Today we kick off a two-part series with Projects At Work, an online community of practitioners and thought leaders seeking to better understand the mobile workforce. "The Truth about Working from Anywhere" makes the case for unleashing productivity any time, any place via technology. Contributing editor Janis Rizzuto shares details from the first half of the report. "Planes, trains and automobiles." That’s not just the title of a popular ’80s movie. It’s a list of places where people work. Today’s mobile workforce can be productive from a multitude of locations well outside the four walls of an office. Just who is driving this trend? There may be two drivers, actually. Both businesses and employees have much to gain from flexible, on-the-go work arrangements. Lots of them are already there: VDC Research Group says the global mobile worker population exceeded 1 billion in 2010 - and will grow to 1.2 billion by 2014. Nowadays, just about every industry can find ways to enhance worker mobility and garner business benefits from it, including competitive advantages, reduced costs and increased productivity. Equipping staff with reliable mobile technologies so they can travel to project locations wins favor with customers and develops loyalty. And, as companies expand their ranks of teleworkers and mobile professionals, overhead expenses to support them decrease. By some estimates, office space for the average worker costs $10,000 per year. Switching an employee from an office-based to mobile work environment brings an estimated 15-to-35 percent increase in productivity. The personal gains in mobility for individuals are just as compelling. Feelings of increased employee satisfaction and better work-life balance flow from work on the go or at home. Ask mobile workers and they’ll say they are happier, healthier, wealthier and more balanced than their counterparts in cubicles. There’s a reason that someone coined the phrase "chained to my desk" and harried office workers use it to express frustration. Employees find that being deployed in the location where they are most effective is liberating - even life-changing. And fewer workers in the future will accept anything less. The so-called "digital natives" generation who grew up as pervasive technology users are likely to reject the more traditional 9-to-5-in-a-cubicle mentality. So next time you’re in the air or on the rails, and you see someone tapping a tablet or participating in a video conference, resist the urge to make small talk. There’s work in progress. To learn more on this topic, download the free white paper.

Not much to show but I spent the entire evening on working and reworking these rocks, at one point deleting about 45 mins worth of work because I didn't like the result.

I did not do any work yesterday. Sad, I know. I did however finish the waterfall background tonight.Christmas is upon us so no work will be done for 2 days. Hoping to crank out more backgrounds and finalize more designs come next week.Merry Christmas everyone!

Everyone’s mobile, everyone’s wireless and everyone’s device is different. And most business professionals typically use at least three - a smartphone, tablet and desktop or laptop. This is the new world of mobile work! But what about IT? For too long, IT pros have been chained to their desktops and stuck in the office, needing to stay connected and ready to deliver tech support at a moment’s notice. Not anymore! On May 9, 2012, at Citrix Synergy, the conference where mobile work styles and cloud services meet, Citrix GoToAssist unveiled its newest mobile app: GoToAssist for Android. With this new app, IT technicians can deliver remote support from anywhere at any time. Now IT departments can also enjoy the freedom and flexibility of mobile work. Available on Google Play, GoToAssist for Android gives IT professionals the freedom to be on the go yet always able to respond to customers’ or employees’ technical issues. More good news: GoToAssist for Android is offered as a freemium service. So, IT techs (and anyone else) can use GoToAssist free of charge to quickly and easily deliver unlimited live technical help from anywhere. For those needing to deliver advanced technical support, GoToAssist also offers a more robust full-featured app. Subscribe to GoToAssist Remote Support and use the full-featured app to connect anytime to unattended machines or servers. In addition, IT technicians can provide support from their desktops and access GoToAssist’s robust web interface, as well as perform remote diagnostics, file transfer, in-session chat, in-session notes, session reporting and more. With GoToAssist for Android, today’s mobile IT professionals can enjoy all the ease, speed and dependability of GoToAssist, the preferred remote support tool among IT, along with the convenience of mobility. Begin using the new GoToAssist for Android today! Here’s how to get started in 3 simple steps: 1. Download GoToAssist for Android from Google Play and install it on your tablet. 2. If you are new to GoToAssist, click "Create a Free Account" to set up your account, then log in. Customers with a current GoToAssist Remote Support service, simply log in when prompted. 3. After login, tap on the tablet screen to create a support session when instructed. Tell your user to go to www.fastsupport.com and enter the 9-digit session ID or send them an invitation to connect via email. When your user accepts the connection, you can begin to provide remote support directly from your Android device. Try the full-featured app with a FREE 30-day GoToAssist Trial Subscription today to experience the full power of GoToAssist Remote Support, including access to unattended computers and servers and more. Do you need a remote support app for your iPad? No worries, we have that available, too. Check out our GoToAssist app for iPad available on the App Store (be sure to set up your free account first).  

Here is a background shot of the cliff in the waterfall scene.I started painting a set of curtains for an office shot. It's too muddy and needs more contrast, but it's a start.

Today, we have a guest post from Charlene Li. Charlene is the co-author of the bestseller "Groundswell", author of the New York Times bestseller "Open Leadership", and Founder of Altimeter Group, a research-based advisory firm helps companies and industries leverage disruption to their advantage. In my webinar tomorrow, I’ll explore how the adoption of social and mobile technologies will change work. Beyond simply enabling people to work from remote locations (like the neighborhood café) or update each other on the latest office outing, these technologies will fundamentally transform the way work gets done - the very flow of information and decision making that takes place within an organization. But what are the implications of these technologies for your organization? Here are 2 trends that you need to know. Trend #1: Works gets fun thanks to gamification. Gamification tends to be a dirty word in the world of business - I guess it’s because we’ve been trained to think that work shouldn’t be fun, that it’s not a game. But the reality is that gamification has been happening for years - think of the sales incentive contests that challenge representatives to close 10 sales in 2 weeks, complete with a leaderboard on the wall. What has traditionally been a short-term, labor-intensive behavior management tool for enterprises is now easier to run and maintain and applied continually to encourage new and better behaviors. For example, gamification-provider Bunchball has a service called Nitro that adds points, achievements and rewards to Salesforce.com installations. Bluewolf, a business process consultancy, used this service to create an internal social business initiative called #GoingSocial , recognizing and rewarding behaviors such as posting on blogs or sharing content on Twitter. LiveOps, which runs virtual call centers, uses badges and points to encourage agents to shorten calls and close sales. Agents can compare results on leaderboards that are accessible to everyone online. The results speak for themselves: some agents reduced call times by 15 percent while others increased sales 8-12 percent. These game dynamics don’t even need a monetary incentive nor a clearly defined victor to be successful - everyone who participates can be a "winner." That’s because the social aspects of gamification - the "psychic income" of recognition by management and peers - can be just as, or even more, powerful than the other incentives. When these achievements are highlighted in corporate profiles and the enterprise applications themselves, it encourages people to chime in with their congratulations. Regardless of what it’s called, game mechanics tap into the age-old truism that something is always more fun with friends. Trend #2: Enterprise social data remakes work processes. Many companies today use enterprise social networks (ESNs) like Chatter, Lotus Connections, Socialcast and Yammer. These internal social networks allow people to share and update each other on their work. But when these updates take on a specific purpose beyond simple social sharing, the nature of collaboration changes. Picture the dreaded annual performance review, where the employee and the manager sit down to talk about the past year. The conversation goes something like this: Manager: So, what have you done for the last year? Employee: Well, I did that project last October, and in June I went to the conference. No data, few examples and little, if any, documentation is provided. What would it be like if they could instead look at a report of everything that the employee has done, generated by trends in social data from an ESN? Not only would the work be tracked better, but the manager would be able to see how other colleagues recognized the employee for a job well done through features like "Praise" and "Thanks" (in addition to the standard "Like"). Because of this readily available and easily analyzed data, the manager could also monitor and course-correct on a more real-time basis. So reviews could happen more frequently - and in some cases, as the work happens. That richness of social data inside the enterprise will lead to a re-working and re-thinking of how work gets done - thanks to an increase in information creation, intuitively captured data and readily accessible reports. These 3 aspects of social data - Creation, Capture and Use - will transform the face of work. Here’s how the new review process would sound: Manager: Looking at your activity, it appears you’ve really gained the support of the IT team for our plan. Employee: Yes, and you can see that at first they didn’t back it in October, but I was able to turn them around over the past few months. See that Praise comment from Jill? She was originally one of our biggest detractors. This is just one small example of how work processes could change - imagine the possibilities if social data permeated supply, finance and product development as well. We’re only at the start of this transition, from the traditional, hierarchical structure of today to something that’s more fluid and adaptive. The coming opportunities will be dictated less by technology constraints than by cultural norms that will be questioned. So prepare yourself by looking at these changes with an open mind and trying them on for size to see if they fit with your organization’s long-term goals. Be sure to join the webinar tomorrow to hear more about how these and other trends are impacting the workplace - and what you need to do about them.   Photo credit: seandreilinger

Here's some stuff I've been working on the past few nights.Oh yeah, and happy new year.This is the city wall which surrounds the entire sector.This is the back of an elevator.Inside rails of the factory.Propaganda.Wastelands outside the city.More to come soon!

Today we have a guest post from Tim Wackel. Tim is one of today’s most popular sales speakers because he makes information entertaining, memorable and easy to understand. He combines more than 25 years of successful sales leadership with specific client research to deliver high-impact programs that go beyond today’s best practices. Tim is also the founder and president of The Wackel Group, a training and consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations find, win and keep customers for life. Read more at www.TimWackel.com. A few months ago, I decided it was time to move forward with a significant home-improvement project. I began calling several companies who had done similar work in the neighborhood, and they were all eager to send a representative to my home to review the project. All of the representatives I met with were friendly and had the expertise and experience I was looking for, and their companies had impressive resumes of similar projects they had successfully completed. I was very clear on how fast I wanted the work performed, and everyone agreed that my expectations were within reason. I was going to have a hard time deciding on which vendor to choose - or so I thought. In fact, after all that - driving out to my house, scoping the project and gathering my expectations - several of the reps never called me again. There aren’t many people on earth who have lots of extra time on their hands, so it beats me why these reps would spend over an hour with me and then not follow up. Was my project too small? Did something more profitable fall into their pipeline? I guess I’ll never know. A quick phone call or email explaining the situation would have gone a long way toward gracefully bowing out and saving their brand reputation.  The other companies I met with sent competitive proposals in a timely fashion and then immediately went into hard-close mode. Asking for my business came easily for these reps, but asking for my thoughts and feedback wasn’t as easy. I started to feel rushed by them, so I soon eliminated those reps from further consideration. My experience begged the question: What is the secret to effective follow-ups? And how can you ensure that you don’t push too hard, too little or not at all? Here are four simple but valuable ideas to help you gauge your success and improve your performance. Don’t put it off. Remember that your prospects are also prospects of your competition. When it comes to follow-up, do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you will do it. Everyone gets busy, but that’s no excuse to let prospects fall through the cracks. There are contact management programs to help you remember. Don’t like what your company uses? Buy your own! It will be the best investment you make this year. The discipline of keeping your commitments costs pennies, but the regret of having them slip can cost thousands. Ask great questions. Most sales people believe that listening is the most important sales skill. It’s important, but it isn’t number one. Asking great questions is - it’s the key to moving opportunities forward. Ask prospects things like: "What did you like the best about my proposal?" "What was missing?" "What, if anything, was off target and needs to be re-worked?"  "In an ideal world, what would this look like as we move forward?" Follow-up is your opportunity to learn and reposition. Don’t blow it by forgetting to ask thought-provoking questions. Your goal is to help your prospect make an excellent buying decision, and asking questions will let your prospects know you are engaged and interested in their input. Be persistent, not pesky. Be sure that you have a productive reason for every contact. Not many people are interested in having their sales rep "check in" to see if they’ve made a buying decision, but they won’t mind you adding value to their decision-making process. Share relevant, new research or have one of your best customers join you in a call to discuss their experience working with you. Don’t be afraid to get creative and fun in your approach. Your prospects already receive too many voicemails and emails that are dull, impersonal and confusing, so try reaching out via video conferencing instead. It’s more personal when you speak to your prospects face to face. They will value the fresh approach, and you’ll start being remembered for the right reasons! Check out 7 Vital Tips for Video Meeting Sales Success for more ideas. Just say no. If, for whatever reason, you decide not to pursue an opportunity, contact the prospect right away and let them know. Introduce them to someone else in your organization or refer them to a competitor. Prospects appreciate the truth just as much as you do, so don’t just disappear. Learning the art of a graceful exit will save your reputation and personal brand. Your ability to effectively follow-up is crucial to your long-term success. Most reps are great at the first few contacts, but very few know how to truly nurture an opportunity. Improving your follow-up abilities builds clients, adds to your accomplishments and strengthens your personal brand. Are you mastering these skills? If not, you should be. Watch the video: http://youtu.be/lCswHrk1f_E  What’s your experience with the art of effective follow-up? Leave your comments, suggestions and stories in the comments below.

I haven't posted anything lately because there is nothing worthwhile to post...at least that's in a presentable state. I tend to bounce around a lot in my workflow, not spending too much time on any one thing at a given moment. That could be viewed as bad or ADD and I wouldn't argue it, but if something isn't working after a few attempts, I'll move onto another shot. If I'm doing a shot and it's coming together just fine, I'll move to another shot because I get bored.The hardest time I have is starting something new, be it a shot or a background. If I get all of the starting points knocked out real fast, I can simply build upon the foundations little by little.Here is a background painting of the junkyard which plays a pivotal role in the movie.And here are a couple finalized shots that will give a good indication of how the character animation will look. The green are for keyouts in post; they're not the actual final color.

Today we’re launching a new free eBook to help London’s small businesses not only survive the Olympics but also capitalise on new working opportunities. The Citrix Guide for Surviving the Olympics outlines how to minimise disruption as well as how to make the most of new online working applications to enable staff to work with anyone, anywhere. As an added bonus, Citrix’s collaborative working platform Podio and conferencing application GoToMeeting will be available free for the duration of the Games. The greatest sporting event in the world is just a few short weeks away. And you can be sure that, right now, the world’s top athletes are pulling out all the stops to ensure they’re ready. For them, the Games represent the culmination of years of intensive preparation. But how prepared are London’s businesses? The results of our latest survey, published today, are surprising. Nearly half (41%) of small businesses expect to suffer disruption. Yet only one in five (21%) have put in place a business continuity plan and only 10% are adopting new working practices to minimise potential disruptions. Of those expecting disruption, 87% expect it to have an adverse effect on productivity. The challenges are undeniably immense. With London doubling its population from July until September, commute times will double or even triple. There will be extensive road closures. And with more ways to watch and engage online than ever before, it is likely there will be a sharp upsurge in unrelated digital activity on company time. So it’s vital to be prepared with alternative ways of working. With Podio, GoToMeeting, and the Citrix Olympic Survival Guide, London’s small businesses can do just that. Citrix Olympic Survival Guide For Small Businesses View more documents from GoToMeeting Full press release here. Photo credit: caitlinhouse