Posts Tagged ‘Guide’
A guide to setting up management consulting projects…everything you need to know
Posted by Parkzone Corsair in Memory on November 28th, 2010
The purpose of this quick reminder is to try and capture all of the things experience has taught us need to be in place to ensure the project goes as smoothly as it can. The start-up is the foundation of the project.
This is written from the perspective of the engagement manager.
When reading this, remember we are trying to write a guide for project start-ups when there are numerous kinds of projects:
Projects with just one consultant
Projects with a small team
Projects with a small team full time…or part time
Projects run on the clients premises…or off their premises
Projects where the project team reports to someone not directly involved in the project
Anyway, you get the point. There are many, many variations. Our guide needs to be useful to them all. Therefore although parts may not apply to you, we think 90% will.
Start with understanding the client first. Always!
Make sure you have a network map that identifies all of the political and decision making network.
Ensure you have a client face-off chart to clarify who owns which client and who needs to be briefed and debriefed before and after each contact with a specific client and that your team understands their individual responsibilities.
Get the most up to date organisation chart you can.
Make sure you know all of the key client’s secretaries; they will get you in to the client’s office when nobody else can. They usually start off suspicious of your motives. If you can prove to them by demonstration that your intent is to help their boss, they will generally be more helpful to you than they are to their own organisation. For example if some documents need to be passed on to ensure the client is fully briefed before a meeting, make sure the secretary knows the reason.
Be honest.
The top clients expect interesting, exciting, value-adding updates with consultants. Don’t leave them in a one month void before the first update meeting. It is also wise to remember many consultants are at a client. Make sure you (and your team) stand out from the pack.
Your project team
Have a week zero if possible. A week zero is one week set aside prior to the project start to ensure everyone is briefed, familiar with the tools and ready to hit the ground running.
Have a team meeting every week preferably off-site.
If there are multiple locations in the project have one per location and try to get around to them or use conference calls.
The agenda should be relevant to the project but should also contain out of project elements. “Consultants Corner” where team-members have the opportunity to bring something new to the attention of the team is useful. Consulting training should be part of the meeting bringing additional content, experience on previous projects, techniques or processes to the team. This is a really good idea and should be made compulsory.
For large projects, a Project Balanced Scorecard should always be implemented and acted on. It is a pain to start with and sounds like too much work, however it is necessary so do it.
Although the aim is to discuss project issues within the consulting team meetings sometimes it is necessary to discuss them in the security of just your team and without the client. This is OK and the team needs to understand this. To do the job properly for the client you sometimes need to guide them through some treacherous waters. This means you have to know as a team where you are going and stay in front.
Create an On-Project Training Curriculum for the consultants.
Setting Consultant Expectations in Your team
Set consultants expectations carefully. Make them realistic and achievable but a stretch where possible.
This also feels like a lot of work to start with but will save huge amounts of time later. Bear in mind that this is what you will be judging their performance against at the end of the project or at review time. If you didn’t feel that your performance and contribution was going to be valued, how would you feel?
Spread the work to your team and stream leads (consultants running distinct pieces of work) but retain control. Get the consultants to write down what they think the expectations on them are, let the stream leads discuss with them and clarify and then ensure that you agree and understand. If
RAM Memory Buying Guide
Posted by Parkzone Corsair in Memory on November 5th, 2010
RAM Memory Buying Guide
While purchasing RAM for your computer, the things that trigger or lead to purchase of RAM for your system is the kind of mother board that you have and secondly by the kind of usage that you are putting your computer into, Talking about the former case, all the motherboards are not compatible with all kinds of RAMS that are available, therefore you have to check the specifications of your computer with the manufacturers to see what works best for your computer and therefore the purchase can be made in accordance. However in order to ensure that you get the best out of RAM that you have purchased there are few tips that you should adhere to:
Knowing RAM: RAM stands for Random access memory that is essential for system to speed up the operations in PC. However this memory is transient or volatile in nature, which implies that once the system is switched off everything stored in this memory, would be gone. However once the system is turned on and reboots then the operating system gets loaded moderately into RAM, as it is easier to access than the optical or magnetic drives where the software is stored. When the system shuts down all the programmes terminate the operations in PC.
Kind of RAM: There are many kinds of RAM that are available like DDR2, and DDR3. While talking of DDR3 RAM we know that it runs at a faster rate than DDR2 RAM. The best guide to buying of RAM is that it has to be compatible to the motherboards of your PC. Therefore talking about DDR2 RAM 1GB memory implies that your motherboard accepts DDR2 RAM that has the capacity of 1GB storage space. However if your motherboard shows that it has compatibility with DDR3 RAM then it should be purchased in accordance to that requirement.
If however the compatibility option with your PC is not considered and you purchase RAM that runs faster than your system can allow; then it would only default to the lower speed that your system can take in. Therefore in order to avoid this kind of wasteful expenditure it is advisable to buy RAM according to your requirements of your System.
RAM requirements: RAM requirement are directly proportionate to the amount of usage that you have with your system and the kind of utility that you put your system into use. In case you indulge in modern games, and are into processing digital images or are always multitasking on your system, then it is always recommended that you get 4GB or more RAM into your system.
Single or Double RAM: It is always better to invest in pairs of RAM. In case you want 4GB installed in your system, it is essential to buy 2GB each slot, as that runs faster than single module. However; in case there is no provision for double RAM then you can run single RAM too.
Quality of RAM: It is always better to beware of spurious RAM manufacturers and invest in quality RAM purchases. A reliable company can always ensure that you get reliability and durability with your RAM purchase and you can also be assured that you would get the amount of RAM that has been mentioned on it and also that it would run to the aforementioned capacity
Taking care of all these things while purchasing RAM can assure that you get the best possible RAM for your computer which would also be able to enhance the capacity of the system, so that it runs effectively and efficiently.
The author is a writer in the field of the technology and writes for leading Memory Component Manufacturer, USB Pen Drive Manufacturer, and Computer RAM Exporter . Presently writing on various topics related to computer hardware and peripherals like Computer RAM, DRAM Memory Components, Memory Cards, Memory Modules and other memory products.
20071006-08 – building Hades – 139-3936-diptych-139-3937 – power cables – before and after
Image by Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos (ClintJCL)
Once the motherboard is screwed into the case, the next step was connecting the various power cables from the power supply to the case fans, motherboard, and harddrive, as well as the cables built into the case for the power button, PC speaker, USB, etc. There was a little bit of trial and error, as some fans had different types of connectors. In the old days, fans were only ever hooked up to the power supply, but nowadays, the motherboard runs some fans as well (so they can be turned down when not neeed, saving electricity). But some fans would not turn when hooked up this way. Ultimately I found the right combination.
BACKSTORY: So, as mentioned before (in a 10-part series of blog posts), my trusty computer of 9 years, "Storm", died a nasty death. My secondary/kitchen computer "Hell" stepped up to bat and took Storm’s place, but I still needed a new computer for our somewhat newly-built upstairs space. So I built Hades, during which I wrote another 5 blog posts. These are the pictures I took while building it.
building computer.
Abit IP35 Pro motherboard, Intel Core2Duo E6750 CPU, OCZ 800mHz PC6400 DDR2 Dual Channel RAM, OCZ GameXStream 600W power supply, Thermaltake computer case, fan, wires.
Hades. diptych.
Clint and Carolyn’s house, Alexandria, Virginia.
October 6, 2007.
… Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
… Read Carolyn’s blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com
A run-down of all parts in my new computer, with links to buy them, can be found here: clintjcl.wordpress.com/2007/10/01/journal-hardware-purcha…
Buy this insane case for 5 at NewEgg: www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811133154
Buy this killer power supply for 0 at NewEgg: www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16817341001
Buy 2G of this modern RAM for a mere at TigerDirect: www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details…
Buy this great processor for 0 at NewEgg: www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819115029
GTAmissions’ GTAIV Video Guide – Mission 032 – The Puerto Rican Connection
Posted by Parkzone Corsair in Power Supply on October 30th, 2010
www.youtube.com Click this to watch the previous episode! GTAmissions’ GTAIV Video Guide – Mission 032 – The Puerto Rican Connection PC Version of GTA IV, NO CHEATS OR MODS! Recorded using FRAPS and edited with Sony Vegas 7.0 PC Specs: AMD Phenom 9550 Quad-Core Proc., 6gb DDR2 Dual-Channel RAM, 640 gb HD, GeForce GTS 250 GFX Card, 650Watt Power Supply. Running Windows Vista Home 64-bit OS. Please visit my profile at: www.youtube.com FOR MORE MACHINIMA GOTO: www.youtube.com TAGS: yt:quality=high Grand Theft Auto IV Auto 4 GTA4 GTAIV GTA Rockstar Games North UPC 410425392428 MPN 39012 gtaiv gta iv grand theft auto four gtamissions rockstar games date video mission guide walkthrough The Puerto Rican Connection
