Guidelines for Research Projects

Take your time to thoroughly analyze the variables, educate yourself on the topic, and then recommend the 3 best options.   
Depending upon the level of the project, use common sense to apply these best practices.  If you are researching a new software that will be implemented to the whole company, more thorough analysis is recommended.  If you are researching a new window washing service, a very light version of this would work. J

·       Determine key variables.  Put yourself in the buyer or decision maker’s position and try to determine what your concerns and questions would be.  Think beyond the original assignment.  Create a template of questions to ask the vendors that you will call.

·       Create a spreadsheet.  List each key variable, every vendor that you contact, any misc. notes to keep everything in one place as you analyze the options.  Each vendor you research should have their own row.  Include a column for each variable, your feedback, reviews, vendor name, and phone number.  As you work on this project continuously update this spreadsheet with all of your notes as your project information database.  Make sure the spreadsheet prints well (1 page wide, etc.) before sending. 

·       Research online.  Find several vendors online that seem to be good fits for your variables.  As you research, see if you learn of new questions or variables you should consider.  Add notes from this to your spreadsheet.

·       Call the vendors.  Call and talk to them.  Ask questions.  Try a few sales reps, if needed.  Learn about the information as much as possible.  Ask why they are the best.  Take these reasons into consideration to ask other vendors as well.  New variables and considerations may pop up from this process. Add notes from this to your spreadsheet. Good sources are key to finding out credible information for providing reliable information on the projects we need accomplished.  It is key to call the different people and listen to the information that they provide you while you are educating yourself on whatever the project is at hand.

·       Read reviews.  Find reviews online (not from their site that they have chosen, but on unbiased websites that will show you what customers really think, such as Yelp, etc.).  Add notes to your spreadsheet.

·       Present your top 3.  Draft an email with a brief write up about the top 2-3 companies that you recommend, in order of your preference.  Simplify the information so that it is easy to determine the essential information and highlight the standout information you learned while researching.  You are trying to assist the reviewer to make the best decision.  Attach the analysis spreadsheet if you created one as well as any other helpful information such as links to websites, etc. so that they can dig into the detail - if they want to.

 

Do you have any other suggestions? :)  

Using Your Calendar for Time Management

The Outlook calendar can be used to “block off” time to work on tasks that you have that are recurring.  When used in this manner, it becomes an excellent tool for time management.

Identify the recurring tasks that you have and set them up in a way that makes sense.  Be sure to always block the time as tentative so that others can schedule important meetings with you.  A key to using this strategy, is that the blocks of time can be moved around as needed to make way for important items that come up.  

Recurring appointments can be set to repeat every week day or on the last Friday of the month, for example, so set them in a way that is most effective for you.  

Using colors for specific types of meetings and/or reminders can be very helpful too.  For example, self-reminders can be gray.  Big meetings that you run can be green.  Internal regular status meetings can be orange.  Working on your goals can be a dark blue.  Set up colors that make sense and are meaningful for you. 

Suggestions of reminders to set in your calendar:

1. Filing (perhaps every two weeks for 1 hour)
2. Meeting preparation (a built in 30 minutes prior to any regular recurring meetings you have)
3. Goals (set aside at least 2 hours per week to work on your goals – don’t let “tasks” get in the way of true progress)
4. Report preparation – such as status report for your manager (perhaps 1 hour every week, morning of meeting with manager)
5. Recurring processes that you have daily (such as 1 hour for filtering resumes; if you find the time is not needed – great!)
6. Organization session – set aside an hour per week to prep for your next week, make sure all priorities are moving along.  I will train you on this as well.  (Friday is a great day for this)
7. Tickler file follow up – If you have a follow up folder that you keep (which is a great idea), schedule an hour or so per month to go  through and clean out what you can, follow up on things that should be done by now.  *tip – save emails that you send to this folder as well if you want to make sure something important was completed.