workflow: making the tools work for you (ncce 2011)

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J a s o n N e i f f e r C u r r i c u l u m D i r e c t o r , M o n t a n a D i g i t a l A c a d e m y

3 M a r c h 2 0 1 1 N C C E 2 0 1 1 , P o r t l a n d , O r e g o n

About me…

I am not a guru…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/3449574196/sizes/m/

• The Problem • The Complications • The Solution

Agenda

T h e P r o b l e m …

The problem…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kogakure/153741685/sizes/z/in/photostream/

•  “The average ‘knowledge worker’ -- basically, anyone who works on a computer – gets about 93 e-mails a day…”

•  “Because people can be connected 24/7, many of them are.”

Whoa!

“In this breakthrough book, Richard Saul Wurman explains why the information explosion has backfired leaving us stranded between mere facts and real understanding…”

Not new…

1989!

T h e C o m p l i c a t i o n …

http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/authoring_tools3.jpg

http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/authoring_tools3.jpg

“But, if we moved to a Web-based collaboration tool, it'd mean that I and my colleagues would have to keep track of changes on that tool…”

-- Mitch Wagner, Information Week

The core problem…

The lesson?

T h e S o l u t i o n …

Workflow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workflow http://www.ensemble.cms.vt.edu/user-manual/glossary/index.html

“A defined set of development stages applied to a content item…”

“A workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps…”

Create a regular set of steps to process information, content and knowledge…

Goal

1.  Start with one process: develop more over time

2.  Less is more: don’t use four tools when two will accomplish the same task

3.  Review and evaluate: regularly review and evaluate, then eliminate, enhance or modify

4.  Adopt new tools carefully: don’t assume that you need to use EVERYTHING that is cool, nifty or otherwise handy

5.  Don’t follow these rules: ignore the rules if you stumble on something that works better for you!

The rules

You already have a basic set of tools that have adopted and like…

Assumption

M y B a s i c To o l s e t

Capture tool: RSS Reader

Tool organization: XMarks

Capture tool: Dropbox

Capture tool: Evernote

Archiving/Sharing Tool: Delicious Social Bookmarking

Sharing: RSS in WordPress/Moodle

Sharing tool: Shareaholic

Capture/reading tool: Instapaper

Devices: Laptop, desktop, iPad, iPhone

L e t ’s d ev e l o p a w o r k f l ow !

I am a world geography teacher that has a unit for each continent. I am looking for fresh, current content to support my unit on Africa as the textbook is dated and isn’t as engaging as I would like it to be.

Scenario

1. •  Check existing resources •  Consider new topics

2. •  Set up traps for information

3. •  Process collected results

4. •  Archive AND/OR •  Share

5. •  Review

Workflow Process

1. •  Check existing resources (Web Search; Delicious) •  Consider new topics

2. •  Set up traps for information (Google Reader)

3. •  Process collected results (Google Reader)

4. •  Archive (Delicious, Instapaper) AND/OR •  Share (Shareoholic; Delicious RSS Feeds w/WordPress and Moodle)

5. •  Review

Workflow Process With Tools

1. Review

1. Review

2. Set up traps

2. Set up traps

2. Set up traps

2. Set up traps

3. Process Results

4. Archive: Delicious

4. Archive: Instapaper

4. Share: RSS Feeds

4. Share: Shareaholic

4. Share: Shareaholic

•  Too wide a net? Too narrow a net? •  Still useful? •  Capturing too much information for my

current projects? •  Using the right tools? •  Able to process the information?

5. Review

I am a Curriculum Director for an online K-12 program. I am in charge of mentoring students, teachers and site facilitators on various technical processes related to our learning management system, student information system and other assets.

Scenario

1. •  Check existing resources •  Consider new topics

2. •  Set up traps for information

3. •  Process collected results

4. •  Archive AND/OR •  Share

5. •  Review

Workflow Process

1. •  Check existing resources: Site Facilitator/Student/Parent Blog, Moodle (LMS)

2. •  Set up traps for information: Need screen capture software

3. •  Process collected results: Student, parent, teacher or site facilitator asks for

help, I use the screen capture software to create a series of screen shots

4. •  Share: Blogs and Moodle

5. •  Review

Workflow Process

•  Questions: – Time? – Right tools for the job? – More efficient way to do the job?

In review…

Skitch for Mac

Screen Presso for PC

1. •  Establish regular email practice (check email 3

times a day)

2. •  Choose action items: immediate action, short term

action, long term action

3. •  Immediate action: complete, schedule, share

4. •  Short term action: Schedule, archive, share

5. •  Long term action: Schedule, archive, share

Workflow Process: Email

1. •  Establish regular email practice (Gmail; check 3 times a day with weekly

review on Sunday mornings to find lost or forgotten action items)

2. •  Choose action items: immediate action, short term action, long term action

3. •  Immediate action: complete, schedule (Google Calendar, CalenGoo on iPad),

archive (Delicious, InstaPaper, Dropbox) share (Delicious, Shareaholic)

4. •  Short term action: Schedule (Google Calendar, CalenGoo on iPad), archive

(Delicious, InstaPaper, Dropbox), share (Delicious, Sharaholic)

5. •  Long term action: Schedule (Google Calendar, CalenGoo on iPad), archive

(Delicious, InstaPaper, Dropbox), share (Delicious, Sharaholic)

Workflow Process: Email With Tools

•  Dissertation research •  Professional reading •  PLN collaboration/communication •  Fresh content •  Exposure to new ideas and resources •  Complete projects and action items •  Have fun

Tweak for other projects

L o n g - t e r m s t r a t e g i e s

•  Don’t use tools to try to gather all information; use filters to gather only information you think you would use

•  Example: the RSS Feed for the New York Times or even my local newspaper

Less is more…

(Mark Hurst’s Bit Literacy)

“Media Diet”

•  “Rare sources that consistently give useful, relevant information” •  In workflow: tools that are the core tools you use all the time

Stars

•  “Reliably deliver at least some relevant information” •  In workflow: tools that may not be used every day, but so something very well

Scans

•  “Sources good for a targeted, single use” •  In workflow: highly specialized tool that you use for special projects

Targets

•  “Sources that are applying to be in your lineup, but are applying to be there) •  In workflow: new tools form discovery or referral that could end up above

Tryouts

“Weekly review”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/labeteslair/3396433643/sizes/z/

Davis Allen’s Getting Things Done

Timothy Ferriss’s Four Hour Workweek And

Merlin Mann’s Inbox Zero

Limit email/voicemail distractions

David Allen’s Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity …available in print, audio book and via Kindle

Additional Resources

Timothy Ferriss’s The 4-Hour Workweek …available in print, audio book and via Kindle

Additional Resources

Mark Hurst’s Bit Literacy …available in print, audio book and via Kindle

Additional Resources

http://www.lifehacker.com

Additional Resources

http://www.webworkerdaily.com

Additional Resources

Questions?

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