Evernote + WORKetc = Less Errggghhh … plus looking for a technical writer

Debugging our iPhone App with Evernote

At WORK[etc] we have an informal policy of always using images to describe bugs and user interface issues.  Obviously a picture is worth a thousand words but more importantly with a few simple tools a picture can be quickly marked up with notes further describing the problem and proposed solution.  This ensures everyone is talking about the same issue and there can be no confusion (if you have worked with our customer support guys, you would have likely received a request to provide a screen grab or join in on a screen-sharing session).

Except debugging the WORK[etc] Mobile CSS (soon to be Android & iOS) quickly became a major chore:

1. Find a bug on the iPhone.  Normally you’ll identify several bugs in a single screen.
2. Screen snap each issue on iPhone (hold down on/off and main button for a few seconds)
3. Email those images to my laptop
4. Open up each image inside of email and import into Snagit
5. Try and remember what issue each image related to.
6. Write notes for each image
7. Create To-Do’s under the “Debug Mobile App” project in WORK[etc]

Obviously a really slow and convoluted process resulting in frequent eeerrrghhhhhhh*moments. Complaining about this to the team resulted in a reminder about how I’m always telling everyone that we always try to use WORK[etc] to manage WORK[etc] … and why wasn’t I using our new Evernote integration to improve the process.   Uhm, good question.  So my seven step process (above) is now:

1. Find a bug on the iPhone.
2. Screen snap an issue
3. Note the issue and attach the image on the Evernote iPhone app  (using #ToDo tag to auto create WORK[etc] To Do’s inside of Evernote)
4. Sync Evernote to WORK[etc]

I now have fewer steps in the process and less work in each step.  Plus we’re now using WORK[etc] in a better way to manage our own systems and process.  Read our original Evernote + WORK[etc] announcement for ideas on how you might use this integration in your own workflows.

Creative Technical Writer… position available.

We have a full time position coming up for a creative technical writer.  This is a very creative position in that we’re looking for someone that can bring context and story telling skills to writing technical manuals.  I believe it isn’t just enough to explain how to use a feature, but rather the value is in explaining why and when to use a feature and what the benefits are in doing so.

The position is full time, 40hrs per week, remote (telecommute) and will involve producing a comprehensive product manual, best practice guides, product brochure, company manual and playing a big part in our community forums.

Long time readers of this blog know that I have a huge preference for hiring WORK[etc] customers, so please send me an email if interested.

4903 Questions to buy a CRM … seriously…

From time to time we get sent Requests for Proposal (RFP’s).  Mostly I think they’re sent to us because someone confused WORK[etc] with Sage or Oracle or some other Big Tech. Or because someone has been told to go and get 17 quotes for a system.

We never respond because a) it is a massive amount of work and b) companies that issue RFP’s are not normally our target market.  But I do make a point of always reading them as they can offer insight into what businesses are looking for.  Except I didn’t read much of this latest RFP; containing a grand total of 4903 rows of required answers(!)

Imagine the work this firm would then need to do in order to rate and review any responses… this brings new meaning to having an eeerrrghhhhhhh* moment.

What we’re working on…

• Debugging WORK[etc] Mobile CSS
• Debugging recurring tasks
• Debugging Google Docs Integration

It should be a huge few weeks for announcements as these projects make their way through to release…

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*erggghhhhh:

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, road warrior or terminal over-achiever like myself then you already know the “errrghhhh” feeling.  That feeling you get when you’re trying to do great work and something just isn’t flowing with your systems or processes.

This frustration gets in the way of the important stuff as you find yourself needlessly clicking around, double entering data or fumbling about looking for that all important email.
 
I know this all too well and creating WORK[etc] is an ongoing experiment into eliminating the errgghhhh.
 
But it goes beyond this.  We actually use WORK[etc] to manage WORK[etc].  You can read how we uncover then solve errrgghhhh moments daily in our own product.  More Work, Less Errgghhh for everyone.

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