This might be obvious for some, but Google alerts are a simple and effective way to keep you up to date on just about anything. If you wanted to know when new Project Management software comes out, Google alerts will send you an email allowing you to be among the first to know. This is an under-utilized feature of Google and will help you keep up with anything related to Project Management.
According to their website, TechCrunch “is a leading technology media property, dedicated to obsessively profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news.” In other words, they know what’s happening in the tech world and really want to share their info. If you enter “project management” into the search bar in the top right corner, you will find the latest startups, software, and news relating to project management.
MindTools is a pay-for-service site loaded with training resources for project managers. While a standard membership costs $19 per month, there are many free articles and assessments that can be very helpful in professional development. Their “toolkits” include leadership skills, strategy tools, problem solving, decision-making and more. MindTools is an excellent source for making sure your skills are as sharp as they can be.
You know those shortcuts in Excel that make your life easier but you can never remember? Want to find out the 5 best mind mapping tools? Confused about how to use the new Gmail? LifeHacker is where you learn the answers. If you get overwhelmed with the homepage, use the search bar to find what you are looking for. Their tagline is “tips, tricks and downloads for getting things done.” Enough said.
Some people only think of LinkedIn as a place to go when you are looking for a job. It is indeed a great networking resource for job seekers, but it is also much more. Many businesses post great articles and resources. You can also search for startup companies that use LinkedIn to communicate new products and services.
If you need a constant flow of graphics or pictures for your work, WikiCommons is a database of 17,226,678 freely usable media files to which anyone can contribute. It is constantly updated and is a great resource for finding unique or specific images for free. Beware of getting overwhelmed by the vast number of photos and the complicated user interface. For a user-friendly site, see below.
Don’t worry; it’s not pictures from a cadaver. “Morgue file” is a term from the newspaper business used to describe the file that old files, notes and pictures, although the term has been used by illustrators, comic book artist, designers and teachers as well. MorgueFile.com is a website for free stock photos and graphics. The difference between MorgueFile and WikiCommons is the quality. While WikiCommons has the larger selection, MorgueFile filters out low-quality or low-res files and provides superior photos and graphics. It also has a very user-friendly interface.
It’s always helpful to be able to compare things. TopTenReviews has well-researched and well-designed comparisons of the latest online project management tools. Their comparisons rank things like “ease of use” and “integration” of more than 10 tools. For even more in-depth analysis, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the link to determine the ROI of different project management solutions. There are other sites that compare PM software, but TopTenReviews seems to be the most comprehensive. The only negative is that they are only updated yearly.
With 1,911 courses that cover over 140 specialties, Lynda.com is a great place to “learn software, business and creative skills.” It has a $25 per month fee, but the unlimited access to lessons makes the price seem reasonable. PC magazine stated that Lynda.com “excels at helping busy professionals keep their software skills razor sharp.”