Project Manager, Web Technologies – Madrid

Those of us in the business of managing Web projects don’t only have to be aware of current trends and best practices, we also have to make sure we’re using the best-in-class Web-based tools to help manage each element of the service we deliver. Whether the project is long or short, for a big-budget multinational or for a shoestring start-up, from the first sales call to the final invoice we need to be demonstrating how the Web can be used at its best. It’s tempting to think we can do a better job of these applications ourselves but apart from the obvious peace of mind that comes from not having to worry about the details (hosting, features, maintenance…) they really can free us to be much more creative on our client work. I’ve also reused many of their ideas in my own projects.

This is not a review. It’s just a list (no affiliate links) of some of the tools I use with clients and suppliers and why I like using them but I’m always on the lookout for other options so please let me know if you can recommend any others (no affiliate links, please). The tools themselves are not secrets of course, but how you use them, how you mix and match them to fit the project and how you integrate them together is something of an art so each project manager has an individual style. The tools become “secret weapons” when they’re used well and used appropriately. Sometimes a project doesn’t need any tools other than e-mail and telephone and so if nobody is using a tool just drop it – some clients are just not ready to have a “good thing” forced down their throats.

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Learning inbound marketing is like growing up. We need to learn to stop shouting (controlling, manipulating, dictating…) and start listening. The thing is, when we finally do stop shouting and start listening we often find ourselves having to listen to a whole load of crap. This is the crucial moment that decides the difference between the mature inbound mindset and the more narcissistic mindset that dominates traditional approaches to marketing. (Sorry, did I just hit a nerve?) It demands a considerable amount of self knowledge and awareness.

Consumers and businesses are just not prepared to be talked at in the same ways anymore. They don’t get their trusted information via so-called personalised mailings anymore; anything that arrives in the inbox is viewed with suspicion. They get their trusted information via Google and judge a company not just by the image they try to portray but increasingly also by the things other people are saying around the Web. If they can’t find any real comments from users then it’s viewed with suspicion. If all the comments they can find are positive then again it’s viewed with suspicion. It’s one thing to read a calm and professional response to well written constructive feedback from a dissasified customer, but a friendly and authentic response to a poorly written remark from some bad-mouthing tosser gets double points; for displaying a willingness to engage and for demonstrating human intelligence. This is what sticks in the mind and inspires confidence – the belief that you’re dealing with a company that can take criticism and turn it into an opportunity to build trust.

People have been making comments on products & services for decades through forums, newsgroups and the like. But it’s has always been a bit disorganised and unstructured. Now, Web sites such as GetSatisfaction, Yelp and 11870 in Spain are mobilising hoards of users very successfully without the consent or even the knowledge of the companies being reviewed. Now we have to get out there and get involved in the interaction - our online reputation depends on it.

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The issues of cloud/SaaS security have been on my mind since the late 90s when I was working on my first global intranet/extranet project. Personally, I’ve never been terribly concerned with the more lower level technical details of network architecture, transport protocols or with tedious policy writing; you need good security experts to cover these areas properly. I’ve always been drawn to the more forgivably human downsides to the whole SaaS/Cloud concept like this one; how on earth do you prevent password sharing? I’ve been thinking that the solution may be so obvious, so ubiquitous, that it’s just difficult to see past our own fears:

What if we could improve the security of our cloud-based applications by handing over our authentication processes to the social media networks?

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