Clientigent

Why to communicate through custom software and not over e-mail

Do not use e-mail as a task management

E-mail is a common communication tool, but definitely not an ideal one. Comments and tasks in an internal system save a lot of work.

  • Client: Clientigent
  • Date: September 2021
  • Style: Hand-drawn

Main ideas

Do not use e-mail as a task management, use a task-oriented internal system instead.

  1. Working over e-mail is a common standard, with the belief that a colleague will do what was requested.
  2. Problems are often left unresolved (no control, no deadlines), the whole company and its workflows suffer.
  3. A clearly specified request in an internal task-oriented system shows everybody its state and obstacles (who is it waiting for).
  4. No duplicates: with many people in CC anybody should do it, but nobody does.
  5. Internal spam.
  6. Clients cannot see the data and have to solve everything through employees instead of having their own client account.

Script

The story is told with paper planes folded from letters. The guy (the mascot) is the boss, the client is a gentleman with a top hat, a moustache, a monocle and a walking stick.

  1. Belief in fulfilment
    • a worker (W1) writes a letter and folds it into a paper plane
    • he throws planes at his colleague (W2) and hits him
    • the recipient unfolds the plane and puts it on a pile, he leans to the side and the next planes miss him
  2. Duplicates
    • one plane hits another colleague (W3)
    • W1 sends one plane which splits into three
    • lots of planes start flying around
  3. Spam
    • zoom on W3, more and more planes fall on him from all sides
    • only a hand sticks out of the pile of planes (drowning)
  4. Left unresolved
    • a wind blows at W2 and scatters his pile
    • part of the papers is blown off the desk
    • the boss watches it from a distance and just scratches his beard
  5. The client is not part of the team
    • the client sadly watches the planes flying above his head
    • he comes to the boss and gives him a letter, the boss folds it into a plane and sends it away
  6. Internal system
    • the worker pins his written letter on a board
    • the board shows the states of tasks and the people working on them
    • the boss moves a task to another column and adds a picture of a worker to it (from an idea (light bulb) to a finished solution (✓))
    • the client adds his letter to the board (under the light bulb)
    • the boss and the client look at the board with satisfaction

Storyboard

Storyboard