Spreadsheets (Part 2 of 3) - What's in A Name?

The task of putting a name onto something is an extremely important matter.  As humans we name everything – people, animals, buildings, companies, software.  Naming is not simply putting a tag on a ‘thing’ but it is a powerful way of prescribing character and purpose.  When we were trying to name our little corner of the universe, we thought long and hard about the character and purpose we wanted to bestow onto the world.  What did we have to offer?  What did QuickBase have to offer?  Within this context it was easy to see why we used the term ‘collaborative’ in our company name – it’s not just because we like really long names!

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I like spreadsheets. But not for everything (Part 1 of 3)

I like spreadsheets. I really do. I don’t have a love affair with them as some people do, but they can be used for so many different things to help you get the job done. And if I knew half as much as my sister-in-law (who trains others at CP in her excel expertise), I could do even more. Of course, the best problems they solve are ones where you need numbers crunched.

As I learn about different businesses and the way they work, so many of them are managing an astounding amount of their business-critical work using spreadsheets.  On one hand, this makes perfect sense on a number of different levels: spreadsheets are very familiar as everyone has virtually used one; they are inexpensive and there is usually no incremental cost to use them; and they can be quickly setup by a project manager – and changed just as fast. 

But (and it’s a big but),

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44% of Information Workers Use Online Databases – What About Your Business?

A recent Intuit QuickBase survey of information workers revealed the bottom line when it comes to customized web apps/software: faster help for customers, improved productivity and better collaboration among employees.

See more of their findings in this lovely infographic by Column Five (click to enlarge):

 

via: Intuit QuickBase Report: D.I.Y. Apps in the Enterprise [INFOGRAPHIC]

Getting Onto The Cloud: Easier & More Profitable Than You Think

There’s much uncertainty, skepticism, and indifference surrounding the new-ish concept of Cloud computing: What’s the big deal? Why bother moving all of our info into yet another kind of data ‘system’? How important is it, really? Do we really need to get on board?

In an article in the Harvard Business Review, Andrew McAfee (principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business in the MIT Sloan School of Management) argues that cloud computing is a sea change – “a deep and permanent shift in how computing power is generated and consumed” – akin to the shift from steam to electric power in manufacturing.

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