Tips For Dealing With Information Overload

Philipp Lenssen over at Google Blogoscoped asked a few people the question “What are your top tips for dealing with information overflow?” Read here what the folks at the top do to stay on top.

A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods

Visual Literacy has something here that I simply do not have the words to describe. See it for yourself and be amazed!

Network Time Protocol

I was researching this when my Windows clock used to reset itself every so often. NTP.org maintains a comprehensive FAQ and HOWTO here.

SequoiaView and TreeMaps

SequoiaView uses the concept of squarified treemaps to present the contents of your computer hard disk in a novel way. Also see the website of their spin-off company MagnaView, which specializes in visualizing huge amounts of data.

ISO 8601: Keeping Track Your Dates

Over the last couple of years, I’ve tended to include a timstamp in filenames in a specific format: like 2008-04-27. This makes files show up in the correct order when sorted alphabetically, unlike the more easily readable 27-Apr-2008 (where, for example, Jan appears after Feb).

Only very recently did I discover that the format of my choice was actually an ISO standard!

Say goodbye to e-mail – wikis are bringing the workplace together

I just ran into this story run by the Globe and Mail buried deep down in my bookmarks. It is an interesting take on how wikis are tending to replace email as a means of group communication and collaboration. As ScrumMaster, I’ve been running my sprints since February using wikis. I find that if used consistently, collaboratively and with discipline, by the entire group, they make for a powerful solution to:

1. Reduce time lost in reading, archiving and tracking emails (wikis provide for pull-style information access whereas I find email a solid push distraction)

2. Effectively track progress and ownership

3. Maintain transparency in the group as well as the organization

Erstwhile wiki hosting service JotSpot is now Google Sites. There are several others out there as well.

Excite and JotSpot founder Joe Kraus maintains an inspiring Google Site here.

Day 122 - The Importance of Networking

_Captain’s Log, StarDate 2007.11.06-21.33_

I’ve been thinking about my experiences at BarCampMontreal3 last weekend, and one of the things that keeps coming back to me is the importance of networking. I realized after attending BCM3 that you can be the best in your line of business/work/study, but it really doesn’t matter unless the people who matter know about it. And in this connected age, the phrase “people who matter” can be shortened to simply “everyone” - because you never know when, and from whom, the next big idea is going to come. The Internet is a great flattener, everybody is equally empowered now.

Thinking about all this also reminded me about a conversation I had with my good friend Ankur a few months back. Ankur has a very active social life, and tries his best to encourage me to have one as well. On that particular day, I was insisting that I have better things to do with my time than to socialize. And he said something that time whose importance was reiterated by my experience at BCM3 - that later in life, you will have even less time to socialize, but the contacts and friendships you make now are going to be there forever.

So I did something about that today…

lifehack.org

Daily digest and pointers on productivity, getting things done and lifehacks

Accomplice

Accomplice is a free, on-and-offline application for personal and project management. The best part is that it can even sync with your PDA!

FranklinCovey - Personal Organization

FranklinCovey claims to “enable greatness in people and organizations everywhere.”