If you’re moving your computer workspace, across the country or across the room, things can go wrong. The tips below will go a long way towards eliminating aggravation, lost time, and worst of all—lost data.

1. Back up your data.

2. Lifehacker says: Back up your data. If you need a visual (whether or not you liked Sex in the City) you can watch Carrie lose her mind when she didn’t have a backup on YouTube.

3. Oh yeah, backup your data, maybe with one of these offline backup tools. You can never tell when disaster will strike, so before you make any major change to your computer (including installing new software) it is prudent to have a full backup of your data and (preferably) the system itself.

4. When it comes to backup, the safest bet is to make 2 copies. One on another hard drive, preferably an external drive that you store away from the computer itself. But don’t stop there, even external hard drives are vulnerable to failure because they have moving parts. Burn your data on CD or DVD as well and you will have a static, unchanging record of what matters most.

5. When you burn DVDs make sure to check the settings and choose single session rather than multi-session burn. Sometimes you’ll want to keep adding data to the same DVD over time and multi-session is great for that. Unfortunately, multi-session DVDs often don’t work on a machine other than the one that created them. If your computer tumbles out a window, you will need to get to your data on another machine. Avoid creating multi-session CDs or DVDs as backups.

6. You should also be sure and check the settings for data validation. Make sure the backup you depend will be validated by the burning software you use.

7.  Don’t have a DVD burner (Window’s XP doesn’t) or realizing XP’s CD burning program doesn’t let you validate? Try one of these free tools rated at CNET.com.

8.    If you have a fast connection and a moderate amount of data, online backup can be a great option (and, yes, some services are free). Get the basics from Computer World, or check out a comparison chart of online backup services to get you started.

9. If you’re not confident about setting your hardware up again after you move it, get out your digital camera, video camera, or even your cell phone. Take pictures of how things look before you start. Make sure to capture the back of your desktop computer so you’ll remember how many connections/plugs are filled.

10.  Before you unplug a cable, take a moment to follow it through the (seemingly endless) tangles that can occur and label it carefully. I’m a fan of masking tape folded over the cord, stuck to itself, then labeled clearly. Masking tape sticks best to itself and won’t leave your cables messy if you remove it. Fancy labels are fine too—whatever floats your boat.

11.  Remember that desktop computers have connections shaped for specific cables, they are often color-coded as well.

12.  As you remove and untangle each cable, wind it up neatly, fasten it, and bag it if you’ll be transporting the cable very far or storing it for any amount of time. One round of untangling is quite enough.

13.  DO NOT start plugging your computer in somewhere else until you’ve set up as many surge protectors as you need. Then use them.

14.  Be prepared to purchase extension cables if you need them. Most cables come in longer versions, or can be extended.

15.  Remember that your new set-up has to be configured to fit your body. Don’t conform to your technology or your space. Make it conform to you. Any and all efforts to create an ergonomically sound work-space are never wasted. Learn more at SafeComputingTips.com.

16.  Be methodical. Pay attention. Avoid distractions. If you don’t work with hardware much, it’s even more important to be fully present. The task will go faster and you’ll be less stressed out

17.  If you feel intimidated, have a buddy. Two heads usually are better than one in these cases.

18.  If you won’t put it all back together immediately, assume you will forget things. Make notes, take pictures, label, label, label.

Moving Your Computer or Office? Eliminating the Aggravation is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Search Engines Lists & Directories — 7 Lucky Links is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.

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If you’re a consultant, freelancer, or small business owner, at some point you’ll need to do research for your business. Maybe you’ll need to do market research, compare insurance plans, manage your reputation online, or scope out the competition. Whatever the topic, you’ll need a strategy, tools to work with the information you find, and the skills to manage the logistics—and that all comes before you can even start making sense of whatever you find.

Business research is less likely to involve searching for THE definitive answer, unquestionable truths, or exhaustive literature reviews in scholarly fashion. Business research in a digital world is more about where to get the information you need, in a timely fashion, to help you make better decisions.

Since I taught Research Methods for 3 years and how to integrate theory, research, and practice for 4 more, we have a very distinctive approach to the subject. If you’d like to know more, check out our Research Skill & Strategies for Business slide deck on slideshare and take better advantage of the digital world the next time you need to do research for your business.

Business Research Strategies and Skills is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.

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There’s a lot to learn when you want to share your business passion on the social web. Blogs, video, social networks—you name it—the playing field keeps changing and expanding. How do you keep up?

Self-education is a key component of Digital Success™ so we put a great deal of energy into creating useful techniques to help clients develop new areas of expertise even after our work together ends.

One of my favorite approaches to self-education involves using different standpoints to establish a learning plan and bring coherence to your project.

If you change your standpoint, you change the view from wherever you are. When you have a different view, new options can emerge. Self-education standpoints include:

• Theorist/Strategist
• Observer
• Researcher
• Learner
• Practitioner
• Communicator

Self-education standpoints can lead to a great plan of action. Here’s a quick example of a self-education project that emerges when we combine the view from different standpoints.  (Of course standpoints do overlap, but for now we’re keeping it simple.)

What if your business is ready to make the leap onto the social web? What do you need to do?

1. Be clear about your business web presence goals. Who are you trying to connect with? How do you plan to connect with them? [Theorist/Strategist]
2. Observe and note what other people are doing—you can learn a lot from how competitors, partners, and colleagues use the social web. [Observer]
3. Do your research and learn about your market niche on the social web. What do your competitors do well? Do poorly? Where do your target audiences spend their time? [Researcher]
4. Learn the cultural norms of different networks before you inadvertently cross them. Learn how to use the technology itself. [Learner]
5. Identify and acquire the technological tools you will use to participate. Develop practical skills (like protecting your security and privacy) so that you can take care of yourself along the way. [Practitioner]
6. Consider the special contributions your business can make and how to communicate them effectively. Let other folks get to know the heart of your business as you share your passions with your networks of friends, followers, and connections. [Communicator]

Different standpoints encourage different actions, and purposefully changing standpoints opens space for new understanding.

So, change your standpoint! What new perspectives and opportunities emerge?

Come explore with us at the Capital Creativity Network on 5/12/2010!

Take Charge of Your Digital Success is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Sharing your passion on the social web (social media and social networks) can be rewarding for you and for your connections and colleagues. If you’ve thought about increasing the reach reach of your network, joining groups on Facebeook® or LinkedIn® can be a great start. I’ve collected 7 lucky links (+ 1 bonus) to help you think about your strategy in general as well as what including groups could mean for your business network. Link Friday is a regular feature. If you have other links to share we’d love to hear from you in the comments.

It helps to start with a clear understanding the tools themselves.

1. Do you understand the differences between social media and networking in terms of what it means for your strategy?

2. If you’re not using Groups on LinkedIn yet, learn more about them: LinkedIn Groups described and explained.

3. You’re passionate about what you do–get great tips on using LinkedIn to market your business here.

4. Of course social networks are about more than marketing, so try this link for 10o+ ways to rock LinkedIn.

5. And on another network, Facebook Groups explained by Facebook themselves.

6. Mashable compares Facebook Groups and Fan Pages. What makes sense for your business?

7. SearchEngineGuide shares ways to leverage Facebook groups for business

As an extra bonus:

Awesome tips for using Facebook and Twitter for your business from Brian Solis, the author of Engage.

7 Lucky Links to Share Your Passion & Build Your Business on the Social Web is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Monitoring what people are saying about you or your company on the Web is an important strategy to protecting your brand reputation. Here are 5 lucky links to help you in your monitoring mission.

1. Social Media Monitoring Tools – 2010 Review – Series on the basics of social media monitoring.

2. Roundup: Social Media Monitoring Tools – nice roundup of tools.

3. 20 Top Twitter Monitoring and Analytics Tools – track how you or your brand is doing on twitter.

4. A Wiki of Social Media Monitoring Solutions – a very comprehensive list of tools.

5. Where Social Media Monitoring Services Fail – monitoring is just the first step.

Have a monitoring tool you like. Let us know by commenting below.

5 Lucky Links on Monitoring Your Online Reputation (Link Friday) is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.

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What are people saying about you or your company on the Web? In the blogosphere?

In this video I show you how to get started monitoring your (and your company’s) online reputation with Google Alerts and Social Mention Alerts from Socialmention.com.

This is a repost from October 2009.

Monitor Your Online Reputation with Alerts (Video) is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Last Saturday found us, once again, at Cleveland Park Library talking with a local group of computer users—only this time it was with a lovely group of Mac users. You can learn more about the National Capitol Mac Users Group (NCA-MUG) on their website. Attendee experience with social networking ran the gamut from “why?” to “I’m on many networks” and a lively discussion ensued.

Our social web presentation covered social networking strategy, expectations, and privacy, then we introduced the group to the basics of using Twitter, Facebook®, and LinkedIn® for business. If you’d like to have a look at our “Intro to the Social Web” slide deck you’ll find them on Slideshare (don’t miss the Mac-specific tools that can make your life easier). If you’d like to check out the NCA-MUG March Meeting Notes, webmaster Ken Nellis was kind enough to post them as well.

Introduction to the Social Web is a post from: Chaos To Clarity™. ©2009, 2010 Chaos To Clarity, LLC. All rights reserved.