Author Archives: smeade

Small Business CRM Launched

Today we proudly announce the launch of PlaybookIQ, the first software as a service built from the ground up as dedicated Sales Team Collaboration software. With PlaybookIQ, you and your sales team will: 1. Follow Your Sales ProcessAssign a contact to a Playbook, and you’ve automatically ensured it will follow your sales process. Document yourContinue reading “Small Business CRM Launched”

Making a Web App: Part 13 – Designing for Speed

Common application design goals are: Stickiness: To encourage people to stay as long as possible. Personality: To set a mood or personality such as friendly, exciting, young, bold, or reliable. Buzz: To get people to share the site with others. For PlaybookIQ, most of these design goals are important, yet I do not have anyContinue reading “Making a Web App: Part 13 – Designing for Speed”

Apple or Dell 30″ Monitor (subtitled: how the new iMac validates my Dell Decision)

I have been looking at 30” monitors for some time. I feel constrained on the 19” monitor I use and get easily excited by those that report productivity improvements on 30” monitors (even if the productivity benefits are dubious, it can’t hurt). Black or Silver? In reading reviews of the two monitors, several reviewers pointContinue reading “Apple or Dell 30″ Monitor (subtitled: how the new iMac validates my Dell Decision)”

Making of a Web App: Interlude – Importance of a Blog

In Startup Marketing: Big Bang vs. Darwinian Evolution, Dharmesh Shah highlights the importance of getting feedback early in a Darwinian evolution approach compared to the “stealth mode” approach with a big-bang launch. His insights are well stated and recommended reading to show the design and development of a new product should be accompanied by, orContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Interlude – Importance of a Blog”

Making of a Web App: Part 12 – Payment Processing

Most of the Making of a Web App series follows a typical path from idea to implementation. In that path, payment processing and subscription management is one of the last items to be implemented. There is no reason to do it now for PlaybookIQ except that we need subscription (i.e. automatic recurring payment) capability forContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Part 12 – Payment Processing”

Purposefully Limit Subscriber Count: Could This Work?

In “The Innovator’s Dilemma”, _ says that one reason companies loose their leadership position to disruptive competitors is that the established companies base their product designs and strategies on the needs or current customers and existing markets. Disruptive competitors, meanwhile, don’t have long-standing relationships with existing customers upon which to base their decisions and areContinue reading “Purposefully Limit Subscriber Count: Could This Work?”

Making of a Web App: Part 11 – Technical Interlude

For people with an interest in the technical side of the project, here are notes on the configuration of our development, test, and production environments. For those who couldn’t care less if PlaybookIQ is powered by mongrels or mice – don’t run away yet. Later this week, I will have the beginnings of actual productContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Part 11 – Technical Interlude”

Making of a Web App: Part 10 – UI Evolution and Screenshots on Flickr

Making of a Web App is Synap Software’s step-by-step look at designing and developing a web app. In this article I share one iteration of an evolution of web application design layouts for PlaybookIQ. I set up a flickr photostream to show screenshots as they evolved. Read the rest of this blog entry first, andContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Part 10 – UI Evolution and Screenshots on Flickr”

Making of a Web App: Part 11 – Reduce and Refine the UI

Making of a Web App is Synap Software’s step-by-step look at designing and developing a web app. In this article I show an example of reducing and refining an interface. Reduce to: Make it easier for people using the application. Remove unneccessary clutter. Expose the level of development work required. Are the easiest way toContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Part 11 – Reduce and Refine the UI”