WORK[etc] Web App Blog

The Simon Cowell-Inspired Interface Makeover - Preview Invites Available.

11
Jul
Posted by Daniel Barnett Wed, 11 Jul '12 @ 5:37 PM
Everything we know about interface makeovers we've picked up from Simon Cowell.

Take the before and after picture just to your left. Whereas once we too were scruffy hair, all smiles and a bit on the plodgey side, WORK[etc] is now clean shaven, wrinkle-free and all about getting down to business.

It is an amazing transformation (both Simon's and our own) and we're about to roll it out.

Register for your preview invite here.

Originally we wanted to run this beta launch like Googles Apps does so well - an extended period of review whereby users can simply flick between the old version and the new.  But unfortunately some changes have required a database update meaning the Google approach isn't possible.  Ergo once you are upgraded to the new interface, there is no going back.

This probably sounds scarier than it is.  Mostly the new interface is a re-skin, a bit of cosmetic surgery and a new wardrobe.  Ninety-nine percent of everything works the same as before - it just looks one hundred times better.

Oh - and as an added bonus we're throwing in a new feature; custom statuses for both projects and support cases (more on these below).

Full Screen Previews

Click each of the thumbnails below to view full-size preview.

Contact Listing with Custom Field Groups

Project Detail showing new Project Stage Groups

Sales Lead Management

Support Cases with Custom Status

Sign up for the beta:


You can sign up for the beta right here, right now.

Custom Project Stages & Support Statuses


With this release also comes the launch of custom status for both projects and support cases.  If you think about how sales leads progress through the custom stages you define in WORK[etc], the new Project and Support statuses work exactly the same.

For example, the company below has modified the Standard Support Case Status's to include "Urgent", "Super Super Urgent" and "Leave Until Last"

Custom Support Status

And then inside of Projects we take this concept a step further by creating custom "Stages" and organizing these into "Groups of Stages" with a completion percentage attached. 

To explain this further, lets' use the example of building a really simple house that consists of floors, walls and a roof.  A floor, wall and roof all require the same process.  Material needs to be ordered, labourers' assign to build, painters need to paint the roof and someone needs to inspect the result:
  • Floors:
    1. materials on site: 0 - 5% complete
    2. labourers building: 6% - 70% complete
    3. painters on site: 70% - 95% complete
    4. inspection: 95% - 99%
    5. completion: 100%
  • Walls:
    1. materials on site: 0 - 5% complete
    2. labourers building: 6% - 70% complete
    3. painters on site: 70% - 95% complete
    4. inspection: 95% - 99%
    5. completion: 100%
  • And so on...

With the Project Stage Groups, you assign the same group to each major sub project and then work through the same process.  The benefits of this approach are:

    1. Standardization of process.  Regardless of what business you're in, you can create groups re-usable project stages and apply them to new projects or sub projects as you need.
    2. Efficiencies.  Setting up and managing new projects is significantly faster when using pre-defined project stages, rather than manually setting up each stage every time.
    3. Estimation Accuracy.  This part will come a little later, but when using Project Stage Groups, we'll be able to use that data to show more accuration project progress data.

This little enhancement may at first seem inconsequential, but in reality is the critical first step on the way to building out the ultimate resource allocation and project planning tool.  We need the standardization of information this brings in order to accurately present resource utilization across projects and the entire organization.

WORK @ WORK[etc]

We have two more positions we need to fill over the next few months.

Firstly, we have a customer support role for the East Coast of the USA (or similar time zone).  Read about how we've decided to technical support different.

Secondly, we have an interesting role for a full time content person.  The role revolves around understanding WORK[etc] from a customer perspective and writing engaging case studies, producing "best practices" videos for a particular industry and then pushing this content out through social media channels.  Read more:  Content Producer & Social Media

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