Timely
Tips© Volume
4,
Issue 8; August 2007: Multiple Monitors for Multiple Reasons -
(Why adding an extra monitor to your workstation could
bump up your productivity)
The Benefits of Multiple Monitors
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For several months now, a few attendees at my programs have been
telling me I should do a Timely Tips issue on using multiple
monitors at your workstation. Those that are using this
configuration praise that it is an excellent and easy way to
increase productivity and save time. After testing it for a
month or two, I believe I too am sold on the benefits of using
this workstation configuration.
The simple rationale is this: by going from one monitor to two
(or more), you can save time when sharing data between multiple
programs/documents/spreadsheets, as you can have multiple active
documents/programs open at the same time -- in full-screen view
mode -- so you can share data back and forth. You won't need to
minimize and resize documents to share/refer to data and you
wont need to "Alt-TAB" between programs -- you can simply have
your two or more programs open and in view across the multiple
screens.
Additionally, if you ever have to load a new program or update a
program, rather than having the status bar taking up valuable
"screen space" on your single monitor, you can move it over to
the second monitor and keep plugging along on something else on
your primary monitor. And, finally, if you love your Internet
radio, your MSNBC updates, or your stock ticker, you can move
those pieces of info onto your second monitor so you can keep
your focus on actual work on your primary monitor. (I'm not
really sure how these last items help your overall productivity,
but at least the radio, MSNBC, or stock tickers won't be taking
away as much productivity!) And yes, some of you could even put
your e-mail on the extra monitor so you can see what is going on
in there (but remember my tip from a couple months ago -- don't
allow this new set up to turn you into a "blinger", constantly
checking your e-mail. That KILLS your productivity and focus.)
The Productivity/ROI Case for Multiple Monitors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I did a little research on the costs/benefits of multiple
monitor set-ups. The case for moving to this arrangement is
pretty compelling. Many IT/productivity experts are finding
workstation productivity increases of 10-30%. One IT expert did
a study over several weeks, and found that his programming team
increased their daily output by 10% after getting multiple
monitor configurations installed, and also found a 25% decrease
in error rates (apparently, people are also more accurate when
they can keep the data right on the screen versus minimizing the
data).
Using a little extrapolation, let's assume a worker making
$40,000 per year (with a 35% loading rate, total compensation
would be $54,000 annually) spends 50% of their time doing
workstation activities (thus, approximately 1,000 hours out of a
2,000 hour work year). If they can just get the low end of this
productivity increase -- 10% -- that would mean they are getting
an extra 100 hours per year of productivity, with additional
value generated of $2,700 by that worker ($54,000 / 2,000 hours
= $27 per hour * 100 extra hours = $2,700.) Considering that LCD
monitors now typically cost around $200 or less, that means
there is a ROI (Return on Investment) of more than 1,000% PER
YEAR for every multiple monitor configuration installed. Of
course, this is a pretty simplistic extrapolation, but it shows
how a very inexpensive use of technology/hardware can have
dramatic bottom-line benefits. (Feel free to use this if you
want to advocate for an additional monitor at your work!)
And with most newer Windows-based operating systems now set up
for "plug and play" multiple monitor configurations, it is
actually quite easy to add an additional monitor to your
workstation without too much time or effort by you or your IT
staff.
Laptop Users: Not Quite as Easy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Of course, if you are regularly using a laptop at your
workstation, plugging it into the extra monitor every time will
cause you to lose a bit of time. And, you probably will have to
change your system settings every time you plan to "go mobile"
and go back to the single monitor setting with your laptop.
(Otherwise, you'll end up having data sent to your "phantom"
monitor that you won't be able to see!) This also takes away a
bit of time, but my research shows that even many regular laptop
users find that the productivity bonus makes it worth investing
in the second monitor.
So, if you are out at the computer/electronics store this
weekend, and see a great deal on an LCD monitor, consider
picking another one up for your home PC. And print this out to
share with your supervisor or IT leader when you get back to
work next week. You can then experience the
time-saving/productivity benefits of your new multiple monitor
configuration.
Until Next Time ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's wishing to all of you here in the States a wonderful
Labor Day Holiday weekend. And if you are outside the States but
in the Northern Hemisphere, enjoy this beautiful late-summer
time of the year. In the next issue, we'll give you another
update on the progress on the new e-mail book (21 chapters back
from the copy editor this weekend!), but I'd rather see all of
you take the time to just "waste some time" with your family and
friends this weekend. (That is my plan!)
Until next time, Stay Timely!
Repeat of the Special "Taming the E-mail Beast" Pre-Production
Offer For Timely Tips Subscribers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have an interest in seeing some of the tips and
strategies from the new "Taming the E-mail Beast" book early,
I'm inviting all interested Timely Tips subscribers to send me a
personal e-mail (randy@randalldean.com), and I'll be happy to
send you three draft chapters of the book right now, plus a
detailed content outline. This way, you can get a taste of the
book's content and tone, and why I'm pretty excited about this
project's potential moving forward. To do this, simply send me
an e-mail at Randy@randalldean.com and let me know that you
would like to receive the free sample preview chapters. I'll
also give you access to a special pre-production offer. Send me
that e-mail request today!
Presented by:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Randall Dean Consulting & Training, LLC
phone: 517-336-8906 * e-mail: info@randalldean.com *
www.randalldean.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look for another
issue of Timely Tips next month.
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