The Curriculum Of A Preschool Classroom - 973 Words

Reading Response Introduction This week’s article provided interesting insight into science curriculum in a preschool classroom. I believe that children experience scientific concepts all around them every day, for example, weather and shadows, and that they are looking for information and the language to understand these concepts. This article furthered my belief that preschool children are capable of learning and exploring abstract scientific concepts. Furthermore, this articles supported my beliefs that although capable of understanding abstract concepts, preschoolers require teacher guided support in learning these concepts, as they often do not yet have the language require to explain the phenomenon’s they see happening. Synopsis In this article Peterson and French (2008) take an in-depth look at the â€Å"ways in which preschool teachers support the development of children’s explanatory language through science inquiry† (p. 395). Peterson and French (2008) used a Head Start center that used the ScienceStart curriculum for their study (p. 395). The study was conducted on the concept of colour mixing over the course of 5 weeks. The sessions were video tapped in order to analyze the teachers facilitation of the sessions as well 47 children participate in pre and post assessments regarding their explanatory language (Peterson French, 2008). The results suggested that through teacher supports like â€Å"modeling and eliciting appropriate language forms†, â€Å"encouragingShow MoreRelatedMajor Connections Between Young Children s Development And Learning And Their Later Attainment And School Achievement1554 Words   |  7 Pagesconnections between young children’s development and lea rning and their later attainment and school achievement. In addition, negative courses for children who begin kindergarten behind their peers have been reported. These results make it necessary that preschool children have the basic foundation for upcoming school success and are ready when they enter kindergarten. In the past it was expected that children were ready for kindergarten if they were healthy and well-nourished; thoughtful of other’s emotions;Read MoreHigh / Scope Curriculum And Connect Research Studies Relevant1595 Words   |  7 PagesA curriculum has a particular structure where an instructor or teacher takes into account different factors to achieve identified outcomes.A curriculum is like a puzzle trying to fit all the puzzle pieces together to ensure each child reaches their full potential. Therefore, one must take into account the objectives, instruction, cognitive development, content knowledge, society s culture and assessment. The purpose of this study is to analyze High/Scope curriculum and connect research studies relevantRead MoreThe Stepping Stone Preschool Program Essay1436 Words   |  6 PagesThe Stepping Stone Preschool based its philosophy on several core developmental theories. These theories help form the philosophy that will direct all of the centerâ⠂¬â„¢s actions. According to Freeman, C. Decker and J. Decker (2013), â€Å"The program philosophy not only includes beliefs that guide the selection of curriculum, but it also should be the guide for all interactions within the organization†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Therefore, it is important that program philosophy be imbedded in developmental theory so that the philosophyRead MoreAn Academic Critique Of A Research Article By Karen L. Gischlar And Joanne P. Vesay Essay1598 Words   |  7 Pageseducators to assess young children learning. The purpose of the article was to survey early childhood educators regarding their literacy practices and the assessments implemented in their classroom. However, the goal was to determine to what extent preschool teachers addressed literacy skills areas through classroom instructions. (Gischlar Vesay 2014, p. 298). The authors believed that teachers should be using literacy curricula to teach literacy skills and get proper training in how to monitor stude nts’Read More1. Background Description Of School And Observed Classroom1480 Words   |  6 Pages1. Background Description of School and Observed Classroom The family campus program at Boys and Girls club runs a title V state preschool full academic program that runs from 7am - 6pm this school does follow a curriculum and teachers perform assessments such as DRDP and for special needs children in particular they have IEP meetings done at this Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove -Family Campus Preschool. Over a course of 3 days and a total of 8 hours shadowed and observed with homeroom teacherRead MorePreventing Tooth Decay : Teaching Preschool Essay1501 Words   |  7 PagesPreventing Tooth Decay: Teaching Preschool Students Oral Hygiene Techniques Although considered preventable, 53.6% of Medicaid eligible kindergarteners studied in California had a history of dental caries and 27.8 % had decay present at the time of the screening (Dental Health Foundation, 2006). Teaching young children effective oral hygiene techniques is the most effective way to protect the child’s teeth and help them to develop a daily oral wellness routine (Dental Health, 2015). By focusingRead MoreLearning A Language At The Age Group ( Preschool )1552 Words   |  7 PagesThe Four Seasons bilingual activity in my opinion isn’t appropriate for the age group (preschool) because I feel children will get confused because the first language must be reached before a second language. Children learning more than one language may delay their speaking. Children should be learning how to write their name correctly and saying it. I am aware that learning a language is suggested at a younger age because the child can absorb the new information. In thi s lesson plan I feel thereRead MoreThe New Model For Klein s Preschool Program869 Words   |  4 PagesGrace England is the first preschool only campus built for Klein Independent School District. Servicing the north side of Houston it can hold 1,000 students in morning and afternoon schedules combined. All students must meet income restrictions and qualify for the free lunch program. Most students come from bilingual households. Class sizes are around 12 students on average and include a teacher and at least one aide. It was built to service the surplus amount of preschool students on the north sideRead MoreThe Reggio Emili A Model Of Early Childhood Development Education1256 Words   |  6 Pagesspecialist from Reggio Emilia, a town in North Italy. The man’s name was Loris Malaguzzi. His vision attracted the world through his project and play based curriculum. It was also based on the play of children and the guide of educators. The overall approach is combined from prin ciples that were based off of child-centered curriculums. These types of curriculums included parents, educators, the communities, and the children. This formulated what was known as the â€Å"environment.† The environment is known to beRead MoreThe Bright Hope Preschool Program1047 Words   |  4 Pagessure the program is meeting its objectives for the children, parents, teachers, and the community, we will have meetings, where we will open to any comments or criticisms so that we can accommodate to them accordingly. For example, the Bright Hope Preschool will also have a survey that will focus on objections that the parents, teachers, and the community may have so that we can take them into consideration. We will also have weekly reports and share them at the teachers meetings. The program will

Pumpkin Patch Case Analysis - 1319 Words

The main problem that challenged Pumpkin Patch and resulted in its collapse was â€Å"falling sales†, which resulted in insurmountable debts and an inability to front the capital needed to rectify their financial situation (Koehn, 2016). Falling sales will continue to threaten the company in its current situation if it is unable to compete in the market, addressing consumers demands and differentiating their offering (Kato, 2011). However, competing in this market is becoming increasingly difficult with the evolution of department stores and the influx of children’s retail businesses in Australia (2965) increasingly servicing consumers demand for a value/quality deal due to the disposable nature of children’s clothing (Magner, 2017; Koehn,†¦show more content†¦Whilst there are a plethora of consumer trends that contributed to he situation Pumpkin Patch faced, there are a select few intertwined factors that contributed to the failure of the company. 1. Competition The biggest contributor to the decline in sales for Pumpkin Patch was fierce competition, which drove customers to alternate retailers and made other weaknesses more vulnerable, ultimately resulting in the company’s exit from the market. Within the industry medium competition exists, with retailers competing on price, fashion, quality, location and marketing (Magner, 2017). Externally, the company also faced competition from department stores, pure-play online retailers and hand-me-downs (Magner, 2017). Pumpkin Patch mostly performed well against other direct compotators, with the exception of niche online retailers that offer more unique products for a similar price (Magner, 2017; Koehn, 2016). However, Pumpkin Patch was severely impacted by superior pricing efforts by external competitors, namely, department stores such as K-Mart, Target, Big W and Zara Kids, providing cheaper alternatives for price-conscious parents (Koehn, 2016; Magner, 2017; Hobday, 2017). The market is highly segmented regarding price with companies rivalling competitors with similar pricing strategies, suchShow MoreRelatedPumpkin Patch Case Analysis3352 Words   |  14 Pages1. Introduction Pumpkin Patch is a high end children’s clothing company that was established in 1990 when founder Sally Synnott (former children’s wear buyer for Kmart) noticed a gap in the market for fashionable children’s clothing. Pumpkin Patch has developed a vastly successful and highly competitive brand and is continually expanding further. 2. External Analysis 3.1 General Environment Analysis The conditions of the general environment of an organisation have the potential toRead MorePumpkin Patch Case Study Analysis3345 Words   |  14 PagesMGMT3347- Strategic ManAgment | Pumpkin Patch | Case Study Analysis | | External Analysis Pumpkin Patch What industry is it? Pumpkin Patch (PP) is one the largest specialty company in fashionable children’s wear industry in Australia. They sell through a wide range of channels such as its own retail stores, selected department stores, and wholesale distribution and through the internet (Hanson et al. 2011). General Environment Analysis Demographic: Australia’s population is estimatedRead MorePumpkin Patch2359 Words   |  10 PagesDistribution Customer Experience SWOT ANALYSIS FINANCIAL SITUATION STUDY QUESTIONS CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES APPENDIXES Our case assignment is about the New Zealand Retail Company Pumpkin Patch Ltd which combine retail, online, and wholesale / franchise. We focused on the Company’s history, brands, 5 Porter’s forces, value chain, SWOT analysis, location and Financial situation to expose theirRead MorePumpkin Patch: a Strategic Management Plan Essay2736 Words   |  11 Pagescustomers’ demands. Due to the lack of fashionable children’s clothing, Pumpkin Patch was found by Sally Synnott, who was the head children’s wear buyer in New Zealand. Although Pumpkin Patch was handled by other investors after two years, the brand expanded to a broader influence. Today Pumpkin Patch has its own market in several countries, such as New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and United States. It is not easy for Pumpkin Patch to operate well in such areas, but the company still decides toRead MoreApa Guide Bryant Stratton7734 Words   |  31 Pagesdiabetes: A guide for pat ients and families. [Brochure]. Milwaukee, WI: Author. Brown, T. (2006). Animal testing alternatives. The Humane Society of the United States. Retrieved from http://www.hsus.org/animals/animal_testing LaBarre, A. A. (2004). A case study of public health initiatives: The challenges of the Crosslake Community School. Charter and community schools in action. St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota. Landis, C. A. (1988). Five rules to live by for better health. Princeton, NJ: VanRead More Models of God, Humanity, and Nature My Experiences, Thoughts, and Critical Analyses5752 Words   |  24 PagesI did. These thoughts evolved further during late high school and early college. I started taking more of my life philosophies from secular thinkers, particularly musicians (for example Ed Kowalczyk of Live, Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, or Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails). It seemed to me that at least some of these secular musicians would think about real questions of God and social ills. Secular people also seemed to care more for changing these social ills rather than justRead MoreVarian Solution153645 Words   |  615 Pagesconsumer i will be indiï ¬â‚¬erent between having or not having an apartment.) 2 THE MARKET (Ch. 1) Price 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Apartments (b) Suppose the supply of apartments is ï ¬ xed at 5 units. In this case there is a whole range of prices that will be equilibrium prices. What is the highest price that would make the demand for apartments equal to 5 units? $18. $15. A, B, C, D. $10 to $15. (c) What is the lowest price that would make the marketRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pagesto Statistics and Data Analysis This page intentionally left blank Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis Third Edition Roxy Peck California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Chris Olsen George Washington High School, Cedar Rapids, IA Jay Devore California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Australia †¢ Brazil †¢ Canada †¢ Mexico †¢ Singapore †¢ Spain †¢ United Kingdom †¢ United States Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis, Third Edition Roxy PeckRead MoreSexually Transmitted Diseases35655 Words   |  143 Pageslatter might be in error by hundreds of thousands, but both have two significant figures (5 and 2). This reflects the fact that the significance of the error (its likely size relative to the size of the quantity being measured) is the same in both cases. Computer representations of floating point numbers typically use a form of rounding to significant figures, but with binary numbers. Identifying significant digits The rules for identifying significant digits when writing or interpreting numbersRead MoreIgbo Dictionary129408 Words   |  518 Pagesconsidered to be related. I then went through each pinned-together group with him, re-transcribing each word according to his pronounciation. We discarded items which he could not recognize, and added short examples to clarify the meaning in certain cases. After this, Mr M. Igbozurike copied out each re-transcribed form or example on to a slip of paper. At the beginning of each group of slips, he wrote the root on a 3 x 5 cards, which thus served as a head-word for the group. He then arranged the head-words

Coachella Free Essays

Coachella One of my favorite events is the Coachella Music Festival, a music fans ultimate adventure. My friend Isaac and I had planned our trip for months. The event was two days, split up because of the hundreds of bands playing. We will write a custom essay sample on Coachella or any similar topic only for you Order Now We bought our ticket months in advance for one day. The line-up for that day was amazing. The line up consisted of: Radio Head, Pixies, Kraftwerk, Rapture, Death Cab for Cutie, and many more. If you love alternative music, this is it. We also had planned to stay the night, so we pre-booked a room in hotel nearby. Our destination was Indio California, near Palm Springs. The drive from San Jose to Indio was about 427 miles. We headed out early morning, stopped a couple times to use the restroom and refuel. Driving on Highway 10, was mostly desert. The only interesting configurations worth gazing were the plain white wind mills. Hundreds lined up, across acres of desert land. Some of the giant windmills propelled with the slight dry wind. We finally had arrived and it felt like we stepped into a depleted tropical land. Luckily, the hotel we stayed in included a swimming pool! It was the day of the event, so we made sure to dress accordingly. We also made sure to bring plenty of water. The parking area was a chaotic scrabble of vehicles. The walk to the gates was a good 10 minutes. This was only the beginning; this event was spread out onto 90 acres. No wonder, GoldenVoice (Coachella Organizers) held event in this location; Empire Polo Club. The first idea that came to mind was to plan our day according to music events itinerary. A mass of 100,000 people would be diverged among the Polo Fields. Coachella’s map out of event accommodated all; with multiple stages, international food stands, alcohol and beverage stands, in door lounges to cool off, numerous tents with DJ’s, art installations, Coachella souvenir stands, porta potties in large quantities, ATMs, Security, and First Aide stands. The lines were a quarter mile long, or more for all stands. At this point, my friend Isaac and I decided we would cool off with a Heineken. Next we took our place in line to get a bite to eat. Of course everything is overpriced, since it is a music concert. How to cite Coachella, Essay examples

Timber Informative Essay free essay sample

It   involves  harvesting,  selecting,  thinning  the  tree   development  rather  than  the  whole  area  of  trees. This  means  the  trees  can  maintain  consistent   development  and  biodiversity  in  its  natural   environment. Many  companies  take  this  approach  no   as  the  availability  of  timber  remains  consistent  due  to   our  future  needs  and  developments. 3  Ã‚      Being  sustainable  isn’t  just  about  managing  the  needs  of  the  future  but  also  in   manufacturing  the  timber  products. Waste  in  the  production  is  critical  to  keep  a  minimum,   in  order  for  the  best  environment  and  gainful  aftermath. Techniques  such  as   Electromagnetic  grading  and  computer  cutting  are  used  to  find  defects  for  a  high  quality   timber. By  the  aid  of  the  computer,  tree  logs  get  the  maximal  cuts  and  highest  quality  with   today’s  technology. The  glues  used  and  designs  are  used  to  keep  moisture  out  resulting  in  a   durable  timber  frame. 4 SRT153  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Building  Materials  Science Material  Report Mitchell  Young The  embodied  energy  of  timber   is  much  lower  than  most   alternate  construction  materials   such  as  steel. We will write a custom essay sample on Timber Informative Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This  means  its environmental  effect  is  not  a   huge  deal  and  compared  to   other  materials  shown  in  this   diagram.   With  forest   management,  timber  can  be   easily  sustained  and  readily   available  worldwide. Properties  of  Timber   Being  a  very  popular  choice  of  building  material,  timber  shows  great  properties  of  strength,   lightweight,  reliable,  durable,  and  versatile. Having  such  a  good  strength  to  weight  ratio,  studies   show  that  Ã¢â‚¬ËœRadiata  pine  structural  timber,  for  example,  has  a  strength  for  weight  ratio  20  percent  higher  than   structural  steel  and  four  to  five  times  better  than  unreinforced  concrete  in  compression’(Haseeb  Jamel,  Web   Tech  Tix,  2013)6. An  important  property  of  timber  is  its   moisture  content,  and  is  the  mass  of  water   within  the  timber  when  over? dried. This  is   because  trees  have  nature  sap  in  the  pores   of  the  timber,  and  need  to  be  strengthened   by  drying  them  out. The  percentage  usually   lies  between  0  to  25%  MC  between  the  cell   walls,  shown  in  EMC  vs. Humidity  graph. The   percentages  that  go  beyond  this  point  up   until  35%,  reach  their  fibre  saturation  point,   and  above  this,  moisture  is  free  water  in  the   cell  voids. By  selecting  low  movement   timber,  protect  from  drying  and  wetting,   adding  a  coat  to  the  exterior,  and  using  smaller  cross? section  cuts  are  good  practices  to   minimise  the  shrinkage  and  mean  a  more  durable  and  longer  lasting  timber. 7   Application  in  Engineered  Trusses   Trusses  are  used  effectively  when  a  large  load  is  needed  to  be  held  up  over  a  great  distance. It  means  less  timber  used  which  is  good  for  the  environment,  and  spans  a  whole  roofing   distance. With  compression  and  tension  acting  on  the  truss,  any  movements  are

An Era of Punk essays

An Era of Punk essays Sex, drugs, and rock and roll was the rallying cry for a movement that changed American culture forever. Rock and roll first startled the American scene in the mid-1950s, but no one then could have predicted the remarkable vitality and staying power of this new music. The early tradition of rock has gone through many transitions. Provocative and outlandish stage attire and behavior have been an important resource since the birth of rock and roll. Decades following the birth of rock and roll, many have witnessed a steady ever changing parade of hair styles, costumes, gestures and props. As the level of tolerance and acceptance grew, rock stars adopted more bizarre and shocking images. It is in this context that punk rock, seen by some as a startling new direction in the late 1970s must be considered. Rock music achieved a new respectability and power at the same time (Ward, Stokes, Tucker, Rock of Ages, 547). Punk was rocks most notable attempt in the late 1970s to inject angry, rebellious, risk taking notations into the music. The musical style called punk rock developed in the United States out of raw and energetic music played by the garage bands of the mid-sixties. These bands were mainly teenagers playing basic guitar chords, and failing away at drums and cymbals in their own garages. This resulted in sounds that were rough, raw, and musically undisciplined, which expressed their interests and brought music to their level (Charlton, Rock Music, 204). Given that the greatest garage bands could barley play, we may assume not only that virtuosity has nothing to do the form, but also that the Utopian dream of every man and artist can come true right here, in our suburban land of opportunity the ultimate proof that rock and roll is the most democratic and all-American of art forms (Miller, History of Rock While teenage gara...

The U.S. Patriot Act essays

The U.S. Patriot Act essays On September 11, 2001 terrorists savagely attacked the United States. The immediate devastation included the destruction of The World Trade Center, a section of the Pentagon, and the death of thousands of innocent people. Since then, the United States Congress along with the Bush Administration passed a bill, which compiled a series of regulations and laws, called The USA PATRIOT Act, (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism). This new bill was passed shortly after the terrorist attacks with the intention of helping all law enforcement agencies act more effectively in investigating potential terrorist, giving Federal officials greater power to track and intercept communications for intelligence gathering purposes. It provides a greater authority to combat foreign and local money laundering. It maximizes the security at airports and surrounding borders. And finally, it improved a vulnerable and debilitated visa and inspection process. The USA PATRIOT Act has however, been criticized by some. Claiming that, its provisions go to far, violating our civil rights under the Constitution. They also claim that it violates Federal communication privacy laws. Others supported the bill, accepting the compromises and sacrifices that it would bring and were even concerned that it was not We will further discuss the disadvantages and advantages of this newly adopted bill, and the controversy that it has created. Freedom in the United States has become considerably restrained since 2001. Not only did the terrorist attacks of September 11 have a dramatic effect on the U.S. economy, but also our nations response has tested the limits of our freedom and right to privacy. Some critics believe that this newly acquired Act may do more harm than good. Threatening the rights guaranteed ...

Discuss the role of wisdom in true virtue according to Meno and the Essay

Discuss the role of wisdom in true virtue according to Meno and the Phaedo - Essay Example d therefore she abstains from bodily pleasures-not from a desire of having more or greater ones, but because she knows that only when calm and free from the dominion of the body can she behold the light of truth.† (Plato (b)10) A unique concept of good and evil is put forward in Phaedo. The author discounts courageous acts if they are performed to avoid bigger dangers. Similarly, author plays down temperate behavior if there is an accompanying desire to achieve sensual pleasures because of such temperance (Plato (b) 7). Phaedo propagates the idea of life beyond death by distinguishing between body and soul and how virtues applied wisely can lead to liberation of soul. In Meno, Socrates is referred pondering over the question what can be considered the goods of the soul. According to Socrates, they are ‘temperance,’ ‘justice,’ ‘courage,’ ‘quickness of apprehension,’ ‘memory,’ ‘magnanimity’, and the lik e. Interesting to note is the observation that such good qualities are not knowledge, but of ‘another sort’. They are sometimes ‘profitable’ and sometimes ‘hurtful’. Socrates says that when a man has no sense he is hurt by courage, and when man applies courage with sense, he is profited. Socrates opines that the same logic of applying sense can be stretched to other good qualities like ‘temperance’ and ‘quickness of apprehension’. Socrates remarks that activities learned or done with the application of sense are ‘profitable,’ without sense are ‘hurtful.’ (Plato (a) 37) Socrates holds forth that all efforts and endurance under the supervision of wisdom have a happy ending and under the influence of folly, the opposite. Taking forward his argument, Socrates examines that if ‘virtue’ is a characteristic of soul and is... In Phaedo, it is contended that when alive, the soul should try to control pleasures related with the sense organs and body in which it is rebuked to be animate and from which it seeks to liberate itself.Phaedo makes distinction between souls that are not liberated. Some who are used to ‘violence’ and ‘extreme sensuality’ takes the form of likes of an ‘ass’ or’ wolf.’ However, for someone seeking liberation, even such gentle forms making eligible for some earthly happiness is not acceptable.A unique concept of good and evil is put forward in Phaedo. The author discounts courageous acts if they are performed to avoid bigger dangers. Socrates in Meno contends that after deep thought, he has come to a believe there are perhaps no teachers of virtue. According to Socrates those who want to learn any skill takes course to a teacher who is expert in that field. If one wants to learn flute playing, one takes recourse to a teacher who is expert in flute playing. In Meno, it is argued that true opinion is as good a model to rectify action as knowledge. Socrates makes a distinction between knowledge and opinion by giving an example that if someone knows the location of Larisa and leads other people to Larisa, then he is a good guide.Also, if a person has a right judgment about the means, but had never been to Larisa (the destination to be reached) should also be a good guide.

Heart of Darkness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Heart of Darkness - Essay Example Kurtz is repeatedly described as mad and this madness had its sources in two important things: a) intellect/genius and b) unbridled power. Perhaps Marlow gave one of the best explanations for madness within Kurtz when he tries to understand the sources of depths of madness that he noticed in Kurtz. It is where he overcomes with this deep urge to kill Kurtz because the man looked just so extraordinarily inhuman: "Soul! If anybody has ever struggled with a soul, I am the man. And I wasn't arguing with a lunatic either. Believe me or not, his intelligence was perfectly clear-concentrated, it is true, upon himself with horrible intensity, yet clear; and therein was my only chance-barring of course, the killing him there and then, which wasn't so good, on account of the unavoidable noise. But his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by heavens! I tell you, it had gone mad. He struggled with himself, too. I saw it,-I heard it. I saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul that knew no restraint, no faith, and no fear, yet struggling blindly with itself." (144-145) This passage makes one thing clear. Kurtz was not a lunatic. His soul was the center of his corruption and his senseless antics. The man had lost faith, fear and anything else that could keep a watchful eye on his soul. Marlow testifies in favor of Kurtz's clear thinking.

Why is it important for managers today to be entrepreneurial Essay

Why is it important for managers today to be entrepreneurial - Essay Example The world is witnessing competition in every corner and at every scale. The globe revolves around money. Money is the game changer and for that matter the business and economic arena is expanding every day swiftly. Now money is not only dealt with at organizational level, instead it has seeped into the lives of individuals. That means that in this twenty-first century, an individual can be an organization in itself given he/she is creative and capable enough. Such individuals are called entrepreneurs who are replacing managers. Whether this new trend could be successful depends on certain skills required that form the prerequisite of booming businesses. How similar are entrepreneurial skills similar to managerial skills would determine whether these two are contradictory or complementary in an organization. To start off with, the terms entrepreneur and manager need to be defined separately. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an entrepreneur is that individual â€Å"who org anizes, manages and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise† or â€Å"one who organizes a new business venture in the hopes of making a profit. On the other hand a manager is â€Å"a person who conducts business or household affairs and does the job of management.†... This is because it is believed that only entrepreneurs with their skills of â€Å"creativity, intuition, goal-oriented, responsibility, self-confidence, independence, optimism, discipline and fantasy† can come up with possible solutions to the problem of poverty, unemployment and environmental hazards.(Papulova & Makros 2007). For managers, the required and basic skills are technical, interpersonal, conceptual and communication. These are the pre-requisites for having a healthy relationship with the leader and subordinates of the organization. If the manager fails to do so, the organization will also be deemed to fail. It would mean that the core of the organization is corrupt. Managers need to be prepared for the best and worst case scenarios. They have to play the role of entrepreneurs when at the peak of success or on the verge of tipping over. There are a few traits that should be present in both managers and entrepreneurs simultaneously. The interpersonal roles of figureh ead, leader, liaison, information roles of monitor, disseminator, spokesperson and the decision making role of entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator and negotiator need to show face at the right time. (Papulove & Mokros 2007). There are five stages of growth of an organization where the founder/leader needs managerial and entrepreneurial skills. The first phase that is pre start-up phase requires relevant knowledge of setting up a business, demand of the market and one’s own abilities. To be successful in this competitive world, one needs to have a new and unique idea at the initial phase. That certainly requires entrepreneur skills because rigidity is just not acceptable at this stage. The second phase is the survival stage. This is a

Crisis Intervention: Solution Orientated Brief Therapy

Crisis Intervention: Solution Orientated Brief Therapy The theory of solution-oriented brief therapy is particularly suited to crisis intervention. Kanel (2007) explores this perspective when she describes the brief therapy approach in the crisis setting stating, Brief therapy seems to be as effective as long-term therapy (p. 23). Since crisis situations are time sensitive, solution-oriented crisis intervention becomes practical because it focuses on quick assessment and creative change. Greenstone (2002) emphasizes that, Crisis Intervention/Management is an attempt to deal quickly with an immediate problem (p.1). Given the nature and needs of crisis situations the intervener may approach the encounter in a structured manner that assesses need, recognizes inherent dangers, suggests creative change, and facilitates a positive course of action. Positive reinforcement of the intervention can also be achieved through referral and/or follow-up. The Nature of Crisis Intervention A crisis intervener seeks to posture himself in a helping relationship with the counselee in order to arrest maladaptive behavior. The idea of maladaptive behavior is suggested by Greenstone (2002) and he reinforces the point that this results when the victim can no longer deal with mounting stress and as a result, their coping mechanisms begin to fail. In crisis situations, the immediacy and timeliness of the intervention is all-important. Greenstone (2002) suggests, The interveners skill and the timeliness of intervention can determine the possibility of the victims later functioning and growth (p. 1). The object of a crisis intervener is then to facilitate the counselee through the difficulties of a crisis and to assist them in choosing a direction that will allow them to once again function in life more proficiently. This can be accomplished by helping them to cope with crises and developing resiliency. Brammer (2003) accurately defines this helping relationship stating, Helping another human being is basically a process of enabling that person to grow in the directions that person chooses, to solve problems, and to face crises (p. 4). Issues of Immediacy Crisis Intervention can be approached singly or as a team. In either case, the responsibilities and procedures are the same. The Bible teaches that we are called to bear one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Ga. 6:2, KJV). A crisis counselor is always looking for a way to help. One thing that is consistent in approaching a crisis is that the immediacy of the intervention affects the outcome. Greenstone (2002) notes this stating, In approaching a crisis, the immediacy of the intervention is vital; The [intervention] team must attempt to relieve anxiety, prevent further disorientation, and ensure that the victims do not harm themselves or others (p. 37). Seeing the need to address the issues of immediacy in Crisis Intervention, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome have developed a modular approach to help children, adolescents, adults and families. Brymer Company (2006) suggest that this is to reduce the initial stress caused by traumatic events and to foster short and long-term adaptive functioning and coping (p.5). This approach, called Psychological First Aid addresses the issue of immediacy. Brymer Company (2006) continue by stating, You need to have accurate information about what is going to happen, what services are available and where they can be found. This information needs to be gathered as soon as possible [emphasis mine] given that providing such information is often critical to reducing stress and prompting adaptive coping (p.13) The Need of Crisis Intervention There are many scenarios that a crisis counselor might come into contact with. Each one has its own unique attributes. However there are certain factors that remain the same with regard to the evidence of need. In counseling victims of violence, there may be evidences of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). For instance, if a woman has been abused and has repeatedly been stalked, PTSD may be an issue that the counselor should watch for and be alerted to. Sandra Brown (2007) points out that crisis intervention in particular, require that the intervener informs the counselee what to do in the face of imminent danger, stating, The concept of stalking trauma syndrome has been developed to describe types of PTSD symptomatology (Collins and Wilkas, 2001). A counselor needs to be alert [and aware] to any kind of traumatic emotional evidence that can guide the intervention and short-term goals (p.54). Method Solution-Oriented Brief Therapy A distinct advantage of the Solution-Oriented approach is that it addresses the issue of immediacy, or the need to provide intervention within a specific effective time-frame, and allows the counselor to immediately focus on the solution and not become reflective on what precipitated the crisis. The difference between being problem focused and solution focused is that one focuses on the root cause in order to alleviate the problem (Cognitive Counseling) while the other focuses squarely on quickly assessing the situation and assisting in creative change and a positive course of action. Kollar (1997) states, the approach often used today is based on some form of Albert Elliss rational-emotive therapy (RET) or one of the other cognitive-behavioral approaches (p. 43). With regard to becoming Solution-Focused, Kollar (1997) states, As we have seen, a question such as what is the root problem? assumes that the answer lies in present patterns that need to be analyzed, understood, and depart ed from. The question that underlies a solution-focused approach is, How do we create solutions with the counselee (p. 44). In this regard, the crisis intervener follows certain core actions that will facilitate successful intervention. These core actions can and should be influenced by underlying assumptions that include conformity to the image of Christ as part of the Christian counseling paradigm (Rom 8:29). Time Limitations Another advantage of solution focused brief therapy is that it is best suited to time-limited counseling which is inherent in crisis intervention. Benner (2003) observes four common principles that are generally followed in time-sensitive counseling. He states, All brief, time-limited approaches to counseling share four common principles the counselor must be active and directive, the counseling relationship must be a partnership, the counseling must concentrate on one central and specific problem and time limitation must be maintained (pgs. 48,49). A third consideration is the natural paradigm shift that occurs when the attention is placed on the solution rather than the problem. Hawkins (2010) states, People are looking for answers (solutions) in the counseling process. Brief therapy recognizes that the problems people encounter are not just in the person but around the person; Brief therapy is a paradigm shift that focuses the client on the solution, rather than on the problem (p. 2). This fact is of extreme importance to the crisis counselor. His job is not to de-brief the victim, ask questions about what happened, etc., but instead he needs to shift the focus from the problem/crisis and onto the solution in order to calm the victim and help them to regain control of their coping abilities. In addition to these considerations, Hawkins (2010) states that brief therapy is a method that allows you to start immediately into the counseling process [and] accelerate the change process (pg. 1). For these reasons, solution focused brief therapy is particularly suited to crisis intervention. Seeing that this research concerns itself with a brief model approach to crisis intervention, the researcher has attempted to further explore the merits of solution-focused therapy. The solution-focused approach to brief therapy has been practiced for some time as is clear in Steve de Shazers (2007) work More Than Miracles: the state of the art of solution-focused brief therapy, which states, Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a future-focused, goal-directed approach to brief therapy developed initially by Insoo Kim Berg, Steve de Shazer and their colleagues and clients at the Milwaukee Brief Family Therapy Center in the early 1980s. Developed inductively rather than deductively, SFBT is a highly disciplined, pragmatic approach rather than a theoretical one (p.1). Results Structured Intervention There are a number of examples which may serve as a guide to a structured approach to crisis intervention. These interventions have achieved significant results when implemented. Whichever one is adapted, the counselor/intervener should include the four common principles as stated above. One good example is the list of core actions within the Psychological First Aid approach which itself is a compilation of informed approaches designed from empirical research. These core actions include contact and engagement with the counselee, ensuring the safety and comfort of the victim, stabilization (if they are physically or emotionally traumatized), information gathering (with regard to their needs or current concerns), and any kind of practical assistance that can be given. This can be followed by information on coping, connecting the counselee with support groups and linkage with collaborative services (adapted from Brymer Company, p. 19). These first set of core actions represent one way of developing a structure of solution focused intervention. A second example of structured intervention and the counselors task (from a general point of view) includes many of the same components. This process involves Entry: preparing the counselee and opening the relationship, Clarification: [re]stating the problem or concern and reasons for seeking help, and Formulating: encouraging a hope-filled solution to the problem (adapted from Brammer, pg. 55). The next task would include facilitating positive action. This would include exploration: formulating goals, planning strategies, consolidation: exploring alternatives, working through feelings, planning: developing an action plan to resolve conflicts, reduce painful feelings, and consolidating and generalizing new behaviors to continue self-directed activities (Brammer, 2003, Ibid.). Assessing Need When the crisis worker enters the world of the counselee, whether that is the scene of an accident or the docile environment of a living room, it is important to gather as much information as possible while rapport is being developed between the counselor and counselee. At this point, the intervener will begin to inspect the circumstances that have presented the crisis in order to quickly identify the causation. The ABC model of intervention has proved valuable in directing the thoughts of the intervener to assessing need. In this boiling down process, the worker quickly identifies the precipitating event, seeks to understand the cognitions of the counselee, gages their emotional state, including functional abilities and then moves on to the therapeutic interaction (adapted from the ABC Model of Intervention, Kanel (2007), p.78). The first assessments in intervention prove to be the most critical. Jeffry Guterman (2006) makes the observation that in most circumstances, people have existing strengths and skills that can be identified and utilized in the crisis counseling engagements. He states, Solution-focused counseling, like other counseling models, is not value free [it has assumptions]. It operates in keeping with a view of what problems are and what problems are not. Solution-focused counseling holds that people have existing strengths, resources and problem-solving skillsin effect, the natural resources that are needed to solve the problems that bring them to counseling (p. 3). Recognizing Inherent Danger In a more recent publication, Albert R. Roberts (2005) has noted that no two people are the same with regard to the inherent danger they face when trying to cope with crisis. Roberts (2005) states, When two people experience the same traumatic event, one may cope in a positive way while the other person may experience a crisis state because of inadequate coping skills and a lack of crisis counseling. Two key factors in determining whether or not a person who experiences multiple stressors escalates into a crisis state are the individuals perception of the situation or event and the individuals ability to utilize traditional coping skills (p. 5). This is illustrative of the fact that the way a person perceives a crisis is very important in the assessment process and can help to guide the counselor in his effort to provide aid. This observation also holds true with the thinking that two of the most important parts of structured intervention are assessing need, and recognizing inherent danger. Richard K. James (2008) observes, People can react in any one of three ways to crisis. Under ideal circumstances, many individuals can cope effectively with crisis by themselves and develop strength from the experience. They change and grow in a positive manner and come out of the crisis both stronger and more compassionate. Others appear to survive the crisis but effectively block the hurtful affect from awareness, only to have it haunt them in innumerable ways throughout the rest of their lives. Yet, others break down psychologically at the onset of the crisis and clearly demonstrate that they are incapable of going any further with their lives unless given immediate and intensive assistance (p. 4). For this reason, and others, it is important that the intervener enters the crisis scenario with the intention of first assessing the need. By doing so, he/she can understand something of the severity of crisis and assess the subjects ability, but more importantly, recognize and underst and the inherent danger in the crisis situation. Suggesting Creative Change In many instances, such as doing crisis counseling in marriage, an intervener may effectively use solution-oriented brief therapy to suggest creative change that will facilitate healing and bring help to struggling relationships. With regard to rapid intervention, Michele Weiner-Davis (1992), in her book Divorce busting: a revolutionary and rapid program for staying together, the author explains the following: By identifying each persons role in the way the problem is being handled today, brief therapists obtain the raw data necessary to generate prescriptions for change. By so doing, lengthy reviews of personal histories are bypassed. More importantly though, SBT therapists focus on the future, helping couples envision what their lives will be like without the problems. Unlike psychodynamic or psychoanalytic approaches which emphasize how problems develop, SBT asks: What do you want to become? and What are the necessary steps to get there? Therapy becomes less explanation-oriented and more solution-oriented, a process which takes considerably less time (p. 16). This scenario illustrates how that brief therapy can be effective in a crisis situation. It also underscores the concept of rapid intervention in a crisis situation. Assessing need and envisioning (with the counselee) a prescription for change can drastically affect the outcome of the crisis. This emphasizes that creative change, suggested in a timely fashion, during which solution-oriented crisis intervention is employed, can be effective in achieving significant results. Active Participation It is important that the counselee joins the counselor in active participation in achieving the solution oriented goals. Kollar (1997) states, a solution focused counselor, by contrast, will guide but not control the counseling interview by his skillful use of questions (p.50). It is important that the counselee takes an active role in exploring creative change. It is also important that the responsibility for change is shifted to the counselee. Walter Peller (1992) state, The solution-focused model places responsibility on the other side of the relationshipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦clients are the experts on what they want to change, as well as in determining what they want to work on (p. 28). Discussion Facilitating a Positive Course of Action Positively reinforcing the intervention through Referrals and/or Follow-up may be required in the case of acute emotional trauma after a crisis situation. In some instances, a lengthier (therapeutic) course of action will be necessary. It would be advisable for the crisis intervener to network with other resources and provide information for follow-up treatment to the victim. In many cases, the solution-based brief therapy model of crisis intervention can be followed up by practitioners who utilize this modality in a more controlled setting and for a more extended encounter. Some questions may remain with regard to follow-up treatment and the referral process. More and more, professional counselors are taking advantage of the brief therapy model instead of more cognitive treatment but not necessarily because it seems to be the most practical form of intervention as much as that this modality figures into their forced restraints placed upon them by insurance companies. With regard to these restraints, Albert Roberts (1995) states, In regard to the practice setting, a growing number of therapists and counselors are being forced to use similar theoretical orientations and techniques. The primary reason for this trend toward conformity is increasing limitations placed by health insurance providers on the number of reimbursable sessions per client (p. 6). While this is hardly a justifiable reason to choose brief therapy, it does serve to illustrate the practicality of the method. Roberts (1995) goes on to say, therefore, professional counselors are being forc e not only to be consistent in their treatment modalities but to do their best to resolve their clients problems in the shortest amount of time possible (p. 6). This seems hardly a sound reason to choose SFBT yet it seems to be more common today. The question remains, does SFBT provide a valid alternative with regard to crisis intervention? This research attempts to prove that a Solution-Focused approach to Crisis Intervention is a valid and productive way to initiate and conduct Crisis Intervention. Quite often, follow-up is not necessary in crisis intervention but on occasion, the counselor may be required to develop a plan for referral for those who are experiencing long term effects from crisis situations. In this case, resiliency is a factor as well as the general coping skills developed by the counselee. Hamaoka Company (2007), at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, observes: Many acute negative behavioral and emotional responses remit over time and do not require formal treatment. This tendency toward recovery is often credited to resiliency, a dynamic process of health recovery and coping in the face of adversity. Optimism, intelligence, humor, creativity, and active coping are related to resilience and positive outcomes after crises. Through active coping, individuals accept the impact of traumatic events and implement attainable, concrete measures to improve things. Although many people experience distress after a crisis, some experience more persistent psychological sequel, such as anxiety, insomnia, increased smoking, increased alcohol consumption, and bereavement. This group may benefit from supportive psychological interventions, including psychological first aid and brief pharmacological interventions for sleep or anxiety. A still smaller group will develop psychiatric illness, including anxiety disorders (acute stress disorder, ASD; and posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD), major depressive disorder, and substance use disorders. Such individuals require more formal (and perhaps more prolonged) interventions, including psychiatric treatment (p. 2). Conclusion The afore-mentioned quote from Hamaoka Company (2007) is a sobering reminder that positive, hope-filled, solution-oriented crisis intervention can mean the difference between renewed coping and prolonged damage. As a crisis intervener, it is imperative to choose the most effective modality or paradigm in which to conduct care. This research points out the value of solution-focused brief therapy as a model in the approach to crisis intervention. It may be adequately utilized in a number of scenarios and as research has concluded, can serve to be as effective as more long-term therapy. Because of the nature and the needs of crisis situations the intervener can practically use the principles of solution-focused brief therapy as a crises intervention. By using this modality, the intervener can approach the initial encounter in a structured way, assess the needs and recognize the inherent dangers both to himself and in particular to the counselee. The intervener may then suggest creative change to facilitate a positive course of action as a part of the intervention. After the initial encounter, positive reinforcement of the interaction as well as the further development of coping skills may be achieved through referral or active follow-up. Resources Benner, David G. (2002). Strategic pastoral counseling: a short-term structured model. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Publishing. Brammer, Lawrence M. MacDonald, Ginger (2003). The helping relationship: process and skills. Boston, MA: AB Publications. Brown, Sandra L. (2007). Counseling victims of violence: a handbook for helping professionals. Alameda, CA: Hunter House Publishers. Brymer, M., Jacobs, A., Layne, C., Pynoos, R., Ruzek, J., Steinbreg, A., Bernberg, E., Watson, P. (2006). Psychological Fist Aid: Field Operations Guide. Washington, D.C.: National Child Traumatic Stress Network and National Center of PTSD. DeShazer, Steve Dolan, Yvonne. (2007). More than miracles: the state of the art of solution-focused brief therapy. Binghamton, NY: Hawthorn Press. Greenstone, James L. Leviton, Sharon C. Elements of crisis intervention: crises and how to respond to them. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing. Guterman, Jeffry T. (2006). Mastering the art of solution-focused counseling. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. Hamaoka, I. D., Benedek, D., Grieger, T., Ursano, R. J. (2007). Crisis Intervention: Uniformed Services University of the Health Science. Bethesda, MD: Elsvier Inc. Hawkins, Ron E. (2010). Brief Therapy: Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Lynchburg, VA (Accessed, 12/2/2010). James, Richard K. (2008). Crisis intervention strategies. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing. Kanel, Kristi. (2007). A guide to crisis intervention. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing. Kollar, Charles A. (1997). Solution focused pastoral counseling. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing. Roberts, Albert R. (2005) Crisis intervention handbook: Assessment, treatment and research. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Roberts, Albert R. (1995) Crisis intervention and time-limited cognitive treatment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Walter, John L. Peller, Jane E. (1992). Becoming solution-focused in brief therapy. Levittown, PA: Brunner/Mazel Publishers. Weiner-Davis, Michele. (1992). Divorce busting: a revolutionary and rapid program for staying together. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Personal Narrative: My Cat :: essays research papers

I have a love for cats. Ever since I was a teenager I always wished for a cat of my own. When I moved in a three story apartment in California, the Manager of the complex said that cats were allowed in the units. I mentioned to my Aunt at the time that I was searching in the newspapers under advertisements for cats wanted. One cool breezy evening, my Aunt called me and said that a friend of her's named Judy had a cat named Katie who did not get along with her other two cats. So I agreed to meet with Judy to see if I'd love to adopt Katie. As my Aunt and I entered Judy's house which was a fifteen minute drive from where I live, I noticed cut black and white cat long haired cat with a pink nose and mysterious slanted eyes sneaking up on me near the corner of the hallway of the house. Judy shared with me that Katie was spayed, what foods to feed the cat and that she was tramatized. Judy had shared with me that she took Katie to the Shelter to try to find the owners but to no aval. You see, Katie had showed up at Judy's arcadia door so Judy took her in and kept her for several months before deciding to give the cat away. When I bought Katie to my apartment, she was so frightened. She meowed all night. I called Judy to say that I didn't think I could care for her, but Judy encouraged me to give the cat time to adjust, because she was in a new surrounding. I started feeding my new cat fresh Purina One Special Care dry food and Friskies moist food along with a fresh bowl of water each morning and evening. I also bougth a cat brush to stroke her long luxurious black and white hair, plus I took her to the Vet for an annual booster and rabie shot so I could give the records of the shots to my Manager. I've discovered so much about cats since I adopted Katie. I decided to change her name to Sugar, because of her white tuxedo. I bought her a condo to sleep on plus a new littler box. I also give her a cat vitamin by chopping the vitamin up an placing the tiny pieces in her bowl. Personal Narrative: My Cat :: essays research papers I have a love for cats. Ever since I was a teenager I always wished for a cat of my own. When I moved in a three story apartment in California, the Manager of the complex said that cats were allowed in the units. I mentioned to my Aunt at the time that I was searching in the newspapers under advertisements for cats wanted. One cool breezy evening, my Aunt called me and said that a friend of her's named Judy had a cat named Katie who did not get along with her other two cats. So I agreed to meet with Judy to see if I'd love to adopt Katie. As my Aunt and I entered Judy's house which was a fifteen minute drive from where I live, I noticed cut black and white cat long haired cat with a pink nose and mysterious slanted eyes sneaking up on me near the corner of the hallway of the house. Judy shared with me that Katie was spayed, what foods to feed the cat and that she was tramatized. Judy had shared with me that she took Katie to the Shelter to try to find the owners but to no aval. You see, Katie had showed up at Judy's arcadia door so Judy took her in and kept her for several months before deciding to give the cat away. When I bought Katie to my apartment, she was so frightened. She meowed all night. I called Judy to say that I didn't think I could care for her, but Judy encouraged me to give the cat time to adjust, because she was in a new surrounding. I started feeding my new cat fresh Purina One Special Care dry food and Friskies moist food along with a fresh bowl of water each morning and evening. I also bougth a cat brush to stroke her long luxurious black and white hair, plus I took her to the Vet for an annual booster and rabie shot so I could give the records of the shots to my Manager. I've discovered so much about cats since I adopted Katie. I decided to change her name to Sugar, because of her white tuxedo. I bought her a condo to sleep on plus a new littler box. I also give her a cat vitamin by chopping the vitamin up an placing the tiny pieces in her bowl.

Conflict resolution Essay

Portfolio is a collection of evidence, usually in written form that presents personal and professional development, by providing critical analysis of its contents (McMullen, et. al., 2003). A portfolio captures learning from experience, enables to measure learning, acts as a tool for reflective thinking, illustrates critical analytical skills and evidence of self-directed learning and provides a collection of detailed evidence of a person’s competence (Gray, et. al., 2004). For Dewey, reflective thinking consisted of two parts: a state of doubt and a search to resolve that doubt. Thus, constructing a portfolio is an act of revealing one’s beliefs. At the heart of portfolio development is purposeful choice making (Davis, et. al., 1997). This portfolio has been written as a part of the Post Graduate diploma in neonatal intensive Care nursing. The author will begin by providing an overview of reflection and mention the models used to guide this process. For the purpose of reflection the essay shall be written in the first person. I will reflect on one specific incident that I encountered in my experience as a neonatal nurse in one of the maternity hospitals which, I will analyse and discuss how it affected my practice. I will conclude by summarising my thoughts and reflections. For the purpose of data protection I have used pseudonyms when referring to those involved in the incident Agent-Based Manufacturing and Control Systems: New Agile Manufacturing Solutions for Achieving Peak Performance Massimo Paolucci and Roberto Sacile ISBN: 1574443364 Curing the Patch Management Headache Felicia M. Nicastro ISBN: 0849328543 Cyber Crime Investigator’s Field Guide, Second Edition Bruce Middleton ISBN: 0849327687 Disassembly Modeling for Assembly, Maintenance, Reuse and Recycling A. J. D. Lambert and Surendra M. Gupta ISBN: 1574443348 The Ethical Hack: A Framework for Business Value Penetration Testing James S. Tiller ISBN: 084931609X Fundamentals of DSL Technology Philip Golden, Herve Dedieu, and Krista Jacobsen ISBN: 0849319137 The HIPAA Program Reference Handbook Ross Leo ISBN: 0849322111 Implementing the IT Balanced Scorecard: Aligning IT with Corporate Strategy Jessica Keyes ISBN: 0849326214 Information Security Fundamentals Thomas R. Peltier, Justin Peltier, and John A. Blackley ISBN: 0849319579 Information Security Management Handbook, Fifth Edition, Volume 2 Harold F. Tipton and Micki Krause ISBN: 0849332109 Introduction to Management of Reverse Logistics and Closed Loop Supply Chain Processes Donald F. Blumberg ISBN: 1574443607 Maximizing ROI on Software Development Vijay Sikka ISBN: 0849323126 Mobile Computing Handbook Imad Mahgoub and Mohammad Ilyas ISBN: 0849319714 MPLS for Metropolitan Area Networks Nam-Kee Tan ISBN: 084932212X Multimedia Security Handbook Borko Furht and Darko Kirovski ISBN: 0849327733 Network Design: Management and Technical Perspectives, Second Edition Teresa C. Piliouras ISBN: 0849316081 Network Security Technologies, Second Edition Kwok T. Fung ISBN: 0849330270 Outsourcing Software Development Offshore: Making It Work Tandy Gold ISBN: 0849319439 Quality Management Systems: A Handbook for Product Development Organizations Vivek Nanda ISBN: 1574443526 A Practical Guide to Security Assessments Sudhanshu Kairab ISBN: 0849317061 Agent-Based Manufacturing and Control Systems: New Agile Manufacturing Solutions for Achieving Peak Performance Massimo Paolucci and Roberto Sacile ISBN: 1574443364 Curing the Patch Management Headache Felicia M. Nicastro ISBN: 0849328543 Cyber Crime Investigator’s Field Guide, Second Edition Bruce Middleton ISBN: 0849327687 Disassembly Modeling for Assembly, Maintenance, Reuse and Recycling A. J. D. Lambert and Surendra M. Gupta ISBN: 1574443348 The Ethical Hack: A Framework for Business Value Penetration Testing James S. Tiller ISBN: 084931609X Fundamentals of DSL Technology Philip Golden, Herve Dedieu, and Krista Jacobsen ISBN: 0849319137 The HIPAA Program Reference Handbook Ross Leo ISBN: 0849322111 Implementing the IT Balanced Scorecard: Aligning IT with Corporate Strategy Jessica Keyes ISBN: 0849326214 Information Security Fundamentals Thomas R. Peltier, Justin Peltier, and John A. Blackley ISBN: 0849319579 Information Security Management Handbook, Fifth Edition, Volume 2 Harold F. Tipton and Micki Krause ISBN: 0849332109 Introduction to Management of Reverse Logistics and Closed Loop Supply Chain Processes Donald F. Blumberg ISBN: 1574443607 Maximizing ROI on Software Development Vijay Sikka ISBN: 0849323126 Mobile Computing Handbook Imad Mahgoub and Mohammad Ilyas ISBN: 0849319714 MPLS for Metropolitan Area Networks Nam-Kee Tan ISBN: 084932212X Multimedia Security Handbook Borko Furht and Darko Kirovski ISBN: 0849327733 Network Design: Management and Technical Perspectives, Second Edition Teresa C. Piliouras ISBN: 0849316081 Network Security Technologies, Second Edition Kwok T. Fung ISBN: 0849330270 Outsourcing Software Development Offshore: Making It Work Tandy Gold ISBN: 0849319439 Quality Management Systems: A Handbook for Product Development Organizations Vivek Nanda ISBN: 1574443526 A Practical Guide to Security Assessments Sudhanshu Kairab ISBN: 0849317061

essay123 Essays - Architecture, Lighting, Stage Lighting

essay123 Essays - Architecture, Lighting, Stage Lighting There are a lot of components that I take into consideration when picking out light and fixtures. Modern styles stand out to me the most because of the city living I choose to live in. City style living is all about maximizing your space as much as possible. Having brighter walls with neutral colors always makes a home feel bigger than what it actually is. I love retro looks because it gives me a sense of sleek, spacious, and cool vibe s to any home I've seen. After reviewing throughthe brand page I found threecompanies that were most appealing to me based strictly offthe appearance . They are Lois Poulsen , Vesoi lighting, andNEXT.I then went to each website to learn more about the products.Louis Poulsen stood out to me because of the unique structureof most of the fixtures. I appreciated the type of bright/white light the company showed on each piece. I visualized someof the lamps and wall lights in my common area for study areas and vanity lighting. The main concern that turned my away from the company was the pricing because I did not find it very reasonable. I then came across Vesoi lighting and was instantly drawn to viewing more of the suspended lighting. The chandeliersand suspension light s are very elegant and visually pleasing to look at. The E1 3 30/so Suspension light is ab s o l ut ely magnificent and my favorite item. I was amazed thatalmos tevery product I loved on site page and thepricing was very reasonable. However,I then quickly realized that I could not personally see these fixtures in my home. I would only purchase these items to use in an area for business and not in ho me. After reviewing all three, it was very evident that NEXT would be my brand of choice. As I stated before, I am a big fan of modern designs and NEXT provide s that look with almost all the pieces on the brand page . As a college student the energy efficiency rating, energy saving, long life span, and eco friendly aspects became a plus. I love white and silver lights and they had the most variation I have seen with a very elegant touch to each item. They had different indoor and outdoor lighting with the same design, which I found very convenient. I reviewed the company's policy on warranty and delivery that was very impressive for the brands customer care. I also read more on smart controls, which I was not previously aware of. It explained that integrates occupancy, daylight, demand response, dimming, and energy saving components which I thought was absolutely stellar. The Alien M Easy Floor Light was amazing to me. I could really see that piece in my home now or any home I choose in the future. The design was very pleasing to look at and I know that it would make a great piece for conversation because most lighting fixtures are not designed that way. The DNA Wall and Ceiling Lamp is absolute a must have. The desi gn is so innovative to me and can real ly add finishing touches to any home design. Sleek, sexy

Customer Journey Mapping How to Create One the Best Way (Template)

Customer Journey Mapping How to Create One the Best Way (Template) As a marketer, it would be helpful to be inside the heads of our customers for a little bit. Wouldn’t it be nice to know the answers to questions like: What are they feeling and thinking when they first start to search for a solution to their problem? What caused them to quit looking at a certain product before they purchased? What led them to choose one solution over another? While you can’t read minds, you can answer the questions above. Once you have that information you can create the right messages to send at the best time to capture your customer’s attention and encourage them to buy. How can you do all of this? With a customer journey map. Customer journey maps are detailed frameworks that give everyone (not just your marketing team) the information they need to put your customer at the forefront of what you do. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to gather the data you need. You’ll be able to see how your customers are moving while they shop for a product and how they feel about their experience. You’ll also be able to map high points and low points to see what portions of their journey are going well and ways your company can improve their overall shopping experience. At the end of this post, you’ll have a detailed journey map that will help guide your entire company to create the right content and experiences that leaves your customers loving your brand and coming back for more. How to Make an Effective Customer Journey Map The Best Way via @Download Your Free Customer Journey Mapping Template Before you continue reading download your customer journey mapping template. This spreadsheet will help you sort and organize the data that you’ve gathered about their experiences searching for a product. From there you can easily spot gaps in their experiences that your company can fill with the right information and attract the right customers to increase your conversions.Get Your Free Customer Journey Mapping Template Bundle via @What Is Customer Journey Mapping? Customer journey mapping is: An exercise that allows a brand to understand and improve a customer’s experience when they attempt to shop for their product. It tells the story of a person’s experience when they first start shopping for a product and continues through to the process of them purchasing a solution. What is customer journey mapping, and why do marketers need to understand it?6 Customer Journey Map Examples Each customer journey map is different depending on the organization or industry that creates it. Look at these seven industries and businesses and notice how different their maps are. Health Insurance Industry This health insurance customer journey map from Heart of the Customer  integrates goals that their customer wants to achieve during their shopping process. Preact Preact follows a more traditional path  for creating a customer journey map. Instead of focusing on a variety of different emotions, Preact focus on the frustrations their customers feel during their shopping experience. Online Travel Company This online travel company customer journey  is unique in the fact that it has broken down it’s stages into multiple parts instead of the standard four. Starbucks Starbucks’ customer journey map  follows a timeline style layout more than others. B2B Customer Journey This B2B customer journey map  is laid out like a designed infographic rather than a traditional customer journey map. Yahoo Yahoo’s customer journey map  is structured more like a flow chart, making it easy to track customer progress. Recommended Reading: How to Map Content to the Marketing Funnel to Boost Conversions By 69.77% 11 Steps To Properly Map Your Customer Journey The following eleven steps will help you gather the data you need to create a customer journey map that summarizes their experiences shopping for a product. Each phase of your map will follow the marketing funnel and help guide you in creating the right message at the right time to encourage conversions. As a quick review, the stages in your map (and your marketing funnel) are: Discovery:  Your customers are just beginning to understand what your brand is about. They are experiencing some pain point in their life, and they aren’t sure how to fix it. Consideration:  They are now aware that there are solutions to the problem they are facing and that your brand offers one. What they don’t know is that your brand provides the best solution to their problems. Purchase:  They know about your solution and think you are the best option, but they need one last little shove over the line to buy your product. Retention: Your product has been bought by your customer, and you give them additional information to ensure they continue to love their products. Here are the 11 steps you’ll need to take to complete your map: Here's how to create a customer journey map in 11 steps via @Step One: Gather Any Existing Data On Your Audience The ultimate goal for you is to attract customers like your existing best customers.Therefore the first step is to gather any existing data the organization has on your target market. This is important because existing data can give you the information you need for who you have been or are currently targeting. By knowing who you’re targeting you’ll be able to learn more about their personality and how they handle their shopping experience. However, if your target audience has changed, you need to be able to see if any of the old information you have is useful. Look for old audience personas, surveys, or collections of data that may have been gathered. You may need to check in with upper management to find where that data has been stored. As you read through old data answer the following: Does the persona here still reflect our current potential buyer? Is our product or service still helping solve the problems these people were experiencing? When was the data collected? Action Items: Talk to upper management and find places where older audience data and personas may be stored. Look through data to see if it still applies to the customers you want to focus on now. Keep what is applicable and file away the rest. Step Two: Gather Data From Your Website And Social Media Once you have gone through research that has already been collected by your organization, you can move on to gathering data from your website and your social media channels to see the types of people you are attracting to your website. Your website analytics can give you information about where your audience is coming from and what kind of roadblocks they are running into while they search for information on your site. Your social media can show you more about who is following your organization and who is interested in your product. Collecting Website Data Using Google Analytics, you can collect data points on: Age Gender Location Interests Language And even the device that they’re browsing your website from. To access this information go to Audience Overview: As you pull your data look for trends and patterns that may indicate that people belonging to a particular age group, job category, or location are consistently visiting your site. Another section of your Google Analytics that will provide useful information for your customer journey map is your User Flows. This section of your analytics will show you the first and second touchpoints that your users are reaching when they first enter your site. You can access this data by going to Audience User Flow. This information can be vital to show you where users are getting hung up and exiting your site. By locating those hang-ups and finding what information you need to include, you can patch the leak and potentially raise conversions. Now each of your social media channels will gather its internal demographics that you can collect and record. Here is where to find that information on every social media channel. Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn On each channel that your organization is active on, pull the demographic data and see where the data from your Google Analytics and the data from your social media pages overlap. Action Items: Run a Google Analytics audience report for the past six months. Note demographic data in a separate data sheet. Run a User Flow for the past six months. Note which paths your audience is taking and where they are dropping off and leaving your website. Record those flows. Gather demographic data from your social media sites and record them. Look for trends and overlapping patterns. Step Three: Talk To Co-Workers In Customer-Facing Operations You have a lot of data on your hands by now, but you’re not done yet. Creating a customer journey map means that you need to know every detail about your customer’s experience to tell their story accurately. Next, you need to talk with co-workers who interact with your customers daily. Why would something like this be relevant? Because your co-workers in these roles are in front of your audience all the time. They are the first ones to hear when something has gone well or when something is a disaster. They hear about their shopping experience first hand. Start with the following questions to help gather qualitative data on your audience: What are common problems that our customers experience? What experiences have impressed our customers? What roadblocks have our customers ran into in the past? What questions come up as they search for a solution to their problem? What feelings have they experienced as they search for a product? Remember, that this is an initial list and you can always expand or change questions based on the information you need to gather about their experiences. Action Items: Create the questions you’d like your co-workers to answer. Set up brief 15-minute interviews. Send them the questions in advance. Chat and record answers. Look for recurring patterns. Step Four: Set Up In Person Interviews It’s easy to send out a survey and have your target audience respond to questions. However, are your customers going to divulge their shopping experiences with you over a survey? Probably not. Which is why taking the time to sit down with your customers one on one is so important. You’re more likely to get the honest, in-depth answers that can help you shape the story of your customer’s journey. What questions should you include in those interviews to get the answers you’re looking for? Start with these: What was your first thought when you realized you needed [Product]? If you didn’t buy [Product] what made you decide to seek another solution? What problem did you hope this product would solve? What information did you have trouble finding? How easy was it for you to find options? What would have made your purchase process easier? What would have made your shopping experience easier? Set up five to ten interviews and remember, your meeting should be a conversation, not a dull question and answer session. Action Items: Create your interview questions. Choose 10 to 15 customers you believe would be good interview candidates. Confirm five to ten interviews. Send your interview questions in advance. Attend the interview with a recording device (it’s easier than trying to take notes). Transcribe your interview and look for data or patterns. Step Five: Create A Survey To Gather Qualitative And Quantitative Data The last data gathering step in this process is creating a survey to send to customers. You can’t be everywhere at once and talking to five to ten customers alone won’t give you enough data to accurately recreate their shopping experiences. How can you ensure you’ll get the answers you need? Try adding these questions: Qualitative Questions: What is it like using [Product]? What was your experience with buying [product]? What information could have been that would have made your purchasing process easier? What would make you reconsider buying a product? What has your shopping experience been like? Quantitative Questions: How likely are you to purchase [Product] again? How did you hear about [Product]? How frequently do you use [Product]? What gender do you identify as? What nationality are you? Once you have your questions figured out, you can upload them to tools like  Survey Monkey, Google Forms  or Polldaddy. After that share your survey link with your customers via email or social media. Set a goal for the number of responses you want to get. Action Items: Create your questions. Run your questions by co-workers. Upload your questions into a survey tool. Share the link via email or social media. Set a time frame to establish how long you'll collect answers. Record your data and look for patterns. Step Six: Use Your Data To Build An Update Audience Persona Now you need to sort through the data you collected to create your audience persona. What is an audience persona? At we define them as: Your marketing persona is a document that details your target audience’s who, what, when, where, and why, in addition to understanding general demographic information such as gender, job title, job function, business size, team size, needs, pain points, and challenges. As you go through your data, look for recurring themes, like a typical job type, age range, location, etc. Note which qualities are overlapping and add them to your audience persona. You should also look for overlapping interests and common problems that your target audience is experiencing that would cause them to need your product. Use the following template to help get your persona started: {Insert your company} creates content to attract {insert target audience} so they can {insert desired outcome} better. Action Items: Gather all of your data into one document. Highlight recurring trends and qualities. Use the template to start formatting your persona. Add in frequent problems your audience’s experiences that would cause them to want to buy your product. Step Seven: Map Out The Discovery Phase Of Your Customer Journey Map Now that you have your audience persona and your customer data you can begin to develop your customer journey map. The first phase is centered around discovery. This phase of your map should include: The reason they are searching for a product. Their motivation for wanting to buy a product. How they are getting their information. The actions they take. The initial touchpoints they have with a company. How they are feeling. Their experience. The pain points they’re experiencing. Any questions they have. So how does this look in practice? Let’s say that you wanted to create a customer journey map for online clothing subscription boxes. Our persona, Lisa is a 25-year-old marketing manager, who has an upcoming wedding. What is Lisa’s story? You can also pull out the customer journey mapping template that you downloaded earlier and see how to fill it in. The Reason They Are Buying A Product First, establish the reason behind why someone wants to buy a product. They are searching for a solution to the problem they are experiencing and can no longer fix it themselves. In the case of our example, a reason could be that Lisa has a wedding coming up and she doesn’t have enough time to go to the mall and shop for an outfit. Record the reason why your customers would be interested in your product in your template: The Motivation Behind Buying A Product There is always a reason for buying a product. In this case, Lisa needs an outfit for the wedding. However, there is also a motivating factor which in the case of our clothing example could be that Lisa wants an outfit that will make her stand out and look good at this wedding. In your template, motivations can go into one section: How Are They Getting Their Information Depending on your customers, they may prefer to get their information in different ways. This could be through newspapers, advertisements, blogs, social media, etc. You need to identify how they prefer to get their information in this phase of their journey. In this case, because Lisa doesn’t have time to go to the mall she’ll be getting her information from the websites of clothing stores she visits. Record how they are getting their information in your template: The Actions They Take Next, is outlining the actions they’ll take to get the information they need. What does your customer need to do to find the solution they are looking for? Lisa decides that going to the mall is too much work. Then again so is online shopping, she doesn’t have time to scroll, through every website to find the right dress. So she types â€Å"personal shopper† into Google and sees an ad for a clothing subscription company. Lisa decides to click on the ad which takes her to the website. List all the actions that your customer could take in your template: What Are The Initial Touchpoints A Customer Has With Your Company? Your initial touchpoints in a customer journey map revolve around the first time they interact with an organization that sells the product or service they are looking for. (Remember this is a generalized experience, not just the experience they have with your brand.) In Lisa’s case her initial touchpoints will be: She sees the ad in her Google results. She clicks on the ad. She sees the homepage (or landing page) for the first time. List out your customer’s touchpoints in your template. Document How Your Customer Is Feeling Part of telling your story involves explaining how your customer feels. You can’t leave out that kind of information because how the customer feels affects their entire experience. And it doesn’t begin once they click an ad and learn about your organization. This starts before they even begin to search for your product. In Lisa’s case, she was feeling stressed because she needed a great outfit for an upcoming wedding and was worried she didn’t have enough time to shop. She thought about online shopping, but that just made her frustrated because she didn’t have time to scroll through pages of dresses. But, she feels defeated because she doesn’t have a choice. She starts her search and becomes intrigued with an ad that talks about someone who could do her shopping for her. Record those emotional highs and lows in your template: Their Experience Thus Far Next, you need to document their experience. How are things going? For Lisa, it’s going pretty well; there’s a chance that someone will do all of the shopping for her! The Pain Points They’re Having At this point, you need to address any pain points that your potential customer may be having. Lisa’s pain points revolve around the fact that: She has a wedding that she doesn’t have time to shop for. She has to resort to online shopping, but she hates scrolling through page after page of dresses. What Questions Do They Currently Have You need to identify any questions they might have at this phase in their journey. Why? Because by anticipating questions that occur during their shopping experience, your organization can be proactive and already have them answered. For Lisa the following questions might come up in this phase of her journey: Is there a better way to shop online? Can someone do this for me? What is this site? What Recommendations Do You Have? Now that the discovery phase of this customer journey map is over you can list any recommendations that would help improve the shopping experience for your potential customers. For this example, we might suggest adding additional ad copy that explains how a clothing subscription box can do all of the shopping for their customers. So what does this look like formatted into an actual map? Something like this: Step Eight: Map Out The Consideration Phase Of Your Customer Journey. Now that your potential customers know that your product exists they are going to start to consider if they want to buy your product. You’ll need to outline the following information in your template: Their motivation for wanting to learn more about a product. The actions they take. The touchpoints they have with a company. How they are feeling. Their experience. The pain points they’re experiencing. Any questions they have. Remember to include your answers in your spreadsheet under the Consideration column. What Is Motivating Them To Learn More About Your Product At this point, your customer knows you might have the solution to their problem. You need to identify what message they need to hear that would entice them learn more. If we go back to our example, Lisa’s motivation to learn more would be to see if someone really would do her clothes shopping for her. What Actions Do They Take You’ve got your customer hooked in and motivated to learn more. Identify what actions they will take to do this. For example, those actions could look like this. She clicks the about us page and sees that it’s a personalized box of clothing delivered straight to her door. She reads more about how the process works and learns that she needs to take a quiz before they send her clothes. She clicks the quiz and sees she needs to create an account to continue. She creates an account and starts the quiz. After about 20 questions, she realizes it’s extensive. She sees that the company needs her measurements and has to google what size she is. She is asked about her price range and is curious about how cheap the cheapest option is. She leaves the quiz and searches online for reviews. She finds a few blogs that have positive reviews about the boxes. From the reviews, she sees that the clothes are spendy, but she can swing it. She wants to continue the quiz again. She can’t find the quiz. She looks in the help docs to find where the quiz is. She continues the quiz. She asked how often she wants a box delivered, so she leaves the page to see if she can do the box once. She scrolls through four help documents before seeing that she can schedule a one time box. Now she has to deal with the hassle of finding the quiz again. She is warned about a service fee. She wants to find what the service fee is for. She can’t find anything on the website, so she goes back to the reviews. She finds out what the service fee is. She finishes the quiz and is asked for payment. That list is extensive. However, when it comes to mapping out your customer journey, you need to lay out every possible action they could take while they are shopping. The Touchpoints Your Potential Customers Have At this phase in your customer’s journey, they are going to have multiple touchpoints with an organization. It’s up to you to list out point they could come into contact with. For our example, that list could be: The homepage The account creation page Their â€Å"my account† page The quiz they take The help center The frequently asked questions page Articles that review the products a customer is looking for. How Are They Feeling? For each action that your customer takes they’re probably experiencing some emotional shift. For example: Lisa is excited because she learns that someone can do her shopping for her. However, after finding out she needs to create an account to take the quiz, she’s a little annoyed but optimistic. She becomes frustrated with how long the quiz is. Then she’s confused because she doesn’t know her measurements. Now she’s a little nervous because how expensive are these clothes? She’s on a budget after all. After a few reviews, she’s confident she can afford a box. And now she’s flustered again because she can’t find the quiz and will be angry if she has to fill out all those questions again. She’s hesitant now because she only wants to order the box once to try it. So she goes back to the review to see if they said anything about only ordering a box once. She’s happy again because she can schedule one box. After the service fee is introduced, she’s annoyed because now they want her to spend more money? Now, she’s angry because she can’t find out what the service fee is for and has to go back to the reviews again. Once she’s read a little more, she sees it can be applied towards her total. She’s relieved that she’s finally finished the quiz and is brought to the payment screen. What Is Their Experience? Documenting your customer’s experience during this phase is essential because it can show you the gaps you need to fill. Filling those gaps allows you get ahead of a problem before it begins. In our example, you can see that Lisa had to spend a lot of time going off the website to find the information she was looking for. Not to mention she was already caught off guard by how long the quiz was and frustrated when she couldn’t find it again right away. What Pain Points Are They Having? It’s important to identify pain points in the consideration phase of your customer journey because these are incidences that could potentially cause your customers to choose one business over another. If you can eliminate those pain points for them why wouldn’t they choose you? In Lisa’s case, had the information she was looking for been easily found on the website, she may not have gotten so frustrated trying to get answers. What Questions Do They Have? In the consideration phase knowing the questions that your customers will have when learning about your product will save you time in the long run. Why? Because you can anticipate those questions and have them answered before they even come up. Some questions that might come up in our example are: How many boxes can I order? Do I have to order more than one box? How much is the service fee and what is it for? What are my actual measurements? How can I find the quiz again if I left it in progress? How long is this quiz? Remember to include recommendations for changes your company can make to improve your customer’s experience. In this case, you could suggest a widget that contains answers to frequently asked questions. Here is what the consideration phase of your customer journey looks like mapped out. Step Nine: Map Out The Purchase Phase Of Your Customer Journey The next part of your customer journey involves making a purchase (hopefully from you). Tracking their journey through this process is crucial because you want their experience to be as hassle-free as possible. Here’s what you’ll need to outline in your template: Their motivation for buying a product. The actions they take. The touchpoints they have with a company. How they are feeling. Their experience. The pain points they’re experiencing. Any questions they have. The Motivation To Buy A Product What caused your customer to take the plunge and buy a product? Was there a specific benefit that one choice provided over another? You need to identify what that final push was and see if you can create something better to compete with it. In our example, we could say that Lisa was motivated to choose Company A over Company B because they offered a free box for every five purchased. Recommended Reading: Why Should Startups Always Follow the Customer? The Actions They Take Now it may seem simple to track the actions they take during the purchase phase. They give their payment information, and they’re done. However, you want to ensure that this process is as smooth as possible, so they don’t leave the transaction halfway through. In our example, Lisa would take the following actions: Continue to the pricing page. Fill out her billing and shipping address. Enter her credit card information. Confirm the purchase. Receive an instant email with the estimated delivery time and tracking information. The Touchpoints They Have With The Company At this point, all the of the touchpoints are centered around one specific company. If you’re in the process of buying something it usually involves a touchpoint or two like: Proceeding to the billing page. Receiving an email with the invoice. Seeing the link to FAQ pages around product shipment. Their Experience Tracking how this process goes for your customers can let you see snags and get in front of them to make sure you don’t miss out. If other brands are missing out on customers, what is it about their process that is turning people away? How can you avoid that? In Lisa’s case, her experience was smooth because the website had code built in that automatically filled in her billing, shipping and payment information. If other brands are missing out on customers, what is it about their process that is turning people...The Pain Points They’re Experiencing At this phase in your customer’s journey, you need to make sure all the kinks are smoothed out. Does this process smoothly flow from point A to point B? If it doesn’t what can you do to make it easier? In our example, Lisa didn’t have too many problems in this step because the company she chose automatically filled in her forms, saving her time. Recommended Reading: How to Create Opt-In Forms: 5 Ways to Convert Traffic What Questions Do They Have? Once your customer is ready to convert, you should have all of their questions answered right? Wrong. They need to know when they’re getting their product and what to expect when it gets here. What if something goes wrong? How long do they have to return it? Anticipate those questions in advance and call them out in the purchasing process, so people don’t have to wonder. How do you know what questions they might have? By going through your customer interviews! Some example questions Lisa might have are: When will my box get here? Is shipping free? What if I don’t like what’s in the box? How do I pay for the items I like? How long do I have to return the items? Record your questions and your recommendations for improvement in your template. Your fully mapped out purchase phase should look like this. Step Ten: Map Out The Retention Phase Of Your Customer Journey The last phase of your journey is retention. This is how you create loyal customers and keep them coming back to buy your product. At this point, your customer has purchased your product, but you want to follow up to make sure their experience was as memorable as possible. And hopefully, convince them to buy from you again in the future. So what should be outlined in your customer journey map? Their motivation to order again. The actions they take after the product has been purchased. The touchpoints they have with a company. How they are feeling. Their experience. Any questions they have.