PowerPoint Storyboarding with Visual Studio 2012 vs Balsamiq

Both of these tools are designed for quick storyboarding, prototyping or wire-framing. Both are able to produce artifacts that can demonstrate user interaction to a stakeholder in a visual way. The focus of both products is on content and not on high definition end-product visuals. This document outlines their respective capabilities, prerequisites, ease of use and will make a recommendation.

PowerPoint Storyboarding with Visual Studio 2012:

An add-in to PowerPoint that comes with Visual Studio 2012, this application is an additional tab called “Storyboarding” within PowerPoint that allows users to leverage their existing PowerPoint skills to mock up applications. There is strong Microsoft support for this add-in and a number of additional templates exist to assist with mocking for different technologies including web, SharePoint and iOS to name but a few. 

A big benefit is the ability to add these mockups to a TFS work item which expedites the process of providing the development staff with documentation. This works best for organisations that rely on Team Foundation Server as both their code repository and their project and document management solution. It is useful to keep all artifacts and project related information in a central, accessible, managed environment.

Prerequisites:

• PowerPoint 2007 or later

• Visual Studio Premium 2012, VS Ultimate 2012 or VS Test Professional 2012

Figure 1 : The mocking environment within PowerPoint using the Storyboarding add-in

Balsamiq

This application has a strong reputation in analysis and design circles. It comes highly recommended for mocking up applications. With strong community support there are a large number of controls and templates to choose from. This application is available as a standalone install and as a web -based app within Chrome. Easy to learn and quickly create mockups this application is quickly becoming a standard.

Prerequisites:

• Chrome web browser for web version

• None if installing the standalone app

Figure 2: The mocking environment within the Balsamiq web application

Recommendation

These applications are very similar in functionality and the outputs that can be produced.  Having only had access to the free version of Balsamiq I can really highly recommend it and have on many occasions.  If it is within budget then the Storyboarding add-in would make a useful addition to any designer’s tool belt.

Advantages of Storyboarding are:

• TFS integration

• Transferable skill set for anyone who can PowerPoint proficiently. 

Advantages of Balsamiq:

• Web-based so can be used from any computer. 

• Large number of community generated artifacts. 

• Cheaper by a big margin

Further Reading

Balsamiq:

http://support.balsamiq.com/customer/portal/articles/107999-specifying-interaction-with-mockups

PowerPoint Storyboarding:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh409276(v=vs.110).aspx

http://techblurt.com/2012/09/13/balsamiq-vs-powerpoint-storyboarding-with-vs-2012/

 

Speaking with Charisma Part 1

This is just a quick repost so that I don't lose this info. 
I plan on writing a series on this topic as I learn and try to implement new things in my speaking.

With thanks to Adam Green of Google

Tips and tricks to boost your public speaking confidence and charisma:

1) Pace yourself. To slow down and build momentum, try reciting a sentence then walking to the other side of the room. Pause, then walk back to the other side and deliver your next sentence. 

2) Unfreeze. What to do if you totally freeze during your presentation? Look at your slide or notes and just describe what you see on the slide or page in front of you. The words will start flowing and come back to you.

3) Fidget and fiddle no more. Displacement tactic: if you find yourself always fiddling with your hands or keeping your hands in your pockets, try standing behind a chair or a podium and planting your hands on the podium so you appear confident. (Even political leaders use this trick.)

4) Get physical. Use the room to your advantage and keep your audience alert. Walk across the room or even among the audience to get people involved in your presentation. 

5) Stop saying “Um.” To rid yourself of “umm”-ing your way through a presentation, use this physical displacement tactic: Every time you are transitioning from one point to another, do something small but physical, like moving your pen. Making a conscious effort to move the pen will turn your brain off from using a verbal filler instead.

Posted by Adam Green, Agency Lead and G2G Instructor

Pick n Pay Argus Cycle Tour 2013 Saga

Another night of the zombie Dad - haven't slept more than 3 hours straight in weeks. I love them to bits though so it's all worth it. Anyhoo, warned to be at the start of the race at least an hour before the time so me rocking up there at 30 minutes before the time is still an amazing achievement - especially considering that I almost completely bailed because I wasn't feeling  particularly bright eyed and bushy tailed. 

Just made it into my start chute in time to hear WHOOPLAH - and we're off. The first two hills; Hospital Bend and Edinburgh Drive got the legs warmed up but nothing really untoward. Just not feeling myself. Rode well within myself for the first 60 km thinking that later I could finish strong and attack the last two climbs; Chapman's Peak and Suikerbossie - I was wrong... The wheels came off, not literally but I just felt completely sapped. No will to live. I think my fitness dragged me through but I was not having fun. 

I should've done as a friend of mine did and just bailed when I realized it wasn't going to go well - he bailed after the first 5 km - smart move if you ask me. Hung on for the next 50 km, climbed ok'ish - but just couldn't put the hammer down. All in all a very disappointing experience. I expected a slow time but not a 4:50. I guessed I would do a 04:30 and that I would do it so comfortably that I wouldn't be in any pain. Again. I was wrong. So wrong. 

The equipment - prepped

The steed - prepped  

 The start - not prepped

Learnings: 

• don't ride a mountain bike in road tours about 100 km. 

• get some sleep, sometime, in this lifetime - but definitely before the next race. 

• to ride or not to ride - this is seriously in question - more soon. for now I'm dubious as to    whether its the best ROI for the time spent in terms of health and strength improvement.

• glad my pre-race ritual is improving, bike prep, equipment, food and clothing prep, course study, hydration prior, planning the morning, stretching, warm up - all improving. always room for improvement and learnings but happy that i am at least improving on the mechanics or racing.

• my motto when it comes to training is "No pain... please"

Pick n Pay Argus Cycle Tour 2013

Well, its the Argus Cycle Tour tomorrow. I have a habit of doing it every 5 years or so. No training, no prep, just rocking up at the start of 108km of sunshine and big climbs. Should be grand. 

This year I'll be doing it on my full suspension mountain bike. Not ideal for this type of tour but I'll have to make do. I'm in the market for a road bike. Something I can go fast on. Had an interesting discussion at the Cycle Expo with a very interesting person named Heino from BMC cycles. 

He recommended that I steer away from road bikes altogether, especially aggressive geometry and look at buying a hard tail 29er mountain bike. Preferably, carbon with light wheels that I can swap out with slicks on days I want to do a road race. It really blew my thinking in terms of what I NEED to have and do to be a cyclist, to improve in the sport. I've been giving it some thought and I'm leaning towards the 29er from the utility perspective. I could use it to get faster on and off road.

Still the shopping around is yet to begin as I never even considered going this way. Will post pics of my short list soon. Shown here are my short list for road bikes: 

BMC SLR01

Giant TCR Composite 2

Scott CR1 Team 

Axis AR20c

Tooling

Fumbling, flaming, fracken fiddlesticks. Had the install for Expression Studio Ultimate 4, which includes Sketchflow - which I've become rather partial to. Odd thing though, it worked when I had Windows 7 installed on my Mac but since I installed on Windows 8 I keep getting stopped at licence key. 

Exploring other options - but on the download right now is Blend Preview (which has Sketchflow 5) and the Visual Studio Express for Desktop (prerequisite). Will report back on the utility of this setup once all downloaded and installed. 

Meanwhile, checking out this really cool post that weighs 6 prototyping tools against each other. Balsamiq seems to be the most promising but I'll report once downloaded and installed.

Day 4 - FTI Diploma in Business Analysis

Day 4 on the FTI Diploma in Business Analysis Course and I am tired. 

We covered a lot tonight in terms of project lifecycles and the various reasons for project failure. The take away message for me was that the Business Analyst has a great responsibility to manage requirements in such a way that the various pitfalls that befall software projects can be avoided. 

Manage your stakeholders, manage the data sources, manage the way the requirements develop out of business needs through the use of some form of traceability matrix. 

Project Proposal Presentations coming up in just over a week. I have made my decision on what to project to base my business case deliverables. I need to come up with a draft presentation and begin the process of refining and practicing my presentation before the big day. Wish me luck!

Quote of the day: 

"If you don't know where you're going - any road will take you there." 

                                                                       - undisclosed

Where I'm at, 34 year old male, 1.78m, overweight (88kg).

I want to use this blog to set some goals. Archive my readings and experiences in training.

I've just done the Argus Mountain Bike Challenger 52km and on Sunday I'll be doing the Cape Argus Road Race which is 108km.

I have a session with a cross fit gym called 360 ST on Wednesday.

Once I have my bearings in terms of measurements and direction I will blog more about where I aim to go.

For now let me leave you with a quote that really grabbed me:

The journey of a thousand miles begins with this single step...