elbowruminations | Graphic Design Trends, Tips and Reviews Graphic Design Trends, Tips and Reviews

While it’s old news now that the advent of iOS 4 brought iphone owners a modern way to organize apps with folders, the practicality of deciding how to group similar apps remains a primitive notion.

The commonly accepted practice remains asking yourself a series of technical questions about the app’s functionality and then grouping them according to purpose. I have been following this procedure since being introduced to folders and it has been fraught with difficulty.

Is the calculator a utility or a productivity tool? Does the address book belong in the reference or social folder? After finally making an educated decision on how best to file an application, I was then faced with the problem of relocating it for use. This wasted valuable time. Time I could be using to abuse bandwidth based billing limits with.

I am happy to report that this issue no longer plagues me! I have a achieved iphone freedom and I have done so using the power of colour.

I found that even when utilizing the correctly named function-based folder structure, I was still reliant most of the time on locating the application by it’s prominent colour scheme. This often proved itself when someone else was using my phone and I would be helping them locate something. I would tell them what it looked like rather than where it lived. I probably couldn’t even tell you the names of my folders for that matter.

The dynamics of this new system is easy. Each folder has a colour. Similarly coloured apps are placed together. Most apps are brand driven which lends itself well to recognition by colour.

If you want to try it, please feel free. All I ask is that you put the seconds you save toward something more meaningful than I do – like talking to someone face to face about something other than this.

There are other services similar to it, LivingSocial and TeamBuy are two others. It seems to fit snuggly into a social buying niche that may start to give consumers more of a say into the prices of products they want or need.

This month’s issue of the Harvard Business Review featured an article on an aspect of Groupon that could be interest to many of the businesses who are considering delving into Groupon as a marketing strategy. Before diving in, it may be of benefit to call a team meeting and explain how the business may benefit from these extreme cost cutting measures. As it turns out, the euphoria that the Groupon-holders experience may be equivalent to the disappointment that employees feel while servicing these bargain-hunters.

Most employees feel a certain level of pride associated with the brand they represent or the level of expertise required to carry out their on-the-job responsibilities and can be easily offended when this offering is sold for next to nothing. It can easily be taken personally – when one is not mindful of the bigger picture.

In addition to the unhappiness employees feel with giving away their product or service, the typically bargain-minded Groupon user can add to the displeasure by showing a lack of etiquette by tipping poorly or being generally un-knowledgeable. This type of behaviour can further enrage the employee – resulting in a less than pleasant experience for all in involved. In fact, research has shown that the level of an Employee’s self reported happiness can directly influence the success or failure of a Groupon promotion.

Seeking your team’s approval for a Groupon promotion may be something to easily overlook. However, training on dealing with difficult customers and buy-in to the bigger picture may be the most important thing you can do to ensure the tidal wave of Grouponers don’t impact the morale of your employees and tarnish the great first impression you are hoping to exhibit.

If you’ve read this blog, you know I rarely rave or try to sell you something. I usually just report the facts, tell you what I think it means and let you decide if the information is useful.

Today I am raving. Sorry in advance.

The Problem

I’ve recently started using 1Password to store all my information. As a freelancer as well as a full-time employee, I have a similar set-up in my home office and at work. I use the same hardware and software, and access the same servers and require the same information from both locations. This information is now available to me anywhere and it’s changed the way I work.

1password Welcome Screen

Previous to using 1Password, I stored hosting information and CMS logins for all my clients, third-party web application passwords, and anything of historical importance in a secret binder locked away in the filing cabinet. To access it was painful, to access it remotely was impossible. I needed a solution.

The solution I was looking for needed to be digital so I could access and copy/paste usernames and passwords quickly. The solution needed to be secure and it needed to be accessible online.

The Solution

1password is a traditional software application for Mac or Windows with browser extensions (and mobile apps). The software is a repository for everything you use online and off. It stores website logins, FTP servers, secure notes, payment information and even software licenses. You can add this information manually or let it capture the information the first time you login to a website. When you need a password, either auto-fill your information in your browser or copy and paste the hidden information from the application itself.

This is not only a solution for daily access issues but it’s also a long term storage application for information you never want to lose. 1password information is encrypted and stored locally. For remote access to your data, you can easily sync with Dropbox which opens up an HTML based interface that is very similar to the look and feel of the application – which is super nice.

At first I was wary about security, but as I considered the digital alternatives to printed information, there were no better options than what I’ve found using this solution. Agile offers another application called Knox – a military grade vault creator which can go the extra mile to alleviate security concerns if you are looking for extra peace of mind. Using the secure password generator that comes with the application to create passwords, is one of the best things you can do to prevent thievery.

Stored Passwords

Browser Extensions/Auto-fill options

The End

1Password has a retail price of $39.95 and gives the option of a free 30 day trial. This is the best investment in software I’ve made in a long time. Knowing I can access the keys to my digital life any time I need them is something I can’t put a price on.

If you have any questions, comment away! Sorry for raving. Goodbye.