I make a living building web sites. I’m a web developer. When it comes time to build I find myself scrambling to find the ‘assets’ the client has provided. The concept of ‘Mise en place‘ can fix that.
‘Mise en place‘ is a french word that applies to cooking but I’m going to apply to web development work too. (yes I just used a french word on my blog)
It means everything in it’s place. You see it all the time on cooking shows. If you cook, this is how it should look before you start.
By having everything portioned, prepped, and in it’s place before you start. By doing it this way you won’t be caught chopping onions while the eggs are burning. You’ll also be at your highest level of efficiency that you can be – when it’s most important.
When it comes to Web Development I find it’s very much the same. When I am working on a new site (or revamping an old one) I want to be as efficient as possible. Hey, my efficiency means it costs my clients less. I read a blog post recently that has had me thinking about this since.
In the past I’ve been a lazy cook. I admit it.
Typically I need logos, text, word docs, bios, profile pictures, links, and on and on. I would just ask my clients to send me via email, Dropbox, or Google Drive, whatever was easiest for them to use. When it came time to get ‘cooking’ on their website I found myself scrambling all over my digital pantry looking for the missing ingredients. Things get buried in 10 mile long email threads. Was it here or was it there? Or was that the old one? Did we ever get a new one? Oh, wait! did they send that to me in Google Plus messenger or was it Facebook?
That’s the world I work in. While you might have only one web developer you’re sending stuff and it’s easy for you to remember the what, where and how you sent it, it’s pretty chaotic on my side (I typically have 5 or 6 current projects).
Not any more. I’m cleaning up the kitchen and everything is going to be Mise en Place. From now on, when I take on a new client I’ll start a folder for them in Dropbox. Everything we need goes into that one file. The client can drop the logos, the word docs, the images – everything in that one place.
Besides, I have plenty of free space on Dropbox. Dropbox is drop dead simple to use for my clients as well so why not?
Dropbox currently holds all my working files for everything I’ve done in the past and am working on now. It syncs with my phone, my Mac Book Pro, my PC, my Linux, and my Chromebook so every files is everywhere I need it.
Side Note: You know I’m all about security. Dropbox is encrypted and secure but I also have setup Two-Step Verification. If anyone tries to log in as me (even if they have my password) my cell phone will get a text with a code. They’ll need that code to continue logging in as me. You should setup Two-Step Verification too!
That’s how I’ll use it in my business. Do you use it in yours?
Photo credit: Crystal
Mike Mueller
He's an avid hockey fan, rides a mountain bike, a few motorcycles (he had a really fast one,bought a cool orange one, and still rides a really slow one), he loves strong beer and good red wine.
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