It Was More Like A Friendship Rings Of Today

Business.

Is engagement ring is a formal agreement to chastity and a future marriage - it is a usual practice for couple to exchange engagement rings between themselves while they get engaged. But, they may not be aware of the significance of such a ring and what it stands for. People nowadays consider these rings as essential part of the process of getting married.

These rings are not to be considered like any other jewelry worn by a person. - it also indicates one' s faithfulness to each other. These rings carry the symbol of eternal love and commitment towards each other. This practice of exchanging Engagement rings has a quite a long history. This practice was started by the Greeks in the ancient times. The significance of these rings and way they were made have also changed.

It was considered to be a token of affection and care. - but, it was not always necessary that giving of these rings would lead to future marriage. At that time, these rings were known as betrothal ring and used to be given before marriage. It was more like a friendship rings of today. It is thought that these roman rings had keys carved on them. In ancient Rome, the practice of Engagement ring was not very popular.

It is thought that this signified that wife was entitled to get half of all properties and monies after marriage. - in 860 ad, pope nicolas i made the ring compulsory for any engagement and it should be made of gold. Some others would like to think that this key represented as key to her husband' s heart. It would also indicate that the groom was financially committing towards the marriage. Some people say it started by Archduke Maximilian of Austria presenting such a ring to his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy. Engagement rings in the form as we know today became popular in 14th - 15th Century Europe when rich people and royal families started this practice.

In countries like Brazil, Sweden and Germany it is customary for both bride and groom to wear such rings. - though it is thought that one should present a diamond ring as an engagement ring, but it is not necessarily required that the stone must be diamond. The practice of wearing the Engagement ring on the 4th finger( also known as ring finger) has started from the belief that this finger has a special vein which goes directly the heart. In fact, a ring having any stone could be given as an Engagement ring. Some people would like to have only a simple ring. Generally, the ring is made as per bride' s choice. This ring would show their deep commitment to the relation between themselves.

They would better like to have an expensive ring as their marriage ring. http: //www. northdiamonds. com/

Many Brokers Suffer From Lender Phobia

Business.

The art of brokering commercial loans - doc' s secret# 2: biggest mistake of the new commerical broker. I receive tons of calls from broker' s around the country.

I take many calls each day as" The Money Doctor" . - these are all good, honest hardworking people. The conversation typically goes like this: "Hey Doc, I' m new at this and I just landed a mega deal. Many of these calls could have been avoided because the beginning commercial broker is not aware of the proper and proven operating strategies. Are you sitting down? I sold the client that I could get the cash for him. I have signed an exclusive with a borrower for a$ 25M dollar deal to finance a health care facility.

My question is this: "Doc, where can I get a loan for this guy? " My heart goes out to the broker and to the client! "Why didn' t you find the lender first, find out what areas the lender is interested in and what their requirements are? - if you did this, then when your future clients call you would know where to take the loan and your clients would be seeking that specific type of loan. Then advertise for that certain type of loan? If you did it this way, then all you have to do is qualify the borrower, collect the documents and package them to your lender' s request. Unfortunately, these brokers are calling because they didn' t do it that way. That is much easier and will cause fewer gray hairs!

Now the broker is scrambling for a lender, while stalling the borrower: not a good position to be in! - j) please the secret here is simple. The chances of success, of obtaining a commission on that$ 25M lead is slim, unless of course he wants to co - broker( and of course I' ll be happy to help! Many brokers suffer from Lender Phobia. Do yourself a favor and call some lenders and interview them. They are literally afraid to speak to the" Checkwriter" . Lenders expect to be called by professionals.

They want your business. - they make money when you bring them good loans. There are many broker friendly commercial lenders. These are the people that will put money into your pocket month after month. It is important for your career to begin to groom your lending relationships. To Your Success!

One Should Always Bear In Mind That Legitimate Online Surveys Can And Will Really Pay Up Those Who Work For Them

Business.

Is it possible to make money with online surveys? - different online surveys have emerged with the promise that they can give extra income to those who successfully sign up to such site. These online surveys serve as home based jobs for a lot of people, and they are very easy means of earning cash while still being able to make the most of their times at home with their loved ones.

This is a good thing, especially for those people who wish to earn a little extra money while they stay in the comfort of their own homes. - however, one big question that pops in the heads of a lot of people is the issue of whether or not the online surveys really do pay up those who work for them. With just the use of the personal computer, one can already work and gain profit. Of course, this is very much understandable, because it is not easy to believe that one can earn money in such a very easy way. Some online surveys require people to just answer several questions, and then they will automatically be compensated for every number of surveys that they have answered. However, this job is not as difficult as it may seem.

Take note, effort will still have to be exerted, it is not just something that will give away money. - the work is basically home based, and the working hours will ultimately depend on the mood of the person who is answering the survey. He is the only one who holds his own schedule, thus with the proper time management, he can enjoy his social life more while making money. Most of all, people working online do not have to face the hassles of waking up early in the morning, or staying up late at night just to finish their work. These work - at - home jobs do not require one to have any experience before applying. This is a work wherein workers do not have their boss, for they are the boss of themselves. A person only need to properly answer the surveys and answer as many as he can, then he is already working, then he can already be paid.

There will be no one to nag them regarding their work, thus lesser pressure is on them. - a lot of comments regarding scams have been written all over the internet, however there are still some sites which have evidences to show that they are legitimate and that they exist to help those who are looking for sidelines and jobs that can help them earn a little. However, despite all these good things about online surveys, the legality of an online survey that really pays is very much the concern of the person seeking for a job. Before one finally decides to join the online survey site, he should first check on the credibility of the site. It is through these comments that the online survey builds it reputation. He must see to it that there are comments from other people who have first hand experience with such site, and it is a lot better if good comments are given regarding the site. At least there are living proofs that would attest to that.

One should always bear in mind that legitimate online surveys can and will really pay up those who work for them. - yes, there may be a lot of scams out there, but with vigilance and proper knowledge, one can definitely gain profit from working online. Therefore, the real issue is whether or not the online survey site is legitimate otherwise, there is no point of joining one which will not give any compensation for ones work.

Do You Make More Money By Offering Credit Card Payments Or Less

Business.

Secret strategies of ebay sellers - as if you haven' t already heard, millions upon millions of people of people buy and sell on ebay every single day. Others have figured out what it takes to become" Powersellers. " Powersellers are the very small minority of eBay sellers that do at least$ 2, 000 per month in sales on eBay and maintain a 99% positive feedback rating. Some only make a few sales here and there.

Powersellers are the ones that really know what they' re doing and if you really want to be successful on eBay then follow the secrets they revealed to me. - well, i' ll be completely honest with you. So, what are the secrets, tips and tricks that will cause you to become a Powerseller as well? I may be well on my way but I' m not a Powerseller yet. And now I am going to take what they taught me and pass it on to you. However, one thing that I know from creating several successful businesses is that if you want to become the best at something, you need to copy those that are already successful, ask them to mentor you and ask questions and take notes.

This is part three of a four part article series. - accept every form of payment that you possible can! You will find links to the other parts of this article series at the end of this article. Powersellers make it as easy as possible for their customers to pay for an item and give them as many options as possible. This is the most ridiculous belief when it comes to business for several reasons. Many sellers are opposed to accepting credit cards because of the fees that credit card companies charge. One, the average credit card purchase is 30% higher than purchases made by cash or check.

Do you make more money by offering credit card payments or less? - so, do the math. Sure you have to pay 2 - 3% to the credit card company but you will make 30% more on the sale. I try to tell people that using their credit card on the Internet is actually safer online than offline as the credit card companies attest but, most of the time, they simply don' t believe me. Now, many people then say" Well, why should I accept personal checks or money orders then? " Because, even though credit card payments are the safest way to pay on the Internet, many people believe that they' re just not safe. And you know what?

This goes back to the first reason why you should accept credit cards. because people that pay via credit card are willing to pay more usually making them the highest bidder. - i hate having to go to the bank to deposit a check and wait until it clears but the funny thing is that even though i accept checks and money orders, the winning bidder rarely wants to pay via check or money order. Finally, when you accept more forms of payments, you' ll receive more bids and the interesting thing is that this can often times create a bidding frenzy.

Indoor Equipment Is Not Tailored To Withstand The Outdoor Elements, And Is Much Lighter To Handle

Business.

The advantages of finding the right exhibition equipment - finding good quality and long lasting exhibition equipment can often be a mission to locate and usually is a time consuming effort. Most exhibitors require plenty of space to display their products. Getting the right equipment is integral to the type of exhibition you put on and the resulting outcome of your exhibition.

These are often located in ideal spots where people are able to see them clearly. - the idea is to draw visitor' s attention to your stand and work towards achieving your goals set for the exhibition. In this instance, this is why it is important to have eye - catching and classy looking exhibition equipment. Sometimes you can get the display wrong as then the way you present yourself may be perceived wrongly to customers. Rather than displaying simple pictures and brochures. For instance, if you are a company that promotes electrical gadgets, then you will need technical equipments and prototype display units. The exhibitions are used for a number of reasons with many of them looking to generate sales and build upon their client records.

In addition, whether the exhibition is held indoors or outdoors will determine what kind of equipment you will need for your exhibition. - exhibitions, when organised properly and with enough time in advance. Indoor equipment is not tailored to withstand the outdoor elements, and is much lighter to handle. It is a good idea to test out the equipment before purchasing or hiring as this way you will get a good idea of how to use them for effective displaying. Outdoor exhibition equipment is usually more robust and heavier, as they are exposed to things can damage them depending upon the weather. People underestimate the importance of lighting and effective graphics display, often the simplest designs and setup are better than fancy expensive graphics and modern technology.

You will need to determine how often you will be using it and how much you want to spend on the exhibition equipment. - again, this depends upon the theme of your exhibition. Hiring equipment can prove to be much cheaper than actually buying, as then you can pay for the cost of set up and transportation. However, it can perhaps prove cheaper for some companies if they are regularly taking part in exhibitions to market their company. This is useful for those looking to exhibit their company over a limited number of times. Some companies prefer to buy their own equipment, which can be useful than constantly hiring equipment at different times.

Therefore, they will be subjected to a lot of maintenance work. - however, the disadvantage of buying your own equipment is that very often the display units and equipments can get worn away and outdated. If it were to be damaged you will receive a warranty through a certain time.

This And A Possible Hike On Electrical Rates Of 60% Promise To Keep Inflation Aloft Well Above That 3 To 6%

Business.

In south africa, monetary decline is the buzz - the south african economy was expected to have a rough ride this year and it has and there is no quick fix in sight. The Reserve Bank' s four interest rate increases last year failed to bring inflation back within the 3 percent to 6 percent target range. People were advised to be extra careful this year when spending as they will start to feel the pinch from rapidly rising prices of food and fuel, high interest rates and the effects of the Nation South African inflation which climbed above 9 percent in February for the first time in almost five years, which caused many to be concerned that the interest rates could be going even higher.

The Rand is one of the few currencies in the world which has done worse than the dollar, decreasing by 15 percent in comparative value this year. - all of this is giving the central bank a black eye and ruining their credibility because the numbers are increasing dramatically and they seem to not be able to control them. This and a possible hike on electrical rates of 60% promise to keep inflation aloft well above that 3 to 6% . Governor Tito Mboweni said on March 19 the rand' s drop will keep inflation above the target for longer than forecast. We seem to be still going in the wrong direction and that is only hurting credibility of the banking institution. In January, the central bank forecast the inflation rate will peak at an average of 5 percent in the first quarter and drop within the target by the end of the year.

The inflation of the price of food is a different story, the main force which is propelling that is the international shift towards growing of crops for food to growing of the same crops for biofuel, especially in the US. - so what can the individual man or woman in south africa do in order to survive these turbulent financial times? The increase in gasoline prices is largely due to increased demand from countries such as China and India and this is likely to continue. This, is a question, of course with many small answers, not one big one. It is up to individual problem solving and grassroots movements of new technologies. One would be foolish to expect the answer to fall from the sky or from the oil corporations or from the government.

WATER4GAS is providing information at a low price which people can use at home to build a small device which instills hydrogen into the gas/ air mixture that their vehicle runs on. - with w4g gasoline is made usable so you can reduce your gas usage. Using Water4Gas you can reasonably expect to reduce your gas usage by 30 - 50% or significantly more. It also helps make emissions significantly cleaner. Isn' t it your turn now? Happy members number about 99% !

Procrastination Is Avoidance

Business.

Eliminating procrastination - "we shall never have more time. No object is served in waiting until next week or even until tomorrow. We have, all the time, and always had there is.

Keep going. - i' ll admit it, sometimes i don' t feel like working or writing or answering my e - mails or my phone. Concentrate on something useful. " - - Arnold Bennett. And in occasion, I' ll fess up here, I don' t love going to the gym. And sometimes I even procrastinate on one thing by doing another thing which I was previously procrastinating on. And when I get into these mindsets, I have an uncanny ability to scare up a few dozen other things I could be doing instead, things as varied and fascinating as organizing my receipts or walking the dog or catching up on some reading. For example, sometimes I don' t want to write so much that I' ll choose the gym as an alternative.

I love what I do and I have overcome my minor bouts with procrastination by working with my other - than - conscious mind and working with my intention to set my daily, monthly and yearly, weekly courses, setting watermarks along the way to make sure I am succeeding in my goals. - for the most part, though, i' m lucky. Procrastination is avoidance. In the business world, time is of the essence, so time management and getting things done is king. But sometimes there is value in procrastination, sometimes avoiding one thing can push you into another. Having a way to manage any serious procrastination problem is vital. When you break an old habit, however, it' s important to have a new one in its place, a system for dealing with the ruts that we' ve gotten into over time. (Many times you' ll see a smoker nibbling on carrot sticks as a temporary alternative to get them over the hump where their hand/ mouth habit is concerned. ) It is your intention or lack of intention that makes or breaks you in terms of procrastination.

Procrastination is a habit and habits can be broken and rerouted. - when you switch your intention and have solid resolve it is akin to setting your other than conscious mind on a quest. Try this: have a conversation with your other than conscious. For this to work to your advantage, you have to properly train your other than conscious. Ask it for its help in turning a new leaf on getting things done. So if you say, 'I' m going to take out the garbage' , take out the garbage. Set small goals at first, goals that you are certain you can keep, because you are training your other - than - conscious to work on your behalf.

That' s totally doable. - visualize yourself keeping your appointments with yourself, following up on your intentions, and getting things done. And if you say, 'Okay, tomorrow I' m going to make two phone calls which I will follow up on with letters' , make those two phone calls and write those two letters. By creating this synergy with your intention, other - than - conscious, imagination and your deep desire to accomplish what you need to accomplish, you have the ability to push past any procrastination problems you might encounter.

For Many People Owning Their Own Business And Working From Home Is Like A Dream Come True

Business.

Operating a business at home - for many people owning their own business and working from home is like a dream come true. Many people enter into a home business with high expectations that may not be tied to the reality of operating a business at home and they quickly become discouraged. Unfortunately, falling into a dream with your eyes closed can quickly turn that dream into a nightmare.

On the other hand, going into business for yourself without all the hype of the kind of freedom and riches that will fall in your lap can help you create a successful work at home business. - forget about having tons of free time to do only what you feel like doing. It does not matter the type of business you planning to open, there are certain realities that you have to face. Ignore the hype about only having to work a couple of hours a day. Working at a home business has to be considered as a job, and like any type of job you have to put in a certain amount of effort. Part time work rarely results in full time pay and the notion of pulling in obscene riches working at home is a dream only realized by a few individuals, who are not likely to share any proprietary information with you or anyone else.

With home businesses, the more effort you put in the bigger rewards are available, but believing that you can start your home business and instantly start earning the big bucks is the kind of unrealistic thinking that quickly causes a lack of sleep and when sleep does come, it is interrupted by nightmare. - no matter what type of home business you plan to operate, chances are you are not going to be able to afford a full staff to do everything for you. Now that you understand that instant riches are not going to come from running your home business, you also need to understand that like all jobs it is going to require work. At least in the beginning, if there is something to do, you are going to be in charge of getting it done. It is all on you. There is no advertising staff, no billing and, no accounting staff certainly no cleaning crew.

So much for having all that free time. - amid the constant interruptions of family and friends, the clients or customers that are demanding your time and the self set deadlines to get things done will quickly take a toll on your patience. Many people who quit their jobs on the basis of living the dream of owning their own business do not fully comprehend what it takes to earn a living working from home. Then there is the collections department, in charge of making sure your services or products are paid for on time. In some cases that may actually be a good thing, but many home business owners find that a little diplomacy can go a long way to inflate the checking account. You are the only one there as well and threatening calls to a client to pay up will probably lead to the loss of a customer.

Either For Help Desk Or Customer Support

Business.

Good advice on bolstering your customer service - i was on the phone the other day trying to get to customer support for an issue i was having with a product that i own. It seemed after every question I asked they had to put me on hold to go ask someone else. It seemed like forever to actually get through to a real live human being, and when I did, I think I landed the person who must have started with the company about twenty minutes before they took my call.

I really should have just said can you just put someone else on the phone? - in the end i was able to get my issue resolved, so the end result makes it well worth the aggravation... i think. I think it would have saved both of us and the person she kept bugging to get answers, a lot of time and frustration. I do not know how you think, when I call, but for me in to get assistance on something, nothing is more frustrating then either one, not talking to a live person, constantly getting someone, two' s voice mail, getting a person, or three who really isn' t ready to talk to live people on the phone. Either for help desk or customer support? Does your business handle phone calls from the outside world?

If you do then you really should have your people prepared. - the best thing would have been to transfer the call to a more knowledgeable staff member and then have her listen in to learn how to handle the situation. In the case above the person I talked to clearly wasn' t educated on the topics I needed covered and therefore cost people involved a lot of time. If you have employees who talk to customers over the phone, they really are your first line of good customer service. If they are calling customer support, then chances are they are already aggravated by something that your company sells, services or supplies. You always want people to leave a phone conversation more pleasant then when they called. Your customer support personnel should be well trained to be sympathetic to their needs and even though they might not be able to help them, have the ability to make them turn 180 degrees to feeling good about the progress and potential results of their phone call.

There is nothing more frustrating then trying to get help on an issue, only to experience that you leave more angry then when you started because the person you were working with just doesn' t care. - so many times i personally have encountered, whether it is over the phone and even in person, customer service just not caring about the needs of the customer. Do your company, employees and your customers a favor, and spend the time to train your employees on good quality customer service. You could even make a contest out of it as to see which one of your employees has the highest rate of customer service satisfaction. Let them know that customers, regardless of how irate they might be, should be treated with respect and dignity. Whatever method you choose to bolster your customer service department it should ultimately in the end yield happy customers.

The Darker Side Of The Industry Is One That Has Also Caught The News In Recent Months

Business.

Ringtone news - from craze to music industry saviour? - when ring tones first arrived on the market it was treated like a craze, a short term gimmick that would eventually fade away like the yo - yo and clangers. Even the electronic reproduction ring tones of original songs are making a comeback in some kind of retro kitsch movement.

The industry today chalks up$ 40 billion in sales with$ 600 million in the US alone and has become a marketing tool for the music industry who are suffering in uncertain times as sales of Cd' s and video actually fell 6% in the last year. - record companies are happy to sign up for revenue in a market that sees their new bands as well as their established artists being heard for' free' in schools and around shopping malls as teenagers swap and listen to their friends ring tones. In fact, the market is so strong these days that even Billboard, who have tracked the fortunes of the nations most popular songs for over fifty years, is now running a chart on the popularity of the most popular ring tones. Its a marketing dream that is not only free for the record companies but actually brings in revenue. Market Analysts do however have a note of caution for the future expansion in the industry. They point to the diversification of use of mobile phones as a possible hindrance to further explosive growth. This points to the ever increasing supply and use of phones that can play MP3 files in the same way your i pod or music player can.

One thing is for sure, this is definitely no longer a craze and like all industries that mature, it will need to adapt to stay ahead of the field. - in florida, bill mccollum recently, the attorney general agreed a settlement with ring tone promoter azoogleads. The darker side of the industry is one that has also caught the news in recent months. The settlement of$ 1 million was for misrepresentation on the part of AzoogleAds in that their online promotion of ring tone downloads has misled members into believing the downloads were free. This charge, which is then added to the subscribers phone bill allows the subscriber to download a fixed number of ring tones a month. Ring tones normally come with a contract in which the telephone service provider is billed by the promoting company for a monthly subscription. McCollum successfully argued that misleading promotion ads online had left countless subscribers paying for services that they did not know they had signed up for.

In a parallel move, service provider AT& T announced its intention to police the marketing of its affiliate promoters. 'Consumers should never be billed for services they thought were free of charge' , Attorney General Bill McCollum was quoted as saying. 'Today' s agreement establishes a precedent for wireless companies accepting responsibility for the way cell phone content is advertised on the internet and the manner in which charges are passed along to consumers. - mccollum heads a cyber fraud task - force in florida that expects further action and is currently in talks with a number of ring tone promotion companies. AT& T should be commended for being the first wireless company in the industry to offer this reform. ' These latest developments are sure signs that an industry that started as a craze is developing into a mature industry and finally carrying the responsibility that goes with it. As for the future - give me a ring!

Start Your Journey And Make Money With Online Auctions

Business.

Freebids.net - earning money from online auctions is one of the best ways to get started with your own home based business. In fact almost anyone can do it, even teenagers!

It' s one of the easiest home businesses to start, and earn a, maintain profit with. - the concept is simple. Think of it like having a neighborhood yards sale, you can sell old items that are just laying around the house or forgotten about in your attic. Buy a product cheap and sell it for a higher price. Earning money from online auctions is one of the best ways to get started with your own home based business. In fact almost anyone can do it, even teenagers!

It' s one of the easiest home businesses to start, and earn a, maintain profit with. - the concept is simple. Think of it like having a neighborhood yards sale, you can sell old items that are just laying around the house or forgotten about in your attic. Buy a product cheap and sell it for a higher price. You can find unused items from your neighbors and friends, or buy a product online for cheap. Well, yes in fact over$ 43 billion in gross merchandise has been sold through eBay last year alone.

Does that mean that anyone can make money online? - if you consider all of the other online auctions sites like freebids. So, ask yourself this question; "How would you like to earn over$ 27, 000 this year working from home" ? Net, Half. com, uBid. com, ShopGoodWill. com etc. you can imagine why making money with online auctions has quickly become one of the most profitable business models available. Sounds pretty good right? K. now consider that$ 27, 500 per year is only 001% of the$ 25 Billion sold through PayPal using eBay last year.

While it' s important to set realistic goals, be sure not to" sell" yourself short. - that equals$ 275, 000 per year and that is only 01% of the online auction sales. Imagine making 01% of that$ 25 Billion. So, how can you start making money with online auctions? Once you are motivated to start making money with auctions, read as much information as you can. Well, the first step is to realize that the only person that can make it happen is you. The more you know the more money you will make.

Well, the first step is to realize that the only person that can make it happen is you. - so, how can you start making money with online auctions? Once you are motivated to start making money with auctions, read as much information as you can. For the purpose of keeping the business concept simple, we will concentrate only on eBay( the largest online auction site) . The more you know the more money you will make. However, as you become more proficient in online auctions be sure to expand your arena and try some other online auctions as well. Computer and Internet Access.

What you will need to get started: A credit card, or other pre, debit card - paid card. - product - buy low and sell high. A quite work environment. A few hours a day. If you are not familiar with eBay, now would be a good time to go look at their site. You can sell anything you can imagine here.

It' s easy to understand even though at first glance in may appear a little cluttered. - for example, a couple from colorado recently sold real snow from the last snow storm. Obviously, getting the product at a low price and selling for a high price is the" meat and potatoes" of this business and is also the most complicated part. So, your imagination is your only limitation and remember that one person' s junk is another person' s treasure. There are a number of wholesale warehouse that sell items for the specific purpose of allowing you to resell the products on online auctions. Start your journey and make money with online auctions. Often you can find items for sale with up to an 80% discount.

Finally, Make Your Offering More Mistake - Proof

Business.

Design your offering to be friendlier to do - it - yourselfers - the people who design offerings are often the worst people to design do - it - yourself directions for beneficiaries, and users, customers. Designers know too much!

Why? - they can help themselves very easily. What' s a good way to make offerings more do - it - yourself friendly? But do - it - yourself features aren' t going to do much good unless they are easy for everyone to use. Prompt the person with what they need to do next. To the audience, these look like slightly unattractive decorations. If you' ve ever stood behind the lectern at a large event, you may have noticed that the two big sheets of glass at either side of the lectern are actually screens to run the text of a speech.

To the speakers, there are prompters. - in the same way, you can post prompts for using your offering from beginning to end. If you lose your place in your speech or cannot remember enough to approximate the text, you can glance at the prompter and get back on track. If no one needs the prompts, the prompts will be ignored. If possible, make your prompts simple. If prompts are helpful, they will be eagerly sought out and appreciated when needed.

For example, "yes" or" no" choices help. - each screen would then give us the choice of whether to continue or not. A computer screen might ask, "Do you want to save the changes you made? " Or for our MP3 player, it might ask, "Do you want to save this recording on your computer? " If we hit" yes" that would take us into a step - by - step demonstration of what to do next. A more advanced set of prompts might allow us the choice not to be asked a particular question again the next time we come through a screen. That may sound like an obvious point, but few organizations put any emphasis on simple use. A better approach is to make your offering self - sufficient for do - it - yourselfers by designing for simpler use.

Why? - designers frequently want the offering to appear to be" cool" while the engineers want an elegant design that other engineers will admire. Those who work on the project have different objectives. The operating executives want an offering that' s easy for them to provide. Pursuing such objectives will normally lead to an offering that' s unnecessarily complex and time - consuming for beneficiaries, and users to, customers employ. The accountants want the offering provider' s costs to be low.

What' s the difference you should seek? - make the process simpler to begin with, and you may not need to use any prompts. Designed - in prompts can take you through a complex process. For instance, those who want to make voice recordings as their primary use could be offered a different MP3 recorder designed solely for voice recordings that will be e - mailed. The player' s software could then automatically segment the recordings into 15 - minute sections for easier handling of the files as e - mail attachments. This recorder could have buttons resembling those on a tape recorder.

With the right design a beneficiary, or user would, customer be taking the right steps within a few seconds of popping in the battery. - here' s another idea: have someone who wears reading glasses help design your offering. Few would miss going through hours of advance preparation for a recording. In the race to miniaturize almost everything, the symbols and words on some devices are becoming microscopic to those who wear reading glasses. Finally, make your offering more mistake - proof. All 16 - year - olds will do well with the miniaturization, but few people over 50 will be able to make out what' s being communicated.

Have you ever looked at those plug - in sockets at the back of your computer? - sometime when your system is off, take out the various wires and inspect how the sockets vary for different devices that are attached to your computer. If not, take a look. It looks like someone with a weird taste for modern art has been at work. If you make the sockets unique enough, no one will plug a device into a socket that will cause harm to your computer. Actually, the reason is far more practical.

To speed finding that unique receptacle, you' ll usually find that the plugs and sockets are color - coded to aid those who aren' t color blind. - you need to make such a do - it - yourself step foolproof. In other words, the computer makers realized that most people would be putting their computer systems together on their own. Otherwise, manufacturers know that they will simply be receiving back a lot of computers that have been destroyed during the installation process. How can you make using your offerings simpler, more fool - proof, and more fun?