According to The Verge, the new team will oversee Android, Pixel, Chrome, ChromeOS, Photos, and more, with Rick Osterloh overseeing it. The outlet reports that AI is the driving motivation behind the shakeup.

“This is not a secret, right?” Osterloh reportedly said. The move “helps us to be able to do full-stack innovation when that’s necessary.”

“You had to have deep knowledge of the hardware systems, from the sensors to the ISPs, to all layers of the software stack,” Osterloh continued, speaking of the Pixel. “And, at the time, all the early HDR and ML models that were doing camera processing… and I think that hardware / software / AI integration really showed how AI could totally transform a user experience. That was important. And it’s even more true today.”

Hearing Osterloch talk, one could be forgiven for thinking he was an Apple executive. Apple has long touted the benefits of controlling the entire stack, with an emphasis on deep integration between hardware and software. It seems Google recognizes the value of that approach and is reorganizing accordingly.

A Closer Look at the New Planner App

Reza Dorrani, Microsoft’s Principal Program Manager, introduced the new Microsoft Planner app in Teams in an insightful video. The app is positioned as a simple yet powerful Work Management Solution, leveraging the latest AI technology and tight integration with Microsoft 365 products like To-Do and Planner. Designed to streamline task management, the app promises to bring all tasks under one roof, offering users unparalleled convenience and efficiency.

Key Features and Functionality

At the heart of the new Planner app lies its ability to centralize task management across Microsoft 365 products. With features like “My Tasks,” users can access a comprehensive view of all their tasks, complete with details such as status, priority, due date, and more. The app intelligently aggregates tasks assigned from various sources within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, providing users with a consolidated view of improved organization and efficiency.

Moreover, the app introduces innovative features like “My Plans,” allowing users to view all they’ve recently worked on or shared plans, providing a holistic overview of ongoing projects. With the ability to pin plans for easy access and seamlessly switch between personal and shared plans, users can stay on top of their tasks with minimal effort.

Creating Plans Made Simple

One of the new Planner app’s standout features is its intuitive plan creation process. With a range of templates, users can quickly kickstart their projects with pre-designed plans tailored to specific needs, whether project management, software development, or business operations. Additionally, users can customize plans with premium features like Sprint planning, goals, dependencies, and more, offering unparalleled flexibility and control over their projects.

Premium Features for Enhanced Productivity

The Planner app offers premium plans for users seeking advanced functionality with additional features such as Sprint planning, goals, co-pilot assistance, custom fields, and conditional formatting. These premium features empower users to take task management to the next level, enabling efficient collaboration, goal tracking, and resource allocation across teams and projects.

The Future of Task Management

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, tools like the Microsoft Planner app in Teams are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of task management. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and seamless integration with existing Microsoft 365 products, this innovative solution promises to streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and drive productivity to new heights.

In conclusion, the unveiling of the Microsoft Planner app in Teams marks a significant milestone in task management. The app offers users a powerful toolset for organizing, prioritizing, and executing tasks with ease. With its intuitive interface, robust features, and seamless integration, the app sets a new standard for productivity and collaboration within the Microsoft ecosystem, paving the way for a more efficient and connected workplace.

“I am not a morning person,” Chloe admits as she begins her day with a leisurely wakeup at 9 a.m. Despite her reluctance to rise early, she emphasizes the importance of her morning routine, including a refreshing makeup session that sets the tone for her productivity.

With a degree in industrial engineering and operations research, Chloe’s career trajectory has taken her through various roles, from People Operations to Business Development and Partnerships, before settling into her current role in Product Management. Her diverse background, which includes stints at tech giants like Google, Facebook, and TikTok, has equipped her with a wealth of experience and insights into the dynamic world of technology.

Chloe’s schedule is packed with meetings throughout the day, including career chats, product team syncs, and one-on-one sessions with her manager. Despite the occasional setback, such as a canceled career chat that she had spent hours preparing for, Chloe remains undeterred, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges.

As a product manager, Chloe takes pride in owning the vision and strategy for her products. She rallies her team to build innovative solutions and iterates until they achieve success. Despite the inherent stress of her role, Chloe finds fulfillment in the leadership opportunities it affords and the valuable skills it cultivates.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Chloe is also an avid content creator. She seamlessly integrates her passion for storytelling into her daily routine, from pre-scheduled content posts to impromptu Instagram updates. Chloe showcases her ability to balance work and play with finesse.

In the evening, Chloe enjoys a well-deserved dinner with her partner, Kevin, before winding down with a skincare routine and preparing for a virtual career talk with UCLA. Reflecting on the day’s events, she expresses gratitude for the opportunity to share her insights and experiences with aspiring product managers, embodying a spirit of mentorship and empowerment.

With her infectious energy and relatable charm, Chloe invites viewers to join her on a journey of discovery and growth. She inspires them to pursue their passions and chart their own course in the ever-evolving landscape of technology and creativity.

As Chloe bids her audience farewell and prepares for a restful night’s sleep, she leaves behind a legacy of authenticity and resilience. She reminds us all of the power of perseverance and the limitless possibilities that await those who dare to dream.

Outsourcing Software Product Development: An Introduction

Outsourcing software development involves delegating specific tasks to a third-party provider with extensive knowledge and relevant experience in the field. For instance, a Seattle-based SaaS company lacking in-house machine learning professionals may outsource machine learning functions. Usually, outsourcing software product development is a great idea when you require a complete software solution quickly and affordably.

It often refers to the production of a finished software product, but can also include new feature development, legacy software modernization, and product support. With the help of this strategy, you can avoid wasting days, weeks, or even months recruiting the best specialists for your software development team. If you wish to create a minimum viable product (MVP) to test your product idea, this approach is particularly effective.

Why Outsource Software Product Development?

Lower Business Expenses

One of the primary reasons businesses choose to outsource software development is to reduce costs. According to data, nearly 48% of businesses outsource to lower or stabilize expenses. By cutting costs, organizations free up more capital to invest in other aspects of the business, such as hiring additional staff, expanding offices, or increasing compensation. Outsourcing provides a cost-effective solution that helps businesses optimize their budgetary resources.

Access to Knowledge and Experience

When you have a new product idea, you realize that developing and launching it requires resources, experience, and knowledge in various areas. Recruiting and retaining skilled software developers can be challenging, especially when competing against well-established companies offering attractive compensation packages.

Outsourced product development allows you to access a wide range of competencies quickly and affordably. From consulting and analytics to marketing, UI design, MVP creation, and custom software development, outsourcing provides access to a pool of expertise and experience.

Save Time

You can save time and money by hiring pre-approved professionals. Instead of spending weeks or months conducting interviews and recruitment, you can quickly tap into the expertise of the outsourced team. While the hiring process for an in-house developer can be time-consuming, outsourcing enables you to leverage the achievements of a whole software development team in a shorter time frame.

Greater Adaptability

There are numerous phases in the software development life cycle that you can choose to participate in or not. You may be aware that certain tasks take different amounts of time to perform. Additionally, you have flexibility in your involvement with an outsourced organization.

You can select which phases of the software development process, from pre to post-development, to be as hands-on or hands-off as you require. Making the decision to use an outsourcing approach may also allow you to be more adaptable in your working style.

Endnote

Outsourcing software product development offers numerous advantages for businesses seeking efficient and cost-effective solutions. When deciding to outsource, it is essential to strike a balance between involvement and delegation to ensure effective collaboration with the outsourced team. Embracing outsourcing can streamline your product development process, allowing you to focus on core business activities while leveraging the skills of industry professionals.

Fubo is one of the leading streaming TV platforms, with an emphasis on sports programming. Sormaz worked at Spotify for ten years as Director and then VP of Design. He has also had stints at News Corporation, Boxee, and, most recently Sorare.

Sormaz will help Fubo continue to develop its user experience, including leveraging the company’s proprietary AI to make the platform more interactive.

“Dan is not only the best design leader in media that I know, he is also a great product strategist,” said Berkely. “I partnered closely with Dan at Spotify for several years and am so thrilled for him to lead our design team at Fubo. With the proliferation of so many streaming apps, the TV industry has become very fragmented and is not aligned with consumer needs. We believe Fubo’s aggregated content model solves this issue and, with Dan guiding us on delivering an intuitive and useful user experience, we are confident that we can evolve how consumers watch television.”

“Fubo really hits the sweet spot for me – I am so passionate about streaming, having spent more than a decade in that world across music, podcasts and video/TV, and I am a huge sports fan,” said Sormaz. “User experiences for streaming services reflect the ever-changing world around them. With an evolving content landscape, shifting consumer behaviors and emerging new technology, I believe we’re entering an exciting new era for TV streaming UX. I am looking forward to reuniting with Mike and working with the fantastic Fubo team to build what’s next for TV.”

Reports surfaced in early July that TSMC was struggling to complete the Arizona plant on time, even sending in workers from Taiwan to help get the project back on track. According to Nikkei, it appears the issues have led the company to delay production from 2024 to 2025.

“We are encountering certain challenges, as there is an insufficient amount of skilled workers with the specialized expertise required for equipment installation in a semiconductor-grade facility,” said TSMC Chairman Mark Liu.

“We expect the production schedule of N4 process technology to be pushed out to 2025,” he added, referencing the company’ 4nm production.

Whether you’re creating a new app or revamping an existing one, the right strategies will prevent your effort from landing in product design hell. The following tips will help you create a beautiful, streamlined deliverable that will keep your customers coming back for more.

1. Create a Design System

Every design team should have a design system: a collection of reusable components that help create a consistent experience across one or more products. A design system consists of colors, fonts, buttons, and other visual elements that will be used repeatedly within each product the team creates. The system should also include clear instructions, including:

• Guidelines for placement of all visual elements
• Design patterns for different interfaces (Android, iPhone, desktop, etc.)
• Documentation about how each component in the system works
• Tools and resources for developers
• Company values and accessibility standards to uphold throughout the design process

One example is the Uber design system, which lets the company offer multiple well-differentiated apps that are yet unmistakably part of the Uber brand. By using a strong design system, companies can ensure every page of every app remains consistent with their brand. Still, different products in a company’s suite can have small, unique elements that make them clearly distinguishable.

2. Make Everything Easy

Great product design is all about simplicity. Don’t put anything on the screen that doesn’t need to be there, and make icons familiar and navigation predictable. Offer multiple easy ways to get to a desired screen. Avoid giving a user more than one to two tasks to execute per page of the product. Or if that’s not possible, use progressive disclosure to avoid overwhelming them.

Younger generations tend to operate their mobile devices with two thumbs, while older ones are apt to use a single index finger. Avoid interactive elements that require users of any demographic to adopt input methods they find cumbersome. Save your customers’ information across all apps, so they never have to reenter their details. People generally scan, not read, so keep text brief and well-positioned on the screen.

3. Evolve Your Look Gradually

If your company has multiple products in a suite, they should look different but not too different. You can achieve this balance by integrating small, gradual changes in your next product. Try adding or replacing just one color in your color scheme, or incorporate a different photo aspect ratio. Don’t scrap basics like the layout of your menus or navigation buttons. 

Think about how you can naturally evolve and differentiate each new product without abandoning any core design elements. Reuse interactive experiences that make sense across different applications (e.g., if your rideshare app has a location tracker, your package delivery app should, too). If you’re rebranding, be wary of any change that feels too extreme.

4. Prioritize Accessibility and Diversity

Whenever possible, create and iterate with inclusivity at the forefront. Caption audio for Deaf and hard-of-hearing folks and set up your product to interact seamlessly with screen readers. Make text and images magnifiable and use alt-text for photos. Select images with diversity in mind. Don’t ask anyone to input their gender unless it’s necessary, and offer a good selection of options or a write-in box.

Consider smaller-seeming details as well: Use fonts and colors that are legible to people with color-blindness or dyslexia. Offer text and audio in multiple languages and keep language direct for nonnative speakers. Choose words that are appropriate and inclusive. Make as many elements of your product functional offline to account for users with poor connectivity and provide a faster experience in general.

5. Consider Your User, Then Delight Them

Throughout the product design process, keep your target user in mind. When budgets get lean, user research is often the first thing to go. But it’s also the only way to really understand your audience. Make sure you incorporate qualitative interviewing and usability testing at all stages to reduce friction wherever possible.

Then, go above and beyond. Think of ways not just to meet customers’ wants and needs, but to offer them unexpected moments of joy. Animated elements work well and can range from simple loading screen graphics to soothing videos of tropical rainstorms or ocean waves. Also consider clever push notifications (but not too many), friendly avatars, and other ways to gamify mundane product experiences. However, never let these add-ons interfere with speed or functionality.

Always Bring It Back to the Basics and Your Brand

There are a million factors to consider when designing your next winning product. Every shade of green, every click, and every comma of copy matters. When you’re working cross-functionally with multiple teams, it’s easy to lose sight of little things that make or break a user experience. That’s why, at every stage of the product design process, it’s important to keep going back to these fundamental principles. 

No matter what design choices you make, remember your goal is to solve a problem. Good design means sticking to that end goal without creating new sources of friction. Never forget that every decision your team makes should move the brand closer to its core mission and values. At the end of the day, delivering a great product isn’t just about look and feel. It’s about the heart and soul of your brand and all the reasons your customers keep choosing you.

Automated testing allows companies to quickly and accurately test software products, ensuring that they meet customer requirements and are free from defects. By automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks, developers can focus on higher-level tasks such as improving the user experience and developing new features.

The Benefits of QA Automation

QA automation has numerous benefits, including increased speed and accuracy of testing, improved test coverage, and reduced costs. Automated testing tools enable companies to test software products faster and more accurately, while reducing the number of defects that make it into production.

Automated testing also improves test coverage by allowing developers to test a broader range of scenarios than would be possible with manual testing. By reducing the number of defects that make it into production, companies can reduce the cost of fixing defects, as well as the cost of maintaining and supporting software products.

Implementing QA Automation

Implementing QA automation requires careful planning and execution. Companies need to select the right tools, set up the test environment, and develop the automated test scripts. It is also crucial to establish a collaborative relationship between the development and QA teams to ensure that the implementation is successful.

Selecting the right tools is critical to the success of QA automation. Companies need to consider factors such as the ease of use, the level of integration with other tools, and the availability of support and training. It is also essential to set up the test environment properly, ensuring that it accurately reflects the production environment.

Developing the automated test scripts requires a deep understanding of the software product, as well as the testing requirements. The test scripts need to be carefully designed and maintained to ensure that they are accurate and up-to-date.

Best Practices for QA Automation

To ensure the success of QA automation, companies need to follow best practices such as selecting the right test cases for automation, maintaining a robust test suite, and regularly updating and maintaining automated test scripts.

Selecting the right test cases for automation is critical to the success of QA automation. Companies need to identify the test cases that are the most time-consuming, error-prone, and repetitive. By automating these test cases, developers can save time and reduce the risk of defects.

Maintaining a robust test suite is essential to the success of QA automation. The test suite needs to be regularly updated and maintained to ensure that it accurately reflects the current state of the software product. Companies also need to ensure that the test suite is well-organized and easy to use.

Continuous integration and continuous testing are critical to the success of QA automation. By continuously testing software products throughout the development process, companies can identify defects early and reduce the cost of fixing defects.

Challenges in QA Automation

Despite the numerous benefits of QA automation, there are also challenges that companies need to be aware of. Some of the challenges include maintaining test scripts, handling dynamic UI elements, and dealing with the complexities of integration testing.

Maintaining test scripts can be a time-consuming and challenging task, especially when software products are updated frequently. Companies need to establish processes for updating and maintaining test scripts to ensure that they accurately reflect the current state of the software product.

Handling dynamic UI elements can also be challenging, as these elements can change frequently and unpredictably. Companies need to develop strategies for handling dynamic UI elements to ensure that automated tests remain accurate and up-to-date.

Integration testing can be a complex task in QA automation. It involves testing the interactions between different components and systems to ensure that they work together seamlessly. However, it is crucial for delivering a high-quality product, as integration issues can result in serious defects and user dissatisfaction. To overcome the challenges of integration testing, companies should adopt a comprehensive approach that includes automated testing, manual testing, and cross-functional collaboration. Continuous testing and continuous integration can also help to identify and resolve integration issues early in the development process, improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of QA automation.

The Role of AI and Machine Learning in QA Automation

QA automation has traditionally relied on human operators to develop and execute test cases. However, with the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), automation can be taken to the next level. The integration of AI and ML into QA automation can help to improve test accuracy and reduce false positives. It can also help automate more complex testing scenarios, such as security testing.

The Potential of AI and ML in QA Automation

AI and ML have the potential to revolutionize QA automation. By leveraging these technologies, testing can be made more efficient and effective. AI algorithms can analyze large amounts of data to identify patterns and insights, while ML algorithms can learn from experience and improve over time. This can lead to more accurate testing, reduced testing time, and increased test coverage.

Automating Complex Testing Scenarios

Security testing is a critical component of software testing. However, it can be a challenging task, requiring expertise in the domain and knowledge of the latest threats and vulnerabilities. By using AI and ML, security testing can be automated, reducing the workload on human testers and improving the accuracy and coverage of the tests.

QA Automation in Agile and DevOps Environments

Agile and DevOps have become the standard development methodologies in recent years. These methodologies prioritize speed and collaboration, and they rely heavily on automation. QA automation plays a critical role in these methodologies by enabling faster and more frequent releases. It fits into the continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline, allowing testing to be integrated into the development process.

The Importance of Test Automation

Test automation is essential for successful Agile and DevOps methodologies. It allows for faster feedback and quicker identification of defects. Automated tests can be executed quickly and repeatedly, providing confidence in the quality of the software. Test automation enables developers to focus on higher-level tasks, such as designing new features and improving the user experience.

Conclusion and Future Directions of QA Automation

In conclusion, QA automation is a critical component of modern software development. With the advancements in AI and ML, it has the potential to become even more efficient and effective. Cloud-based testing is also becoming more prevalent, enabling testing to be performed remotely and on-demand. As QA automation continues to evolve, it is likely that it will become even more intelligent and efficient, helping companies to deliver high-quality products with increased efficiency.

Our lives are affected today by digital platforms and content taking over today. The demand for digital content keeps rising. For instance, the global digital content creation market size is expected to touch over $16 billion by 2025. This means a business that invests in digital products has a chance to thrive.

There is a lot involved in making a hustle out of a digital product like eBooks, tickets, podcasts, manuals, or tutorials. It all begins by having the basic knowledge to run a successful online business. Here is a guide on starting an online business selling digital products.

Register your Business

The first step to starting an online business is registering it with the relevant authorities. You want to ensure your business is legitimate and recognized. You can register your business as an LLC and get the proper certification and copyright for your digital products.

The cost of registering an LLC may vary depending on your state. For instance, in Delaware, it costs about $415. This cost includes a state filing fee, name reservation, and adding a registered agent. When you register your business as an LLC, you can reap the benefits of a partnership and a sole proprietorship.

An LLC allows you to reduce personal liability to your business while gaining flexibility in operation and taxation. The process of registering an LLC is not that long compared to other types of business. You should also learn more about the benefits of an LLC for different types of business before deciding the best type of business to register.

Define Your Image and Brand

If you are selling digital products online, you will need a brand image that can sell your products and battle the stiff competition in the online market. Your brand is like an overall vibe of the business. It will need to be iconic enough in case you do expand enough to have more products or even a business delivery fleet.

You want to ensure everything in your business, right from the business name to the design, conveys a consistent idea and visual image of your business.

When working on your brand, you should focus on the logo, color scheme, page layout, typography, photos and graphics. These elements should work together in portraying your brand image out there.

Build a Responsive Website

A website is a must-have if you want to sell digital products. As soon as you’ve validated your business idea, you should proceed to build your website. A website is like your storefront for selling digital products.

It is not that difficult to build a website nowadays. You can create your website in just hours without coding skills using any of the best website builders. You can also hire a website designer to design your website who will also help you choose the best host server that will keep you online round the clock.

When designing a website to sell digital products like courses, written content, and podcasts, you should ensure it has all the required functionalities. Here is what you should do:

• Incorporate forms so visitors can subscribe and join your list.
• Build customized landing pages that can educate your audience to learn more about your products and services.
• Design your website to accept payments so it is easy to sell online.
• Optimize your website for mobile and make it responsive to most visitors who access your services using their smartphones and tablets.

Build an Audience to Sell to

For a physical store, this will sound like building a customer base. If you are selling digital products like a coding course, you want to first build an audience that needs your product. At this point, you want to make use of your greatest asset, the email list.

Everyone on your email list is interested in your brand, which means they trust you. There is a high probability that they will buy from you if only you market your products and services. Add people to your email list and begin marketing your brand to them. Send emails with information on your products and services. This is called list building.

You can give people freebies in exchange for their contact information. For instance, if you are selling a course, you can give a short coaching session to everyone that subscribes to your email list. Freebies can act as your lead magnet. It can attract leads to your business and help you grow your business.

Optimize Your Website for Conversions

You are already selling your digital products to your customers at this stage of the business. What remains is finding ways to increase your sales. If you want to increase your sales, you should optimize your site leveraging SEO to convert most visitors to customers.

To optimize your website, you should look at the data on your site. What do the numbers say about your most trafficked pages? You should also identify the pages on your website that most people rarely visit, and once they do, they leave the page fast.

You want to ensure you can hold your visitors for long so you can get the chance to convince them into buying your products and services. Focus on removing the things that don’t work on your site and improve those that work to optimize your website sales funnel.

You should focus more on how you can sell your digital products on the website. Therefore, make it clear that your website aims to attract people willing and able to buy your products and services.

Make sure you can send every visitor to your landing page, and you persuade them to buy. To achieve this, ensure you have a call to action on one very single page of your website. Go straight to the point and tell your visitors what you want them to do.

You can then reward them accordingly for taking action you asked for.

Final Thoughts                                     

Suppose you are out to start a business selling digital products, now is the right time to start. Register your business and get a copyright for your products. Build a website, brand, and audience for your products and services.

Start your business today by following the five steps listed here and turning your fantastic idea into an income-generating business.

But the key thing to understand is that online courses aren’t solely changing the world of education, but are also having a major impact on business industries, like eCommerce and digital product sales. These Internet-driven educational opportunities are shaping the way digital products are sold thanks to the fact that they bring with them benefits to both businesses and consumers alike. This reigns true in a range of ways, all of which are worth a closer look.

1.  Online Education is Making New Opportunities Accessible to All

Thanks to online education, gone are the days when you had to attend one of a handful of specialized schools in order to pick up a particular or niche skill set. Now, it’s possible to get a robust education in practically anything if you know where to look, all from the comfort of your own home.

Case in point: wholesale real estate investing. As individuals are now pursuing this real estate investing method at a higher rate, they need specialized knowledge and insight on top of their existing real estate education.

Now, thanks to online courses including educational mentorship programs, leaders like Real Estate Skills are getting more people successfully into the wholesale mix. It has quickly ballooned into a popular investment strategy, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic when record demand met low inventory and the types of low interest rates the market hadn’t seen in decades.

2.  Preparing the Next Generation of Workers

By far, one of the biggest ways that online courses are changing eCommerce and digital sales has to do with how they’re adequately preparing the next generation of workers for the shifts that are about to happen in these industries.

The use of concepts like artificial intelligence and cloud computing were already present in eCommerce, but the COVID-19 pandemic acted as an accelerant that supercharged trends like these. They’re big, structural changes that are going to eliminate some jobs and create entirely new ones, the latter of which it has already started to do.

This type of disruption always requires people to learn new skills, be it by way of up-skilling, re-skilling, or something else entirely. Online courses are already helping enormously to that end, teaching people how to coexist with things like automation and teaching them what they need to know to function in the more technical roles that have already started to appear.

Another recent study indicated that in 2021 alone, more than 20 million new users registered for at least one online course from Coursera. That is equal to the growth in online education for the three full years prior to the pandemic. Reasons like this go a long way towards explaining “why”.

3.  Online Courses are Leveling the Playing Field

The rise of eCommerce giants left many smaller, often local businesses and suppliers at a disadvantage. Now, thanks to online courses and education, the pendulum is finally swinging back in the opposite direction. For a (relatively) low up-front cost, smaller businesses can pick up the skills they need to adequately compete with their larger counterparts. They don’t have to outspend them, but rather outthink them.

With the right education it is possible for even individuals to generate 24/7/365 income, all without worrying about opening up a physical store in their area. Anyone can build a brand and sell to customers globally, while still pricing and shipping their products in a competitive way.

But most importantly, online courses give people the opportunity to embrace one of the most important trends of the modern era: a truly personalized customer experience. No business is too small to offer the personalized level of care and attention-to-detail that the modern consumer demands. You just have to leverage the right technology and have the skills and education necessary to make it happen.

That is perhaps the single biggest benefit that online courses provide to both consumers and entrepreneurs working in the world of eCommerce and digital product sales today.

Online Courses are Changing the Way We Think About eCommerce

In an overwhelming number of sectors and spaces, online courses are changing the way we think about eCommerce and digital product sales The education that you can pick up quickly and efficiently is invaluable, to the point where both businesses and individuals can leverage it to grow their sales and reach the largest possible audience at the exact same time.

Amazon has partnered with Plug Power to install the Plug 1MW electrolyzer at the location. The Plug 1MW electrolyzer can support up to 400 hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift trucks, using electricity and water to create hydrogen.

“In Amazon, we have a true partner that recognizes the essential role hydrogen plays in our collective energy future,” said Plug CEO Andy Marsh. “This project demonstrates Plug’s ability to execute across the full hydrogen value chain, and shows how we can design and implement end-to-end solutions for our customers.”

“Hydrogen is an important tool in our efforts to decarbonize our operations by 2040 in support of The Climate Pledge, and we’re excited about our ability to produce hydrogen at Amazon facilities through this partnership with Plug,” said Asad Jafry, the director of global hydrogen economy at Amazon. “On-site production will make the use of hydrogen even more energy efficient for certain locations and types of facilities.”

Hydrogen is emerging as an alternative to electric/battery vehicles in the race to develop fossil fuel alternatives. Toyota has famously been reluctant to convert to an all-electric lineup, touting hydrogen’s potential instead.

With the partnership between Plug Power and Amazon, hydrogen-powered vehicles may be getting the boost they need to gain widespread recognition and adoption.

TSMC is the leading semiconductor manufacturer, providing chips for Apple, Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, and others. The company has maintained a significant technological lead over its rivals, and it appears to be poised to jump ahead once more.

According to Patently Apple, citing a report from the Financial Times, TSMC confirmed it plans to begin mass production of 2nm chips in 2024. The company said work was “progressing well and on track for volume production in 2025, and will be the most advanced semiconductor technology in the industry in both density and energy efficiency when it is introduced.”

The next generation of chips will provide improved performance and efficiency, and will be sought after for mobile and computing needs alike.

In the workplace, productivity and collaboration are what make organizations thrive. But when you put a bunch of different people together, those two key factors don’t always instantly add up. Adaptable structures, tools, and processes are necessary to make it work. This article will delve into four methods to boost productivity and collaboration for your business.

1. Sync Your Data

OK. So, your company probably isn’t going to get by with using one software suite. Even if your organization is on the smaller side, it’s rare to have a single app accommodate every need. However, working with more than one tool means you have multiple data sources.

It’s the equivalent of storing paperwork in several boxes or filing cabinets. Without a synchronized system, you can’t find what you need when you need it. Of course, attempting to sync data the old-fashioned way is complicated and tedious at best. But with technology, the process is nearly seamless once you have the right tools.

For instance, calendar management software with contact and syncing capabilities ensures you don’t have to go on a wild goose chase. The information you need from customer relationship management databases and global address lists is at your fingertips. You can manage your appointments without remembering exact email addresses or hunting for them through your inbox. It’s also possible to sync your data across devices to minimize downtime on the go.

2. Create Communication Guidelines

Research from Harvard Business Review reveals the top reason for collaboration failures is information silos. As roles become more compartmentalized, it’s not uncommon for data silos to form. It usually happens between various leadership levels and the front line or among departments. Nonetheless, silos can form between members of the same team when communication isn’t up to snuff.

Communication can get off track because everyone has unique styles and ideas about keeping others in the loop. Poor information flow can also unintentionally happen as people talk to each other on the fly. Establishing communication guidelines is a way to combat the natural tendency for data silos to form.  

Your communication plan can include what tools to use and when. You’ll want to consider what information needs to flow through the team, plus who should be on the receiving end. Another critical part of your guidelines is when to allow employees to focus on their tasks without interruptions. Sometimes communication can go overboard, such as too many back-to-back meetings and immediate phone calls after group discussions. Achieving balance is key.

3. Prioritize Competing Tasks

Most days, work is a juggling act. A long to-do list is in front of you. Realizing you can’t get to everything at once will help you keep your stress levels in check. At the same time, prioritizing what’s on your plate allows you to focus. Instead of shutting down, you’ll gain a better sense of control over your tasks.

One way to establish priorities is to determine urgency. In other words, will there be significant consequences if something doesn’t get done today? For instance, responding to a time-sensitive document should take priority over a brainstorming session for next year’s ad campaign. What’s critical to remember is to move lower-priority tasks up the urgency scale as time passes. You don’t want to keep putting something off only to have it become an emergency later.  

Another method is to align your task priorities with your strategic goals. Say your company plans to expand its market share by launching a new product line. The timeline for said launch is within six months. This leaves you with a tight calendar for creating and executing a marketing plan. Your team’s priorities will shift to working on the plan versus non-plan-related tasks.

4. Establish Group Goals

About three out of four employees say teamwork and collaboration are crucial. Yet, 39% of surveyed workers indicate their peers aren’t collaborating enough. A lack of shared purpose could be the culprit.

Think about what you see in front of you when you sit down to do your job each day. You zero in on what you must accomplish. From your perspective, it’s a game involving you as the sole player. You’ve got a specific role to fulfill within so many hours. You might need to reach out to your co-workers, but you’re in your own world for the most part.  

There’s nothing wrong with focusing on your individual goals. However, it can put up barriers to teamwork if there isn’t an understanding of how the puzzle pieces fit together. Establishing group goals encourages people to broaden their perspectives and work with others. It’s like playing a team sport. Each person has a specific role, but their individual work impacts everyone’s success.

Productive Collaboration

Enhancing productivity and collaboration can seem like a tall order. People sometimes view increasing individual efficiency as being at odds with group activities. But the two actually go hand in hand since an organization can’t achieve its goals without them. Applying a set of strategies and tools is the way to ensure both stay on track.            

In an interview with Axel Springer, via Insider, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella spoke of the company’s plans following the acquisition.

It is, but we’re really excited about it. For us, there are a few things that go all the way back for us as a company. Gaming is one, right? When I think about Microsoft, I think of perhaps developer tools, proprietary software, and gaming. Those are three things that we’ve done from the very beginning. And so, to us, gaming is the one place where we think we have a real contribution to make in consumer markets. If I look at it, the amount of time people allocate to gaming is going up and Gen Z is going to do more of that. The way games are made, the way the games are delivered, is changing radically. Whether it’s mobile, or consoles, or PCs, or even the cloud. So, we’re looking forward to really doubling down both as a game producer and a publisher. Now we’ll be one of the largest game publishers and also as a company that’s building platforms for it.

Microsoft paid dearly for Activision, both in the price of deal and the effort it took to push the merger through. It appears, however, that Microsoft plans to make the most of the merger and become a gaming powerhouse.

The Cybertruck has been plagued with issues, with some critics doubting if Tesla will ever be able to deliver the truck without a major redesign. Despite the setbacks, Electrek is reporting that Tesla says it is finally ready to begin deliveries, effective November 30, 2023.

According to Electrek, while Tesla claims to have 125,000 production capacity, the reality is that the automaker will need to ramp up to that level and will not be producing that many at launch.

So, as their leader, what can you do? Productivity is obviously not at its peak. While the group has plenty to do, they’re not moving tasks along like they should. Improving your team’s ability to check off their to-do lists in the time they have is paramount to success. Keep reading to explore tips on how to help them do it.

Give Them a Proper Toolbox for Communication

Teams accomplish milestones together. If they’re not in sync, this is when projects fall by the wayside. Even individual responsibilities can become held up if reliable communication isn’t there. Employees will spin their wheels or “work” on everything but work.

But while good communication begins with conversations, it doesn’t end there. Teams need clarity, a shared goal, and centralized tools. Without these elements, the likelihood of misunderstandings increases. A group might be a single unit, but each contributor has distinct ways of explaining, interpreting, and digesting information.

Tools like a project management app and screen recorder can do wonders in establishing a single source of truth. Say an engineer is trying to explain a new complex process. Instead of losing someone in a bunch of technical jargon, they can lay out the steps with screenshots.

Everyone can see the process rather than making up images in their heads. The message gets across more smoothly and accurately, ensuring the entire group is clear on how to proceed. They also have a reference to go back to in case they forget the details.

Define Each Person’s Part in the Play

Projects can easily go sideways if team members aren’t clear about their roles. Role ambiguity occurs when people aren’t sure what their jobs are. It can come from an unclear job description, a lack of direction, and uncertainty about individual responsibilities.

One of the unwanted effects of role ambiguity is a drop in productivity. The decline happens because team members aren’t sure what they should and can do. This lack of clarity becomes a source of stress and demotivation.

Think how you’d feel if you worked diligently on a task only to find out your co-worker did the same. Next time, you’d probably hold back, wondering whether you should proceed. The same might happen if no one’s given clear direction on who’s responsible for what. If job roles aren’t defined, the lack of structure gets in the way.

To keep productivity on track, ensure everyone knows where they stand. Explain the roles of each contributor, including where their responsibilities start and end. Individual team members should also be clear on their authority level, including when to hand off tasks and to whom.

Delegate According to Each Person’s Strengths            

There’s a fine line between providing guidance and taking over. When leaders insert themselves into their employees’ work, it kills productivity. Why? Because it strips ownership and accountability from the group.

It also communicates a lack of trust in the team’s abilities. As a result, employees learn they can’t take initiative. They become tethered to your opinion, expecting you to always pick up the ball. Ambition drops, along with productivity.

A micromanagement leadership style causes unnecessary delays due to an obsession with insignificant details. The work is never good enough, so something always needs to be changed. In addition, micromanagers don’t delegate effectively. They don’t play to their team members’ strengths because of an unfounded belief they can perform the task better.

The manager becomes overloaded while the team sits around waiting for something to do. By delegating tasks, you’re showing your confidence and trust in employees’ skills. Giving overall direction and letting the team take the reins accomplishes more than taking over. The group exercises its skills with increased motivation to shine.

Practice Working in Time Blocks

Competing tasks can make employees feel overwhelmed. Productivity declines because their brains become overworked. Some people might step away and shut down. Others may focus on only the high-priority items while neglecting those lower on the totem pole.

Neither approach is effective in the long run. Inevitably, lower-priority assignments become dumpster fires if left untouched. Introducing your team to time blocking can help address all priorities evenly. Time blocking may also give employees a sense of accomplishment.

With this technique, teams dedicate a certain amount of time to specific tasks. For example, they brainstorm for two hours in the morning with a hard stop at 10 a.m. From there, they return emails and phone calls for an hour. Afterward, they work on project-related assignments for three hours. You get the idea.

Time blocking helps the workday feel more manageable. It breaks it down into bite-sized chunks, providing an easy-to-understand time management structure. Employees have a tangible means of managing their workload, resulting in less stress.

Supercharging Team Productivity

Keeping a team on task isn’t always as simple as it looks. Achieving high levels of productivity requires effective leadership and time management methods. Communication tools, clear directives, delegation practices, and time-blocking techniques can get you there.

According to the DOJ, eBay has sold hundreds of thousands of products that violate environmental regulations. In addition, the platform is accused of selling, or contributed to the sale, of 343,000 “defeat devices” designed to circumvent vehicle emission controls.

The DOJ says eBay was also involved in the sale of at least 23,000 pesticides that were restricted, misbranded, or unregistered, even doing so in violation of a previous EPA order to stop.

The company is also accused of distributing more than 5,600 items that violate the TSCA Methylene Chloride Rule.

“Laws that prohibit selling products that can severely harm human health and the environment apply to e-commerce retailers like eBay just as they do to brick-and-mortar stores,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to preventing the unlawful sale and distribution of emissions-defeating devices and dangerous chemicals that, if used improperly, can lead to dire consequences for individuals and communities.”

“Our nation’s environmental laws protect public health and the environment by prohibiting the unlawful sale of defeat devices; unregistered, misbranded and restricted use pesticides; and unsafe products containing toxic chemicals such as methylene chloride,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The complaint filed today demonstrates that EPA will hold online retailers responsible for the unlawful sale of products on their websites that can harm consumers and the environment.”

“eBay’s sale of emission control defeat devices, pesticides and other unsafe products poses unacceptable risks to our communities disproportionately impacted by environmental and health hazards,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Together with our partners, this office will vigorously enforce federal law against those whose conduct endangers public health and the environment.”

According to AP News, Hyundai President and Global COO Jose Munoz, said the company is targeting 2024 to begin EV production at its Georgia facility, speeding up construction to meet the goal.

“What we decided is to double down,” Munoz said. “We try to accelerate as much as possible, the project. And we are confident that the original date of January 2025 would be probably pulled ahead maybe three months or so. If we can, even more.”

At stake is the $7,500 tax credit buyers can receive when purchasing an EV, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. The catch, however, is that buyers are only eligible if buying EVs made in North America and containing domestic batteries.

“We would like to ensure that the sourcing of the batteries is 100% USA in order to comply with the IRA,” Munoz said.

The company announced the launch in a blog post:

A new set of generative AI capabilities will simplify how Amazon sellers create more thorough and captivating product descriptions, titles, and listing details. These new capabilities will make it faster and easier for sellers to list new products as well as enrich existing listings, helping customers more confidently make purchase decisions.

Creating compelling product titles, bullet points, and descriptions has previously required significant work for sellers. Amazon is making new generative AI capabilities available to sellers to simplify that process, reducing the need to enter many pieces of specific product data to just one step. The new capabilities use large language models (LLMs), a type of machine learning model specifically trained on large amounts of data that can recognize, summarize, translate, predict, and generate text and other content, to build more comprehensive product descriptions.

Sellers just need to provide a simple description of the product and the generative AI will take over, generating a more in-depth description.

“With our new generative AI models, we can infer, improve, and enrich product knowledge at an unprecedented scale and with dramatic improvement in quality, performance, and efficiency,” said Robert Tekiela, vice president of Amazon Selection and Catalog Systems. “Our models learn to infer product information through the diverse sources of information, latent knowledge, and logical reasoning that they learn. For example, they can infer a table is round if specifications list a diameter or infer the collar style of a shirt from its image.”

Tumblr has been in the news recently for a major redesign of its desktop site that looks reminiscent of X (Twitter) or Meta’s Threads. According to TechCrunch, Mullenweg emphasized Tumblr’s role as an “on-ramp” for Automattic’s other products. For example, a person may begin their online presence with a Tumblr blog before graduating to a full-fledged WordPress or e-commerce site.

“I’m excited about that on-ramp as well as to bring a younger demographic and young people into WordPress,” Mullenweg noted.

Mullenweg also sees Tumblr as a relatively future-proofed platform.

“You often hear people say they want to do less social media, but you almost never hear people say they want to blog less…What is it about blogging, that they feel like adds to their life or is a valuable task, or valuable use of time, that maybe they’re not getting from more traditional social media?,” he asked. “Like I said, we’re making Tumblr for art and artists. I haven’t heard anyone say I’d love less art in my life.”