Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with workflow

Recommend a Video-Editing Work Flow

vac2003 — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:33:46 -0800

I am looking for recommendations about to video-editing work flow for an oral history project I am involved. Pointers to other sites to ask this question are also welcome. What is the best way to capture hours of video recordings, add some basic beginning and end titles, and perhaps so music. Capturing the tapes to a computer, adding titles/music and then writing to DVD seems over-kill. Currently I capture the tapes to our DVD recorder hard disk and then using the very, very basic DVD title generator that comes with the recorder, output to DVD. The capture part takes, of course, as long as the tape, and the writing to a DVD takes about 10 minutes. It is a very simple process.

However I would like to add some titles and end credits to each tape. Do I have to capture the whole tape to my computer, using some video-editing software to generate and add the titles, and then recode the only thing to DVD? I tried this and the decoding took hours (XP, dual processor, well spec'd desktop). The captured video was of course GBs huge and really seemed to stress the video editor software. It felt really clunky. Is there are easier way? I looked at trying to create titles only and 'feed' those back to the camera but couldn't see how to do this. It just seems a lot of work to capture/decode/re-encode when 95% of the video won't actually change or require editing.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Recommend an online collaborative translation tool.

tkbarbarian — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:01:01 -0800

Can anybody recommend a good collaborative online translation tool? Not an automated translator, something to help manage and co-ordinate a translation workflow in a team of people. As an example, I have an excel spreadsheet or a database with a list of (not necessarily unique) questions and response options grouped into questionnaires for particular user groups.

I'd like to be able to upload this / import it into an online tool that then:

* breaks up the questions/responses into unique "translation snippets"
* allows individuals to propose translations for snippets in a number of requested languages
* allows moderators to review translations
* support back-translation for moderation as well.
* allow the completed translation "matrix" to be exported into a useful format (either the original database, an internationalisation po file etc.)

I've already got an excel sheet that does this in a specialised case with some scripting for a particular set of questionnaires. Looking for a more general purpose system that's online to ease collaborative headaches.

Any thoughts or starters for how to get this?

I'm explicitly not looking for a "upload your document and have it translated automatically" service. This is in the context of a community of volunteers, experts and internal staff we want to hand-select

Needing a project management silver bullet

quadog — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:29:34 -0800

I need recommendations on a solution that will solve the project review and approval workflow at my ad agency. The current review and approval workflow in my agency is . . . well, it needs to be improved. Work is getting emailed around the agency for review. Emails are getting lost. People don't know their next actions. Getting approvals is like pulling teeth. We're going mad.

There have been numerous askmes posted on the topic of project management. The usual suspects always come up. I'm overwhelmed by the number of options and the various features.

What follows are the requirements for the solution. Actually, if the solution did only these items it be even better. The solution must:
- be easy for everyone (eg, non-technical account folks to geeky web developers) to understand and utilize. I don't want anyone telling me "they don't get it".
- allow designers to present and version work (eg, banner ads, web site concepts, links to development pages, pdfs, etc.) for review to both internal folks and outside clients
- give the option to show/hide work based on user type (ie, if you are a client, you shouldn't be able to see the early rounds of a web design, but if you are a creative director you should be able to have access to all rounds)
- important: include an clear place for feedback and approvals by multiple parties
- allow the project manager to assign and manage tasks (or cite bugs), flag contingencies, present milestones

If there's no single solution then maybe it will require a combination of solutions. Or maybe it means developing a custom solution. All ideas are welcomed.

Help me rebuild my office helpdesk/workflow setup.

de1mar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:09:29 -0800

TechFilter: I'm part of a medium-sized IT support company and we're looking at some new helpdesk/workflow management software. What advice can you give on your setup or software you are currently working with? I am currently looking at Heat from FrontRange Solutions, but it looks like it will take some time to setup. Here's some features that I am looking foward to:

• Workflow Management
• Call Logging/Tracking (most likely part of Workflow Management)
• Workflow Reporting
• Asset Management (to include hardware, software, Blackberries...etc)
• Knowledge Base

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!!!

Seeking shared online multi-part project managing solution

Scram — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:59:36 -0800

I am working with several other people to seek sponsorship for a non-profit event. There is a fairly simple but lengthy series of actions that needs to be completed to track each unique sponsor. We've thought about having a binder with a printed page showing tasks for each sponsor, but it would be preferable if there was an online solution any of us can access for checking off and date-stamping completed tasks, with a place to add notes. A sample workflow would be something like: page is named for a sponsor, sponsor is contacted (checked, need room for notes), sponsor is invoiced (checked, date), check is received and deposited (checked, dates), sponsor is thanked (checked, date), sponsor info is added to website and event map (checked, dates).

Is there some simple, preferably free, way of doing this? We are already using Google Documents to share some text-based information, but none of us is a whiz with the various tools there, and perhaps we're overlooking some obvious solution. Our event website is running Drupal, and one of us knows how to code it.

Thanks, hive mind, for any suggestions you can offer.

What software should I organize my pictures with, when I need seperation into 3 topics?

jakobmunster — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:45:41 -0800

Can anyone recommend me software for a mac, that can help improving my workflow and organization of images, while I keep the images separated into 3 topics? It's possible to categorize my photography this way: 50% hobby photography (or you could call it experimenting and improving my skills), 40% pro photography for costumers while the last 10% goes to "niche photography".

I'd like a piece (or pieces) of software for a mac, that would help me keep my images organized. I've tried programs like Lightroom and Aperture, but it ends up beeing a mess, as I'd like to keep the 3 topics of my photography seperated.

My workflow:
- Import RAW images
- Convert to DNG
- Sort the pictures in keepers and delete the rest
- Rate the pictures. I prefer to use a star rating
- Process the pictures with photo-editing software
- Archive all the pictures and export the ones I would like to display immediately

Suggestions to improving my workflow, is also very welcome.

Can anyone recommend me a combination of software, that will let me do my workflow and still keep my images organized and seperated into the 3 main topics?

Worflow for adding music in structured folders to iTunes

Area Control — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:24:47 -0800

I want to keep my existing folder structure for music files, and thus do not use the "keep my music organized" feature on iTunes. What is the best workflow for adding new music to this collection? I want to be able to add my new files to the folders I choose, and then update the iTunes database to reflect that these new files are there. "Copy files to iTunes music folder" doesn't create the folder structure I need. How are other people doing this?

Please help me fix my workflow

kenbennedy — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:13:50 -0800

Why can I only sometimes drag and drop images from Aperture into Photomatix? I have a Canon 40D, and shoot my images in RAW format. I have an Intel Macbook Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz, 4GB of ram, and am running OSX 10.5.5. I generally import my images to Aperture using a card reader (using the import function in Aperture, not by first putting them on my hard disk).

When Importing, I choose the folder on my HD to store the pictures using Aperture's dialogues. I like to take bracketed exposures on my camera and try to make HDR images using Photomatix (emphasis on try, there is deifinitely a learning curve). If I am browsing through Aperture, I can sometimes drag the images right from Aperture into the Photomatix workflow/dialogue boxes, but sometimes not. I believe that if the images in Aperture are in the original location they were imported to, they drag and drop just fine, and Photomatix does a very speedy job of processing them. If, however, I use Aperture to relocate the master files (i.e. on my hard disk, into another folder), then I can no longer drag and drop them from Aperture to Photomatix. Why? What did I break? How do I fix it?

I am trying to allow Aperture to do the RAW conversion, since it is faster than Photomatix. With respect to the images in question, I have not exported them or converted them first, they are still RAW images. Thank in advance for your help.

Photo Workflow Tips?

Admiral Haddock — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:21:01 -0800

Any good tips on digital workflows in Lightroom for large groups of images? Really, any input on the photo editorial process (whether it be film or other software) would be much appreciated. I take a lot of pictures when I go out shooting, and even more so when I go on vacation. (I realize my "a lot" is nowhere near what a pro might shoot.) I really like processing and cataloging my images in Lightroom, but I find the process entirely overwhelming when faced with 3000 new photos.

Does anyone have any tips on making that process manageable? For instance, the other day I shot a concert and took, say 150 images in a fifteen-minute set. I wanted only a few selects of different setups, but I might have 20 images of the guitarist and bass player scattered throughout the set, and I found it maddening to search around for comparisons of image 12 vs 34 vs 45 vs 54 etc. And, of course, it is easy to crop down to just the guitarist or the bass player, so you may end up comparing with those sets, too.

My current workflow is to import and tag with the highest-level common keywords. I then advance image by image flagging picks. I then go through the picks several times while refining the images. Along the way, bad shots get unflagged, and shots that I like but that don't quite make the cut are labeled with a color (usually yellow, as the shortcut for yellow is right above unflag shortcut) and then unflagged--just in case I want to revisit images that were good, but not great. The end result is a pile of flagged (but without a color label) images that I export for the web or printing.

What do you do?

Anyone remember a site with a handful of diagrams depicting a workgroup's interactions with git?

moift — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:05:35 -0800

Anyone remember a site with a handful of diagrams depicting a workgroup's interactions with git? I'm finding a lot of individual workflow diagrams on google, but this one showed a few possible ways a whole team might structure their git process. One, for example, had a bunch of people committing to a gatekeeper who was responsible for merging to the master branch. I can't remember what the others were, which is why I'd like to see it again.

I think I saw it on reddit originally.

Switching from iPhoto to Lightroom

hasna — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:16:48 -0800

I'm a photographer, switching from iPhoto, to Lightroom. I only want one copy of my (original) photos. How can I make the switch, and clean my computer up, without deleting any photos/shoots accidentally? So, I suppose I'm not exactly sure what my question is. I'll start with some information:

-I have been primarily using iPhoto for the past couple years, mostly for cropping, but I currently have 1,000 photos imported into the program.

-For two separate periods of time, I used 30 day trials of both Adobe Photoshop, and Lightroom, for my photo editing. I did pretty extensive retouching in LR, and my "catalog" or whatever it's called in LR, has about... oh, 150-250 photos in it.

-I have many other 1,000's of photos in neither program, just organized well in folders in "Finder".

-I finally purchased the full version of LR today, and plan on using it virtually exclusively, and migrating everything over.

Basically, I want make sure I'm not wasting space by having redundant duplicates on my harddrive. I never import directly from camera>iPhoto. I always import my (99% of the time RAW) photos into Finder, using Camera Utility, and then import my favourites into iPhoto from finder. Does this mean all my iPhoto photos are duplicates? If so, I'm likely to delete most of them from iPhoto. Is this safe? Will it leave the originals in Finder untouched?

Secondly, how do I handle Lightroom? (workflow-wise, I mean... I know how to use the program) I'd prefer not to use 2x the space for every photo (by storing one in Lightroom, and one in Finder), but I love the easy navigation of just clicking through Finder....

BTW, I'm already burning and deleting as many old shoots as I can. There are still many, however, that I work with too regularly to delete off my hard drive just yet.

*If it matters, some of my photos were for paid assignments, some for paid stock, others for portfolio development, or travel photography...

What software/equipment is available for viewing highly detailed digital images?

pixelnark — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:31:21 -0800

What software/equipment is available for viewing highly detailed digital images? I am a product photographer at my company and my workflow is extremely frustrating! After I take a shot I can only view images using one of the following methods:

1. Viewing the images on the camera's tiny LCD display
Problem: Too small to see composition

2. Transferring the image via USB mini cable to my Mac and then viewing it through Camera RAW
Problem: Extremely slow import; cannot use camera while this is taking place

3. Taking the memory card out and putting it into a card reader which will then import my images so that I can view them in Camera RAW
Problem: Faster method than USB option but still time consuming

I need to be able to view my images in a large format so that I can move objects ever-so-slightly into the right position or adjust the lighting. Is there some kind of software or equipment available that isn't thousands of dollars? I've seen Better Light scanning equipment and the least expensive set is $6,500.

Is there another option for viewing digital images that is less time consuming?

The point is to share, right?

emjay — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:20:24 -0800

How to use Sharepoint's calendar to remind staff of ongoing project dates for multiple projects. I'm using Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and need to implement a variable date solution for the following and I'm not sure how best to go about it:

Essentially this is Project Management, but with email reminders fromt he calendar:

-Project tracking of about 30 different projects
-Each project will have it's own timeline of dates starting from the initial "StartDate"
-A series of dated items.

a) Set future dates such as April 1, 2010 that trigger reminder emails 120, 90, 60, 30 days prior to the event as well as other fixed dates.
b) Sliding dates such as "every 30 days" for events that occur monthly, annually, etc
c) Manual add-in days for emergency or non-compliance with project specs that can be initiated and send reminders until compliance is met or emergency is over (Could be 24 hours, 48 hours, 30 days, etc)

So essentially I need calendar reminder "countdowns" as well as calendar tracking of unplanned events, as well as regularly scheduled reminders to email out to a group and possibly have the workflow change the "status" of a project based on the current state of the calendar reminders.

Am I looking for something 3rd party here or can this be done in Sharepoint Designer 2007 with a little direction?

Should I hire a 3rd party directly or using oDesk or eLance?

Freeware workflow calendar? Yes, my childhood dream was to be this boring.

melissa may — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:55:37 -0800

Where can I find a freeware date-generating task calendar? I have a 9-step workflow for a process that repeats every couple of months. The process always follows the same steps and same amount of time is always allocated for each step: 1 week for task A, 2 weeks for task B, 3 days for task C, and so on. What I’d like is a freeware program that syncs each step of the task with a real-time calendar and generates a schedule. Basically, once I define the number of days each task takes to finish and an end date for total completion of the project, the ideal calendar could generate due dates for each step of that task. When I worked in publishing we used a crufty in-house Access program to create production schedules, but there has to be a better alternative. I’ve looked at Google calendar but as far as I can tell, you can set a task to repeat, but you can’t generate due dates for a multi-task project. I’ve read this article but the programs that seem to come closest (like Central Desktop) have way more functions than I need and are out of my nonprofit budget ($0).

If repetitive multi-step processes were only an issue with this project, I’d just look at a calendar and generate due dates myself, but I’ve got other similar projects coming up and it sure would be nice to be able to quickly generate schedules, play with different end dates, etc. Again, budget = zero so freeware is ideal, but if you know of a professional product that gives deep discounts to nonprofits feel free to say.

What do you call a non-web content management system that does workflow and translation memory?

Gucky — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:10:28 -0800

Help a stressed out writer with no understanding of enterprise software build consistency across an organization. What enterprise-wide content/workflow/collaboration/translation memory software am I missing? I can't seem to find the tool or tools I'm looking for. "Content management" is focused on publishing to web, when our use is mostly internal, gathering approvals and connecting to web content management and other databases.

I work in an organization that creates a lot of language -- marketing materials, documentation, software UI.

We need to keep it consistent in English, move it through many approvers and edits with version control, and then push it to or connect with various content systems (web, design, etc.) and translators.

In my, completely non-technical, opinion, we need some sort of content management system that allows writers to view and input; builds in workflow, timelines and approvals; and can be easily demonstrated in templates so people can see it in context and exported so it could move to our other systems as text.

It would be really, really nice if it could also house our translation memory so that if something changed in English, it could consistently change in every language.

I can't seem to find anything, internally or externally, that does what we need it to do.

Right now, I've got a cobbled together solution of Lotus Notes databases, informal timelines and a spot on the server to place the latest version. We can't be the only company facing this problem.

What am I missing? What search terms should I be using to find such a chimera? When IT tells me they can't find anything, are they right?

Fastest way to upload and share images?

wastelands — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:43:29 -0800

What's the fastest way to upload and share images? I share images so frequently that I wonder if I could cut down my workflow to save time. Currently I use ImageHost.org. The usual workflow is:

1. Save image to local drive if the image is from a web page
2. Go to ImageHost, sometimes having to open the browser if it was closed (e.g. during gaming I close background apps)
3. Browse, upload
4. Copy/paste ImageHost link to wherever

I tried a Firefox plugin for ImageShack but wasn't all that impressed. It seemed like just as much work.

Is there an easier way, or am I at the limits of efficiency? Typically I'm sharing either a screenshot from my system or I want a more permanent location I can link to for a fleeting image on reddit/4chan/whatever that might disappear soon from expiration or the "Slashdot effect".

I'd prefer a solution that doesn't involve signing up with a website, if possible.

Any batch-resizing tool to help keeping a backup copy of photo collection in small size

yezimary — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:37:21 -0800

How to keep a copy of my photo collection in small-size in an automated way? That would be like, there are two folders, Photo and Small Photo, keeping the same content in different resolution (all in JPG format). I'm an absolute amateur in photograph, but still have over 10GB photos in my hard drive (all in JPG format). I have set a backup plan for them, including a periodical backup via DVD, a synchronized copy in the external drive, and finally, an offsite archive in Mozy.

To save space (Mozy provides 2G for free) and bandwidth, I choose to upload low resolution JPG files to the offsite server. All I need is the ability to restore my memories from the remote server in case some real disasters come. Small-sized (e.g. max 1200 px) photos are good enough for that.

The question is how to keep a copy of my photo collection in small-size in an automated way. That would be like, there are two folders, Photo and Small Photo, keeping the same content in different resolution. Every time I import some new photos to the 'Photo' folder and I run a certain application or a script, and then the new photos will appear in the 'Small Photo' folder automatically, with the size I want them to be. After that all I need to do is to check the 'small-size photo' folder as 'to be backed up to Mozy'.

Key points:

1.The destination folder structure should be same as the original. My photo files are stored in a flat structure, with only two layers of folders. The first layer is the 'Photo' folder and the second layer folders are named by date and event, like '2008.10.01 Brithday'
2.The resizing tool should automatically identify newly added photos and only do resizing and backup works for them.
3. The workflow should be like a set-it-and-forget-it thing.

I know there are bunches of resizing tools and I'm currently using Picasa to do the work. The problem is that Picasa cannot match the above rule 2 and 3.

BTW, I'm using Win XP. And...I'm not familiar with programming though I'm kinda interested in it. If you have any suggestion related to scripting things, just kindly give me more hints. Thanks.

How do I use either/or logic inside an OSX Automator action?

JPowers — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:03:04 -0800

How do I use either/or logic inside an OSX Automator action? This seems SO bloody simple, but I can't for the life of me figure it out.

So I've got an Automator workflow that finds all of the files with an extension of .avi inside a certain folder, then does something with them. This works great, but what I REALLY want is for the workflow to search for all files in the folder that have an .avi *or* a .wmv extension. Is this possible?

I've tried "avi OR wmv", "avi {or} wmv", "avi "or" wmv" and anything else you could possible imagine.

The specific action I want to be able to put the either/or operator into is the "Filter Finder Items" action. This is a default Automator action that comes with OSX.

*beating head against desk*

What's good about widescreen besides movies?

steadystate — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:53:20 -0800

After many happy years using standard aspect monitors, I will soon break down and buy a widescreen (14" or 15") laptop. Please give me your tips for improving my widescreen experience. Sadly, it seems that even Lenovo no longer makes laptops with standard aspect screens. My primary use for a laptop is document-centric (plus web and light coding) so I would probably prefer a "tallscreen" laptop if such a clumsy beast existed.

I would like to optimize use of the widescreen, but so far my only idea is to move the Windows taskbar to the side instead of the bottom. I've tended to keep all of my windows maximized in the past. I can see how having two windows visible could be useful, but would appreciate some examples of how that improves your workflow (on a laptop-size screen).

I also have some old fullscreen games which don't have options for widescreen resolutions - is there any way to run these without stretching the game's XGA (or VGA!) display across my WXGA screen?

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

RSS to Audio in Automator

jasmarc — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:49:55 -0800

How can I operate on individual articles from an RSS feed in Automator? Ultimately I am trying to create audio tracks of my feeds - one track per articles. I know that you could do "Get Specified URL" then "Get Text From Articles" and then "Text To Audio File" however this will create a single audio track of all the articles. I want to bust the articles out as individual tracks.

Should I bother learning Dreamweaver CS3?

camcgee — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:32:29 -0800

What workflow advantages have you found with Dreamweaver CS3? I got the Design Premium version of Adobe CS3 a while ago and in addition to the programs that I actually know and use (i.e. InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat Pro, and Illustrator), I have been wondering whether Dreamweaver CS3 might offer some advantage over my current web workflow.

Currently, I generally do mock-ups in Photoshop then create the site code (HTML/CSS/PHP/JS) using EditPad Pro. I test sites on a dev server running on my local machine and then upload files to the actual servers using FileZilla, since I'm not fond of EPP's built-in FTP functionality.

Has anyone migrated from a similar setup to using Dreamweaver and found real advantages in time saved or ease of use?

My first impression of DW was that it seemed bloated with stuff I don't need and won't use, though I realize that's partly because I'm just not used to using anything other than a text editor.

I'm curious about integrating it with my Photoshop mock-ups as wells as replacing the need for a separate FTP program to actually transfer and manage the files.

I have no interest in the WYSIWYG editor or any of the prefab layouts. The code completion felt intrusive but I wonder if I should just be patient and once I get used to it, I will learn to appreciate it. I'm also wondering about other things that DW can do -- error checking, browser compatibility testing, etc. that might make it more useful as far as consolidating my tools.

One other potential issue is that I'm about to start working on some Perl-centric sites, for which DW doesn't seem to have much in the way of advantages -- syntax highlighting, code completion, etc.

How do I organize and archive my digital photography?

chrisbucks — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:08:34 -0800

What is the best work-flow process for handling digital photos from capture, processing to archive? I've been knocking off a few paying assignments lately and have had some work published in newspapers and and quickly finding myself engulfed in both film and digital clutter. Particularly for some of my modeling contracts I find myself ending up with over a gigabyte of photos per shoot. I need to find a way to deal with this. Also I do some medium format and 35mm photography which I scan into the computer.

Currently I'm working as so:
-Capture in RAW
-Edit in photoshop, retain the original CR2 file and also save a jpeg copy, then create a low-res jpeg for the web.
-Once a week back up my directory of photos to an external drive
-I send clients 2 copies of a CD of their shoot, and I burn myself a copy which I file in a accordion folder.

A lot of the photos are sorted by either subject matter or date of capture, really I have no idea what I'm doing and there seems to be several different systems going on at once.

What formats should I be saving the files in? Taking into account the best preservation of quality and of space.

I'm a bit of a digital junk collector, and I'm sure there are photos going back years which are sitting moldering away in my stacks of CDs and on drives. In terms of clients photos is there much point at all in keeping them after handing over the goods and receiving payment?

Suggestions for Photo Management Software Shared Over a Network?

macinchik — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:46:17 -0800

Suggestions for Photo Management Software Shared Over a Network? I'm in the exact same situation as the person who asked this question on the topic, more than a year ago.

To summarize: "I need to find networked photo management software, similar in function to Picasa or ACDSee, but with the ability to share "tags" between multiple users over a network. The products I've been able to find all allow tagging, but those tags are available only to that user, and my company needs to search the photo tags without each user having tagged each photo individually."

Is iView still the way to go? It seems likely but I must say I am hesitant to adopt it since it was recently acquired by Microsoft. There's something called Portfolio Server but it is out of our price range.

Do programs like Aperture, Bridge, Lightroom, etc., allow you to edit metadata "within" the photo files, so that if a group of people keeps their photos on a shared drive, those photos will indeed begin to collaboratively accumulate tags and other sorting information?

How can I streamline editorial production?

BT — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:53:09 -0800

How should I improve the our small publication’s production schedule/process? Context: I’m the managing editor of a web-based book review publication. We have a tiny dedicated staff – myself, the ed-in-chief, and one dedicated admin person who handles things like contributor invoices, review copy requests, and maintains the calendar etc.

We’re part of a larger company, so I don’t have to manage the tech aspect of this, instead drawing on our production department and art department here to get things actually published live. Our company has a CMS that I use to enter all of our editorial content; not perfect, but workable. We publish new material almost daily, so it’s a challenge to manage the process and keep on top of things.

I’m essentially the bottleneck. Along with my boss I make assignments, look for good subjects to review, recruit contributors, and edit pieces as they come in (we share these duties, with him taking more of the first three, but it’s not hard-and-fast on that). I also do more nitty-gritty line edits and enter everything in the system to be published. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg: making sure we’ve got art (special process for that), re-evaluating/updating calendar and rejiggering as problems emerge, and working on improving the whole thing. The admin person is a help but new to much of this and is still learning the ropes.

As am I, really. I’m using GTD to help me get my personal house in order, organizationally, but the issue is our overall system: I’m looking for a methodology AND recommendations for applications to help manage this. Ideally, a single system that captures and records assignments, deadlines, pub dates (with affiliated information about the actual subjects for the pieces) and matches them with contributor info/editorial responsibilities/action items would be ideal. If it can’t all come out of one application, then a smooth partnership between a couple of applications is fine.

Right now, we’re working out of basic spreadsheet and word docs. It’s manageable, but there’s a lot of redundancy and inefficiency. If you’ve wrestled with these issues, or work with an application/process that renders them manageable, I’d love to hear about it. And general advice about managing a small (but frequently updated) publication would not be amiss.

FYI: It’s a networked PC environment here, so Mac-only apps are no help.

Need help with photoshop workflow

willy_dilly — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 14:37:48 -0800

I'm a photoshop newbie. I recently came back from vacation and have close to 1500 pictures on my harddrive. It's overwhelming just thinking about filtering, organizing, and editing the pictures. What is you guys' workflow when it comes to managing and editing large amount of pictures. I don't want to edit all of them. I just want to pick out the ones I like and edit those but there are just way too many pictures to go through.