Whats in the Bag?
Quality, Consequences and the Construction Industrial Complex (part 80) – All IMHO:
The last three posts wore me out so something lightweight this week.
I travel a lot, so I have to carry everything with me to remain productive for project work, presenting, blogging plus generally running my life while on the move. Over the years I have perfected my own system of concise packing to travel light and remain productive. I am famous, in my own tiny world, for being able to do presentations at a moments notice, connect to any projector or TV (thank you Apple) and have all necessary project info to hand. These are the tools I use:
I have just started to use a Daniel Poole 48HR travel bag ( http://www.oidltd.com/look-book ). It has lots of space and compartments, perfect for my travel needs.
The Travel Bag
I have just started to use a Daniel Poole 48HR travel bag ( http://www.oidltd.com/look-book ). It has lots of space and compartments, perfect for my travel needs.
So what is in the bag?
- Mac Book
- iPad
- iPhone
- Tripod – I am trying to learn how to do a podcast and take better photos
- JBL Bluetooth headphones – for listening to podcasts while travelling
- Jambox Bluetooth speaker
- Various travel adapters
- Projector & TV connectors
- Grid it or Ganizer (correct spelling), for mouse, adaptors & connectors
- Calculator
- CSA Commissioning Engineers Compendium, 2015 Edition
- Passport
- RFID proof wallet
- Moleskin note book – graph paper version of course, very pretentious
- Pens and pencil – I love taking notes using Pilot G-TEC-C3 pens
- Sun glasses
- Scarf – it can be cold in Canada
- Hat
Software Tools
- Evernote – most used software tool and totally awesome
- OmniGraffle – Diagramming
- ConceptDraw Pro – Diagramming
- ConceptDraw Mindmap
- ConceptDraw Project – Logic Networks and Gantt charts
- MS Excel and Word for Mac
- Keynote for presentations
- PDFelement and PDF Factory
- VSD Viewer – to view Visio files
- Skype & Facetime
- WhatsApp phone & desktop
- VyprVPN
- Safari browser
- Apple mail, calendar, messenger and contacts clients
- Dropbox – cloud file storage
- Spideroak – back-up cloud file storage
What the technology above enables is quite amazing. I can access all my work and personal files securely, in real time and be productive no matter where I am. I can be a “property professional, digital nomad”.
When I started work in 1980 none of the technology above was around, not even fax machines (those of you still using fax’s please stop now). In 1980 I could have travelled lighter using the notebook, pens, sunglasses, hat, scarf and passport but my productivity and effectiveness would have been a fraction of what it is now. We truly live, IMHO, in an age of technology abundance.
How do you differentiate in a environment of abundance? Excellence always stands out in the form of people with deep skills sets who can take this technology abundance and leverage it to add value, innovation and speed. IMHO, deep skills & experience plus technology equals results.
I like to think there is a secret community of top tier, travelling built environment project professionals, a bit like the “Seals or SAS”. Highly skilled, well paid “property professional, digital nomads” working on international projects on a “gig” basis. They apply their deep experience and skills, using the latest digital tools and techniques. If anyone knows of such a “club” I would like to join or maybe start one…. : )
Twitter: @BLDWhisperer
