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Here’s a progress report for Goal #2: Convert my workgroup into a slick web application developing machine.

Completing Goal #1 was easy. Just a few presentations.

My second and current goal has been to make sure those ideas are actually implemented.
To do this, I’ve had to do a couple of things.

1. Make sure the boss had my back.
2. Institute a product development workflow for my group.
3. Successfully develop a product using that workflow.

Getting the boss on my side was easy. I only had to mention that I was reading a book on design methods and I really wanted to present what I’d learned. After a short primer on the subject (the 3 Layers presentation), my boss said, “I realize I haven’t been a good manager.” Point being, he realized we didn’t actually HAVE a design method for him to direct us with.

Next, I presented a design methodology constructed mainly from Cooper’s called Goal-Directed Design, which can be found in Alan Cooper’s About Face 3.0. Another inspirational book on the matter was Designing the Obvious by Robert Hoekman Jr.
With this design methodology, we set the groundwork for efficiently developing standards compliant designs.

The coworker who I thought would be adverse to changing his ways has actually started using CSS in his websites. A definite step in the right direction.

So the last step is to prove that the design method works by designing a new project with it from the beginning.
I don’t see how it can go wrong (fingers crossed).

If you didn’t read PART 1 or PART 2, here’s a brief review. I was contacted by a Nigerian scam artist telling me I had won $450,000. I sent them the address of the FBI and gave them the name of an Assistant Special Agent in Charge as my information. Still thinking I was buying into the scam, he told me I had to send $200 by Western Union wire transfer to him so that he could mail me the funds. I told him to just remove the $200 from the funds and send me the remaining $449,780. Not giving in, he told me the money was in check form and could not be withdrawn by him.

Here’s my reply:

Aren’t I generous? But after I have my $450K, giving away $1000 is no big deal, right?
Amazingly, my friendly scam artist bought into this and met me more than halfway:

So this dirt bag is trying to get ANYTHING he can out of a poor sick old man, like myself, who can’t even afford his medication. Still, I made him negotiate with me. I liked how he apologized for not having enough.

Anyway, I sent back a short reply to let him know I was still hooked:

Today I looked up Nigeria on Wikipedia. It says some of the people who respond to these scams are beaten up and murdered….fortunately, this only happens to people who fly to Nigeria to complete the deal [see FTC site]. Also, I gave them the FBI’s address. So I’m not too worried.

Today, I received a reply from the scammer letting me know he would wait until tomorrow to receive the, now, $100 and repeated the transaction details from PART 2, with the $220 replaced by $100.

So what should I do next? My plan is to tell him that I have a friend in Nigeria on a mission trip who would be glad to pick up the check for me as my agent. Then I ask him to send me an address where my friend should go to. I might also send a picture of my friend: An FBI Agent. Any other ideas?

The world sure is a lot different for marketing since the advent of the internet and online social communitie.

MarketingSherpa.com (a good resource for marketing) recently interviewed the CEO of Zappos.com, a hugely successful online shoe retailer. A few things you can see from reading the article is that putting more money into ads won’t necessarily bring in more customers. You’ve got to find out who your audience and find out what works for them.

Zappos strives to be a customer-oriented service. For example, they offer free shipping on purchases and returns. An interesting point here is that discounts and ecoupons did bring in new customers, but customers they didn’t want. You can be selective in who you serve, which will help you serve them better.
Read the interview.

Guy Kawasaki refers us to an opposing view to some of his comments about how to run a successful start-up. The point:
Starting a business is hard work. Do expect to have to market you product.
Read the article

One thing you may want to do with your start-up is get a story written about it in the paper. I think that’s important, as well as getting it talked about on blogs that fit your niche market. And how hard would it be to get something written in the local paper? Redfin posted a video interview on pitching to newspapers.
Watch the interview

If you didn’t read PART 1, here’s a brief review. I was contacted by a Nigerian scam artist name “James” telling me I had won $450,000. I replied with a ridiculous email. Evidently, it went unread, because I received a reply from his business partner “Raymond” who asked what my address was so they could send me the check. In turn, I sent them the address of the FBI and gave them the name of an Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

Here’s what happened after that:

“Raymond” responded again:

So I got back to him as soon as possible.

Surprisingly, he replied. (This guy is really desperate!)

The fun isn’t over yet! Check back soon for PART 3!

Have you ever received those scam letters from Nigeria? The ones where the tell you that you have somehow inherited several thousand dollars? I decided to have some fun with one.

Here is my reply to the initial email:

I did receive a reply back from “Mr James Williams”, however it merely said to contact Raymond Miles instead since “James” is sooo busy in London!

Then Mr Raymond Miles contacted me.

So I replied back with the address of the FBI headquarters in Indianapolis and the name of one of the Assistant Special Agents in Charge.

I was surprised to find a reply in my mailbox! Part 2 is coming soon!

TED | Talks | Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you’ve ever seen (video)

This is one of my favorite examples of a good presentation of data.

Yet another example to support the idea that more choices = less happiness.

TED Talks | Dan Gilbert: Why are we happy? Why aren’t we happy?

Related articles:

Choice vs. Happiness Part 1
Choice vs. Happiness Part 2
Choice vs. Happiness Part 3