Often when a product has achieved a market leadership for an extended period of time, complacency can creep into its sense of innovation. Not so with Diskeeper.

Diskeeper® data performance software is the market and technology leader and has been for over a quarter century. In fact, over 90% of all defrag products sold are Diskeeper. It’s on site at more than 90% of all Fortune 1000 companies and over 40 million licenses have been sold. But the product has never stopped being innovated to meet the needs of contemporary business. And Diskeeper 2011 is a new and revolutionary turn of events for any IT manager interested in true efficiency. Why? The answer comes down to a concept: increase efficiency and reduce waste.

Taiichi Ohno, a visionary pioneer in the field of efficiency, defined waste broadly as “any human activity which absorbs resources but creates no value”. This concept, though simple, has had profound repercussions throughout all modern industry. The idea is based on creating a need-driven flow that generates higher effective throughput without the margins of waste typical of industry. Newly released Diskeeper 2011 forwards this spirit of efficiency.

Some legacy habits dictate that defragmentation, (making contiguous files that have been written in pieces and scattered randomly across a disk), be scheduled to occur after hours and without regard to the priority of importance of the files involved. For some, this method is so ingrained that completely obsolete methods of defrag—the freebie built-in for example—have attempted to be used in the corporate environment (which they were never intended for in the first place).

Allowing a system to fragment, is allowing a system to not only absorb resources to do work that has no value, but actually impedes other work from getting done. This is true waste. Worse, attempting to use these antiquated methods will now create human and system resource conflicts and as many IT managers have found they are resource intensive, won’t defrag free space, require administrative time (must be scheduled off production times) and in the end, don’t get the job done anyway.

In contrast, Diskeeper 2011 has evolved the concept of efficiency to maximize system productivity throughput through an entire set of technical innovations:

• Fragmentation prevention through the use of IntelliWrite® technology causes files to be written to disk contiguously up to 85% of the time.
• InvisiTasking® technology ensures zero resource conflicts when defrag is active.
• Instant Defrag™ technology detects and handles immediately the fragmentation of demand-driven files. 
• Efficient Mode handles only what is necessary for optimum efficiency. 

Fragmentation is waste and it is viral, with a long chain of consequences that leads to more work, more frequent system refreshes, and more hours spent for less result. Fragmentation lies at the logical level of every system on every Windows site. Diskeeper 2011 goes beyond defrag and is the only response that actually restores optimum efficiency without costing more. 

For more information about Diskeeper and their products, contact Colleen Toumayan by email at ctoumayan@diskeeper.com or by phone at 800-829-6468 ext. 5305.

AllTop.com, the website containing links to the top five articles from all of the top content sites in every imaginable category across the internet, now lists my BradEgeland.com blog on it's Project Management page.  Interestingly enough that brings to four the total of project management sites listed on AllTop that I am either the sole or primary content provider for.  That's four out of forty-four sites currently listed - or nearly 10%.  Thanks AllTop for listing my site - I am honored and very appreciative of the recognition.

I missed this when it was originally posted earlier this year, but my BradEgeland.com site was named one of the 25 Best Project Management Blogs.  Those of us who write articles on specific areas of our professional expertise plug away writing word after word after word.  It's nice to get the feedback, comments, 'Likes', and retweets, but a specific shout out like this is a nice change of pace as well.  Thank you! 

I know how weird this sounds...please 'like' me!  And now I'm one of them.  I finally have my consulting page up on Facebook and I'm asking people to like it.  Like it.  Such a weird term.  Like it.  But, it is Facebook. And whether or not it's a good business tool...well, I'm not sure yet.  

I'm not excited about how you have to tie a business 'page' to a personal 'account' and if you have multiple 'accounts' Facebook might take everything down including your personal 'account' that may already have hundreds of 'friends.'  Am I getting these terms right?  And out of confusion and not completely understanding the whole Facebook hierarchy, I do, indeed, have two accounts so I need to get rid of one. 

But I digress.  Back to my original topic.  I have finally put up Brad Egeland Consulting as a 'page' on my personal 'account'.  You can get to it at: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brad-Egeland-Consulting/227496983932228


So, could you please take a couple of seconds, click on the link above, and 'like' my consulting page.  It would mean a lot to me.  Thanks!

As a relatively new convert (two years ago) to the world of Mac and all things Apple, I thought this might be a good topic to cover today - especially with all eyes on Steve Jobs and the iCloud announcement.  What is your favorite Apple tool?  I'm finding - based on my own experience - that once you make the move to Apple products, the full conversion is not far behind.  Rarely do you have just one Apple toy.  Get a Macbook or Macbook Pro, and an iPad or iPhone is not far behind.  And for those hardcore Photoshop users and other creative individuals, the iMac has no Windows-based desktop competitor.  Period.

For me, I have a Macbook and an iPhone and basically access to an iPad, though it's really my wife's iPad.  My Macbook is #1 - I use it for everything I do in the world of IT consulting.  My iPhone is a great companion - I use it constantly for email and occasionally for writing professional articles.  I briefly used the iPad but I didn't see the need for it once I had an iPhone in my hand.

As for my wife - the photographer - she simply can't bring herself to rate one above the other.  Ok, she doesn't use her older model Macbook Pro any more but can't bring herself to part with it just yet.  But her iMac, iPhone, and iPad are constant productivity tools for her and each one is used extensively every day.

What about you?  What's your favorite Apple productivity tool in terms of hardware?  Is the new iMac your most used tool?  Are you finding the iPad or new iPad2 to be more useful than you had even hoped it would be?  Are the keys of your Macbook or Macbook Pro nearly worn out from constant use?  Can you not imagine life without your iPhone and how do you use it for business productivity?  Send in your thoughts....

What's your opinion?  Are professional certifications worth it?  I need opinions here, so please respond.  I'll take responses to this post, or you can take the anonymous survey on my website here.

I'm fairly opininated here.  I'm all for getting your project management professional (PMP) certification through PMI, but I also feel that HR departments and hiring managers are lazy and are using it as an easy weed-out requirement, thus excluding qualified and experienced PMs who can manage circles around most PMP candidates.

That said, I also know that there are certifications out there that are essential to your profession.  I'm assuming most networking specialists aren't going to find a job without the proper certification.  Accountants need a CPA to be taken seriously.  Etc., etc.

Let me know about your certifications or lack of.  How you feel about them.  Have they helped your career or do you think they would if you had them?  Which ones are absolutely necessary and which ones are a joke?

Everything is anonymous, but I'll be using this information and possibly anonymous quotes in an upcoming article for Network World.  Thanks in advance!

I will once again have the privilege of attending the annual Black Hat USA conference in Las Vegas as a member of the media.  The good news is that I gain access to a wealth of knowledge and experts at no cost that would otherwise drain me of about $1700.  The bad news is that since I'm an independent consultant, that means that I can't guarantee how much time I'll have to attend the conference and individual briefings.  Last year I was only able to make it for one day - complete with a cool bag and some good food.  I'm definitely hoping for more time and access this time around.  And since my main focus is project management - though I'm not limited to just that - I'll be looking for ways to share what I gain from the conference with other PMs as well as technology professionals who otherwise can't attend.

I ask this a little tongue-in-cheek, but seriously, if you're an independent consultant and you're just doing heads-down work, what's your favorite location?  I have the home office, I've worked from Starbucks, Arby's, McDonald's, pizza places, sitting areas in major Las Vegas hotels during conferences and conventions, airports, and just about any other place you can imagine.  

I'd have to say that my most productive spot is Starbucks.  It probably beats my home office because I don't do it that often and the change of venue is extremely refreshing for me.  Even just leaving the home office from time to time and working out in the front courtyard changes my productivity level.

Of course, if you have to conduct a conference call with a client, then the home office likely wins - it does for me at least.  Walking around outside with a bluetooth headset on is fine for quick calls, but wind, noise and other issues can come up.  There's nothing like going into the office and shutting the door - it gives me the ability to focus 100% on what I'm discussing with the client.

If you're an independent consultant, where's your favorite venue away from your home office?

This article appears on the Project Management Tips site here.

This is a topic I have been thinking about for awhile.  I'm an independent consultant so theoretically, I could manage projects and consult from anywhere.  Being near a major airport is somewhat necessary.  I'm in Las Vegas, so the airport thing is covered.  In fact, it's hard to find a locale with cheaper airfare options than Las Vegas.  

The Local Market

One problem with consulting in Las Vegas is the local economy.  Unemployment is high, businesses are disappearing, and those clients that used to have money to spend are trying to do everything themselves or putting off some needed work.  It's that where everywhere, I realize, but it's fairly pronounced in Las Vegas.  Casinos always have some money to spend, but they're not often the ones that seek out consulting services.

So, your local market becomes a concern no matter what, unless your plate is already full with clients in other locations.  Then, it's just a matter of staying close to an airport you utilize regularly.

If my wife had her preference, I'd probably be consulting from Maui.  We use to live in Iowa and she told me that was as far north as she wanted live.  And we'd generally like to remain in the US, so that limits me to the southern states, but we'd probably go wherever for the right situation.  Likewise, I'd stop consulting for the right situation, too.  Just today I was on a call with an organization in New York.  What I didn't immediately realize was that the job would actually be in New York, not remote with travel.  New York is not in our relocation plans right now so that one wasn't going to work.

Warm Weather!

I'm with my wife - if I have a choice - which I currently do, warm weather is the way to go.  I lived in Iowa for 40 years.  Enough snow and rain to last a couple of lifetimes.  I love the weather in Las Vegas - even when the temperature reaches 110-115˚ in July and August since it's only for two months.  

Once you're set up with a remote office, flexible software like Seavus' Project Viewer or similar tool - either desktop or web-based, and a cell plan that covers everything, you can truly go just about anywhere if you can survive the moving process!

The only weather that both my wife and I like better right now is the San Diego or Orange County climate (we're Disney fans and have small children).  Anyone in San Diego or Los Angeles in need of an experienced Project Manager/IT Consultant/Business Strategistic with an  entrepreneurial flair?  

What's Your Ideal Locale?

It's your turn to chime in now.  What's your ideal work location?  Right where you are?  If so, tell me why.  If not, where would you like to call your business home if you had your choice of anywhere...and why?  What's stopping you?  Let me know....send a comment to this article.  Thanks!

I originally wrote this article for the Projects @ Work website.  To view the original article, go here.


You’re a successful project manager or have a strong desire to become one (why else would you be visiting this site).  Therefore you fully understand that no two projects are the same and no two customers are the same.

 If you have considerable PM experience, then you learned long ago that it takes far more than consistent paperwork to make a demanding customer happy.  You certainly have to do the basics….  Communicate well, deliver timely reports and updated schedules, track issues, and manage the budget, but if you’re not a people person then somewhere along the way you’re likely to lose a customer…or at least make them unhappy or uncomfortable.

Three Needy Clients

Not all customers need coddling and constant stroking, but there are some out there that do.  Unfortunately, many times those just happen to be the largest customers.  In my recent career, I’ve had three customers on large software implementations who demanded most of my time and energy while I was running their projects (I was not the PM on the customer side – I was on the vendor side).  Each of those projects was going well and I was communicating everything to them on a regular basis.  Weekly I was:
 

• Delivering a revised project schedule (more often if changes necessitated it)
• Delivering a detailed weekly status report
• Delivering detailed budget and financial forecast information for the project
• Delivering revised issues and risks lists
• Conducting formal weekly status meetings that included my entire team and whoever the customer wanted to bring with them

However, they never seemed to be truly happy.  One felt that too much was being asked of them and they weren’t getting enough out of my team.  The exploration process of further defining detailed requirements and performing what we called ‘gap analysis’ was dragging on.  It turned out this was because Sales had failed to explain many upfront details with the customer resulting in expectations that were out of whack with reality.  We spent much of the exploration phase and the beginning of the design phase working on resetting those expectations and gathering the ‘real’ requirements.

Another customer was certain they had all business processes well laid out in advance to ensure a smooth 90-day implementation.  They had repeatedly told us during our detailed kickoff session how minimal their changes would be to the out-of-the-box functionality that a 90-day implementation was definitely possible – and I believed them.  Due to poorly defined business processes and poorly documented requirements, it became obvious that was not the case and 90 days later I was onsite with my team working through issues and trying to get the project back on track.  It would be yet another 90 days and about $50k before anything was implemented.

The final case involved a small government agency that was actually run by a husband and wife team – probably the quirkiest customer I’ve ever worked with.  You loved them one minute and were very frustrated the next.  They were constantly afraid to spend money on the budget that was laid out for the project so work was frequently halted…meaning all forward progress would halt as well and it’s difficult to continue to keep the project team together when the project stops and starts.

Summary

How do you get around these issues?  The answer is you really don’t.  You can’t eliminate them, that’s for sure.  You can do things to try to avoid them like focus on the key project manager tasks I’ve listed above.  Performing those tasks well will instill customer confidence, ensure that all resources on both teams have as much information as possible to do their jobs and know where things stand, and will help ensure that the scope of the project is managed well resulting in a tighter ship in terms of project timeline and budget.

As PMs, we didn’t get in to this line of work for the easy projects and the easy customers.  Those are boring.  We like challenges – and that means challenging resources to manage, challenging projects and technology to implement, and yes…challenging and quirky customers to manage.  Juggling customer satisfaction, delivery team happiness and focus, and delivery of a solid workable solution that is on-time and on-budget is our main focus and it’s what project management is all about.