Ford Computing Services

Fulton County, New York, U.S.A.

Since March 1993

The client should always come first!

Advice, Tips, & Tricks

[Introduction] [Disclaimers] [Technical Tips] [PM Tips] [Document History]

Introduction

This page offers some advice from FCS based on experience and gathered from others in the field. There are two sections to this document. The first covers technical tips for your devices. The second section covers project management tips for businesses.

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Disclaimers

• This advice is given freely, as-is, and without warranty. The general advice given may not apply to your specific situation. Contact FCS or seek additional guidance before making any major decisions based on this information.
• Any comments/feedback posted by any third party to this site, the FaceBook page, or any social networking utility are the sole responsibility of the third party.

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Technical Tips For Your Devices

• Visit the FCS FaceBook Page for tips.
• Security: All of your devices should have antivirus software installed. Lookout , Symantec/Norton , Kasperky Lab , Avast , and McAfee are a few of the options available. FCS uses Lookout Mobile Security for mobile devices and Symantec Norton Security for desktops and laptops.
• Reviews: Regular reviews should be conducted to ensure that your system is operating efficiently.
  • Email: Clean up the Inbox once a month. Client based email software scans the Inbox each time that the application starts. Large amounts of email can slow down starting the application and cause overall latency. Try filtering your email into folders or even a single holding folder until you can get to it.
  • Email: Once a week you should clean out your Deleted Items folder and review your junk mail folders. You may also want to delete email that is older than a year if you no longer need it. The more email that you have in your system, the longer it takes to index or search it. Even if you use cloud storage, this is a good practice.
  • Security: Most security software applications run periodic scans of your system. However, these may be configured to run only quick scan operations that check for the most likely vulnerabilities in the most likely places. Once a week you should run a full system or deep scan to verify that nothing was missed.
  • System Updates: Do not get behind on Windows or other operating system updates. If your business has a policy to review updates before deployment, that is good. However, you should make sure that all approved updates are deployed. A common help desk issue is that a user reports latency (slow down) in their system or that an application has stopped working. Upon inspection it is found that they did not complete multiple operating system updates. I have seen one case where a user was missing over 100 system and security updates and claimed that she did not have the time to allow them to install. Since she did not take the few minutes each time, her system was now down for hours and required multiple reboots and a lot of malware removal. Take the time to do it right! Your computers are your tools for many things. Take care of them.
  • Clean: Any device that has power running through it will attract dust. Home computers are susceptible to guests, kids, and food. Work computers are not often cleaned. Take the time every few months to clean the area around your computer. Dust around the wires and the computer. If you are have repairs done on your computer, ask the technician to clean the dust from inside the cabinet. Clean your keyboard to prevent the keys from sticking. Turn off your computer when performing these tasks for safety.
• Travel: As mobile phones now outnumber humans on the planet, concerns about their use as you travel faces additional scrutiny. Some airlines ban certain brands of phones. Security checkpoints may ask that you power up the phone to prove it is a phone. Always check for travel restrictions before traveling.

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Project Management for Your Business

• Visit the FCS FaceBook Page for tips.
• Project Closing: This is the most often skipped phase of any project and future projects/efforts always pay the price. Your company should never skip this phase. Archive the project information. Collect lessons learned. Ensure that all products have proper documention. Identify potential future improvements and vendor recommendations. In the long run, skipping this phase will cost you money, not save it.
• Agile or Waterfall?: This is not as easy a question as it seems. Agile means different things to different people. If you are facing this decision, contact FCS to discuss it.
• What certifications should I require in a Project Manager?: There are several credentialing organizations and some colleges now offer a Project Management major. Depending on your needs, you have options. In general, FCS recommends requiring the PMI Project Management Professional certification. If you have additional questions, please contact FCS for a free consultation on the subject.

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Document History

• Updated for navigation on November 19, 2016 by C. Ford
• Update for structure on November 5, 2016 by C. Ford
• Created March 20, 2016 by C. Ford

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Last Updated: Saturday, September 5, 2020 11:57 AM

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