Business widgets
Each time I set up a start up or website, I reach into my tool box and put together a set of online systems and tools to manage the project. A contact management system, a calender, a discussion forum, a staff roster, an email campaigner with tracking, a chat program, a payroll manager; just to name a few.
While I was copying and pasting code scattered about from previous projects it occurred to me that over the time I had built up a large disorganised collection business ‘widgets’. I naturally abhor disorganisation and figured there must be a better way of doing this.
Rather than re-creating the wheel, I could pool all these widgets together in one place to manage my management systems. Then, each time I start something up I could just tick which widgets I need and I’m good to go. Plus, if I update one widget then all the projects benefit, and I don’t have to hunt around for where I saved a particular module.
If I get it right, I could offer it to others to use too.
This idea isn’t of course new. Google is pushing the collaborated business model and a great blog Mashable have a collection of 270 third party online tools one can use! I’m most impressed however with the developers at 37signals.com. They have a fantastic collection of beautifully designed modules for any business. The idea is you pick and choose which components you want, all from the one place rather than having a dispersed collection of logins and passwords.
But with all the work I’ve put in to build up my own collection of widgets, it would be silly for me not to do it right?
3 Comments to “Business widgets”
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Beautiful! I for one would love access to such an arsenal of tools.
I’m probably going to do it.. You and I should talk about collaborating with your skills in handheld software dev!
It’s a great idea and I believe one of the untapped opportunities in the marketplace. Many small businesses could benefit from using on-line tools for their business (wikis, skype, Google mail, conferencing etc. etc.) but most simply don’t know how. Most of these apps have APIs: Build a “online management system” that combines all of these tools into one interface with a common look and feel and you’d have an interesting package to sell.