Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mo, and I am the newest bird to join the Aviary. I'm thrilled to be part of a team of such superstars, and am excited to once again be working with Iz and Avi whom I have worked with previously during the early stages of Worth1000, where I helped design the architecture.
Image courtesy of Vincent Maher
I love starting new jobs. The promise and potential of a new role is exciting. There's something that makes me feel good when I sit down at my new desk and the surface is still visible. I actually get a little turned on using a new computer with a clean desktop before all of these random files and folders named "New Requirements Version 1a - old.doc", "New Folder 2" and "Do Not Delete" clutter it up.
Joining as a new team member in the middle of a large project can be difficult. It would be great if on day one you could show up and start doing your thing. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Especially at a company like Aviary where the company strategy and website concepts are so complex and unique, seemingly there is so much you need to know before you can start being a productive team member.
But there are some contributions you can make *only* as a new team member.
On your first day you are a perfect focus group. You are in a unique position in that you don't really know how things are supposed to work. So take out a notebook and be a first time user - without documentation, FAQ's or anyone doing a demo for you. Can you easily navigate the functionality? A well designed and implemented interface should not require explanation. If you have trouble, so will other first time users. This needs to be addressed, and you are in a unique position to notice the problem.
On your first day, you are not jaded by how things already work. The people who have been working on the product for a while are already in a certain mindset about how the application looks and behaves. They have been programmed to expect the result of action A is behavior B. But does that make sense? Not fully understanding the application can help you give the group a fresh perspective on expected behavior.
I'd love to hear any of your thoughts or experiences as a new team member.
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Posted by Blaze on 2008-08-15 09:42:35
Welcome to the bird nest Mo! I like how you see yourself being of help, hopefully you can help flatten the learning curve a bit for Phoenix and Peacock. Best of luck!
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Posted by Tricia (Redstar) on 2008-08-13 22:13:57
Mo welcome to Aviary! If you worked on Worth1000 your uniqueness will make Aviary even more incredible. I can imagine your excitement as you see what has already been accomplished here but the potential must really have your creative juices bubbling over. The things that are coming out of Peacock are mind boggling, and Phoenix is much more user friendly that PS (and I'm a big PS fan) and therefore more fun. We, the flock, are in love with Aviary as I'm sure you can tell by the amazing creations. Some thoughtfully planned out, some (well most) are 'hey look what happens when I do this!' My favorite part of a new job is to watch and see what others are absorbed in. I like to see what path they take as they work something out and I wonder what would happen if they zigged instead of zagged. Enjoy the newness while you can because I'm betting in a week you'll forget the color of your desk. The energy and creativity here is contagious and addictive. The artists are generous, the staff are amazingly accommodating and its getting better all the time. You're gonna fit right in.