(originally published in The Jerusalem Post, March 2004)

Keeping on Track: Managing Communications

Even if your Web site designer’s office is right next-door, an efficient site development process usually generates lots of e-mail. Although you may sometimes exchange phone calls -- or even meet face-to-face -- it’s best to keep a written record of all ideas, decisions, timetables, deliverables, etc. This eliminates “he said she said” misunderstandings, and is also an easy way to double-check that all items of business have been addressed.

But drowning in a sea of e-mails is counterproductive. Following are some tips to make order of the chaos. While reading these tips might make the process seem overly complicated at first, this system is actually more complex to read than to implement. You’ll catch on quickly -- I promise! -- and long-term efficiency will make the short-term learning curve worthwhile. (I’ll illustrate how to implement these ideas in Microsoft Outlook Express; but all good programs have similar options, which you can learn about in their “Help” files.)

• Filters. Especially now, when mailboxes get filled with spam and bogus e-mails generated by viruses, it’s necessary to ensure that important messages don’t get tossed out with the trash. Take advantage of your e-mail program’s filtering system to route mail from your designer into a separate folder, where you’ll save all project-related messages. In order to accomplish this, follow the directions in the Help menu for “Managing Large Numbers of Messages > Managing e-mail messages with rules > Create a rule for e-mail messages.”
• Formatting e-mails. It’s best to use plain text as your default for sending messages. (Tools > Options > Send. Under the heading “Mail Sending Format” select “Plain Text”. Click OK.) When replying to a message, this option will insert special characters like “>” in front of quoted material, making it easier to differentiate your new reply from the original message. When replying, delete all unnecessary text. When you find a passage you want to reply to, place your cursor at that point, insert an extra empty line, and then write your response. Leave another empty line before returning to the quoted material.
• Relevant subject titles. Having dozens of messages all with the subject “Hi!” is not going to help relocate the specific message dealing with your question on how to check your site statistics. It would be far better to send a message with the subject “Checking site statistics”. And if, when replying to a message with a title such as “Payment details”, you also want to ask about updates to the News page, don’t include that question in the same e-mail. Send a separate message, titled “News updates.” Multiple, short, aptly titled messages also make it easier to ensure that each important message gets answered.
• Carbon copies. Do you access your mail on more than one computer? It’s still possible to keep accurate records. On your secondary computer, elect to leave a copy of your messages on the server. (Tools > Accounts > Mail. Select the correct account, then click Properties > Advanced. At the bottom of the tab, under the heading “Delivery” check the box “Leave a copy of message on server”. Click OK. Click Close.) The messages will remain safely on the server until you download them onto your primary computer.
• Backup. Implementing the tips above won’t help if your system crashes, taking all your correspondence with it. Make sure to back up your email folders regularly. (Locate folders ending in the extension “.dbx” and burn them to a CD, or copy them onto a different physical drive on your computer.)

All this unglamorous, nitty-gritty organizational groundwork will pay off by helping your Web design project proceed smoothly and on schedule.

Resources:

• Effective Email Communication
• BUSINESS NETIQUETTE INTERNATIONAL
• The Art of Writing E-mail

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