Productivity Nirvana

by CHRIS RIVARD :: OCT 3, 2008 :: COMMENTS (0)

In running a small consultancy, I'm always looking for ways for everyone to communicate more effectively, use our time more efficiently and just reduce the mental energy and frustration that we all expend on 'preparing' to get work done. Our team has been expanding both in number and in geography and the importance of keeping projects organized and communication streamlined has become a major issue in a very short time.

I've been thinking more and more lately that if the tools we're using are properly chosen, maintained and used effectively, it makes us all happier, more satisfied in our work and better at what we do. Which is what everyone wants, right? The virtuoso in any field is not encumbered by the tools, but just executes.

In working with new members of our team in Austin, we recently ran into the simple, yet complicated issue of scheduling through a shared calendar and having the ability to see blocked and available time for everyone on the team.

This certainly is straightforward requirement for anyone in business, more so if the team is geographically dispersed. It turned out to be quite a problem.

Clearwired is a Mac shop and we have been for quite some time, but out of the box, iCal does not support calendar sharing. A CalDav server is required to be running. After researching the options for getting CalDav up and running, I was shocked that such a necessary tool is not available out of the box on the Mac. This is one of the many shortcomings that I have been encountering as we set about to streamline our operations and where I have been disappointed at the lack of business support on the Mac.

Without droning on about Spanning Sync, BusySync, Daylite, etc. All of which we have used at some point in time, as fully invested solutions or complicated, error-prone workarounds, we have settled upon Zimbra Collaboration Suite.

It's been three weeks now, and so far so good. It does not solve our CRM needs (future post coming on that topic), but it certainly has taken the pain out of coordinating calls and meetings, email management and of course "light" document sharing. We have run into some annoyances, namely the issue of not being able to email or upload any files with the .plist extension (Pages, Numbers, Omnigraffle files). All file types using property lists must be zipped prior to uploading or attaching. I do not necessarily pin this on Zimbra, but more on Apple for building a productivity suite that is not compatible with the rest of the planet.

One bonus of using Zimbra, which is running Exchange server, is that I am now using the new Nokia Mail for Exchange s60 app to keep contacts, schedule, email and tasks synced between Zimbra and my Nokia e71. And this has been absolute productivity nirvana.

I'm always interested in hearing how others are solving these issues, if you have solutions that work for you, spill the beans.

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