Everyone is looking for means to boost their business, including a construction business which is no behind. A well-organised process can provide a boost to a project and reach its completion on time, besides communication and also affect future projects. This holds importance as the construction projects can eventually end up going over plan and time hurting the subcontractors working on them. A well-organised construction management process can improve the different stages in the lifecycle of a project and improve efficiency.

Read the five most pertinent methods to improve construction management:

Take On What You Can Handle

One must determine the pros and cons of a project before taking on a project. The onus is on the project manager to establish the utility of taking on a project by tallying the resources with the requirements.

It is vital to take costs, labour, materials and expertise into consideration to finish a construction project. However, there are other things more considerable including how a plan will fit into the schedule or whether or not it will collide with some other projects.

Plan Well

There is so much at stake with a construction project. Therefore, it is imperative to design a well thought of plan before taking on a project. Planning a project implies developing a schedule, establishing dependency of tasks, deciding deadlines, delegating the resources and also establishing the communication expectations.

When you have a plan, it pushes the project manager to think hard about the project before beginning. It will also help in developing an action plan for all the team members for reference all through the delivery cycle of the project. It presents milestones for progress to be measured to enable success.

Be Prepared For the Unexpected

Just like every other project, construction is highly unpredictable. Weather, natural calamities, delays, human errors, delays and more are a few of the reasons for unwanted issues. It makes me believe that something can always go wrong, thus making it essential to plan the budget and schedule. 

When you are ready for the delays and costs, you will face less stress and more satisfaction from all quarters. But a project manager should be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. The most common is worksite injuries. Most of them can be avoided by providing daily training on accurate methods to boost project performance. With improved project performance, a construction project management process can be strengthened.

Work to Your Strengths

Scheduling is a better option than fitting in the workforce as per the availability. For this to happen, it is essential to know the positive and negative points of the employees. He should also consider these while scheduling the labour for specific tasks. A project manager should talk to a supervisor when he is not sure of who to delegate the job. The strengths of the employees should be reaped to the fullest to make the construction project stand out. 

Employ A Construction Management Software

The construction projects are becoming more complicated, but technology too is getting more sophisticated. A good construction project management software can help in sorting the complexities and time consumption. An all-inclusive project management tool can monitor and store all the information and then offer a transparent medium for communication while providing means to organise the planning including construction management RFI.

Those are the five methods to improve your construction management. Employ them to see your business rise and grow.

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Anyone can come up with great product ideas to start a tech business and become an entrepreneur. But what’s more important is to pitch them in the right way to the potential investors because they can only give you the most needed monetary back up with which you can bring your idea to life.

For some of you pitching comes naturally but for others, it’s a completely new ball game. In order to prepare and present an influential pitch, you need to focus on your team as well as your idea. Because these people will be judging your idea on the basis of the people in the backdrop.

Getting funding is not a piece of cake but you can level up your game with just a little bit of planning and caution. Let’s explore the six major traits investors look for in your team when you pitch your idea in front of them.

1. Impeccable Communication Ability To Raise Opinion & Collaborate Easily

The ability to articulate your ideas, let’s say if it’s an app idea, in an effective manner is the most important qualities you should have when pitching. You should be able to express your thoughts clearly both in written and verbal form. In case you fail to explain to the investors the reason why they should put in money in your venture be sure that you will get a denial.

As the flag-bearer of your company, let’s take for example you’re running a Healthcare Technology one, you should be having the capacity to convince investors that your healthcare mobility idea for iOS and Android is worth investing and customers will definitely download by large numbers. Also, everyone in your team must communicate well so that all the departments can stay on the same page and work in harmony.

2. Business Acumen Into The Niche Domain That You’re Targeting

While pitching your idea to potential investors it’s mandatory for you and your team to have a comprehensive understanding of the industry in which you are going to enter. At least your pitch should show that you have done your research and are aware of the pain points customers are facing with existing solutions in the same domain. Also, your idea should be scalable enough to evolve with changing market scenarios.

For instance, when developing a solution to cater to the food industry, you must be able to generate traction and sales via content marketing and cold outreach. You or your sales associates should have demonstrated that you can close sales independently and be able to showcase your sales pipeline recorded in your sales CRM software. Also, you should be confident that you can build and maintain an influential brand that can sustain in the dynamic market.

3. Be Enthusiastic But Not Over Excited About Your Idea

It’s essential that you and your team should be passionate about the idea you are pitching. Otherwise, no one would ever invest in it even if the idea is quite good. Also, when pitching you should not give a hint that your sole aim is only money making but show as if you are doing it out of your love and passion.

In addition, you should also be careful about not being overly excited when pitching because it can have a negative impact on the investors and they might take a decision of not taking the risk as there’s a chance of you getting lost in midway due to over-enthusiastic attitude.

4. Team Chemistry

As we have seen earlier, your team is equally important to you as your idea and that is why it should be portrayed as a united bunch of professionals having great chemistry between them.

Your idea might be extremely unique but if you are not having a team to work on it properly, or not able to retain talent, then there are very few chances that potential investors will take the risk. The team should be on the same page with a unanimous goal and a spirit of working with sheer dedication.

6. Remember To Keep The Product Prototype In Your Pitching Arsenal

Once you have convinced the investors that your team has got the genuine passion and skills, now it’s the real showtime. The investors are sitting here in order to evaluate your idea and then take a call to invest in it. But they can’t do this until you show how your idea looks like and how does it work?

To excel at this stage, make sure to take the help of efficient programmers that can create a mock-up or help with strategic roadmapping for your end product. Basically, a prototype is the visual representation of your product and helps you in convincing investors that your idea can definitely be converted into a functional solution. This will strengthen their decision of putting money at stake in your project.

5. All Ears Attitude With A Passion To Learn From Past Mistakes & Adjust Accordingly

When pitching your idea investors must see that you are passionate but at the same time to listen to the feedback and different opinion. Also, you must be all set to answer it properly. Make sure that you are moving forward with an attitude of learning from past mistakes and tweak your idea in accordance with the current market requirements.

In order to put their money on stake investors will definitely like to figure out whether you are willing to listen and give importance to their suggestions. Otherwise, they would not be interested in venturing into a team that is not ready to take their advice and make modifications as they’re at the better position in the industry to know what will work and what not.

6. Conscious Of One’s Own Achilles Heel

Investors are also well aware of the fact that you and your team are in the transitional phase and that is why there is a lack of skills or experience. Rather than hiding your weak points tell them openly in front of the investors. 

But make sure that you are striving hard to compensate for the flaws and enhance the idea in the future. You should move ahead with honesty, openness, and attentiveness when pitching your idea and the end result will surely be a yes from the investors’ side.

Now that you are well aware of the key ingredients that can make your pitch much more effective. Remain confident and show that you are humble yet passionate about being a tech entrepreneur with a perfect team who can work and transform the idea into a functional and intuitive product.

Anubhuti Shrivastava is a content crafter at Arkenea and Benchpoint. She is passionate about writing articles on topics related to design and the software development industry.

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Advanced technology has created a digital revolution in the home automation industry, resulting in the “smart home,” a term used to describe a home that contains a communication network which connects various appliances and allows them to be remotely controlled and monitored while providing savings on utility bills.

Statista research reveals that some one-third of houses today are considered smart homes, but by 2023 that number is expected to be at nearly 54 percent. While you could look for a smart home available for purchase, if you recently bought one of the San Diego homes for sale or anywhere else in the country and it wasn’t already “smart,” you can turn it into one. Just imagine being able to let someone in to check on your dog when he’s all alone, or even adjust the temperature so that it will be nice and cozy when you return?

You can make your home smart by installing a network that allows you to link your devices and appliances, or you can purchase individual products that connect to your phone.

A Voice Assistant

One of the most popular smart home devices is the virtual voice-controlled assistant, like Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, and Apple’s Siri. They live in your phone, tablet, streaming box, speaker or other internet-connect devices that makes it easy to control smart home products. All you have to do is speak a simple command like “Alexa, turn off the lights.” The Echo products by Amazon are especially easy to set up and plug in and Alexa currently has over 10,000 “skills” which makes it the most widely supported smartphone hub. Plus, the smartphone apps to set up Echo products will work with both Android and Apple devices.

Ring Video Doorbell

By installing the doorbell and the Ring Video Doorbell app you’ll be able to see, speak and hear anyone that comes to your door right from your laptop, tablet or smartphone. You’ll get an instant alert and a live-cam link right when a visitor arrives. It’s great for those who get frequent deliveries as you’ll never have to miss one again.

Smart Lights

Smart lights are a must for a smart house, and the Philips Hue Starter Kit is a great option that allows you to control the intensity of light in every part of your home as well as the color. It works seamlessly with Siri and Alexa and can be a lot of fun to sync the brightness level and/or color with music. It comes with various apps with features like selectable themes, such as Disco or Christmas.

Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat allows you to automate the temperature throughout your home. Many are compatible with Google Home and Amazon Echo or can be controlled with apps on your smartphone.

Smart Plugs

These are ideal for managing electrical appliances and the amount of power consumed in your home. Smart plugs allow you to group and schedule electrical devices from Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or your smartphone.

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Wireframing is an essential part of the development process, whether you’re a web developer, software developer, or mobile app designer. As a software developer, the success of your product depends on good planning and functionality; and a good wireframe can help you achieve that. Here are five tips on using these tools. 

1. Simplicity Is Key 

Your software will look great when it’s finished, but only when it’s finished. A wireframe is not a tool for mapping out the visual elements of a design, but rather for nailing down the functionality of the software itself. 

Keeping your wireframes simple eases frustration within your team and with the client. Don’t include any color in your wireframe, and only use a maximum of two separate fonts. In some cases, you may actually require more than two, but keeping fonts to a minimum will focus the audience on functionality instead of design. 

Many wireframe tools include a complete design interface with drag and drop capabilities, which means coding is kept to a minimum. Notice the theme of simplicity? The designers of these tools understand that a wireframe is merely a blueprint of the final project, and should be kept simple and easy to edit. 

Simplicity will benefit you when you’re showing the wireframe to the client as well. You don’t want to distract them with visuals, but rather have them focus on the functionality and whether or not your design has met all of their needs. Don’t forget to ask questions and take the client’s feedback into consideration! 

2. Start With A Sketch 

You’re probably thinking “isn’t a wireframe just a sketch anyway?”. While that’s technically true, as you can create a wireframe by sketching it, we’re going to focus on digital wireframes for this article. 

Before you begin to design a wireframe on a design platform, you should start with a rough sketch. You don’t have to be a Picasso to get it right. In fact, you should expect a certain level of rudeness in the drawing; and that’s alright. 

Your sketch is merely a roadmap for your roadmap, so to speak. Take all of those rough ideas, and sketch them onto a piece of paper. You may find that some of your ideas look great in your head but not so great on paper. That’s the purpose of the sketch. 

By using a sketch, you cut out some edit time from your wireframe process. This will make transitioning to a wireframe a little easier, and give your team further direction within your project. 

3. Use Annotations

Annotations are extra notes on a project that explain certain aspects of the project. These work great in literature and college papers, but they are also an excellent addition to your wireframes. 

Annotations serve to explain the placement of elements, suggested edits, and more. You can provide annotations for your client when they’re reviewing the wireframe so you can keep explanations to a minimum, and give the client an idea of what you’re designing for them. 

Annotations should only be placed where and when they’re necessary. You don’t exactly need an annotation on every aspect of the design. Place them in areas you’re unsure of or that you can foresee a change occurring. 

4. Use The Right Tool For The Job

This should go without saying, but the fact is, there are hundreds of options when it comes to wireframing, and some aren’t of the highest quality. Using the right tool can mean the difference between a great wireframe and a poor one. 

When you search for the right tool, be sure to understand what you’re looking for. You want a tool that is simple, easy to teach and includes collaboration tools within the interface. You’ll want to keep both your team and your client informed without unnecessary downloads and emails. 

Some wireframe tools include an interface that works all the way up through the prototype. This might be the best option to keep things centralized, so you’re not moving from platform to platform throughout your design. 

Whatever tool you choose, be sure to research its capabilities and limitations beforehand. The last thing you want is a surprise halfway through a project. Your clients won’t appreciate a delay, and your team members will likely become frustrated with the inadequacy of the tool you’ve chosen. 

5. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Good communication can literally make or break an entire project. Many wireframe interfaces also include collaboration tools, so you may want to consider using one of these for easy communication within the group. 

Keep your clients and team members up to date with your changes and edits of their work, and always ask for feedback. This can be intimidating, but it’s an important part of the design process. The professional opinions of your colleagues and the people paying you for the design can inspire you to try new things and improve your craft. 

In Conclusion…

Wireframes are one of the best tools for software developers. Keep your designs simple to make them easy to edit and pitch to team members and clients. Make sure you’re choosing the right tool so you don’t waste time and money, and always communicate with your team and your clients. Following these tips will ensure your project is of the highest quality, is on time, and meets or exceeds customer expectations. 

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It is fair to say, almost every trader is tired of the bear market experienced in the cryptosphere today. There were days when trading crypto was rosier, and the crypto Bull Run hyped.

That was 2017. The crypto boom back then was not only unique, but a phenomena the world is yet to experience again. It is perhaps the first time the word cryptocurrency became widely known. It is also the first time bitcoin became a household name for “normal” people.

The figures were colossal and growing. The euphoria was inconceivable. Everyone wanted a piece of the crypto pie. This led to millions jumping on the crypto bandwagon without prior knowledge of how cryptocurrency and the blockchain work. Yet, they pumped huge sums of money into the cryptosphere.

Speculation was rife and this fed the Bull Run. A huge number of participants lost chunks of money. We may never again  experience a bull run of that magnitude. It’s also highly unlikely that the same mistakes will be repeated (although many fail to learn from their mistakes).

But this doesn’t mean we won’t experience another bull market. What is unknown, and what this Bitsane review is trying to get at, is whether crypto exchanges are ready for the next bull market or not.

Challenges experienced by crypto exchanges in 2017

Cryptocurrency exchanges experienced insanely high trading volumes during the crypto market boom of 2017. According to this Bitsane review, trading volumes would have been higher if it was not for the decision of the  “big three” exchanges to temporarily halt new registrations. This was to allow them breathing space, an opportunity to improve their infrastructure, appoint more support agents, etc. It was done to be able to more effectively handle the huge influx of new participants.

Governments and regulatory authorities also placed pressure on crypto exchanges in certain parts of the world in 2017. It was for most part rumour based, but was definitely one of the challenges crypto exchanges had to mitigate. This was amidst an onslaught by scammers, black hat hackers and other bad agents that made the job of crypto exchanges so much more difficult. 

Bitsane review: Are there more crypto exchanges today?

The number of cryptocurrencies is growing exponentially.The same could not be said of cryptocurrency exchanges some time ago, but today growth in the number of crypto exchanges can also be described as exponential. The markets are rapidly changing and so is the market situation for participants in the cryptosphere.

This has seen the appearance of multiple new cryptocurrency exchanges. The same goes for market prices and the popularity of cryptocurrencies (or digital assets). While these numbers keep growing, it becomes difficult to track and analyze all of them. This leads to costly mistakes as well as missed opportunities for both traders and other market participants.

Are crypto exchanges better prepared for the next Bull Run?

It is difficult for the average market participant to determine with pinpoint accuracy  whether cryptocurrency exchanges are better prepared for the next Bull Run or not. Yet, it is believed that bitcoin bulls are ready to start the next Bull Run..

According to a Bitsane review, the mother of all cryptocurrencies, namely bitcoin, has experienced a dip in market value. It has seen a fall below $3,200 in mid-December (in what is now being referred to as the longest “crypto winter”).

Analysts speculate that things will reverse soon. That bitcoin will turn the tide on the bears and ensure a reversal of the downward trend experienced for most part of 2018. Bitcoin is likely to experience a surge in price moving forward, but only if buying pressure can persist and prevail.

Crypto exchanges are getting excited that we may be heading into a bull market in 2019, but that remains a subject for market analysis. There is no conclusive information that clearly indicates crypto exchanges are ready for the next bull market. There is speculation that the prices of cryptocurrencies will surge over the next few months. However, for now it remains just that: speculation.

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Our computers store lots of useful information. It’s convenient to have it always at our fingertips. Data loss puzzles us. It’s a real misfortune when you cannot accomplish a task because of information collapse. We present 10 effective data recovery software for Mac which could come to your rescue.

10 Tools to Recover Data on Mac

1. PhotoRec

It is free Mac data recovery software. It lacks customer support but recovers many types of files. It works both on a computer and peripheral storage devices. 

2. Data Rescue 5

This tool fits the latest OS for Mac (starting 10.10). It can restore data on Mac hard disk, memory sticks, solid state drives. Its interface is user-friendly. The only disadvantage is that only the demo version is free. 

3. Disk Drill

This 5-star application can recognize and recover 300 types of files. It’s perfect for computers, Android, iPhone, iPad, and many external storage devices. One can try the free download version for the preview of lost data. You can also recover protected files and those deleted from a trash can.

4. Softtote Mac Data Recovery

You can recover data on various media storage devices using this tool. It’s easy-to-use and promises fast scanning of lost data. Its disadvantage is in a limited number of supported file types.

5. Wondershare Data Recovery

Users of Mac OS 10.6 and later prefer this app through Mojave newest iteration. It scans quickly, allows required files selection and safely restores data. It also provides raw file, partition, and resume recovery. Still, it demands a license of a yearly subscription.

6. M3 Mac Data Recovery

This app is free and restores most types of files. You can recover files on Mac sized up to 1GB. Still and all, some consumers complain about low-quality restored data. 

7. Cisdem Data Recovery

This multifunctional tool can retrieve data on Mac in three steps. It presents scenarios of data loss, scans, preview, and restored files. The manufacturer guarantees money return during first 30 days. The application recovers deleted, failed, and formatted files.

8. Minitool Power Data Recovery

It restores data on interior and exterior storage devices. The app supports all existing formats. It fits Mac OS 10.5 and later versions through Mojave. A free version promises 1MB of restored data of medium quality (regarding user’s feedback).

9. Lazesoft  Data Recovery

It is absolutely free and limitless. The only disadvantage is that it doesn’t support new OS Mac versions. 

10. Easeus Data Recovery Wizard

It’s a great choice for those who need qualitative recovery. The app enables the creation of a bootable USB drive. Besides, it restores data from Time Machine backups. Its free version lets you restore 2 GB of data! Its paid version is pricey. 

Summing Up

Backups cannot guarantee 100% data protection. System errors, accidental deletion, damage of hard drive can result in data loss. Choose and install the best of the above-mentioned recovers for your Mac to feel safer. You might find the installation pack on the official website of the manufacturer. 

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Sweden has been mulling re-regulation of its gambling market for years. After a lengthy period of deliberation, the country’s authorities finally introduced a new set of laws on 1^st January 2019 when a true renaissance of the Swedish iGaming market began. 

So what are the effects the newly regulated Swedish market could have from a more global perspective?

Sweden has been carrying the gambling torch for the rest of Europe ever since the Viking times. It could perhaps come as a surprise to learn these cold-blooded warriors would often use a game of dice to settle land disputes with Norway as early as in 11^th century. 

Anyway, the modern day gambling legalities have been trusted to the Swedish Gambling Authority (Lotteriinspektionen) which has, for years, battled illegal gambling activities in the country. As the gambling landscape expanded and headed towards the online universe, a state-owned company Svenska Spel was founded in 1997 with a mandate to protect customers. 

Acting as a contemporary gaming Viking, Svenska Spel has, however, been in collision with the European Commission which has long criticized the monopoly this company held in the country. 

The unstoppable advance of the online casino industry led to Svenska Spell becoming unable to prevent Swedes from visiting foreign casinos – as long as they were registered within the EU – and moves had to be taken. The monopoly led to Sweden losing market shares to international operators which is why a new gameplan has been introduced towards the end of 2018. To illustrate the financial momentum which pushed the Swedish government towards the new laws is the official data by Lotteriinspektionen reporting that the regulated part of Sweden’s gambling market generated SEK17.07 billion ($1.8 billion) revenue in 2017. During the same period of time, by contrast, the unregulated operators generated a whopping SEK5.534 billion ($607.97 billion).

Having crack opened its gaming window to foreign operators, Sweden introduced a new set of laws intended to increase government revenue share and build a safer gaming environment for Swedish players.

Companies which were to apply to a gaming licence in Sweden would have an option to choose from six different licence types. Licence prices varied from 400,000 to 700,000 SEK whereas the companies would be obliged to pay 18% tax for commercial gaming. Non-profit gambling activities would come with no taxes involved, whereas the proposed age limits were set to 18+ for online gambling and 21+ for the land based establishments. In a nutshell, the new law – allowing foreign-owned gambling companies to enter the market – was aimed towards cutting the legal grey areas, harnessing benefits for players, advertisers, operators and government as well. 

The Swedish parliament passed the new law in June 2018 and the operators were given all clear to apply for the Swedish license as of 1^st August 2018.  Interest exceeded all expectations and Lotteriinspektionen went on to approve as much as 65 licenses until January 2019. Favourable tax rates – lower than 20% in neighbouring Denmark for instance – have had a great appeal for operators who rushed to tap into a lucrative Swedish gaming market which – as a major effect – could be well on its way to establish its dominant position in Europe. 

Furthermore, the operators could end up tailoring their operations entirely towards Swedish requirements, further forcing all elements involved in this bulging gaming scene to up their game in order to appease the ever demanding Nordic gaming public. Top-notch operators have entered the Swedish market fully prepared and a list of only the best online casino operators catering to Swedish players can be found here on Best Casinos, where the most reputable businesses have been highlighted and identified.

When it comes to more immediate effects new changes could have on the online gaming market, Swedish regulations could spark a more local avalanche rather than a global one. Finland is one country keeping a close eye on Sweden in terms of re-regulation and could become the next European country to pull off a gambling reform. 

Finnish players are not exactly restricted to state-owned casinos and are allowed to play at venues hosted outside the country. Having been officially recognised as fourth among the world’s biggest gamblers with around €2 billion spent on gambling each year, it is that lucrative revenue share accumulated mainly in the grey area that is under scrutiny. EU has yet to come hard on Finland but pressure exists. 

Finland is expected to open up its gambling market to an outside world and the recent developments in Sweden could encourage Finnish law makers to make a step in that direction and propose a bill of their own.

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