New Blog

Starting a new blog for the why what and how of specifying - http://aecspecs.blogspot.com.

Stay tuned here also, for more notes from educational programs and occasional off-topic posts.

Windows Phone 8 comparative analysis

Windows Phone 8 comparative analysis

If you are into using many many apps, iPhone is still way ahead of WP8

Over a long time this will change, but at least for now, there is still quite a void of solid and useful apps for Windows Phone. I could not find anything good for DropBox, simple text note syncing like PlainText, and the Facebook for Windows Phone is not nearly as good as iPhone's FB app. Notifications are not reliable - I can have 20 notifications on the real site and they don't show up in the app. It is just hard to use in general. For specialty apps, like the Cyclemeter that is available for IOS, there is nothing even close to that level of sophistication on Windows Phone, though several have similar names and functions.

GPS

Nokia's built-in GPS app on my Verizon work cell was OK, had turn-by-turn built in. It often seemed to forget the route because there is no semblance of multitasking. On my wife's HTC 8X on AT&T it is extortion to get a real turn-by-turn GPS and the silent 2D stuff on it is crap. After a long time a Waze app came out, but with no the 8X there is no expandable memory so she's currently hesitating to add a 27 MB app. It will be worth it, just need to use SkyDrive for all it is worth sync'ing photos and just delete them from the phone often.

Live Tiles

I do like the Live Tiles. I have a lot to figure out about how I want to place mine. After you accumulate enough apps, in the full list of apps to the right, it shows all the letters of the alphabet, allowing you to quickly navigate to your apps that you don't use frequently enough to warrant using space on the Start Page. There are only a couple reasons that matters -- how far you have to scroll to get stuff at the bottom (it goes to the top of the Start Page whenever you tap the Start Key, or turn the device on), and when you pin something new to the Start Page, how far you have to drag it up to go where you want it, since tiles always land at the bottom of the Start Page at first.

It is phenomenal to be able to pin to start custom live tiles of mutiple email inboxes, even down to the folder level! Makes it easy to keep up with my favorite discussion forums, having them filtered by gmail to go into a subfolder.

1st phone was locking up A LOT, got it replaced

UPDATE: No more locking up after I got the phone replaced!
---
It has locked up about 7 or 8 times, especially in the first couple of days. The first time was the first morning I took it off the charger and went to use it. It seems to happen 2 to 3 times some days. I've been lucky the past two days though now! Nokia's answer is long press the power button but this does no good if it is truly locked up. I long pressed several times to no avail. Then they say to remove and reinsert the battery if nothing else will work. This is the only way I could get it to work. So if the phone locks up and I don't know it, I will be missing calls, messages, reminders, everything until I notice, and take the battery out and reboot. The documentation does not say whether it is possible to physically soft-reset the phone like older Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices with a stylus, though there is a teeny tiny hole top left but I'm not sticking a pin in it unless the User Guide says to!  Now that it is not happening so much maybe it is starting to calm down. I don't know if I should ask for a new one or just deal with it.

You actually CANNOT do much at all with Excel

This would have been a deal-breaker for me had I known. Even though initially it appears you can edit Excel, as soon as you try to do any real work it becomes apparent that its usefulness is extremely limited, and not just the usual limitations you might expect having a mobile version of something! Example - you can't even insert a new row!!! Microsoft knows about this and their answer is oh well just use the web app on SkyDrive (which is also lacking many features).

See my gripe to Microsoft and help join in if you are interested in actually using Excel for anything on a mobile device.

Also, it seems you can only edit cells if they already contain some information - so you can't go and start typing in a blank cell. (I wonder if editing other Office documents like Word will be this much of a problem, I haven't been there yet.).

I have actually kept collection the old old Windows Mobile phones mainly because they still do Excel Mobile PERFECTLY, and with SpreadCE you can even do much more.

Having your own wi-fi hotspot isn't necessarily going to happen

Take that off the list of cool WP8 features unless you check and make sure it will be supported by your company's plan (or added to your personal plan if that is the case). When you go to try to use it, you get a message saying "Your current data plan doesn't include Internet sharing. Do you want to open an app from your mobile operator to add it? Internet sharing uses your cellular data and may incur additional charges. [Yes] [No]". If you click Yes, you get: "Use of this service requires a subscription to Mobile Hotspot or Mobile Broadband Connect", and call customer service, etc.

Find My Phone doesn't seem to work

I turn it on. It still says off.

Editing text

In some ways editing text is much easier than on the iPhone. If you tap a word, it immediately selects that word. I miss having Select All as an option. It seems you have to tap a word and then grab one or both anchor points and swipe to the top and/or bottom. Placing the cursor in a certain spot is a bit tedious too, you tap and hold, and then fuss a bit to get it in the RIGHT spot. The on-screen keyboard is much easier for me to hit the right keys. Autocorrect is not arrogantly changing things you type very often. In general, WP text editing does not fight you as much as it does in IOS so that is overall a plus for WP to me.

Nokia Music

The Nokia Music environment is really quite cool. Saving music offline is great, and they included my favorite genre which I have not seen featured like this anywhere else, progressive rock.

Overall

IOS does certain things so much better and has many better apps, and I have my old Windows Mobile 6.1 for personal use especially for Excel. One day I hope things will get simpler instead of more dispersed among many devices. WP8 is not the answer to that! For my sanity, I'll see if I can avoid mobile computing until that day ever comes.

A detachable laptop (where the brains are in a tablet-like display, that disconnects from the keyboard) is a step closer but from the other direction.

CONSTRUCT2012 CSI Annual Meeting - Building Technology Education Program Task Team

CSI has voted to establish a task team to study the feasibility of developing a comprehensive building technology education program to address the long-recognized lack of availability for such training in college programs and internships. CSI is an organization whose members cover the gamut in design and construction of building systems. There seems to be no other group in this position, so someone finally said why don't WE do something to address this problem. Yes, there are groups who study building technology in depth in some areas, but none who offer comprehensive education designed to attract new and veteran professionals alike. The task team will continue by holding virtual meetings. 

This might be the greatest development that CSI has undertaken for the AEC community since MasterFormat.

The Yea's

The Nay's

CSI Brand Revitalization

CSI -
Building Knowledge
Improving Project Delivery

CONSTRUCT2012 Education Sessions F01 - tile std changes

CONSTRUCT2012 Education Sessions F01 - tile standard changes

www.greensquared.com
Expected to launch next week

DCOF AcuTest
In lieu of ASTM C 1028
http://www.tcnatile.com/trade-news/lab-blog/111-dcof-acutest-the-new-method-for-measuring-coefficient-of-friction-on-tile.html

Uses dynamic COF, and slightly soapy water. Highly repeatable.
0.42 DCOF will be the standard
(0.6 SCOF is about 0.38 DCOF)

This new standard was just formalized last week. All the TCNA mfr
members are comfortable with it. Non-dated eference to ANSI A137.1
will handle this as soon as ANSI updates:

"A new version of ANSI A137.1 Specifications for Ceramic Tile will
soon be published with the new DCOF AcuTest method. Additionally, for
the first time there will be a minimum COF requirement of 0.42 for
level interior tile surfaces expected to be walked upon when wet."

see www.TCNAtile.com, TCNA Tile Initiative (free)

This does not YET apply to stone. It is much more variable.

The DCOF for ramps might not be established for a few more years.

Does not sound like DOJ has weighed in on it yet. TCNA was going to go to Access Board next, but it was suggested that they go right to the DOJ too, since they were the ones who blew the last standard to bits.

Also, the new TCNA 2012 recommends inclusion of qualified labor
language. Lists several recognized programs.

CONSTRUCT2012 Education Session H10 - The Cost Impact of Integrated Practice

The Cost Impact of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
Matthew Miller

History of IPD goes back to about 2006

Now AIA and AGC has IP based contracts

Goal is finding additional rewards through shared profit from use of new technology

When asked if we have succeeded at this yet, no one raised their hand

When asked if we have a long way to go, almost everyone raised their hand

Part of the problem is information developed by modelers is very disorganized, while information needed in specs is highly organized.

BIM Managers are not involved with daily progress, instead they are more focused on initial setup and output. PM's are involved with daily progress but may or may not be involved with BIM.
 Same thing occurs on contracting side.

The GSA is looking for spatial and energy data from the BIM, of paramount importance to them, not so much fly-throughs and detailed information. Also COBIE. Look at the contracts, and base activities to fulfill those needs.

The needs haven't changed, just because software and our methods have changed.

Sometimes the people you are dealing with on the owner team at end of project aren't the same as the people you developed the contract with. So it is important to be clear in the contract and initial documents at the outset, what the goals are, and follow through on those goals, so they will be happy with the end result. The goals can be established in a way similar to the contractor's schedule of values. Design team can then tell if they are at the right stage of completion. And if owner pulls the plug, you can readily show what has been completed and what it is worth.

Scope Creep is one of the biggest impacts in the last decade. Begins if programming is not comprehensive. e.g. Cheshire cat - if you don't know where you are going, either road will take you there.

Continues when people ask "can you do this?" and the BIM team gets excited and wants to proove that they can...without checking to see if it is part of the contract deliverables.

A senior PM should not see an output that isn't extremely recognizable and part of the contract.

An Integrated Delivery Manual (IDM) is a critical document to tell who is coordination with whom, and what the outcome is. Otherwise all you see is billable time and no one is accountable. Becomes a great tool for clients in the end. They are usually more than willing to pay for the use and handover of this tool if they are aware of it.

Every device in today's technology does not have a future.

The DATA has a future. And it needs to be organized, and be accessed by the right people.

Buy technology for today, organize data for tomorrow. You NEED a data migration strategy.

CONSTRUCT2012 Education Session W10 - Balance between doing & managing

CONSTRUCT2012 - W10 Balance between doing & managing

7 steps to effective delegation

DEFINE task
Determine tangible & measurable OBJECTIVES
SHARE RESOURCES
TIMEFRAME
REPORT PERIOD
FEEDBACK
7?

SKILL: recognize what and when to delegate
Redefine a fulfilling day
Successful mgmt is "not doing"
Measure accomplishment by what your TEAM did, not by what you did
Determine ways to test progress without re-doing each task
To become a manager, STOP DOING AND START MANAGING

How to measure your own mgmt skill level
Look at the RESULTS not the method
let others think outside the box
measure your success at SUPPORTING DELEGATION even more than how well the task is achieved

Projects with short timeframes and measurable outcomes
Small projects that are not critical. Or large that cAn be broken down into manageable tasks
Then say that's what success looks like

Predefine reporting requirements
Predefine measurable milestones
  Create your own inspection process
This Avoids micromanagement

Never delegate in a rush:
 You can do it all better and faster than everyone who works for you. (should be the case). But you can always do more by delegating.

Communication requires clarity of expectations. Avoid teenage logic. Eg you can't be up until 2am playing computer games and do well on your homework.

Convey how you measure outcome

Encourage ingenuity and initiative

Set clear timelines

Provide authority with responsibility. If you make somebody responsible, don't make them run back to the boss every time they have to do something.

easier to measure a "do" task, not planning, strategy or organization

You are still ultimately responsible

Employees must agree with the Mission Statement of the business

Both you and the employees need to commit to delegation

Employees need to see the consequences

What motivates the people you are managing? What are their short term and long term goals?
-desire to learn
-willingness to try new things
-understand the company's needs not just their own needs

Don't let an employee hold you hostage
Perhaps this employee is expendable
Don't let one employee make or break your company. Don't think that one employee has that power.

In this country we have been too slow to fire and quick to hire. The recession changed that.

Growth an only be achieved though delegation
Allow for failures, allow for mistakes
You aren't perfect neither are they
Responsibility can be a true motivator for employees
Publicly acknowledge the success of others. Requires an honest effort.
Do it again!
Money is not the ultimate motivator
Some employees thrive on responsibility
Some want growth
Others want additional training opportunities,
flexible hours

Determine your passion
What do you like to do
What are you good at
What is an ideal day at the office
Best employee is one that wants your job when you get an even better one

Not delegating a task because only you can do it = you don't know how to manage

Look for improved process, not perfect results

Think about where there are less consequences of not getting it done right or on time (candidates for delegation) AND where your team can still make the most money for the firm (candidates for delegation!)

Feedback - after a failure, figure out together how to improve process. Those who can contribute well to that discussion are best to move forward for future delegation.

Backsliding (in your delegation abilities)
-Failure is measured incorrectly
-Look for opportunities to improve communication and forming expectations

Best executive has sense to pick good people and restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it - theo Roosevelt

If you expect the best, you should be the best. Lead by example eg integrity. Think about messages you send by your actions

Mediocrity is contagious

An unhappy employee can do nothing but make other employees unhappy. Don't allow for mediocrity

Time is money. Do you value your time? Your employees time? If you promise an answer, give a time deadline AND FOLLOW THROUGH.

Get to work and spend an hour doing something other than email and phone.

Think about your communication style and what message it sends

In many cases it is more efficient to use a phone call, then follow it up wih a very quick email.

Sarcasm doesn't come through well in email, even with a smiley face.

For something urgent, use the phone

Don't try to "accomplish" stuff during meetings. Set priorities, assign accountability, report progress, see who needs help.

be on time to meetings!
-never reward latecomers. Ie don't summarize what we've been talking about for the last 10 minutes. And don't wait for everyone to show up.
-if you always start on time, even if only 1 other person is in the room, soon others will come on time
-have standing up meetings

Manage conflict
-handle it and move on

Evaluate your own relationships with:
Employees, clients, GC's, subs, other ae's, inspectors, fm's

Feel, felt, found

Treat employees fairly
Stand behind employee decisions. Don't undermine others.
Set rules and processes. Follow through.
Don't take your anger out in public
Don't take your anger out on the wrong people

Evaluate your company culture
Not just what they do but how
Describe in terms of internal communication, teamwork, mgmt style, respect
Ask others what they think about your company. How would somebody describe your firm?

Are you motivated, or demotivated?

Do not give up. It is a hard skill to master. Leadership and delegation provide growth and success. But in the beginning it's harder. Do you want to be a mgr?
Make time to work ON the business, instead of IN the business.

What is the first task you want to delegate?
How will you improve the way you manage?
What worked and didn't work?