged STC, we move the listserv to a social networking site, like Ning. The flurry of opposing messages was astounding – the change-averse gnomes spoke out, saying that such a move could not be successful, because:

• It’s not email
• Access is restricted from work
• Social networking is not professional
• Takes too much time and effort
• It’s yet another account to manage, another thing to learn
• Too trendy, no privacy

I'm speechless.