Mumbai Bus Route

Very few people are aware that BEST has it's own website www.bestundertaking.com/transport/index.htm to check Bus Route by Bus No., by Area, by Hospital, By Airport and more services which they provides.

It's very useful website to check the BUS Route and their timings.

Web Design - Important Factors to keep in mind

The viewing area of web is always unpredictable and because of that web designers has to keep in mind few factors before they call their site "complete":
1) Operating System (Windows, Mac)
2) Screen Resolution (800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1440 x 900)
3) Browser with various version (IE 6.0, IE 7.0, Firefox, Safari)

Maharashtra SSC Examination Results, 2008

Directly go to following page to check results for Maharashtra SSC Examination.
http://mahresult.nic.in/ssc2008/ssc08.htm

Revenge of the Right Brain by Daniel H. Pink

Daniel Pink an author of A Whole New Mind explains about transformation of world from one age to another like from Stone age > Ice age > Metal age > Agricultural age > Industrial age > Information age (current age) > Conceptual age.

This is must read article for everyone.
Link for the article.

User Experience Design Trends for 2008

Just read an article about "5 Critical User Experience Design Trends for 2008" by Human Factors International. There they have talked about 5 interesting trends which will impact everyones business.

1. Emotional Design and persuasive architechture
2. Designing for different generations
3. User Experience and human factors in healthcare
4. Trends in e-commerce user experience
5. Trends in e-Government

Please visit their site to get more detailed information for the same. www.humanfactors.com/downloads/webcastschedule.asp

Usability Methods (User Centric Methodologies)

Usability methods are also known as a User Centric Methodologies.

Every user interface can be evaluated using below mentioned usability methods:

1. Cognitive Walkthrough
2. GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods and Selection Rules)
3. Prototypes (from Low Fidelity to High Fidelity)
4. Usability Inspection
5. User Testing
6. Focus Groups and
7. Task Analysis

Depending upon the situation one can use the combination of methods. The selection of method majorly based upon:

• Time constraints
• Relevancy to project
• Implementation Cost

Google Labs: Introduces Voice Search in Hyderabad

Google Phone Search - Voice Search for Hyderabad, India
Google Phone Search is a new pilot service making local business information, movie times and real time flight status accessible from any phone. This sevice is completely free.

http://labs.google.co.in/phonesearch/index.html

Isn't google changing the world around for good!!! I wish one day I will be a part google's innovation team to come with such a great ideas.

UB Group Site - Time to Revamp your site Mr. Vijay Mallya

While surfing just thought of checking UB Group's website (owned by Mr. Vijay Mallya) I found something very interesting. Check the image above to see what I found on google's search listing. Google says "This site may harm your computer".

First I thought this site might load some virus on user's computer that is why google shows that information but than because of curiosity I still opened their website by pasting URL into new browser window. Their site has flash animation. What a mess of design? This is where usability comes into place. Does that UB group is not giving enough of attention to their corporate website despite having so much money?

Why do Intelligent Managers fails, too?

Many a times we wonder why a person who is par intelligent in his/her studies still he/she fails while performing certain task. There are various definitions on intelligence. It is not necessary that if you are intelligent you will always get success in whatever you do. Many managers do face the failure in their career path even though they are brilliant. Here, I would like to share few things about it as why do such managers fails.

Motivation
Motiation plays very important role in performing any single task. I know few people who have failed in their career though they have aclaimed several awards in their education. There are few people who have left their studies and got into their family business and today, they are doing great. So, unless any manager has motivation factor while working on any project, he/she will never be able to complete it.

Several things at a time
In many companies managers are loaded with several projects to handle at a time. Few managers could not say “No” to their higher authorities; they never say “My hands are full now.” Initially, they do get honors from the management but at the end they finish with faiture. Such a work load always tends to loose focus on important things.

Lack of Initiative
Many managers just complete their work given to them and do not show any sign of eagerness because if they do it they have to give commitment to it and they are agraid of these extra commitments.

Lack of interest in Implimenting Ideas
It is easier said than done. All managers do not have a capacity to convert their ideas into reality. Proritisation is to arrange ideas depending upon their importance and quick implementations. In any meeting after a concrete discussion if manager do not set the priority over the work, that meeting is of no use.

Procrastination
Many managers just complete their work at then end and that leads to various mistakes in their work. Many people file their tax returns at last moment. Many students open their book just few months before their board exam. This process of completing work at last moment and till that time to avoid work is called “Procrastination”.

Never to complete work
Many managers never complete their work by having various excuses. They start particular work with full of energy but tend to loose interest in it as the work progresses. Many times it happenes that few managers gets in too much minor details of the work which is not required and this leads to uncompletion of work. In that scenario management gives it to another manager.

Blaming Others (Blame Game)
Many managers believe that they never make mistakes and even if they do in their work, they make sure that the responsibility of making such mistake is transferred on others’ shoulder. Many managers give an excuses of sickness of their own or of their family if they could not complete their work. Basically, they never try to accept their mistake.

Lack of Perseverance
Perseverance means to stick to given work with full energy and concentration for longer duration. Many managers do give their full attention and full energy in initial stage of work but they loose interest if any objection arises.

Overconfidence or Lack of Confidence
Confidence is very important in today’s competitive world. If manager start excessive bloviation about his work, people around him looses respect and think that he don’t have greatness in his character as much he thinks. It becomes very important to balance between overconfidence and less confidence.

IPL - Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians have continued their winning stream from last 5 matches in Indian Premier League. Everything seems to be going right at the moment for them. When they were loosing, people were doubting on their existense, their name as "Mumbai Indians" and were considering them as a week team. Now, critics are not writing against them. Suddenly people are writing about all the positive points about them. Now, they feel that their new slogan "Duniya Hila Denge Hum" of Mumbai India team is making its mark... Their strategy is at its best... Their team spirit is high... blah blah.

Does that mean... if you win, poeple will see good things in you? or else like Banglore team ... if you loose, people will see only bad things in you? What a world.

Wireframe vs. Prototype

Just read few post on IxDA forum about "Wireframe vs. Prototype".

Few of the straight forward and very clear answer were:
1) I consider a wireframe a type of prototype.
If the type of prototype has active interactive functions I call it"interactive prototype".
Prototype > Non-Active Functionality > WireframePrototype > Active Functionality > Interactive Prototype
- by Daniel

2) It is all about the notion of the fidelity of the prototype. A low fidelity prototype would be a straightwireframe. Adding more functionality like clickable regions, navigation andcss raises the fidelity. Backing a prototype with data to simulate a processalso raises the fidelity.
- by Peter Uchytil

Cricket at Office - An excited event

Halla Bol !!! at cricket match... :)

It was a splendid experience to play cricket match between our own office boys. Though it was very hot day and the humidity was high, it is usual when we play cricket, we all forget about all those obstacles and continue our play without any complains.

What is Creativity?

According to me "Creativity" is to convert original thoughts or an ideas into reality. It is not only to think differently but also to implement it.

Few definitions:

“A product is creative when it is (a) novel and (b) appropriate. A novel product is original not predictable. The bigger the concept, and the more the product stimulates further work and ideas, the more the product is creative.”— Sternberg & Lubart, Defying the Crowd.

“Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being...creativity requires passion and commitment. Out of the creative act is born symbols and myths. It brings to our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness–ecstasy.”— Rollo May, The Courage to Create

Career Boosters for Success

This chunk of information I have collected from one of the most interactive forum ie. IxDA (Interaction Design Association).Over there, Sebi Tauciuc had started very good post about "what helped most in your career" where all the genius people have shared their experience and listed out thing(s) that they think have contributed to most of their success, which have brought value to their work, which have lead to where they are now and which have improved their design sense and skills.

• Failure
• Harsh Criticism
• Rejection
• Unemployment
• Experience
• Belief in oneself
• Unbounded Curiosity
• Mentors
• Confidence
• Passion
• Argue
• Explore
• Knowledge Transfer
• Blogs
• Presentation
• Articles
• Practice
• Reading
• Professional Association
• HFI Certification
• self actualization
• to take criticism gracefully

Please feel free to share more of your thing(s) which motivated you in your career.

Web Parts

Just few days back attended one of the seminar which talked about Web Parts. While going through it http://www.igoogle.com/ comes into mind. This sort of things are definately used heavily in future and soon it will be seen everywhere. It gives user a full control over the look and feel of the site and it allows him to switch on/off sections of his choice.

A web part is an ASP.NET server control which is added to a Web Part Zone on Web Part Pages by users at run time. Web Parts are an integrated set of controls for creating Web sites that enable end users to modify the content, appearance, and behavior of Web pages directly from a browser.

wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_part

Team Monitor wins Bronze in Telegames (Fungame)

Hurray!!!!!!!
We won the bronze trophy in Corporate Olympics for Telegames.

Unfortunately, I couldn't be the part of this winning combinations as I was busy attending my cousin brother's wedding. The entire team had blast after the event and attended dinner party given by organisers. Overall, it was Monitor's good show in Corporate Olympics.

Team includes (L-R and T-B) Uma Singh, Deepa Menon, Remya Menon, Milan, Ramiya Rao, Naresh Yadav, Sachin Mhatre, Sanjeev Agarwal, Chirag and Benudhar.

Team Monitor - Table Tennis Event 2008

After 2 years, I took a table tennis bat in my hand and it was some more years for others. Our management supported us to get the Table Tennis Equipment in our office as one of our recreational activity. Luckily, it happened to be on time. Just 2 days before the match we started practising hard for Table Tennis match which was suppose to be conducted at Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana.

We participated in Mix Doubles and luckily Deepa Menon & I were selected to represent our company at Corporate Olympics (organised by Aditya Birla Group). Though we practised hard for the game apart from not being in touch with the game for years, it was not our day.
We were placed against national level champions LIC for the 1st knock out match. We tried our best to win but it was not enough at all. They simply out par us with their mastery in the game.

We stayed there till the end and witnessed all those champions for Singles and Doubles. LIC was number 1 in all the form of the games.

We left the venue with some high hopes for the 2009 event.

Monitor Group at Corporate Olympics 2008

Deepa Menon, the person responsible to take initiative and all the necessary arrangements for Monitor Group Mumbai to participate in Corporate Olympics (organised by Aditya Birla Group). It was 1st time in last 2 years since the inception of our IR group, we collectively took a part in such event. Though we were bit late to take decision of participating in these events, luckily few of the games were still available to participate.

We chose to participate in Table Tennis, Track Field, Relay and Telegames. The 1st event of Table Tennis will begin on 16th Feb and we are yet to decide upon the team members for Mix Doubles. There will be internal matches to decide upon who will represent company.

We are very much excited to be a part of this event. It is sure that this sort of event will definately help us to come out of our daily routine work and boost our energy level.

My 1st Anniversary Gifts with full of Surprises

On our 1st Wedding Anniversary ie. 6th Feb, I received wonderful surprises from my better half.... Jinal. Everything was well planned by her and all the preparation were happening 2 weeks before final day ... i was completely clueless about what was happening.

Above shown immaterial gifts are priceless for me. The kind of efforts put in to prepare all those were unexpectable. I was completely speechless when I received these gifts.

Though I am not mentioning everything in detail about it... if anyone of you wants to know more about it, don't hasitate to contact me.

Last 2 months...... no single post

Last 2 months...... no single post.

It's been really bad of not posting a single post since 2 months. I think somehow I lost interest about writing blogs. May be, I was one of those people who started writing blogs just to get popularity within co-workers, just to be in line with competitive world. I never gave proper attention to it. I kept copying content from other blogs and posted it on my blog. Fewtimes I did posted few fresh content but then it never lasted long.

But now, I strongly feel that I should start blogging it all over again, that too regularly. It always make sense to share knowledge with world.

I will stick to this and you will see atleast 4 entries every week.