The screen on
the left has my list of e-mails. On the center screen is
the left has my list of e-mails. On the center screen is
usually the
specific e-mail I’m reading and responding to. And my browser
specific e-mail I’m reading and responding to. And my browser
is on the
right-hand screen. This setup gives me the ability to glance and
right-hand screen. This setup gives me the ability to glance and
see what new has come in while I’m working
on something, and to bring up a
on something, and to bring up a
link that’s
related to an e-mail and look at it while the e-mail is still
related to an e-mail and look at it while the e-mail is still
in front of
me.
me.
At Microsoft, e-mail is the medium of
choice, more than phone calls,
choice, more than phone calls,
documents,
blogs, bulletin boards, or even meetings (voicemails and faxes
blogs, bulletin boards, or even meetings (voicemails and faxes
are actually
integrated into our e-mail in-boxes).
integrated into our e-mail in-boxes).
I get about
100 e-mails a day. We apply filtering to keep it to that
100 e-mails a day. We apply filtering to keep it to that
level—e-mail
comes straight to me from anyone I’ve ever corresponded with,
comes straight to me from anyone I’ve ever corresponded with,
anyone from
Microsoft, Intel, HP, and all the other partner companies, and
Microsoft, Intel, HP, and all the other partner companies, and
anyone I
know. And I always see a write-up from my assistant of any other
know. And I always see a write-up from my assistant of any other
e-mail, from
companies that aren’t on my permission list or individuals I
companies that aren’t on my permission list or individuals I
don’t know.
That way I know what people are praising us for, what they are
That way I know what people are praising us for, what they are
complaining
about, and what they are asking.
about, and what they are asking.
We’re at the point now where the challenge
isn’t how to communicate
isn’t how to communicate
effectively
with e-mail, it’s ensuring that you spend your time on the
with e-mail, it’s ensuring that you spend your time on the
e-mail that
matters most. I use tools like “in-box rules” and search
matters most. I use tools like “in-box rules” and search
folders to
mark and group messages based on their content and importance.
mark and group messages based on their content and importance.
I’m not big
on to-do lists. Instead, I use e-mail and desktop folders and
on to-do lists. Instead, I use e-mail and desktop folders and
my online
calendar. So when I walk up to my desk, I can focus on the
calendar. So when I walk up to my desk, I can focus on the
e-mails I’ve
flagged and check the folders that are monitoring particular
flagged and check the folders that are monitoring particular
projects and
particular blogs.
particular blogs.
Outlook also has a little notification box
that comes up in the lower
that comes up in the lower
right
whenever a new e-mail comes in. We call it the toast. I’m very
whenever a new e-mail comes in. We call it the toast. I’m very
disciplined
about ignoring that unless I see that it’s a high-priority
about ignoring that unless I see that it’s a high-priority
topic.
Staying
focused is one issue; that’s the problem of information overload.
focused is one issue; that’s the problem of information overload.
The other
problem is information underload. Being flooded with information
problem is information underload. Being flooded with information
doesn’t mean
we have the right information or that we’re in touch with the
we have the right information or that we’re in touch with the
right people.
I
deal with this by using SharePoint, a tool that creates websites for
deal with this by using SharePoint, a tool that creates websites for
collaboration
on specific projects. These sites contain plans, schedules,
on specific projects. These sites contain plans, schedules,
discussion
boards, and other information, and they can be created by just
boards, and other information, and they can be created by just
about anyone
in the company with a couple of clicks.
in the company with a couple of clicks.
Right now,
I’m getting ready for Think Week. In May, I’ll go off for a
I’m getting ready for Think Week. In May, I’ll go off for a
week and read
100 or more papers from Microsoft employees that examine
100 or more papers from Microsoft employees that examine
issues
related to the company and the future of technology. I’ve been
related to the company and the future of technology. I’ve been
doing this for over 12 years. It used to be
an all-paper process in which
an all-paper process in which
I was the
only one doing the reading and commenting. Today the whole
only one doing the reading and commenting. Today the whole
process is
digital and open to the entire company.
digital and open to the entire company.
I’m now far more efficient in picking the
right papers to read, and I can
right papers to read, and I can
add
electronic comments that everyone sees in real time.
electronic comments that everyone sees in real time.
Microsoft has
more than 50,000 people, so when I’m thinking, “Hey, what’s
more than 50,000 people, so when I’m thinking, “Hey, what’s
the future of
the online payment system?” or “What’s a great way to keep
the online payment system?” or “What’s a great way to keep
track of your
memories of your kid?” or any neat new thing, I write it
memories of your kid?” or any neat new thing, I write it
down. Then
people can see it and say, “No, you’re wrong” or “Did you know
people can see it and say, “No, you’re wrong” or “Did you know
about this
work being done at such-and-such a place?”
work being done at such-and-such a place?”
SharePoint puts me in touch with lots of
people deep in the organization.
people deep in the organization.
It’s like
having a super-website that lets many people edit and
having a super-website that lets many people edit and
discuss—far
more than the standard practice of sending e-mails with
more than the standard practice of sending e-mails with
enclosures.
And it notifies you if anything comes up in an area you’re
And it notifies you if anything comes up in an area you’re
interested
in.
in.
Another digital tool that has had a big
effect on my productivity is
effect on my productivity is
desktop
search. It has transformed the way I access information on my PC,
search. It has transformed the way I access information on my PC,
on servers,
and on the Internet. With larger hard drives and increasing
and on the Internet. With larger hard drives and increasing
bandwidth, I
now have gigabytes of information on my PC and servers in the
now have gigabytes of information on my PC and servers in the
form of
e-mails, documents, media files, contact databases, and so on.
e-mails, documents, media files, contact databases, and so on.
Instead of
having to navigate through folders to find that one document
having to navigate through folders to find that one document
where I think
a piece of information might be, I simply type search terms
a piece of information might be, I simply type search terms
into a
toolbar and all the e-mails and documents that contain that
toolbar and all the e-mails and documents that contain that
information
are at my fingertips. The same goes for phone numbers and
are at my fingertips. The same goes for phone numbers and
email
addresses.
addresses.
Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I
get 90% of my news online, and
get 90% of my news online, and
when I go to
a meeting and want to jot things down, I bring my Tablet PC.
a meeting and want to jot things down, I bring my Tablet PC.
It’s fully
synchronized with my office machine so I have all the files I
synchronized with my office machine so I have all the files I
need. It also
has a note-taking piece of software called OneNote, so all
has a note-taking piece of software called OneNote, so all
my notes are
in digital form.
in digital form.
The one low-tech piece of equipment still
in my office is my whiteboard. I
in my office is my whiteboard. I
always have
nice color pens, and it’s great for brainstorming when I’m
nice color pens, and it’s great for brainstorming when I’m
with other
people, and even sometimes by myself.
people, and even sometimes by myself.
The whiteboards in some Microsoft offices
have the ability to capture an
have the ability to capture an
image and
send it up to the computer, almost like a huge Tablet PC. I
send it up to the computer, almost like a huge Tablet PC. I
don’t have
that right now, but probably I’ll get a digital whiteboard in
that right now, but probably I’ll get a digital whiteboard in
the next
year. Today, if there’s something up there that’s brilliant, I
year. Today, if there’s something up there that’s brilliant, I
just get out
my pen and my Tablet PC and recreate it.
my pen and my Tablet PC and recreate it.
Days are
often filled with meetings. It’s a nice luxury to get some time
often filled with meetings. It’s a nice luxury to get some time
to go write
up my thoughts or follow up on meetings during the day. But
up my thoughts or follow up on meetings during the day. But
sometimes
that doesn’t happen. So then it’s great after the kids go to bed
that doesn’t happen. So then it’s great after the kids go to bed
to be able to
just sit at home and go through whatever e-mail I didn’t get
just sit at home and go through whatever e-mail I didn’t get
to. If the
entire week is very busy, it’s the weekend when I’ll send the
entire week is very busy, it’s the weekend when I’ll send the
long,
thoughtful pieces of e-mail. When people come in Monday morning,
thoughtful pieces of e-mail. When people come in Monday morning,
they’ll see
that I’ve been quite busy— they’ll have a lot of e-mail.
that I’ve been quite busy— they’ll have a lot of e-mail.
By Bill Gates
