On Wednesday, there was buzz about both how quickly the administration turned on new websites and the accessible features found on them. Today I want to look into one resource that likely helped guide this process from the USDS, the Digital Services Playbook. This guide builds on best practices from both government and private business. […]
Notebook
Editing Documentation, marking simple changes
Documentation written primarily for your own use is challenging for multiple reasons. Because no one will ever see it, do you care about creating a consistent method for writing and editing? Yes. A simple formula to follow will help lower the friction to creating it in the first place. After it’s written, this text is […]
3 questions I ask when planning in uncertainty
I know you’re bombarded with tips that claim to unlock the one perfect way to work right now, I am too. Those articles and social media posts make it challenging for me to write about the topic. I cry BS on the snake oil cures of productivity. Life (and work) is a process, a journey […]
zero budget website, intro to options
A client recently asked me for advice about a problem a nonprofit organization she volunteered with needed to solve. The free platform they had used to host their website for the past decade was being shut down. They didn’t have any budget; did they have any options? Would they need to register a domain name […]
Finding it Later, Analog Edition
It’s not challenging to write documentation; the key is to be able to find it when you need it. If you’re writing and storing all your notes in digital format your needs will be different than those kept primarily on paper. This post will discuss some ways to organize those analog notes. I keep some […]
3 things to do when planning in uncertainty
Planning in uncertainty is a challenge I don’t enjoy facing. There are things I’ve learned to do to help me create a path forward when faced with multiple unknowns. Here is what I do to help me from feeling overwhelmed as I try to think beyond the immediate moment. These actions all take about an […]
What do you need to solve?
I understand the allure of wanting a new magical tool when times aren’t great. A new thing can often help begin a new habit, but is it really solving the actual need? Let’s look at the worksheets I’m slowly writing. Could new software and tech help me to do it faster? That’s what marketing would […]
Notes to Self
The words we choose can cause a concept to be embraced or scorned. There’s inevitably a look that appears in clients eyes when I bring up the topic of creating documentation for day-to-day tasks. I hear comments that range from, “It’s a waste of time” to “I (or my employees) know what to do, it’s […]
The Small Tasks
When the world, especially the world of my small business, feels overwhelmed by chaos I choose to focus small. It’s not a narrowing focus to the exclusion of the big picture. It’s a reminder that if I plan and work on a small task it proves there is one little thing I can control. This […]
Book Review Roundup: Accessibility, Usability, and Experience
I read voraciously on a wide range of topics. I like to search out books that help me enhance my knowledge, as well as titles that are useful for my clients. Over the past few months, I’ve focused on accessibility, usability, and experience. I’ve looked to gain a better understanding as to the definition of […]