[Evolution] Ideas for Evolution

["Tom Musgrove" <TomM pentstar com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom M. [mailto:fstmm yahoo com]
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2000 2:01 PM
To: TomM pentstar com
Subject: ides for Evolution


Here is a breif listing of my ideas for extensions to
Evolution

1)  Templater

For the sales and techinical support fields, much of the time is spent
responding to requests that are largely the same.

A templater would have a number of generic paragraphs (probably custom
paragraphs from previous responses to customers), that could be stringed
together to flexibly respond to
questions and inquiries.

One would click on the boxes in the order desired. The name of the person
being responded to, as well as the product name could be autofilled.

This is done somewhat now by cutting and pasting from old messages.  My
method however provides a faster and more convenient way to accomplish the
same ends.

2)  Prioritizer

This would be for rapidly scheduling and allocating time to tasks, based on
their due date, estimated time frame for completion, who will be performing
the task.

There are five key steps in the scheduling of any task

Delegation - can the task be delegated, and if so to whom
Due Date - when must the task be completed by
Estimated time frame - in raw hours how long do you expect the task to take
Allocation - Alloting blocks of time for the task
Recall -  If the task has been delegated, follow up on it, or if it's a task
completed before a deadline, a reminder of when the task needs to be
submitted, etc.
Concentration Required/Difficulty - is it a task which requires greater than
average concentration, which should be allocated your 'optimum thinking'
time
Criticality/Priority - What is it's impact on the company's future and
bottom line

If a task is low priority, a follow up may not be deemed necessary, thus
option that requires a follow up for any task with a priority > X might
worthwhile (or a follow up with any 'unreliable' person or whatever).

This could be implemented as a task form, that autofills your calendar with
appropriate times, places it on your todo list, etc.  (The calendar autofill
is the next idea- see below..)

Calendar Prioritizer -  Tasks tend to be allocated with the following
considerations
Tightness of the schedule
The Absolute deadline for a task
The degree of overlap of Difficult tasks
Hours per day desirded to spend on a task
Optimal personal performance time for a task
The schedules of others involved in the project

I propose the following... - first an interviewer, to determine ones optimal
work hours, common daily work hours, outside time commitments, type of work
that the individual does, etc. - to be done upon first startup

Then for each task, one would fill out the Prioritizer form.  The Calendar
Prioritizer would then examine the calendar based upon tasks already
scheduled, as well
as based upon knowledge of collaborators schedules, work habits etc.  It
would then provide a suggested schedule based on the previous requirements,
as well as suggest task reorganizations, and alternative schedules.

This should save a great deal of time in juggling/managing ones workload,
and aid collaboration with others in your work group.

Any thoughts, comments?  Is there something like the above already planned,
or already in existance?

Tom M.