It’s back! We’re on the development path toward releasing version 5.0 and WE WANT YOU to answer some questions!
Simply click below and complete our 2012 survey, and you’ll go into the draw to win a new Apple iPad with the stunning Retina display, 5MP iSight camera, and ultrafast 4G LTE valued at $499.
Good Luck!
Team Copper.
So, over here at Copper labs the last 18 months have been focussed on our internal systems, and generally refining how we get things done (Yay!). But not so much on new major features (Boo!). We were definitely hit hard by the downturn, as I’m sure all of our customers were.
But we’ve turned the corner. And so we get to build new goodies. Ladies and Gentlemen I’d like to let you all know that we are now in the process of building the fifth instalment of our little Project Management Software, Copper v5.0, codenamed “Melbourne”.
Let’s take a look at how we’re going to do that.
Firstly, we’ve captured a mountain of data over the last couple of years, and we have extracted and analyzed the usage of the current build of Copper. We know quantitatively which features you use, which features you don’t, how long you take to do things, and how you go about searching/sorting/finding things. The results have been absolutely FLABBERGASTING.
In the month of March, across our entire customer-based on copperhub.com, the Files, Contacts, Calendar, and Reports modules represented a COMBINED TOTAL of just 6.86% of page views! By comparison the Project and To Do modules represented around 79.2% of page views. In a quirky stat, more error pages were viewed than the Contacts module!
While we need to be careful about what this really means (Does the Files module need fixing or flicking? Do we have too many errors!?) it does go a long way to supporting our view on the upcoming People module, as well as supporting our long-held thoughts on how best to consolidate Copper functionality into a more simple structure and interface so you can get more done.
Secondly, we’ve released our annual survey which we hope you have two minutes to complete. This will enable us to tailor our product and marketing around you, ensuring we have qualitative data to go with our quantitative data. Even if you’re not a current Copper customer please complete a survey and you will go into the draw to win an iPad 3. Its the perfect opportunity to provide your feedback on what you’d like to see in v5.0
Finally, we are inviting you to become a beta customer for version 5.0. Over the coming weeks we’ll be releasing a Beta build to our nominated customers who will have access to new features. If you’re interested in being a BETA tester (current customers only) please email us at info@copperproject.com with the subject “Beta Customer Request”
In summary, we’re really looking to capture a lot of market-share with this next version, which will help us provide better products and services and help EVERYONE turn the corner into new areas of efficiency and profitability.
Thanks!
Ben Prendergast
Ok, a post from left field. Lets talk about inspiration. I want two sentences from you, but here are a few more from me first.
My life over the last ten years has been predominantly focussed on liaising with creative teams who need our help getting themselves organized (hopefully with Copper). This has given me amazing insight into their creative process. I’ve been privileged to work professionally in the areas of design consultancy, software development, filmmaking, acting, and songwriting. Outside of my professional interests, I’ve traveled every year or so, studied the anthropological design and business nuances of the countries I’ve visited, and whilst at home absorbed all that the vibrant Melbourne art/design/fashion scenes have had to offer (Come visit sometime, I have a couch).
Such activities experientially flow back into the development and marketing of the Copper product and ensures the business and software is responding to the hugely varied cross-section creative types who use our little product. It’s not always easy, however this uniquely positioned lifestyle inspires me because I’m consistently and passionately inquisitive about the creative process, and fascinated in it’s delicious outputs. Often I’m surprised about how and where the best ideas come from, and more importantly, how they are successfully executed (and by whom).
Collective creativity inspires me above all else.
I’m privy to the secrets and processes of some of the worlds best creative teams (hint: they’re not all that different to the ones you and I would use), and have been blessed to be let behind the curtain of leading lights in online commerce, fine art, moving sculpture installations, music, acting, and filmmaking. Outside of these creative endeavours there are customers and friends in other industries such as banking, renewable energy, venue management, education, government and military who also inspire, be it a new way to service customers more humanistically, or a logo design project that costs millions but provides an output that most would seem to be “too simple” (hint: there’s no such thing).
Everyone I’ve ever encountered has had some indirect input into Copper Project, and now that I’ve also been privileged to be part of Copper for over a decade, I’m thankful to every one of you that has opened your head and heart to me and my humble little business.
Creativity, and those that create, inspire my creativity. It’s my own personal big bang (I still don’t fully understand it).
What drives your inspiration? What tiny victories do you have in your day that get you to those brief glimmers of creative joy?
Ben.
I’ve pondered this topic several times before and I’ve come up with certain characteristics that I feel the project manager must possess in order to increase his chances at success. I’ve read studies on the subject as well – some agree with my initial thoughts and some don’t. What I’m going to present here is sort of a collaboration of thinking between the two – the studies and articles I’ve read and my own perception.
Here are four key traits that should help the project manager be more successful in his profession:
Be honest and have high integrity. Although obvious virtues, these traits are worthy of specific mention. Whenever studies are performed on the traits that people most admire or desire in leaders, honesty and integrity always rise to the top. One of the best behavioral traits for a project manager is to be known as doing what you say you’ll do. The project manager who practices this will be easier to follow and much easier to take direction from as you move through the engagement. Closely related is the issue of integrity, having a reputation as someone who will follow principles, even in the face of adversity or temptation. Your project team members are watching you and if they consistently see you displaying these characteristics, they’ll likely follow you anywhere.
Think like a generalist. Project managers must always be thinking in terms of the big picture. This can be a challenge for those who are accustomed to focusing more narrowly. The project manager certainly must possess broad knowledge in different areas, but it is crucial is that you must pay attention and care about everything and everybody. The project manager can’t focus on all of the minute details, but he needs to be touching everything and be in solid communication with everyone on the project. To lose touch is to lose control. The project manager can’t let that happen
Have a high tolerance for ambiguity. This competency will be particularly challenging if the project manager is technically oriented. The project manager will often receive mixed signals or possibly even contradictory data. The project manager needs to develop processes for finding truth and narrowing down inputs without getting overly frustrated. If you’re detailed oriented, this can be difficult.
Have a high tolerance for uncertainty. As with ambiguity, this is particularly challenging if the resource entering project management from the technical arena. Most technically oriented people are accustomed to precision, detail and lots of information. Things are well planned out – well laid out. That isn’t always the case for the project manager. There are many risks, many assumptions that have to be made, and key decisions that have to be made with less than sufficient data. As a project manager, it is often the norm to have to make many decisions on the engagement with less information than you feel you need. You must condition yourself to making decisions that are only acceptable, not perfect.
Closing
In reality, a solid combination of hard skills, soft skills, functional competencies, and personal traits compose the raw material for your overall capability as a project manager. I’d like to hear thoughts on these and possibly other key traits from our project management readers. Please feel free to start a discussion.
Managing the project team shouldn’t be too hard – our project resources are skilled professionals. Each has their own unique talents that they bring to the engagement. However, they do each come to the table with their own unique experiences, behaviors, attitudes, egos, and beliefs about how things should be done.
Each team member presents a different challenge to the project manager. I’m not saying you’ll always have control issues with project team members on every project. Many projects can go off without a hitch in terms of project team members behavior, compliance, and cooperation. However, sooner or later you will encounter a situation where your authority is challenged or conflict arises with another project team member or a team member just isn’t following through on the tasks assigned to them and they are not focusing well on the project as a whole. What you have is a control issue. You’re the project manager and you’ve now lost some degree of control over that resource or your project team in general. That is definitely not a good thing and you must correct the situation quickly if you hope to maintain your reputation as a good project manager and leader in your organization. I’ve thought about this at length and from my own experiences as well as discussions with other colleagues, I’ve concluded that the best sequence of actions – if all must play out – are the following. Hopefully, it ends with the first one…
Meet with the resource
Of course, whenever possible, always go to the source. It’s the honorable and respectable – and professional – thing to do. And 99% of all issues can be solved or dealt with through this initial course of action. Have a sit down discussion with the project team member who is causing the rift or conflict or is displaying rogue and damaging behavior. The project manager needs to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that’s the message that needs to be re-instilled in this project team member’s behavior pattern. Again, for most, the problematic behavior ends with this discussion. If not, we move on…
Meet with the resource’s supervisor
If step 1 doesn’t take care of it, then the project manager must move on to the resource’s direct supervisor – assuming we’re operating in a matrix project resource environment. The true disciplinary action – if one is needed – would have to come from this supervisor. So they must be made aware of what’s happening and how it is affecting the project. And they must also be made aware of the fact that step 1 above didn’t work. Now it’s their turn to have that discussion with the resource.
Have them removed from the project
Finally, if nothing has worked so far, the only action left is to have them removed from the project – and this may also likely land them in the unemployment line as well. It’s always a tough action to take – and thankfully I’ve only had to go this far once – but it’s necessary to ensure that the project remains on course. Get a new resource with the right skill set and start the process of onboarding them immediately. Since you likely won’t have the luxury of having them shadow the outgoing resource, you’ll need someone who is confident, experienced, a good communicator, and available now.
Summary
No one wants to take the hard line unless they absolutely have to. We have very skilled resources working on our projects and those individuals come with experience and egos. But they must understand how to work as productive team members. And if they can’t do that, action must be taken. Hopefully not all the way to step 3, but the project manager must be prepared to go that far – if necessary – to show leadership and to keep the project intact.
This is a minor update to fix a few bugs!
v4.6.3
- FIX to new Timer to show correct user account
- Fixed bug with Report dates
- Removed repeated items in recent items.
- Updates to portuguese language pack
Feedback? Please let us know via info@copperproject.com or via the Community
This new version sees an overhaul of the Timer UI and code, so please post back if you have any issues.
Hosted customers will already see this build as current, and self-hosted license customers get in touch and we’ll provide the update. New this version!!
v4.6.1
- NEW Timer and Header functions/UI
- Added Portuguese Language pack to db
- Fixed bug with Report dates
- Fixed Contacts template bug
- Fixed budgets bug where Other Items wouldn’t add
Feedback? Please let us know via info@copperproject.com or via the Community
No words can describe our appreciation for the legacy and lessons you’ve left us here at Copper Project.
Personally, as someone who was once proudly featured on the Apple website as a supporter of OS X, and as someone who has followed the Apple journey closely for my entire 20 year career in this space, I have always endeavoured to follow the Apple ethos that Steve cultivated. That being to always look at the customer experience first, to look at the HUMAN UTILITY first, to dream about what would make someones day, and then (and only then) see where the technology might create a reality for that desire.
In a way it leaves me mourn for that vision, and hope that what we take from Steve’s passing is that we can all work harder to think differently, and make technology an enabler of new ideas, thoughts, memes, and actions, for the greater good. In my own small way I hope that over the years I’ve done what I could to think first about how creatives want to manage their time and projects, and channel Steve’s “what would I want to see in my software” into our humble little product Copper. I know that I’ll continue this path, in all of my dealings both inside and outside of the Copper universe.
I’ll leave you with my favourite Steve Jobs Quote, and my favourite 5 videos that show just how amazing his legacy was. I’m not sure the wider public truly appreciate how much this guy ruled.
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” – Steve Jobs.
Hello all!
OK, back on the update trail, and this time it’s a minor update to fix a few bugs.
Hosted customers will already see this build as current, and self-hosted license customers get in touch and we’ll provide the update. New this version!!
- Fixed bugs relating to tasks and projects not having start / end dates in Gantt Timeline
- Major reshuffle of committed / logged etc lines in Gantt and Resource allocator
- Milestone fix in Gantt Timeline
- Invoices task order is now by task sequence order
- When you copy a project, it now goes to the copied project, not the original
- Project export (xml) now exports in task sequence order
- Fixed bug with Recent items in todo showing incorrect template
- ical sync now uses the timezone set in admin settings
- Added Portuguese Language pack
- Background provision for new People module.
Feedback? Please let us know via info@copperproject.com or via the Community
This month, Element Software CEO Ben Prendergast is touring Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York. If you’re interested in discussing Copper related business please get in touch!
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