One of the aspects of building websites and working for interactive agencies that is sometimes nice and sometimes excruiciatingly painful (for some, anyway), is the hurry up and wait aspect of projects. If you’ve been involved in this type of work–or other types that rely on bidding for a contract, a lot of back and forth with clients, dotting all of the i’s and crossing all of the t’s, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s good and it’s bad–depending, anyway, on who you ask.

Personally, i’m neither here nor there on the matter. I enjoy having downtime to prep, to learn more about my client’s business, to think (or at least try to think) as they do. I know putting myself in my client’s shoes is one of the best ways for me to help them get where they need to get. In previous positions, I’ve not always had the opportunity to step back for a few minutes in order to look at the bigger picture. And I know (and I’m sure you know), plenty of people that don’t really care to grasp the bigger picture, because they know what their role is and know (or think) that their role will not have a direct impact or substantial impact on the client business to make a difference…so why try. And, in reality, some of them may be right. But there needs to be a little bit of both type people–the contributor with his or her eye on the larger picture, and the contributor who can’t see the trees for the forest. I think that helps–at least I know it does in my world.

OK, I sense i’m blabbing here, because it’s getting late and i’m tired. I hope I made sense up above–and, in fact, I ‘hope’ so much that i’m not even going to read what I just wrote, which is pretty rare. Have a great night.

I was thinking today about the industry I’m in, and while it’s not a shocking revelation, it did occur to me again how young the industry actually is. Many of the professionals in the industry (myself included), were not in this industry a decade ago. And why would they be, when the industry had really just begun–at least as we know it. But it gives light to the fact that it’s the skill sets that matter–not so much the industry, per se. Although yes, it does help if you come from a related industry. Marketing, advertising, programming, project management, copywriting–these are all areas within interactive media that are crucial to what we do–and if you’re in one of those areas in another industry, you’d probably be able to make the leap.

If you are, my suggestion is that you do a little messing around on your spare time. Figure out what you like to do, and practice it. Build a website. Run a PPC campaign. Write some copy on a blog somewhere, and see if you can use a little SEO magic to make it show up on the first page or second page of google. It’s not easy, but it’s not that difficult. In fact, I landed at the third spot on the first page of google a few weeks back for ‘Project Management Steps’ without even trying to. (No, it’s not there any more, but hey, I did it without trying). Good luck.

Without sounding too…something, I can’t stress the importance of teamwork. Not only in the sense of your coworkers helping you achieve the goals you need to achieve and vice versa, but in bringing together ideas and perspectives that, when combined (again, sorry to use this word, which I’m sure you’ve all heard plenty of times just in the past few weeks alone) create synergy. It’s what makes projects succesful, initiatives succesful, and, to go a little further, it’s what makes communities, country, and the world succesful.

But with teamwork comes personalities, egos, opinions, and every other factor you can imagine that has the potential to throw teamwork off track and away from the goals you’ve set for that team to begin with. Though not always the case, gathering groups of people, especially in business, means that you’ll often have to deal with adversity, often have to defer when you think your points may be valid, and, the true test of your understanding of situations and benefitting from teamwork–you’ll have to be able to open your eyes and be receptive to points other than yours, right or wrong.

It’s through that process that the best ideas will emerge–be it for a direct mail piece, a larger marketing strategy, creative, or even what type of venue to have for company outings. Let me stress that again: open your eyes and be receptive to points other than yours. You’re not going to be right all of the time, and I’m not going to be right all of the time. I learn from you, and you learn from me. It’s what makes the wheels turn, and what brings the good ideas to better ideas.

Rarely will you encounter that genius who’s ideas and insight and execution are perfection incarnate; rarely will you have anyone single-handedly, at least in a company of any size, be the end all be all for whatever product or service you’re hawking.

Knowing how to be a teamplayer doesn’t mean giving up your place in the food chain–it means securing it through smart decisions, an open mind, and the realization that we’re all consumers of good ideas and bad, and we’re all producers of them as well. It’s the end result we’re after by participating in a team of any size or structure–so don’t sabotage it, because you’re the beneficiary.

When you’re out there in the middle of techville, managing website builds and SEM campaigns and thinking about Search Engine Optimization, and writing copy (that, obviously, needs to be keyword rich), and you’re thinking about CTRs and PPC and maybe viewing your client’s business from the actual business perspective rather than from your point of view, and you’re google-ing things to help you cram in the minor bits and pieces of technology and the latest trends, you often for get the best resource of all (in my opinion): Books!

Below are a few books I find helpful when managing interactive media projects, some better than others–but I’ll stay hushed on which ones, as you may find some more interesting than others and I don’t want to skew your opinion in any way.

1. Managing Interactive Media: Project Management for Web and Digital Media by Elaine England and Andy Finney
2. Managing Interactive Media Projects by Tim Frick
3. Fundamentals of Technology Project Management by Colleen Garton and Erika McCulloch
4. Lean Project Management: Eight Principles For Success by Lawrence P. Leach
5. The Project Management Memory Jogger: A Pocket Guide for Project Teams (Growth Opportunity Alliance of Lawrence) by Paula Martin and Karen Tate
6. Web Project Management: Delivering Successful Commercial Web Sites by Ashley Friedlein
7. IT Project Management: On Track from Start to Finish, Second Edition (Certification Press) by Joseph Phillips

If you’re an experienced project management professional, or a newbie, the above books are good. I didn’t include the Project Management for Dummies book, but I’ve actually read it and it’s a good resource to keep at home–but don’t bring it to the office if you have a copy or buy one–not that you should be ashamed of it, because it’s a good resource, but you want to look your best, especially in front of clients–and Dummies books aren’t always the best way to project professionalism to the PM craft (or, likely any other professional position).

No, I’m not linking the two to go into any in-depth analysis today, only going to point out a truth you already know but one I thought I’d remind you about one more time: Visibility.

Blogs and social networks are great fun, great tools, and you don’t really have to be a computer geek to get into them and accomplish what your blog and social networking idols accomplish (ok, maybe you are a little geeky like me, because let’s face it, the cool kids…well, no, they probably blog and social network too, so scratch that.

Anyway, we’ve all heard how you’re not supposed to post pictures of certain things such as:

• You upside down drinking from a keg
• You streaking down main street
• You doing anything elicit
• You commiting a crime
• You…yea, you get it, YOU doing anything you’re not supposed to

The same applies to business blogs and social networks geared to business (think LinkedIn, etc). Sites like LinkedIn are used by professionals, and there’s a certain standard that has been created that LinkedIn users expect. It’s why they (and I) use the site, and anyone breaking away from those pretty strict standards gets either politely nudged (at best), or pushed aside in a business-violent manner (at worst). I probably created a term there, but you get the gist of what I’m trying to say.

Same applies in blogs. Business blogs can serve many purposes, but what you want to make sure you don’t do is anything you wouldn’t do at work, or with a client, or in front of anyone who you don’t want to insult (unless, of course, that’s the whole point of the blog, or of the entry). But even so, taking the high road is always a better bet than not. Remember, what you post today will likely still be showing up a decade from now in some form or fashion, and the negatives you throw up now could come back to haunt you.

One of the great things about software is that it opens up a world of ease to those who learn and use it to achieve, more often than not, completion of tasks that would otherwise take a much longer time to complete. That said, sorry if I am not making complete sense–I’ve been reading software manuals all day. Yes, this is where you laugh. Or chuckle. Or, at worse, give a silent nod of acknowledgement.

Actually, it’s not so bad. But it got me thinking. While we do use a variety of software programs to get done the things we need to get done, such as everything Microsoft ever puts out (excel, word, powerpoint, project, access, etc.) (no, I’m not going to mention Vista), we also ocassionally end up using new software that we’ve either never heard of, heard of and had no contact with, or heard of and tried to avoid. It’s times like these that I don’t look to the future to solve but the past. It’s sort of like financial planning–we know we need it but no one ever really teaches us it as we grow up (I know, I can hear you yelling either a) When we were growing up certain software didn’t exist, or b) Many of the software programs extant today ARE being taught to kids in school. Well, good. Good for those kids, I suppose. But in the land of Me, I want more of a quick fix than anything else. Maybe a quick IT doctor visit where I’m injected with the knowledge to not have to read printouts and dictionary-length software manuals that are standard issue in the brains of kids today. But I’m probably asking for too much. Well, at least I can blog about it. That’s something my folks probably think is a space creature from some far away Sci-Fi flic.

Today is the 4th of July, and I thought it would be appropriate to show some patriotism. We’ll be up and publishing again on Monday. Have a great holiday weekend.

Millions of us have them. You probably have one, or at least know of them. Maybe your kids have them. Actually, I’ll bet your kids have them. I’m talking about accounts/profiles on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, and networking sites like them–LinkedIn anyone? I have to admit, I have accounts on all of these, but I don’t use them as often as I should. Truth is I am a little social networked (read overloaded). The only time I even go on them is when I receive an email from one of them informing me that one of my friends or connections has invited me to take some test (which I’m not going to do), or (and i’ve had this one a few times), someone has thrown something at me (I can’t remember if it was a ham, or an animal of some sort, but definitely not worth the few seconds it took me to sign in and see that I was virtually assaulted).

Like any popular and cool new fad, social networking sites have exploded and made tons of money. Advertising on them has been successful, to a point. Actually, I think they’ve returned a good deal in terms of revenue, but things seem to be slowing down. I’m not implying that they are not a Must Have on marketers list of To Dos, only that like any new medium, you eventually start heading towards the maturity phase, and with that things start to slow down.

Traffic in social networking sites may be a bit better than typical websites, such as ecommerce websites, news websites, dating websites, etc.–partially because they’re more like hangouts than information portals where you go in, get what you need, and get out. From a branding perspective, I’d bet it’s a pretty important tool to continue using. Really, it’s hard to try to ignore such sites, because the buzz is still in the air. As a grown up (and unfortunately I’ve been one for a while now, even though I still ‘feel’ young), I don’t enjoy social networking sites. But I can see the appeal, and I can see their worth. And, apparently, so do the marketers out there targeting these websites. How long these sites will last, who knows. But right now, if you’re a marketer, it probably pays to play the game.

Wikipedia’s definition of Social Media: “Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning, as people share their stories, and understandings.”

If you’re reading this blog entry, guess what? You’re involved in social media. My ability to write, and hopefully influence my readers, is all part of the phenomenon that is social media. While traditional media may be a one-way street, i.e., I write an article for, say, the New York Times, and you, the good newspaper reader, consume what I’ve written, including my point of view (hopefully not included in real journalism), and you read it alongside my advertisements (hopefully I’m not selling anything immoral or unethical or that hurts small animals). Social media, however, turns the corporate world on its head, because now the consumers of products and services are able to influence other consumers of products and services–which, my friends, may not be exactly what corporate entities want happening. Why, you ask? Well, because now the control has been wrestled from the giants of industry and they no longer are the Goliath, because David is wielding far more influential weapons.

So what sites fall under social media (note, some of the below sites are for communication (MySpace, Facebook, etc.), and some are for collaboration or multimedia, or entertainment, etc)?

Facebook
Friendster
MySpace
Twitter
LinkedIn
Flickr
Zooomr
imeem
World of Warcraft
Miniclip

And the list goes on and on. Advertisers and marketers have been able to buy placements within the sites, as banner ads, content, and in games, even as virtual billboards advertising their wares in a less intrusive manner (if you play certain games and drive by a realistic 7-UP sign or Coke sign, it’s likely not just for the realism.

Because social media sites involve the user, and because the user is creating much of the content, social media sites are win-win for all involved; the user feels that they are part of the media process, and the site owners have built-in content generators for them, which obviously helps in many different ways.

Social media is not going away any time soon, and will likely just get more and more complex. What social media sites are you on? Let me know–please comment the sites you’re on, and where you see social media going in the next few years. Happy social media-ing!

On Fridays I like to have some fun with the topics that are important to you and to me, namely marketing, web design, content, project management, and the like. Today I thought I would throw up some project management jokes and truisms, as well as some coding, employment, and general work funnies in between. Hope you enjoy them!

Checkpoint Results Defined

Task force to review.
Seven people who are incompetent at their regular jobs have been loaned to the project

Serious but not insurmountable problems.
It’ll take a miracle…

Not well defined at this time.
Nobody’s even thought about it.

Risk is high, but within acceptable ranges of risk
100:1 odds, or with 10 times over budget using 10 times the people we said we’d employ.
Essentially complete
It’s half done.
Employee Appraisal

He has carried out each and every one of his duties to his entire satisfaction.

Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap

This employee should go far – and the sooner he starts, the better.

Technically sound, but socially impossible.
Project Management Proverbs

If at first you don’t succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.

There’s never enough time to do it right first time but there’s always enough time to go back and do it again.

Quantitative project management is for predicting cost and schedule overruns well in advance.

For a project manager overruns are as certain as death and taxes.

Warning: dates in a calendar are closer than they appear to be.

Managing IT people is like herding cats.

Good control reveals problems early – which only means you’ll have longer to worry about them.
Joke

A project manager, a computer programmer and a computer operator are driving down the road when the car they are in gets a flat tire. The three men try to solve the problem.
The project manager said: “Let’s catch a cab and in ten minutes we’ll reach our destination.”

The computer programmer said: “We have here the driver’s guide. I can easily replace the flat tire and continue our drive.”

The computer operator said: “First of all, let’s turn off the engine and turn it on again. Maybe it will fix the problem.”

Suddenly a Microsoft software engineer passed by and said: “Try to close all windows, get off the car, and then get in and try again.”

There are a great many factors and inputs into managing a successful project, none more important than the communication aspect. Without clear, constant, effective communication with all stakeholders–internally and externally, the likelihood of project success will not be very good.

How do you achieve communication success while managing your project?
The first thing you want to do when managing your project, at least from a communications perspective, is draw up the communication plan, even if you’re not going to be sharing it with the project stakeholders in some form or fashion. The plan will help clarify your communication efforts for you; i.e., once you’re in the thick of the project, the communication plan will help ensure that you are getting the right information to the right stakeholders at the right time. The communication plan helps you ensure consistency–you’ll know when you’re to reach out to stakeholders, when they’re to respond back to you, and it will ensure you’re minimizing the opportunity for miscommunication.

While I won’t go into all of the documents that are part of the communication process–the project charter, the milestone chart, the SOW (Statement of Work), the project plan, project schedule, organization chart–these documents will normally be readily available for stakeholders, either on paper (less and less these days), or on a sharepoint site or soft copy somewhere.

Internal Communication
Communication with your project team is critical. Not only is it important to clearly assign what needs to be done, it communicates the WHO that needs to do the work, the With Who (meaning what team members should be coordinating their efforts, including alternative plans if ‘Plan A’ doesn’t work out quite as it should, the main internal project sponsor (likely You, the PM), the HOW–email, daily/weekly meetings, conference calls, etc., and a few other factors intrinsic to executing a successful project.

External Communication
External communication–that is, communication with your client, the project sponsor, and any other project stakeholder who is not part of your internal team, needs to be done consistently (not only in terms of timing but in terms of format–email, hard copy or soft copy, etc, professionally, and as often as needed. As long as external stakeholders believe they are being kept in the loop and appropriately informed of the project’s progress, the project will run smoother and the client will remain happy–given everything else is running smoothly.

I’ll be writing more in the coming months on all aspects of Project Management, but the above communication aspect of projects can’t be overlooked, ignored, or minimized. A project is not a project unless there is communication, and depending on the size of the project, it will be dead in the water unless the flow of communication is consistent, effective, and reaches all stakeholders–internal as well as external.