Archive for the ‘Effectiveness’ Category

It’s Been Awhile…

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

It’s been awhile since I posted an honest-to-goodness Blog post here. Sorry about that. I toyed with having my Twitter updates post as Blog entries… well, there’s obviously a reason why Tweets are Tweets and Blogs are Blogs… so, that feature has now been mercifully laid to rest.

I just thought it was updating on two recent discoveries / developments:

TinaIsOverIt – Icarus’ burned wings…

I came across a new Blog by a colleague of mine – TinaIsOverIt. Tina’s reflections mirror a lot of my own thinking on work-life-balance, purpose and productivity, which is all the more pertinent as Tina represents Gen Y, while I myself sit happily (and tiredly) in the Gen X bracket.

Like Icarus, there is a huge temptation to put life (people, family, enjoyment and fulfilment) on hold to soar early to giddy heights in our careers and finances, only to find our wings have melted in the sun, as we plummet to disaster. It is a common temptation to us all, and one to be overcome on the path to establishing a truly meaningful and purposeful life. I continue myself to strive for the 40 hour work week (the “4 hour work week” sounds great, but not within my grasp just yet I think), to let weekends be weekends, and to be willing to pay the price if my commitment is seen to be below that of others. I think in the end, I’ll be able to look back and say that I committed myself to the right things, in the right balance… I like to see my kids and wife each evening, and I count it a blessing that I am usually able to do so.

Anyway – Tina writes honestly and well, and I think you’ll find some encouragement there if you are also struggling with some of these issues.

MacBook and iPad Programming

The second item on my list, and in keeping with my balance between personal productivity and Techie-Geek interests, is a note that I have recently purchased my first ever MacBook (which I am currently using to write this article). So why have I gone down this path? Well, as a means to an end really – I want to get into programming iPad apps, and there is really only one platform on which you can effectively do this, and that is (of course) the Mac OsX platform. So far I have just been rote-learning, following through a book on the topic. I hope soon, however, tho begin construction on one or more of the first apps of my own. I’ll hopefully provide updates here on how that is going on a bit more regular basis. Oh – I don’t currently actually own an iPad, that’s another interim goal I’ll have to achieve somewhere in the not too distant future…

Apple's new iPad

OfficePod – New Meaning to “Work from Home”

Oh yes, in case I haven’t already mentioned this here, I have come across a product which I think would look great in my back yard, especially with my Mac, and a Nespresso coffee machine in it…. the OfficePod. I can see this marvellous structure reducing my daily commute to about 30 seconds… I just need to sell the first 100,000 or so iPad apps, and that should then be workable ;-)

OfficePod - an office in the garden?

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MobileNoter – OneNote on iPad

Friday, April 9th, 2010

The good folk over at MobileNoter have responded to a query of mine to advise me that inking is on it’s way to a version of MobileNoter in the near future.

MobileNoter is the iPhone (and now iPad) app which allows you to sync (via WiFi or cloud) and view OneNote Notebooks on your iPhone/iPad. Up until now you have also been able to create a Quicknote on your Apple device for syncing back to your PC, but no inking.

Handwriting has been available in various forms through other apps, mostly with ability to export as an image, which can then be stored in OneNote.

True inking in MobileNoter would bring the product much closer to the level of functionality available in the desktop product. It’ll fill the niche nicely until Microsoft come to the party. Roll on MobileNoter v2.0!

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Tablets, iPads, Couriers etc etc

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

Like a lot of (Geekish) people, I was keenly awaiting the launch of the i-[insert favourite name fo the latest slate-like Apple device]. Then the iPad (strike one just for the name) was announced and demonstrated. While many media pundits seemed to be happy to re-hash the Apple press-release material (category-defining, magical, game-changing), many actual users of precursor devices seeemed to breathe a collective sigh of disappointment at the Apple offering.

Does the world need a 10″ iPod touch? Quite possibly not. No, no even with the 3G option. My 3G iPad-mini (aka iPhone 3Gs) seems to fill most of that niche quite nicely.

What is my personal ideal device in this area? Well, I’d have to say I believe I have seen a demo video of it, and it is called the Microsoft Courier - a twin 7″ screen “Booklet” form factor device with custom user interface (possibly sitting on top of a version of Windows 7). The “demo video” may be pure animation – the product may yest prove to be vapourware, but Microsoft claims otherwise.

The reason I think the Courier is revolutionary, and on-the-money – at least from my perspective, is that it works the way people do – something Apple usually excels in, but seems to have under-delivered on this time around.

I have been a long time user of the Franklin Covey planning system in paper form. I keep my notes, schedule, to-do, calendar and many other things (photos, misssion statement etc) in that binder.

A year or two ago, however, I experimented with using a Fujitsu p1610 Lifebook touchscreen tablet PC as an alternative. The thing that made this even slightly feasible – Microsoft OneNote. For those that use OneNote, they will tell you there literally is no other comparable product on the market. It is the closest product I have seen to a “works the way people do” product in electronic form.

If Microsoft have taken the lessons learned from OneNote, and created an integrated hardware and software device around those lessons, then that is a product I would be interested in checking out.

My hope is that it would not be too heavily locked down and specialised. I would want it to also be able to edit Office documents, and run Freemind mindmapping software (and other useful Windows utilities) without a complete rewrite of the applications.

And the price point? Well, I would find it hard to believe it achievable, but I think this was one place where Apple did get it right. A US$500 starting price seems about right if the device is to usurp the ubiquitous Netbook, and keep the iPad at bay.

Now, I wonder if Mr Balmer might like to send me a demo model to check out? I’d be only too happy to provide constructive feedback ;)

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Coaching – my new passion!

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

My new hobby horse /passion – Coaching! I will find a good definition on coaching somewhere some day and put it in here.

In the mean time, to me coaching is simply a more proactive, holistic, focussed and better resourced version of Mentoring – something which I have been involved in for years. Well, that’s my perception.

As someone interested in Effectiveness, I plan now to more proactively help others in this area through coaching. I plan to do this online (ie – here) as well as in person. Initially I plan to do this through converting some of my mentoring relationships into a coaching format. All this while I gather, develop and link to resources to help me do it all better.

My initial thoughts are that my coaching approach will integrate skills and resources I already have / know and use, including Agile techniques (migrated from the software world to the human effectiveness world), Seven Habits (Covey), Simplicity (De Bono), Road Less Travelled (Peck) and Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (Carlson).

Along the way I will gather additional resources and information. I have investigated various courses, franchises etc that are available to help me start in this area. Given limited resources and the fact I already have a full time job, I need and intend to start small / low cost, and build my skills and resources over time.

Stay tuned for more information. I’ll post Coaching Resources on the page of the same name on this Blog.

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Effectiveness updated

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Hi, for any readers out there who may perhaps have once followed my pages on Effectiveness, the ressurection process has begun there also… I have outlined my thoughts for the future, and restored the little bit of material which used to reside there.

I expect in future you will see more posts on this topic, and the Effectiveness page/s will be expanded over time also.

Feel free to email me on this topic at david@davidnimmo.com – feedback most welcome. Alternatively, I’ll process and respond to comments on this post – I have to leave moderation switched on due to spam, however, any genuine constructive comments will be approved and, time permitting, responded to…

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