Entries tagged "managing projects"
Maintaining a List of Blog Entries
When starting this blog, my goal was to release content regularly—at least once per week. Taking too long of a break would likely wreak havoc on my motivation for blogging. This isn't the first personal project I've tried starting after all. To stay focused, I needed a steady stream of ideas. Unfortunately, those ideas don't always flow when needed. They tend to crop up (and quickly disappear) when doing something other than writing for the blog. That's where tracking those thoughts is handy. [Continue reading]
Attaching Helper Files to Outlook Notifications
Some tasks are easier to accomplish when additional resources are readily available. When creating quarterly reports, the previous report would make a handy template. For events held annually, samples from last year's social media campaign could be included. Basically, if files are needed, they can be attached to the corresponding calendar entry in Microsoft Outlook. Then we don't need to hunt down a bunch of files when under pressure to complete the task. [Continue reading]
Keep Up with Deadlines by Using Microsoft Outlook’s Notifications Feature
When maintaining websites, there are bound to be tasks which need babysitting. Online registration forms, for example, need to be disabled after the registration deadline. If the person responsible for removing the form gets busy, they may forget all about the form. Instead, let's look at utilizing Microsoft Outlook to send notifications about tasks.
Archiving Old Code after Major Updates
After making major changes to a web page what do you do with the previous version? You could toss the old code since it's unlikely to be needed again. However, that time may come. Perhaps someone discovers a critical bug that slipped through the cracks. Until fixed, it may be beneficial to revert back to a fully-functional version. With that in mind, let's take a look at archiving. [Continue reading]
Making Website Changes on a Copy of a File Instead of the Original
When making major changes to a website, working on the "live" version of the file may be problematic. For example, if you've been performing updates for a while only to discover that you're heading in the wrong direction. Having the original file provides a safeguard in case there's a need to go back to the drawing board. The original file is also useful for making those quick updates which crop up before the larger renovations are done. So let's look into duplicating pages for updates. [Continue reading]
Why You Should Utilize Separate Accounts when Managing Multiple Websites
When setting up accounts for your job with services like web hosting, Google Analytics, etc., don't be tempted by the "it will be convenient for me now" argument. If you manage multiple websites, it may be easier to have all your Google Analytics reports under one Google account for example, but what if you need to split those websites up for some reason? If another developer takes over a website, will it be easy to turn over the keys? As in turning over the source files and account information…not emotionally. For that, you might need counseling. [Continue reading]
Avoid Getting Overwhelmed by Initial Client Requests
Early in my career I used to get a little overwhelmed by requests like "Can you create a new website and have it online by the end of the week?" My mind would race with everything that needed to be done to create the website. I would need to mockup a design; get it approved; build a template based on the mockup; work with the client on the content; populate the template; etc… On top of that, I still need to develop for and maintain all of our other websites. [Continue reading]
