Comotivate Blog

Change to "Potential Buddy" emails

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:31:25 +0100

After receiving a few complaints from users who'd received a large number of match alerts via email, it became clear that we'd not done enough to clarify the preferences section of the goal registration. We're working on a better way of helping users understand this function, but meantime, we've acted on a suggestion we received via email from someone who wanted to help. They suggested we send a daily digest email and list the matches all together. I know, I know it's so simple! I can't believe we missed it, but we did. A few days ago, this was put live and we sincerely hope it helps users feel more comfortable with the site.

Thanks to everyone who continues to email great feedback.

New password request - fix

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:11:11 +0100

The recent surge in registrations has given us the opportunity to talk with a lot more users who've been in touch about various errors on the site. Some have proven to be human errors that actually point to usability issues we're looking at. But some are bugs we've just never encountered.

One of the most puzzling of these was a user who reset their password twice but still couldn't gain access to the site. We got back to them within a few hours to say we were on the case, and then let them know of the fix within 36 hours (thanks Pav!). It turns out that if the user cut and pasted their new passowrd from an email opened in Outlook, a space character was added to the end of the password thus making the password invalid. This seems to only affect Outlook email clients. WEIRD.

Feedback drives more enhancements

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 12:54:06 +0100

Thanks to a surge in traffic generated by a review at Springwise here: http://bit.ly/17SjDi there were also a lot more people getting in touch with feedback.

Several people complained about a lack of clarity and orientation on the site. I think this is justified and we're looking at ways of improving this intuitive level of understanding.

I also received 6 requests from people who felt overwhelmed with buddy match emails. Clearly, we've not made it obvious enough how you manage your alerts to ensure you only get told about the best matches. These 6 people were asking to have their accounts closed and were very polite. I thought it was important to honour that request immediately especially since they'd highlighted a bug in the system which was preventing them from doing it themselves! (this is now fixed.) I tried to reply to them as soon as possible and with empathy and I was thrilled that many of them wrote back with encouraging words and some additional suggestions on how to improve the user experience. As a result we will be implementing daily digest format emails to manage the match alerts within the next week or so.

In the meantime, if you are receiving too many email alerts informing you of matching buddies, log-in to your homepage; go the the right hand sidebar and click on 'amend goal'. Scroll down to the 'preferences' section and make an adjutment to the value that triggers an email.

Re-development

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:09:49 +0100

Apologies for the lack of updates and for how quiet things are at the moment. We're still working hard behind the scenes to bring added functionality to the site in preparation for a re-launch before the end of the year. We've had awesome feedback from people who love the concept and we want to bring some better tools to help users keep to their commitments.

You can follow our progress on twitter @comotivate if you wish.

Changing career direction

Tue, 5 May 2009 04:03:29 +0100

There was a recent piece in The Australian newspaper written by Deborah Barit that I've been meaning to comment on. She sets out the steps to finding a new career, by 'thinking outside the square'. I've summarised her points below but the premise is that all workers should be on the front foot at the moment rater than assume a new job would be easy to land.

She argus that "the real danger is in doing nothing. Now is the time to take control, review career goals and personal values, and re-invent yourself to match the changing job market." Easier said than done? Well maybe, especially since she believes that in this climate "a mere addition to experience or another qualification will not necessarily guarantee a job".

Step 1. Relax and create some quiet time to get started.

Step 2. Ask probing questions designed to uncover a brutal honesty in yourself. Questions like: What do I enjoy doing? What are my strengths, weaknesses and greatest achievements professional and personal? What motivates me? What would be my ideal job?

Step 3. Talk to three close friends who will be honest and ask them: What do you like and admire about me? What do you see as my strengths and weaknesses? Take notes and don't get defensive! Then sort and prioritise the comments in order of personal values, interests, skills, experience, attributes and weaknesses.

Step 4. Compare and contrast lists from Step 2 and 3. Match your interests and values with your skills, personal attributes and experience. Identify any gaps in your knowledge or experience.

Step 5. Spot trends and gaps. Research the market. Which industries are hiring? Which industries are in line for government assistance? As the economy improves, which sectors will be the first to expand?

Step 6. Assess your resume. Does it reflect the relevant skills and experience? Do you need additional training or professional guidance? Are you openly considering sectors outside of your direct experience?

These steps seem logical enough and the sentiment of being prepared is hard to argue with. Retrenchments are escalating in all markets around the world and this is a situation in which virtually anyone could find themselves in with very little notice.

How are you preparing? Do you see it as preparing for the worst or taking control of your destiny before decisions are made for you?

test your posture

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:11:03 +0100

Good posture can be the difference between assisting your physical development and undermining it. Here are three tests for your posture.

Stand facing a full length mirror. Check that the following are true of you:

1. Your shoulders are level

2. Your head is straight

3. The spaces between your arms and sides seem equal

4. Your hips are level

5. Your kneecaps face straight ahead

6. Your ankles are straight

Now stand side-on or ask someone to help you make the following assessments of your posture:

1. Your head is erect, not slumping forward or backward

2. Your chin is parallel to the floor, not tilting up or down

3. Your shoulders are in line with your arms, not drooping forward or pulled back

4. Your stomach is flat (probably not as much as you’d like!)

5. Your knees are straight

6. Your lower back has a slightly forward curve, not too flat and not hollowed out

Now move over to the wall.

1. Stand with the back of your head touching the wall and your heels 15cm away from the wall.

2. With your buttocks touching the wall, check the distance between your lower back and the wall with your hand, and your neck and the wall.

If you can get your body between 2.5 - 5cm from the wall at the lower back and 5 cm from the wall at the neck, you're close to having excellent posture. If you can't achieve this , your posture my need professional attention from a chiropractor or osteopath to restore the normal curves of your spine.

Pilates is an excellent form of exercise to address postural issues.

Earth Day - a reason to celebrate?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:20:52 +0100

How are you celebrating Earth Day? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day I'm sorry to sound sceptical, but what reason is there to celebrate? I believe Obama will be a force for good as far as the US is concerned, but what is happening isn't happening quickly enough. I can't help but feel that it will take a massive natural disaster to act as the wake up call required. New Orleans knows about the fragility of the planet...perhaps this recession will be a catalyst for green enterprise. Households will need the hard work done for them. Humans have proven themselves to need change forced upon them. List your favourite green businesses here...

New features on their way

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 06:09:30 +0100

A whole range of enhancements are being worked on at the moment including:

- Clearer progress tool adjustment settings

- Geo-tagging to provide the opportunity for meet-ups

- Easier video uploads

- Quicker goal registration

- More High5s awarded based on user activity

- Messenger chat and video chat

- Easier to view profiles of team buddies

- Better user journey on sign-up

We'll let you know when they'll be live and at that point give you a better idea of the next wave of enhancements and new features. If there are things we need to know that would make the sitebetter for you, please get in touch. Send an email to listener at comotivate.com - we reply personally to every email and take every criticism squarely on the chin!

Online collaboration means a great deal to charities

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 07:28:43 +0000

A partnership between comotivate and a global administration platform aimed at supporting good causes, is offering the not-for-profit sector free access to leading technology.

High profile, well funded charities have certainly been quick to leverage the internet to strengthen brand awareness and drive down their administration costs. But the technological investment and skills have been hard to come by for smaller non-profit organizations.

Now, Australian-based comotivate.com is helping overcome those barriers by partnering with GivenGain and offering six months free access to a leading integrated online cause administration platform covering: payment processing, donor management, online publishing and communication tools.

GivenGain have already helped raise over $37 million for good causes. The service automates complex, critical processes from beginning to end, allowing organizations to cut costs, increase revenue, build and manage relationships and win broader support for their cause. Comotivate.com matches people with similar goals and allows them to collaborate in teams. It will soon integrate with GivenGain more fully to allow users to raise money in support of their challenges.

Comotivate.com founder, Matt Lawton helps explain: “The online experience can make or break a fundraising campaign for donors, fundraisers and ultimately the charity. The GivenGain platform provides the complete solution.”

Nobody taking up the introductory offer through comotivate is obliged to either continue on with the service or run activity on comotivate.com and Lawton believes that’s important. “I’m confident that those non-profits that begin to feel comfortable with an enhanced web presence will want to find ways of further leveraging their campaigns. Anyone unable to develop a sound online strategy is going to struggle more and more.”

Charities interested in learning more should visit: www.comotivate.givengain.org and contact Matt Lawton.

Marriage - the key to finding happiness?

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 00:25:27 +0000

I went to an amazing wedding at the weekend. The ceremony took place under an ancient oak tree and the symbolic significance was portrayed in a very touching way - not laboured at all. Everyone 'got it' easily enough. The bride has a young son (6 years old) from a former relationship and the groom has been a terrific influence on him over the last few years. Their vows were so heartfelt and the gathering of friends (40% of them from interestate or overseas) were all feeling the love. The reception was a stand up affair in one of melbourne's lesser known nighclubs in a trendy part of town. The word 'nightclub' doesn't do it justice because it had a sophisticated burlesque feel to it, rich satin fabrics, dark hardwood fixtures and awesome cocktails! The speaches were all fantastic and kept to a good length and the atmosphere was just so relaxed and warm.

Several people noted that as the married couple, it's only at a wedding where one can truly enjoy the company of all your closest friends and family. The only comparison is one's funeral! And there, you don't actually get to mix with your guests!

Conclusion? Having great friends makes for a great wedding! But what's the lasting effect the next day?

Weddings are often happy events - 'the happiest day of one's life' it is often said. The marriage itself is obviously more important and it's very hard to see the beautiful and generous couple we saw enjoying anything less than bliss for the rest of their lives. The celebrant did talk about the inevitable challenges ahead as people change and the relationship changes. The key, it was proposed, rests in two things:

- the commitment to always keep trying with the utmost determination

- the bravery to keep communicating with utmost honesty

There's an inter-relationship between cause and effect when you think about marriage and happiness. What happens if you don't feel happy anymore in your marriage? Is it you changing, your partner or your relationship. Someone recently described a marriage/relationship to me in terms of it being an entity that itself required nurturing. What have you done recently to nurture your relationship in an unconditional way?

Honesty and determination - the key to happiness...maybe! Sounds like hard work though! What happened to 'love'? I think love is your motivation. Arguably the best motivation there is.

Organizing your finances – getting motivated

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 05:44:25 +0000

For many people, the first steps towards getting your finances under control are the hardest. Whether you didn’t spend enough time learning about basic personal finance principles when you were younger, or life happened and you’re now at the bottom of a very large problem, it can be difficult to get motivated to make that change and get your finances under control.

Waiting will only make things spiral out of control faster, so it is vital to find that motivation to take that first step in controlling your finances. Here are some great tips to help you on your journey.

So, you’ve been spending more than you’ve been earning eh?

First, it is best to create some goals for yourself.

Whether you want to have X amount saved over the next three years, or you would like to have your credit cards paid down in two years, write these goals down. Take a look ahead in your life and see where you would like to be. Then, write down how you plan to get there.

Once you have your goals in place, it’s time to determine what is keeping you from achieving them.

Take a good, hard look at your spending habits, how much you are making and what is keeping you from reaching those goals. Figure out what needs to be done to change this and write down your personal plan.

Now that you have these two things in order, it’s time to figure out what motivates you.

If you are under 30, planning for retirement seems so far in the future that it is easy to put it off. Look at your short term goals to find that motivation to keep you going.

The next step is to begin implementing the changes necessary to meet your goals.

If you want to start spending less money, work up a budget and start sticking to it. If you want to make more money to reduce your reliance on your paycheck, work on either getting a second job, opening a business or finding ways to create more than one stream of income. Become a re-seller of products that can earn you money without sapping your time. Choose products you love to use yourself so your efforts are fuelled by natural enthusiasm.

you reach that first financial goal, the rest will seem like they are much more in reach. That is the main reason that short terms goals are just as important as long term financial goals. When you see the results in a quicker amount of time, you’ll be much more likely to keep forging ahead.

Smokers can double their chances of quitting - new evidence

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 09:40:22 +0000

I saw this in Medical News Today and thought I'd share...

Researchers from the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies led by Dr Linda Bauld at Bath, along with colleagues from the University of Glasgow, have published research in the February issue of Addiction journal comparing the success and cost-effectiveness of two types of stop smoking support services offered by the NHS. These are community-based group stop smoking support and one-to-one support provided in a pharmacy setting.

The study, funded by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Health Scotland, found that more than a third of smokers using support groups quit smoking after four weeks; almost double the proportion of those using a pharmacy-based support scheme to help them quit.

Dr Linda Bauld said: "Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the UK, and the single biggest cause of inequalities in health.

"These findings agree with previous research which shows that smokers who used a support group were more likely to quit. But we know that only a very small proportion of smokers using NHS stop smoking services in the UK use this form of help.

"We need to get the message across that group support, combined with stop smoking medications, works well for many people.

"However, we found that both types of service in Glasgow are reaching and treating smokers from disadvantaged areas in substantial numbers, which is extremely encouraging and will contribute to efforts to reduce inequalities in health."

Pharmacy-based support is available in over 200 pharmacies across Glasgow and at the time of the study treated over 12,000 smokers per year. The service includes one-to-one behavioural support for up to 12 weeks, with each session usually lasting from five to 15 minutes; this support is combined with a direct supply of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), usually in the form of patches.

The second service assessed in the study involved community-based group counselling and lasts for seven weeks, with each session lasting around an hour. A trained advisor is able to give vouchers for NRT for collection at pharmacies and advise on other types of smoking cessation medicine which the client can then get from their GP.

After the course of group counselling sessions has ended, smokers can receive ongoing support and medication from their pharmacy for a further five weeks. At the time of the study, this method was used by 1,700 smokers per year in Glasgow.

Early results from the study's economic analysis suggest that the pharmacy based service is less costly to deliver than group support. Overall though, the economic analysis found that both types of service are cost-effective.

Professor Carol Tannahill, Director of the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, said: "Many smokers feel that they have to manage to give up smoking on their own, yet there are now a range of services available to support smokers to quit. This research sets out to examine how effective different services are, and what factors may influence outcomes."

The next stage of the study in Glasgow involves the collection and analysis of one year outcomes from the smokers who participated in this initial study.

Well done 'Team Lose weight' - you're finally comotivating

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:01:39 +0000

Not for being the team with the most buddies, but for getting going at last. I think a few determined people have joined recently and got chatting so the TAB score has begun to shift. If the team owner logs in and benches a few inactive buddies, your TAB score will sky-rocket!

Good luck with your weight loss journey.

Video tutorials

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:44:45 +0000

I'm considering filming a series of vide tutorials to help users feel more confident navigating the site. Please add to the list below:

1) What makes comotivate special - a sort of 'why bother' overview

2) How to buddy-up and what to look for

3) Team owners - how they come to be and what they do

4) How to send messages and blog your progress

5) How to leave a team

6) How to select progress tools

Incentives

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:34:28 +0000

I've been wondering what I can do to increase the level of commitment to the site and to the team you join. The best incentive is always based on your actual goal and the state of motivation naturally derived from working with someone just like you. However, I'd love to hear ideas on what other things I could use to sweeten the comotivate experience. There are some social networks that have begun to basically bribe people to be active. I have no funding and no desire to artificially increase traffic to the site. I'd like everyone on comotivate to be present because they are personally involved in their goal and their buddy's goal. So what can I investigate to compliment this position and provide an appropriate incentive to people? I will try and look at a music download partner. If anyone has any recommendations, please comment.