Soon after I clicked the “Publish” button on my blog dashboard, I realized I had made a mistake.
I’d read my post through three times before hitting that button, but somehow missed adding a crucial word — the word “don’t”. Inadvertently, I had told my readers that they “have to sacrifice too much to lessen their cost of living,” . Furthermore, two of the hyperlinks I had added were broken.
I am a sloppy self‑editor, mostly because I am forgetful. I realized it was time to create a standard checklist to remind myself of all the steps I have to take before clicking “Publish”.
Since creating this checklist, I’ve made fewer mistakes and I haven’t had another “oops” moment. I created a similar list for my fiction, too. Anyone who does creative work should have a similar checklist to ensure that their projects are polished before submitting them. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s a great time to be a web worker. Almost every day, a new site, service or product comes on the scene that promises to make our work more efficient (or more fun). Some areas, like project management or image editing, are crowded with options. And in order to gain a following, many services are being offered inexpensively or at no cost.
But as Paisano wrote recently, current conditions won’t last forever. Many sites will eventually become fee-based; others will shut down when their funding runs out, or when their owners decide to move in a different direction.
So when I evaluate a product that I’d like to incorporate into my company’s workflow — especially a product that will be visible to clients — I try to consider the product’s feature set, along with the issues raised in Judi’s 2007 WWD post. I also ask the following questions: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: backup, data formats, due diligence, evaluation, exit strategy, freemium, hosting, licensing, management, Open Source, saas, support, workflow
The project milestone sheet is an incredibly important document for freelancers and their clients. It defines all the most important tasks, who is assigned to them, and when they are due. In other words, it serves as the map for your entire work process. As Darrell noted in a previous post, even small projects need to have these milestones set.
So how can you create a milestone sheet that works? Read the rest of this entry »
“Just do your work and then I’ll pay you.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading. My client had told me to just do (my) work, yet he didn’t want to discuss any of the things that I needed to know to get the work done in the first place. He wanted to do away with the needs analysis stage and just get me to write a 50-page e-book based on a vague, one-paragraph description. If there’s a web app for telepathy I haven’t seen it, so he shouldn’t expect me to know how to finish a project after the first two emails.
To avoid this problem in the future, I’m reevaluating the way I work with clients. How do I include them in my work process? Can I improve on my current methodology?
So far, here are some points I’ve come up with:
Include your process on your web site. The first thing I noticed was that I failed to set expectations at the earliest stage possible — on my web site. There was nothing on my site about how I performed a needs analysis, did research and reworked drafts based on client comments. I’m going to create a page about my work process as soon as possible. Some good examples include one from Mount Evans Designs and another from Recopy Studio. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the dangers of web working is that of getting stuck in a rut. Not that people working in traditional settings aren’t also affected by this professional pitfall. In fact, web workers are probably better off than most because more decisions about how and where we work are generally left up to us. Even so, it’s important to change up your routine every now and again. I’m going to share an easy, cheap and effective method that I’ve used to shake things up in this post.
For me, my routine initially acts as a boon to productivity, allowing me to work even when I feel less motivated simply because I’ve established the habit of doing so. This works very well, until the system itself becomes oppressive and counter-productive. There is a fine line between routine and drudgery.
When the oppression descends and my productivity starts to suffer, I have to find a way to change things up, and usually that means a wholesale shift across my entire workflow. I recommend this kind of extreme action because it seems to re-energize me, and not only result in a boost in productivity, but also in more innovative and creative solutions for my projects. Read the rest of this entry »
I forget things. I lose things. I’ve resigned myself to accept these facts at this stage of my life and am in constant search for tools and processes to help pick up the slack where my aging, overloaded brain leaves off. When I find a tool or application that helps to overcome my shortcomings, I have to admit I’m infused with new-found hope as well as childlike awe.
Those are the feelings I got when I first saw Gridiron Software’s new product, Flow. The Mac version of the software was made available to download for free, as a public beta, yesterday.
The company calls Flow a “Visual Workflow Manager.” I call it a miracle. If you know me, I’m usually the Queen of Understatement so let me elaborate on this lofty claim.
In as concise a nutshell as I can muster, Flow follows a project’s workflow by tracking and mapping out the revisions a file has gone through during your work process. It manages your project files, how they’re related to each other, and where they’re located. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the trickiest things to pull off when you’re working online is producing an actual document. There are any number of distractions, it’s harder to provide proofs and get feedback than if you’re working face-to-face with a client or stakeholder, and you often get the run around in terms of who you should be working with.
I’ve done a lot of this type of work for a range of clients, and over the course of those efforts, I’ve arrived at a number of conclusions regarding how best to go about it. These tips won’t tell you exactly how you should manage your own workflow, but it will help you avoid some of the more common problems.
Determine Scope and Materials Up Front, in Detail
There’s nothing a client likes worse than switching horses halfway through the race. That means you should pick your applications, end products, etc. with them at the project outset. Make sure both of you know exactly what they want to get out of the project at the end. Details like whether or not they want the document to be editable, the expected shelf life of the document, whether it’s a living document or not will all be crucial in helping you decide not only what, but how you’ll be producing.
Read the rest of this entry »
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
