Wrike – My Project Management Tool of Choice

Wrike.com is an awesome, awesome project management tool.  Blogging to pass on the love.

Why is it awesome?  Because it is light, makes no assumptions about my workflow, and is simple and intuitive.  Consists of tasks, arranged in folders (one-to-many), with dependencies (Gantt charts), integrated with email allowing for easy discussions and notifications, and time tracking to boot.  Currently, I use Wrike at JoMI along with FairSetup (my other project) allowing everyone on the team to, once a week, quickly review our activity and self-report on accomplishments/time allocation, which leads to short-cycle calibration within the team.

So far, Wrike has been particularly good at helping with the following:

• workflow management – when I have a multi-step workflow, easy to track progress
• prioritization – when people get overloaded, I am able to prioritize their (and my) attention
• memory – things no longer get lost
• rapport – making sure that we are all on the same page. This last one deserves more attention…

 

Tool: SQLBackupAndFTP

OK, sometimes a tools comes around that is so easy to use that you kinda wonder why anyone would do it otherwise.

To do backups on SQL Server, highly recommend: http://sqlbackupandftp.com/

Moving over to BitBucket – Quick HowTo

Moved my repos over to BitBucket – unlimited repos for up to 5 users for free.  Love GitHub, but this post converted me.  To save noobs (like self) time in moving over:

1.  Import your GitHub repo using the BitBucket Import function

2.  Go to your directory see where you are connected:

git remote -v

3.  Switch over to the new repo (StackOverflow):

git remote set-url origin git@bitbucket.org:USERNAME/REPO

And you are done.

Tool: PassPack–password management

I recently hired a network guy to help out with our internet woes at JoVE and he recommended www.passpack.com.  So far very nice.  Adding it to my toolbox.

RollerBlade–an Amazing Company with Amazing Service

What you see on the left are my Rollerblade Quantum L2 rollerblades that were given to me by my parents a rather long time ago.   So long, in fact, that I used to blade in them down 9th Ave in Manhattan occasionally latching on to taxis…  good times…

Anyway, this is not a story to brag of past exploits or encourage dangerous behavior.  This is a story of a company with absolutely awesome customer service: Rollerblade.  So, a while ago, while still in NY, a buckle broke on one of my beloved skates.  Below is a video the break.

My broken buckle

So first, erroneously thinking my skates are K2, I shoot K2 support an email.  Their service was good – a quick reply that this is not their skate and that I should reach out to Rollerblade support.  I did, and a nice guy by name of Will Meyer quickly responded asking me to send pictures.  So far so good…  Then he offered to send me a buckle.  That’s nice.  But the buckles on these are clipped on (can’t unscrew), so then he offered me to mail the skate so that they can fix the buckle…  That’s even nicer.  For free…  We are getting dangerously close to awesome.  So I go and mail in the skate and then I ask if I can buy new wheels while they are fixing the skate – mine (you can see them in the first picture) are really worn out.  To which I get a reply that I can.  And then I get the skate back with a “don’t worry about it, the wheels are on us email” along with a new buckle, a new set of wheels on the old skate and a new set of wheels for the new skate AND they paid the return shipping.  Full-tilt awesome.

I was shocked.  They were nice, they took care of me, I felt appreciated as a customer and, assuming they stay a company that is this cool, I will remain a life-long fan.

So, if any of you are looking for new rollerblades, I highly suggest Rollerblade.  This is a company that builds a relationship of mutual appreciation with its customers…  or at least with this customer.  And I may only be a single data point, but that’s all I need

Tool: Soluto–optimize your PC

Just installed http://www.soluto.com/ – a tool that helps optimize performance of your PC.  So far I really like it.  Would recommend.

Verizon Update–Switch to Google Voice Complete

Switch to Google Voice complete – Verizon gave me a new number (and a new phone to boot) and allowed me to get a new number to replace the existing one without charging me the cancellation fee.  So far I am really liking Google Voice and Francine’s doomsday scenarios have yet to materialize.  Ha.

Link: Worksnug.com to find places to work

Interesting link: http://www.worksnug.com

Reminds me that I need to finally finish WorkWithMe…  ugh…  it’s still stuck somewhere…

Software for FlowCharts: Gliffy

Been playing around with http://www.gliffy.com.  Like it for flow charts.

Tool: Project Management – PivotalTracker

A tool that my brother showed me: http://www.pivotaltracker.com

So far have only been using it today, but it feels nice and simple.  So far, would recommend.