Karim Vaes

It’s a big presentation (1:20), but it shows the potential of a new collaboration concept. I must say that the usability is a big plus compared to what’s currently on the market segment!

Macworld features an article called “Ten business lessons from ‘Battlestar Galactica’”

A summary

• 1. Tech isn’t always the answer. : Totally agree… IT-ers tend to always go for a tech solution where a human solution might suffice!
• 2. Don’t neglect training. : I guess nobody will disagree here, but companies often don’t see the hidden cost of neglecting to do so.
• 3. Some things can’t be outsourced. : I’ll repeat it again; Outsourcing is good, but don’t do it on stategical areas!
• 4. Update your antivirus. : Personally I’d like to see this one renamed to “keep your organization up-to-date”
• 5. Democracy doesn’t always work. : A simple Project Management lesson; It’s a democracy until the scope is set, then it’s dictatorship!
• 6. Some problems can’t be killed. : Indeed, not all problems can be killed, just learn to cope with them.
• 7. Seek strategic alliances with competitors. : So true! Being a stategic game fan, I found that alliances either make or break any outcome of a game. The numerous time I’ve “won”, is always due to making (and breaking!) stategic alliances.
• 8. Don’t store all your backups in one place. : Better renamed to “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.
• 9. The mission can change at any time. : A bit like 4., the world keeps evolving, incorporate that in your strategy.
• 10. Beware of visionaries. Zealots make bad leaders. – Awh, crap, that’d be against me…

Huddle is a network of secure online workspaces where you and your team, your customers (even your friends) can come together to work on files, plan projects and collaborate on ideas. Each individual workspace contains files, notes, reminders and information on your project. You can even manage multiple ongoing projects across different teams with huddle.

I came across huddle when looking for a collaboration tool. I found it a very decent solution for groups with a flat structure. You can do the most basic file sharing things at a reasonable price (freemium model, with a fair enterprise pricing model).

Say what?

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term applied to processes implemented by a company to handle its contact with its customers. CRM software is used to support these processes, storing information on current and prospective customers. Information in the system can be accessed and entered by employees in different departments, such as sales, marketing, customer service, training, professional development, performance management, human resource development, and compensation. Details on any customer contacts can also be stored in the system. The rationale behind this approach is to improve services provided directly to customers and to use the information in the system for targeted marketing While the term is generally used to refer to a software-based approach to handling customer relationships, most CRM software vendors stress that a successful CRM strategy requires a holistic approach. CRM initiatives often fail because implementation was limited to software installation without providing the appropriate motivations for employees to learn, provide input, and take full advantage of the information systems.

(source wikipedia)

Options?
There are several products out there that could get the job done, but just like with all product selections first get an understanding of what you would like to do. Based upon that given feature set you’ll be able to decide which products can be eliminated quite easily. Today I’m going to present four products where two are OpenSource products (with community editions) and two from a SaaS (Software as a Service).

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Henrik Kniberg and InfoQ.com offer a free version for download of the book “Scrum & XP from the Trenches“.

This book includes:

• Practical tips and tricks for most Scrum and XP practices
• Typical pitfalls and how they were addressed
• Diagrams and photos illustrating day-to-day work
• Testing and test-driven development
• Scaling and coordinating multiple teams
• Dealing with resistance from inside and outside the team
• Planning and time estimation techniques
• Forwards by Jeff Sutherland and Mike Cohn

I’ve enjoyed reading the book and must say that I can recommended it to anyone interested in Scrum!