Description
In the initial needs assessment, we gained a clear understanding of his new responsibilities, the kind of information he would use and manage, and the kind of schedule he would need to keep. As much as possible, the Client wanted to go paperless. He anticipated needing to have a wide range of information at his fingertips: medical information, clinical trial reports, case studies, and project notes. His role in the marketing side required him to track product marketing materials currently in production, and to keep files on vendors for printing, brochures, and trade show booths.
On the time management side, he had to be sure to allocate appropriate attention to each of his roles, and to make time to complete his share of project-related work – something he had not been in the habit of doing. His routine also needed to include regular periods for scheduling and for maintaining the filing systems.
| Results
Because he wanted to go as paperless as possible, Ballantrae Solutions provided the Client with computer-based file organization and time management systems. Most project information, clinical trial reports and case studies came to the Client via email, so organizing these files on his computer was the obvious solution. This information was filed in different computer folders and managed by The Paper Tiger™, in which we created an index with electronic links to documents, reports, studies and other reference materials. With this system he had practically instant access to any piece of information he needed.
We set up his schedule electronically, color-coding assigned blocks of time by key areas and projects to provide a visual representation of how he was allocating his time among projects and responsibilities. The electronic schedule also blocked out time for scheduling and maintenance: about 20 min/week for filing; weekly project reviews to map out his schedule for the coming week; and quarterly archiving and purging. For the Client’s marketing materials, we set up a stack of filing drawers, with each drawer dedicated to the art and print work for a single product. We re-arranged his bookcase to make space for conference and trade show information. All of this hard-copy material was cataloged and tracked with The Paper Tiger™. |
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BEFORE
AFTER
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Ballantrae Solutions introduced two paper systems into the Client’s workflow. One was a daily “tickler” file to remind him of action items. The other was the creation of a physical “Inbox” on his desk, so that incoming items requiring his attention were collected in, and could be processed from, one place – instead of being dropped at random on the desktop.
Benefits
The Client’s pro-active approach to his situation maximized the benefits he received. Instead of resolving an existing workflow or productivity problem, Ballantrae Solutions tailored brand-new systems to suit his needs and new responsibilities, preventing such problems from occurring at all. He was literally able to “hit the ground running” in his new executive position, confident that he would not become overwhelmed by information.
The Paper Tiger™ indexing and search capabilities were especially beneficial to him, letting him pull up essential information with just a few keystrokes and saving an enormous amount of time and effort. The color-coded electronic calendar with its scheduled maintenance periods kept his attention where it needed to be, assuring him of maximum productivity with a minimum of fuss. | 
