Blog & Buzz

User experience is king and less is more
August 9, 2010, 11:58 am - By: Chad Halvorson

Our launch of WhenIWork.com was an exciting milestone for us. We’ve been developing web software for years for our clients, but this is the first app where we concepted, architected, designed, marketed, developed and used what we made.

There is a lot of web based staff scheduling software out there; —way more than I ever thought when we started development. The good news is that 99% of them are pretty much the same. They either use the same “calendar” model for scheduling or they have a host of features that are over complicated and confusing to users—not to mention the data entry required.

Two things trumped all others during our development of When I Work. User experience(UX) and features. We wanted to keep the app lean—only include features that are core to employee scheduling. The more we looked at competition, the more we scaled back. The features that we did included, we wanted to make sure the user experience was as natural as the traditional method of scheduling; —essentially eliminate the learning curve the best we could. Ideally, we wanted the scheduling software’s basic usability to be so intuitive and natural that supplemental features would be easily discovered through standard usage.

Within those two mandates we were driven by two key elements: easy and fast. If we’re going to make employee scheduling easier than the competition, we need to also make it faster than the traditional methods of scheduling.

There are a ton of things our scheduling app does NOT do—and that is what we think makes When I Work better. Our approach to staff scheduling is direct and focused.

Our app does not do forecasting, budgeting, payroll, automatic scheduling, multiple edit views, skills assessment, or any other bloated feature that strays from the task at hand—scheduling shifts for staff.

When I Work is lean and what it does, it does better. Assigning shifts, managing availability, monitoring time-off requests, visualizing the schedule, filling open shifts, covering departments and connecting employees to their schedule is done easily, quickly and most importantly, naturally with When I Work.

Before getting into a sales pitch, i better digress. My point here is to share a couple important considerations when building an app. User experience is king and less is more when it comes to features. I know our app is not the best app in the world, but I like to think we’re on a fast track to becoming the best app for employee scheduling.

Better user experience for web-based employee scheduling
July 26, 2010, 8:23 am - By: Chad Halvorson

ST. PAUL, MN—July 26, 2010—thisCLICKS, LLC pushed a significant update to their web-based employee scheduling app, When I Work.com.

This update allows managers to visualize what positions have been covered for a particular day and see where additional shifts are needed. By clicking on the tabs related to a position, the schedule will illuminate shifts that have been assigned for that position. This saves managers time because they can ensure they have all positions covered in just a few seconds.

“We want the transition from paper or spreadsheet scheduling to web-based scheduling to be seamless and intuitive,” said thisCLICKS CEO, Chad Halvorson. “This latest update accomplishes that with more natural interactions and visualizations that aren’t available with any other scheduling software.”

Other enhancements to the scheduler include: The ability to add custom shifts on the fly and ability to choose the day of the week your schedule starts on. Additionally, user interface enhancements have been made to speed up interactions related to setting the schedule—saving managers time and keeping employees connected.

For employees, a calendar sync option is available to sync their work schedule with their favorite calendar app such as iCal, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar or any other ICS compatible reader.

About When I Work
When I Work.com is an online employee scheduling software that simplifies how managers create and manage the work schedule. Employees connect to their schedule using the web, mobile apps and text messaging.

When I Work is lean and addresses employee scheduling with a very direct and focused approach. Assigning shifts, managing availability, monitoring time-off requests, visualizing the schedule, filling open shifts, covering departments and connecting employees to their schedule is done easily, quickly and most importantly, naturally with When I Work.

For more information about When I Work, visit: http://wheniwork.com

About thisCLICKS LLC
thisCLICKS designs software, apps and websites that meet business objectives on a variety of interactive platforms including: online, desktops, mobile devices, kiosks, touchscreens, notebooks and tablets. thisCLICKS' client base includes leading local, national and international clients across a wide range of industries. In August 2009, thisCLICKS was named among the Best Places to Work in the Twin Cities by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. For more information, visit: http://thisclicks.com

Businesses save time with online scheduling from ‘When I Work.com’
July 20, 2010, 9:06 am - By: Chad Halvorson

ST. PAUL, MN—July 20, 2010—thisCLICKS, LLC today launched When I Work.com—an online employee scheduling software that simplifies how managers create and manage the work schedule. Employees connect to their schedule using the web, mobile apps and text messaging. Employees know when they work with “When I Work”.

When I Work makes scheduling staff easy and fast—and puts each employee’s work schedule in their pocket via their mobile phone. Setup is simple—there’s no software to install. The schedule is created and employees are notified with one click. Schedules, however, can unexpectedly change—and when they do, a manager needs to fill a shift quickly. Employees get an alert by email and/or text message, and the first employee that accepts, fills that shift—saving time and increasing efficiency.

“There’s a new generation of savvy, connected management—and being able to get things done faster and from anywhere is expected.” said thisCLICKS CEO, Chad Halvorson. “A manager should be able notify their employees about a last minute shift without scrambling or wasting time to find a replacement. When I Work can do this in less than 30 seconds.” Chad says. “The workforce is connected too. An employee shouldn’t have to call or stop by on their day off to check the work schedule. That’s an inefficient use of time and an inconvenience for the employee.”

Implementation is easy. Employees get a text message or email from their employer inviting them to set up their When I Work profile and work preferences. Then employees can view their schedule, setup shift reminders, request time-off and pick up last minute shifts—all done online or via free iPhone and Android apps.

“I like getting a text reminder a couple hours before my shift starts,” said Dunn Bros Oakdale employee, Ian LaForge, “Plus, I can check the schedule online or from my phone anytime.”

Dunn Bros Oakdale owner, Carol Trombley, started scheduling with When I Work.com this summer. “It’s a great tool—it takes me less time to create a schedule and employees are setting their availability and making time-off requests online,” said Trombley. She added, “It makes it easy for to me keep track who’s available for a shift and who's not."

For more information about When I Work, visit: http://wheniwork.com

About thisCLICKS LLC
thisCLICKS designs software, apps and websites that meet business objectives on a variety of interactive platforms including: online, desktops, mobile devices, kiosks, touchscreens, notebooks and tablets. thisCLICKS' client base includes leading local, national and international clients across a wide range of industries. In August 2009, thisCLICKS was named among the Best Places to Work in the Twin Cities by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. For more information, visit: http://thisclicks.com

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iPad for Business & Sales
July 3, 2010, 12:50 pm - By: Chad Halvorson

I've been doing some thinking about the iPad and its practicality as a consumer gadget/toy vs. a business and sales tool. I'm sure history will bite me in the ass for saying anything bad about the iPad, but it's not a very practical consumer device...yet. I have no doubt that it will evolve and become a staple in modern lifestyle, but right now it solves more immediate business problems than it does for an average consumer.

By the way, I just spent the weekend trying to find a retailer that had 32GB iPads in stock and came up empty handed, so what do I know.

Unlike for the average consumer, the iPad solves an immediate problem for business and sales people. The majority of our clients' sales force are using one of two things that communicate their products features and benefits:

1. Showing videos, images, animation or slides on a dinky iPhone, G1, Droid or other mobile screens.


2. Lugging around a laptop, air card, power supply, case, etc. to show the same content.

Enter iPad. A device that allows sales reps to more easily navigate and visualize their products "bennys". This is now—this makes the sales process easier and more effective than what current devices offer.

Most of the sales content is fairly simple: playback a few video clips, show an animation, show key data and images. This is baby talk for the iPad. Presenting sales materials on an iPad is leaps and bounds more effective than on a small mobile device—plus it's more portable and instant then using a laptop.

Aside from the practicalities that go with using the iPad for business and sales, the "cool" and "its the new Apple product so I have to have it" paradigm is an effective motivator as well. Months before the iPad even came out our clients were evaluating how they could use it for sales and at trade shows. The iPad Kiosk has been a popular idea. Think about it, it's portable and cheaper than buying a 100 pound monster.

With all the business buzz surrounding the iPad, I don't think it will take long before there is an iPad mandate among companies to utilize this platform for sales and marketing purposes. Which is unprecedented considering that businesses usually hold out for quite a while before adopting new technology. I think we were still getting requests for VHS duplication up until a few years ago. Event and trade show materials just started being produced in HD in 2006-07. Not to mention that no one is requesting blu-ray for their video programs yet—still DVD.

Yes, this iPad thing is going to be big. I can't wait to see competing products that rival the iPad. I'm excited to be a part of the movement with a front row seat.

Pitching Your Design
March 3, 2010, 1:17 pm - By: Chad Halvorson

We've all seen the online comics about web design. (photo credit) They usually tell the same story; —web designer creates a design, client makes a ton of changes and thus "ruins" your design. While the common theme portrays the web designer as the victim, if objective strategies were applied to the presentation of the design, the outcome would most likely be very different.

The nature of client feedback can be shaped based on how the creative is "sold" to the client. As the designer, you've already sold it to yourself (over and over again). Here are few strategies for "selling your web design ideas".

Present the ideas/designs, don't send a link. Schedule a meeting to present your design, preferably in person. If not in person, then through a NetMeeting session or some other desktop sharing meeting service. The goal is for the designer / creative director to be the gatekeeper of the artwork until it has been properly presented. DON'T EVER send a link or JPG for initial review of creative. There are some exceptions to this, but generally you always want to present the creative.

Tell a story / paint a picture. You've put a lot of thought into the creative and your client has hired you for your expertise. Tell a story with your designs. Start with the homepage, discuss why you've chosen the layout and interaction model and how it works well with the interior pages. Keep your points matter-of-fact. The goal here is to show that you've thought about the entire user experience as a whole and based your creative decisions on the business objectives of the client.

Don't leave your creative decisions to interpretation. Even though you've made decisions based on creative instinct or "just because it looks good", don't leave the method to your madness open to interpretation. Have a game plan. You've made hundreds of decisions during the design process, many of them subconsciously; —defend them objectively.

Be objective even though creativity is typically subjective. Use your noggin, you have experience, you know what works and what doesn't, you know how to use colors to convey different moods, you know about typography, etc. There is always some level of objectivity behind good design.

WhoMadeThatWebsite.com & IWorkedOn.com
February 2, 2010, 6:40 pm - By: Chad Halvorson

2 months after we released: www.whomadethatwebsite.com

We get answered back with: http://www.iworkedon.com/

That's pretty cool! The more exposure for designers and devs the better. Now you can take credit for your work in two places. Good work "I Worked on" guys! Our two sites parallel nicely i reckon.

New Decade, New Stuff.
January 7, 2010, 10:09 am - By: Chad Halvorson

So what is the next ten years going to bring to interactive technology and gadgets. Here are a few of my thoughts on what's going to gain momentum over the next decade.

1. Overall, broadcast and entertainment will evolve the most. Now that we've finally gotten passed the digital television hurdle in 09, we can finally start focusing on what we can do with this new protocol that took 5 years to get everyone transitioned too.



2. All TVs will come stock with DLNA clients. This will probably happen inside 5 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Living_Network_Alliance



3. Television in general will start to transition to non-linear scheduling. Broadcast media will be made on-demand but it's availability will of course still be scheduled.



4. Internet connectivity to your new gadget will be standard. This has already started to take place with devices such as the Kindle via the "Amazon Whispernet". Connectivity is going to become an after thought and expected with every new gadget and gizmo.



5. Throw away single function gadgets. One function gadgets will be cheaper and already be connected out of the box. You'll be able to buy a cheap flip phone that uploads or streams directly to YouTube. Or get a mobile device just for posting Twitter updates, or Facebook updates. (I think there already is one out for Twitter, I just think they are going to get more trendy, cheaper and run rampant as more social media outlets emerge)



6. Free internet. Access to the internet will finally be available for free via some (slow) wireless connectivity, probably the old television spectrum that we finally let go of in 09. If you want a decent speed, you'll still need to fork it over to Comcast or equivalent in your area.



7. The Linux market share will go up. Probably not much, but with so many netbooks floating around now, and new simple devices yet to come, plus the tech savvy generation, Linux use is bound to increase.



8. Home Media Servers. More homes are going to be equipped with large storage devices for managing terabytes of movies, home videos, photos, etc. If a household has two desktops, three laptops, a PS3, xBox, and a DLNA compatible TV, there is definitely going to be a need to central storage via a home network. This reminds me of Microsoft's book, "Mommy Why is There a Server in the House"



9. Internet enabled cars. Like the Kindle, car makers are going to sell their products with internet connectivity standard. Sync music and video wirelessly from your PC to your car's media player, stream movies to the back seat for kids, get reviews on restaurants around your GPS location, traffic stats, weather, etc. I know you CAN do some of this now.



10. Mobile devices are going to replace your keychain and wallet. Your mobile device will unlock your car, start your car, open your garage, arm your home security system, unlock your door, pay your bills, pay at vending machines, pay for groceries, pay for gas, etc. Payments in general will go wireless via your mobile device. For example: squareup.com

Permalink: New Decade, New Stuff.

Who Made That Website?
December 17, 2009, 10:53 am - By: Chad Halvorson

We're officially launching our latest web application, whomadethatwebsite.com (WMTW). The concept is simple, find out who made a website. The idea is for web designers and developers to create a profile and list all the websites they've played a role in creating. Oh, and it's totally free!

How often does a new client choose a web designer or agency because they like a website they created? WMTW gets clients in touch with the creator of their favorite websites. WMTW is a simple and free way for designers and developers to take credit for their work.

The intent of WMTW is not to be a central hub for finding web designers, but rather a portal for search engines, such as Google, to index everybody's profile of websites. This should attract visitors coming from search engines who seek out phrases related to "who made greatwebsite.com".

Initially all listings will be entirely free, however, we plan to roll out a "Featured" option for designers and developers to get their listings showcased on the homepage along with a thumbnail. For now, however, we plan to feature websites randomly until the demand for featured listings increases.

So go check it out. Create an account and start taking credit for your work!

http://www.whomadethatwebsite.com

Switching To TextMate
December 11, 2009, 12:11 pm - By: Wil Chow

Last month, I made the switch from Dreamweaver to TextMate as my primary text editor. I have been using Dreamweaver for years mainly because it is the editor that comes with the Adobe suite. The problem with Dreamweaver is that it is so packed with features it can be slow at times. TextMate on the other hand is light and fast. This is not to say it lacks features. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Among them are snippet support, code collapsing, auto-pairing brackets and characters. That is just scratching the surface. If you are a shortcut ninja, you will love TextMate. There are shortcuts for everything. Rapid development is what TextMate is all about.

Backing up Lots of Data Remotely
December 10, 2009, 1:54 pm - By: Chad Halvorson

Recently we started backing up a few of our workstations using BackBlaze. So far it works great; it consistently backs up all our project files to a nice, cozy off-site location.

Our company file server is another story. We produce a lot of video programs, website designs, code, graphics, animations, etc. So our storage needs are huge. With our file server being Linux, finding an off-site backup service that didn't break the bank was virtually impossible.

At this point we have roughly 3TB of data on our file server. We needed a way to get this data backed up to a safe location in an automated, daily fashion.

Weighing all our options we chose to build a second Linux file server and run it at a different location. After that it was fairly straight forward. We used "rsync", a free Linux based remote file copying tool.

Configuration took some thought. We chose to sync all files 3GB or less to the remote server. That would cover all project files and assets, however, most rendered and finalized videos would be left out. We were OK with that since all final renders and videos are backed up to disc and/or tape any way.

The initial backup took the longest. We closely monitored progress over the course of about 5 days. Yup, it only took 5 days to backup just under 3TB over a 10Mbit upload connection.

So far the results have been great. The servers sync every night, updating modified files, backing up new files and removing deleted files. The whole process now only takes 30 -60 minutes each day depending on how much data we transferred that day.

The upfront cost comes with the purchase of the second server. Ongoing costs are negligible; —additional storage when needed, broadband internet connections at each location, etc.