Does a good idea make a good business? 9
Posted by Daniel Wanja on Thursday, February 01, 2007
On top of our Ruby on Rails consulting work we would like to create a small internet “service” business. Something like time.onrails.org but more fleshed out and supporting paying customers. We are bringing on board Solomon White, which is an awesome Ruby on Rails developers, to help out. So the other day we met and threw out some ideas of project we would consider doing. I think we came with a bunch of great ideas that each on their own could support a nice business or at least would be fun to develop. Often the feeling is that sharing these ideas would give away the “magic” ingredients that would make the new venture a success, that competition would outrun us and they will be first and take the whole market. I don’t believe so. A very close friend created a spectacular Java/.Net integration framework. He is adamant about not revealing too much on how he created it or even that he created it. The result is that potential customers don’t “just” find him as they don’t know that a solution to their problem is out there, and he must convince them really hard that he has the solution, and sometimes that they have a problem. In other scenarios a ‘surprise’ announcement, like Apple masters so well, has certainly a great impact as that creates lot’s of buzz on the net and in the news. The reality is that we don’t have Apples audience and no one is expecting a ‘surprise’ from us. I don’t think that they are not many great ideas worth keeping secret Rather find a problem or need and make sure you create an awesome solution addressing it. While you create it, talk about it, spread the word, gather feedback, talk about the technical challenges you encounter, feel the interest that’s out there. Then deliver. And deliver something exceptional …sounds familiar? Well that concept is not invented here, but if we shine at taking one of “our” ideas, and providing an exceptional implementation I believe we can attract many users and create a nice business out of it.
So the steps in the process becomes something like this:1. Investigate ideas (that's where we are at)
2. Choose idea.
3. Define project
4. Implement and spread the word.
6. Go live
7. Adapt and Improve
Currently we are in the “investigation” phase for several of these ideas. In other words we are coding and having fun and testing out different things. So here is the list of our killers ideas (in no specific order):
RailsLogVisualer plug-in: Realtime and aggregated log visualization of your Rails application. At the end of last year I wrote an offline Rails Log Visualizer. It’s pretty basic but provides some interesting information about the different applications we have in production. While writing it I realized that it would not be too difficult to have a plugin that would collect and aggregate request data and be able to provide information on the specific controllers and actions of the application. Of course it would require to support clusters of Rails applications. This plugin would provide a nice drill-down approach to the log data analysis which differs from a more traditional log analysis approach. For now, check out Geoffrey’s article on how to add Rails support to Mint for a nice way to analyze your log data on a deployed server.
ScrumPlan: An Agile Project management tool. I still do tons of enterprise work, and I really like how Scrum brings teams together. Scrum is very simple and a spreadsheet can be sufficient to get started, but I see the need for a simple dedicated tool to support the different activities that is simpler, more efficient and elegant than the existing tools out there. Lee is not too hot on this idea as we don’t use Scrum on our small projects.
FlexTester: An automation/regression tool for Flex. A large part of this testing tools would be in Flex, but the tool would have a server side part that is written in Ruby on Rails to keeps track of tests runs, to drive continuous integration and so forth. Flex is not directly related to Rails but I also do a lot of Flex work. I just think it’s a very nice way to create an UI, although in many case RJS does the trick as nicely and is “more” conventional. Flex is appropriate for enterprise applications (with many screens, many developers, lots’ of functionality) and Adobe just added some framework level way to record and playback user events (see the mx.automation package). There is currently one very expensive tool out there to create regression tests for Flex. Another more affordable one would be welcome. I started playing with the mx.automation framework and I am evaluating the effort implementing such a tool.
TimeOnRails 2: We have several hundred registered users (858 today) for time on rails and many use it on a daily basis. We received great feedback and also improvement requests. We use it our-selves on a daily basis and see many ways we want to improve and make it even more useful, especially on projects with multiple team members. Rather than just fixing the current code based which was implemented during the pre-RESTFull area, we want to rewrite it from the ground up. Note if we don’t select that idea, I will need to fix promptly several small issues on time.onrails.org.
RailsCloud: Rails hosting on a cloud. Ways to deploy or scale you Rails environment at the click of a button…This would leverage Amazon’s EC2.
S3Backup: Backup to S3 with a twist!
MySyder: The last year we worked in the eCommerce field. It’s pretty amazing what’s going on in this field, and there is the need to provide better tools for vendor and online stores. As part of “investigating” this idea we defined a subset of functionality related to “watching specific html pages” that we can turn into an online service or product by it’s self.
As you see we’ve got many ideas. I like Solomon’s way of looking at these ideas…”Which one we do first?” ... More on that in the future.
Rabu, 21 Mei 2008
Selasa, 20 Mei 2008
How tomake a good business
How to make a good business even better
Fall 2004
Successful small business owners know that ongoing improvements play a big role in business growth. Your competitors can be a key source for inspiration.
Managers of large corporations regularly and systematically look at the performance of other companies to determine how they compare and where they can improve. Your business may be smaller, but it can still benefit if you follow the lead of bigger companies. Whether the review you conduct is formal or informal, complex or simple, a benchmarking exercise can help reduce costs, improve performance, and infuse your business with new ideas.
While you're conducting your review, CIBC business advisors and their team of specialists can direct you to relevant data sources, and provide feedback to help you focus on the areas that are most important to your business.
Following are some suggestions to help you with your evaluation process.
1. Understanding your challenges
As with any undertaking, the first step is to understand your challenges. What area of the business do you want to evaluate? What key processes affect performance? Where do you suspect there might be room for improvement? Some of the most common areas for examination include cost control, inventory management, customer service, IT, and human resources.
2. Identifying your measures
Break down the general area for study by selecting one specific process at a time (such as order taking) rather than looking at an entire system (such as fulfilment), which comprises many processes. This will produce the most meaningful results and a greater likelihood of making real and lasting change in a reasonable time frame.
3. Collecting your information
What data will you need to gather to establish your baseline position in the chosen area?
Financial figures aren't the only ones worth examining. For example, if you are studying product delivery, you could look at shipment times, percentage of late shipments, and customer feedback, in addition to actual shipping costs.
If the area you want to study is intangible, try to determine measurable items that are related. To explore employee satisfaction, for instance, you might monitor employee turnover and absenteeism.
4. Looking externally
Having established a baseline for your firm's past performance, it's time to look outward. How will you select the other companies?
In addition to comparing your business to your direct competitors, you might also find useful data from firms in other industries that operate in a geographic area similar to yours or that serve a similar demographic market.
There are several ways to collect the information you need. Quantitative data on standard business numbers such as revenue, cost of goods sold, and debt to equity ratio can be acquired from government and industry resources.
For more qualitative data, you might consider interviewing a company rep or using a survey. Many companies are willing to provide information.
5. Analyzing the data
The significant part of the analysis is uncovering major gaps between internal and external data. You can use these differences as a guideline to discover where there is room for improvement. Keep in mind, however, that every company is different, so some of the gaps may simply reflect a particular focus or priority of your company.
For example, your production and staffing costs might be twice those of your competitor; but if your unique selling proposition is to provide superior quality, those costs may well be warranted.
6. Finding the solution
Your findings will provide the foundation for improvements. Sometimes, they will hold the actual solution (as in changing suppliers to cut costs), while, in other cases, they will signal an area where further research or some creative brainstorming is required.
Always consider the big picture. For example, a faster ordering process may reduce costs, but it may also reduce your ability to develop relationships with your customers.
7. Implementing new processes
Here are some key principles to follow at the implementation stage:
Set clear and realistic targets.
Consider other areas of your business that might be affected by the changes.
Establish a time frame for achieving goals.
Put the plan in writing.
Communicate the plan to your staff.
At the end of the time frame, review your benchmark data. You may well find that even small improvements to the way you run your business can bring large rewards in efficiency and profitability.
Discuss your business plans and goals with your CIBC business advisor, who can help you meet your company's financial goals.
Trademarks and Disclaimers
The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing; CIBC is not liable for any errors or omissions. This article is intended to provide general information and should not be construed as specific legal or tax advice. Individual circumstances and current events are critical to sound planning; anyone wishing to act on this article is best instructed to consult his/her CIBC business advisor.
™ Trademark of CIBC.
"CIBC For what matters." is a TM of CIBC.
Fall 2004
Successful small business owners know that ongoing improvements play a big role in business growth. Your competitors can be a key source for inspiration.
Managers of large corporations regularly and systematically look at the performance of other companies to determine how they compare and where they can improve. Your business may be smaller, but it can still benefit if you follow the lead of bigger companies. Whether the review you conduct is formal or informal, complex or simple, a benchmarking exercise can help reduce costs, improve performance, and infuse your business with new ideas.
While you're conducting your review, CIBC business advisors and their team of specialists can direct you to relevant data sources, and provide feedback to help you focus on the areas that are most important to your business.
Following are some suggestions to help you with your evaluation process.
1. Understanding your challenges
As with any undertaking, the first step is to understand your challenges. What area of the business do you want to evaluate? What key processes affect performance? Where do you suspect there might be room for improvement? Some of the most common areas for examination include cost control, inventory management, customer service, IT, and human resources.
2. Identifying your measures
Break down the general area for study by selecting one specific process at a time (such as order taking) rather than looking at an entire system (such as fulfilment), which comprises many processes. This will produce the most meaningful results and a greater likelihood of making real and lasting change in a reasonable time frame.
3. Collecting your information
What data will you need to gather to establish your baseline position in the chosen area?
Financial figures aren't the only ones worth examining. For example, if you are studying product delivery, you could look at shipment times, percentage of late shipments, and customer feedback, in addition to actual shipping costs.
If the area you want to study is intangible, try to determine measurable items that are related. To explore employee satisfaction, for instance, you might monitor employee turnover and absenteeism.
4. Looking externally
Having established a baseline for your firm's past performance, it's time to look outward. How will you select the other companies?
In addition to comparing your business to your direct competitors, you might also find useful data from firms in other industries that operate in a geographic area similar to yours or that serve a similar demographic market.
There are several ways to collect the information you need. Quantitative data on standard business numbers such as revenue, cost of goods sold, and debt to equity ratio can be acquired from government and industry resources.
For more qualitative data, you might consider interviewing a company rep or using a survey. Many companies are willing to provide information.
5. Analyzing the data
The significant part of the analysis is uncovering major gaps between internal and external data. You can use these differences as a guideline to discover where there is room for improvement. Keep in mind, however, that every company is different, so some of the gaps may simply reflect a particular focus or priority of your company.
For example, your production and staffing costs might be twice those of your competitor; but if your unique selling proposition is to provide superior quality, those costs may well be warranted.
6. Finding the solution
Your findings will provide the foundation for improvements. Sometimes, they will hold the actual solution (as in changing suppliers to cut costs), while, in other cases, they will signal an area where further research or some creative brainstorming is required.
Always consider the big picture. For example, a faster ordering process may reduce costs, but it may also reduce your ability to develop relationships with your customers.
7. Implementing new processes
Here are some key principles to follow at the implementation stage:
Set clear and realistic targets.
Consider other areas of your business that might be affected by the changes.
Establish a time frame for achieving goals.
Put the plan in writing.
Communicate the plan to your staff.
At the end of the time frame, review your benchmark data. You may well find that even small improvements to the way you run your business can bring large rewards in efficiency and profitability.
Discuss your business plans and goals with your CIBC business advisor, who can help you meet your company's financial goals.
Trademarks and Disclaimers
The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing; CIBC is not liable for any errors or omissions. This article is intended to provide general information and should not be construed as specific legal or tax advice. Individual circumstances and current events are critical to sound planning; anyone wishing to act on this article is best instructed to consult his/her CIBC business advisor.
™ Trademark of CIBC.
"CIBC For what matters." is a TM of CIBC.
Senin, 19 Mei 2008
CONNECTING PEOPLE ON WORLD
mau berkenalan dengan komunitas Stylehive orang luar negri,bisnis,kolega,jaringan visit this wb
http://www.stylehive.com/follow/Drudi
http://www.stylehive.com/follow/Drudi
Jumat, 16 Mei 2008
Membuat Website Blog dengan www.wordpress.com
Ada banyak alternatif layanan pembuatan website, salah satu yang terpopuler adalah wordpress (http://www.wordpress.com) dan blogger (http://www.blogger.com). Mengapa memilih www.wordpress.com? WordPress menyediakan beberapa menu yang menarik dan cukup mudah untuk mengoperasikannya serta dilengkapi fasilitas free (gratis dalam membuat situs blog). Dengan bandwith + 50 Mb, menjadikan wordpress banyak diminati. Di samping penyediaan kapasitas yang besar, tersedia juga feature tambahan dan template, tanpa iklan, dan yang menarik adalah user dapat update dalam bentuk teks maupun gambar sekaligus, yaitu dengan copy - paste, dan hasilnya dapat dilihat langsung di internet. Tidak mengherankan kalau wordpress dimanfaatkan sebagai “catatan harian” (diary) oleh user, sehingga sesama pembuat blog dapat tukar informasi atau sebagai ajang unjuk berkomunikasi. Tidak hanya itu saja, fasilitas ini juga dapat digunakan sebagai media untuk belajar, memasukkan ideologi, karya monumental, dan sejenisnya baik bermakna positif maupun negatif, tergantung user blog.
Mari kita mencoba membuat website dengan www.wordpress.com, ikuti langkah-langkah sebagai berikut.
1. Pastikan e-mail anda masih aktif. Hal ini sangat penting, karena ketika akan registrasi akan ditanyakan e-mail yang dapat digunakan sebagai media untuk posting agreement dari www.wordpress.com saat melakukan transaksasi pembuatan domain, karena dari e-mail tersebut anda akan memperoleh username dan kata sandi (password). Kalau anda belum punya e-mail silakan buat dulu, agar mempercepat proses instalasi (pelajari cara membuat e-mail account).
2. Pastikan anda telah membuka situs wordpress di http://www. wordpress.com, ingat jangan sampai salah mengetikkan pada alamatnya.
3. Buat account baru, dengan cara klik “Start your free WordPress Blog WordPress Blog”. Dengan demikian, anda telah memilih registrasi gratis.
4. Isi form Registrasi yang telah disediakan www. wordpress.com
Masukkan username serta e-mail Anda. Anda tidak boleh mengarang, e-mail yang dibutuhkan adalah yang masih aktif, contoh: janky_04@yahoo.com.
Di bawah e-mail address, akan muncul agreement, yaitu dengan memberi tanda [√] pada kotak yang tersedia di depan “I have read and agree to the fascinating term of service”. Setelah memberi tanda setuju, anda dapat melanjutkan perintah pengisian form selanjutnya dengan mengklik next.
Adapun contoh pengisian form pendaftaran dapat dilihat pada gambar sebagai berikut.
Namun demikian, dakalanya ketika Registrasi terdapat peringatan bahwa username maupun e-mail address yang dimasukkan salah atau kebetulan telah digunakan user lain. Registrasi yang salah/telah dipakai user lain pasti dihighlight yang mempermudah user untuk membetulkan. Ketentuan pengisian username minimal 4 karakter (bisa huruf maupun angka).
Sebagai contoh bentuk koreksi Registrasi yang dapat diterima oleh www.wordpress.com adalah dengan mengganti username dan e-mail. Contoh dapat dilihat sebagai berikut.
Dan ketika Registrasi diterima, maka yang muncul adalah anda diminta untuk memberikan nama pada title blog anda. Title dapat dilihat manakala blog anda sudah on-line, yaitu sebagai header blog. Dalam contoh ini adalah Nailim sebagai title blognya.
Dengan meng-klik Signup, anda telah berhasil melakukan Registrasi, dan akan nampak pada halaman selanjutnya, perintah untuk memeriksa keaktifan e-mail anda.
Sementara menunggu (+ 30 menit) perintah selanjutnya, e-mail anda harus masih diaktifkan, karena melalui e-mail anda tersebut, pihak www. wordpress.com akan memberikan tanda kesepakatan (agreement acceptance) sekaligus password pribadi anda. Langkah selanjutnya adalah mengaktifkan Registrasi, dengan cara klik http://www.wordpress.com/activate/……,sebagaimana gambar berikut.
Langkah berikutnya adalah melihat dan mencatat username anda sendiri serta password yang telah diberikan pihak www.wordpress.com.
5. Walaupun resigistrasi sudah berhasil, namun perlu dicek hasil Registrasi tersebut, yaitu pada www.izza2004.wordpress.com secara langsung yang diberikan oleh www. wordpress.com tentang bisa/tidaknya aktivasi blog yang sudah dibuat, yaitu dengan cara login.
6. Ketika anda meng-klik www.izza2004.wordpress.com., maka akan muncul halaman, yang untuk membukanya diharuskan login sesuai dengan username, misalnya username: izza2004; password: ie90s6. Kalau anda susah mengingat password yang diberikan oleh www.wordpress.com, alangkah baiknya anda mengganti sendiri dengan klik “up date your profile or change your password”.
7. Ketika login berhasil, maka akan muncul halaman baru yang menyuguhkan menu di taskbar, yaitu my account, my dashboard dan new post, sebagaimana gambar berikut.
8. Dengan kehadiran 3 menu tersebut, anda bebas memilih. Untuk menyajikan suguhan supaya dapat dinikmati teman atau orang lain di dunia, maka anda cukup klik my dashboard, di sana akan muncul beberapa menu, yaitu dashboard, write, manage, comments, blogroll, presentation, users, option, dan upgrades.
9. Beberapa menu tersebut akan menjawab pertanyaan besar anda, mengapa web saya masih mulus? Supaya teman anda tidak kecewa dengan kekosongan web anda karena kering informasi maupun animasi gambar, klik write untuk membuat menu yang dapat dinikmati oleh teman, misalnya anda ingin mempublikasikan siapa diri anda, ketik my profile di bawah tulisan categories, lalu klik add>>, seketika itu di bawahnya akan muncul my profile. Untuk mengaktifkannya, anda cukup mencawang my profile dan pada sisi kiri, anda dapat memberi judul pada menu title, dan dapat memberikan isi pada menu post. Untuk mengetahui hasil dari profile anda, cukup dengan klik save dan publish, maka anda dapat melihat hasilnya dengan klik view site di menu taskbar.
10. Web yang isinya teks saja, akan terkesan kering dan statis, maka anda dapat menambah gambar, video, dan sebagainya. Cara anda persiapkan dulu file yang akan dipadukan dengan teks tersebut, setelah filenya siap, anda cukup klik browse pada menu write. Browse akan mencari dimana letak file yang anda simpan dan siap dieksekusi, supaya anda tidak lupa dengan file yang anda gunakan, maka pada dapat diberikan nama pada title. Lihat gambar sebagai berikut.
Setelah file selesai dieksekusi, klik upload, dan hasilnya dapat dilihat langsung, seperti contoh berikut.
Dengan demikian halaman web di atas tidak hanya teks yang terlihat, namun ada gambar yang dapat dinikmati. Untuk melihat hasil dari upload gambar tersebut, dapat meng-klik menu view site, sebagaimana gambar berikut.
11. Dengan demikian, ketika teman anda atau orang lain mau mengakses web anda, di halaman pertama sudah disuguhkan informasi serta visualiasasi gambar, sebagaimana gambar berikut.
12. Nah…..sekarang Web anda sudah dapat dinikmati teman anda maupun orang lain. Namun demikian perlu diingat bahwa jangan pernah lupa sign out, manakala anda telah login, dengan sign out halaman web anda akan aman dari orang yang tidak bertanggung jawab, yaitu dengan telah telah tertutup halaman web anda.
13. Untuk menambah kekayaan dan kemahiran web, anda sesering mungkin otak-atik sendiri. Pantang menyerah, dunia sekarang dalam genggamanmu.
14. Selamat mencoba
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