The State of Project Management in 2015 (Infographic)
Project management is becoming an essential part of running a successful company. But in an evolving industry like project management, where trends, top tools, and best practices are always changing, how can you tell if your approach to managing projects is outdated? This infographic collects statistics on various aspects of the project management industry to give you: Insights into the top business challenges leading to project failure The compelling benefits of introducing project management to your company Emerging trends that are shaping the future of project management (and your business!) Take a look at this infographic, and learn more about project management in this complete collection of project management statistics. Share this infographic on social media, or embed it on your own site using this code: Infographic brought to you by Wrike Project Management Tools to Accelerate Your Business If you want to introduce better project management to your business, you can start learning more now. Discover how a project management tool like Wrike can keep all your business projects running smoothly!
Wrike CRO Kicks Off European Tour in Belfast with EnterConf 2015 Panel
Technology enthusiasts from 22 countries travelled to Belfast’s Titanic Quarter last week for EnterConf 2015. The new enterprise technology conference, run by the organizers of the popular Web Summit, made its Belfast debut at T13 Hub on June 18-19 and featured talks on cybersecurity, cloud computing, future of SaaS, and big data from 70 renowned speakers including Wrike Chief Revenue Officer Seth Shaw. Seth joined David Hale, CEO at Gigwalk, and Margaret Canning, business editor at Belfast Telegraph, at the conference for a panel discussion on “Worklife Balance for the Mobile Employee”. While in Belfast, Seth appeared as a guest on BBC’s Good Morning Ulster and caught up with business reporter Clodaugh Rice about EnterConf, the role technology is playing in Wrike’s business, and the opening of Wrike's new European office. “Technology plays a huge part in what we do," he told Rice. "We’re helping teams move faster, and that’s really important as the rise of mobile technologies have changed the workplace for many workers." Belfast was the first stop on Wrike's European tour. Stay tuned for more on our international expansion activities in the coming weeks.
2015's Hottest Industries for Tech Startups
Starting a business takes guts, brains, and dedication. But it also takes some shrewd business savvy to know exactly which markets and industries offer your best opportunity for success. You need to strike while the iron's hot if you want to edge out competitors and launch a healthy startup. Click through our latest Slideshare to learn which 10 tech industries are poised for massive growth in 2015: 10 Hottest Industries for Tech Startups in 2015 Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments! Read Next: 7 Ways to Fund Your Startup (Infographic) Dos and Don’ts of the Startup Pitch: Expert Advice from 5 Famous Investors The Ultimate List of Legal Resources for Startups
10 Hot Industries for Tech Startups in 2015
The new year often brings fresh beginnings, career resolutions, renewed focus — and new business ventures. If you've been dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur, perhaps this is the year you've finally resolved to launch your own company. If so, be sure to take a look at these 10 industries where business is booming. 1. Internet of Things Thermostats that learn your daily habits. Wifi security cameras you control with your cell phone. Doorbells that recognize your face. The Internet of Things includes all consumer devices that connect to networks, and Gartner estimates there will be 26 billion units installed by 2020. By that time, IoT product and supplier revenue will top $300 billion. And between 2013 - 2022, the industry is projected to generate $14.4 trillion net profit globally. 2. Education Technology EdTech workers design and produce online classes, tutorials, help centers, and training programs for all levels of education, from pre-K to higher ed. In 2013, e-Learning was a $56.2 billion industry, and it will double that in 2015. The industry as a whole boasts a 4.4% annual growth rate, and cloud-based learning solutions are especially popular with a 9% growth rate. 3. Mobile Apps From addictive games and social networks to business and productivity tools, the mobile apps industry is showing no signs of slowing its upward trend. The number of downloads from the Apple App store alone has reached $85 billion, and global spending is projected to hit $35 billion in 2015. 4. Wearable Tech Smartwatches. Google Glass. Fitness trackers. Wearable technology is designed to monitor everything from our sleep cycles to our daily appointments, and the trend is spreading fast. The global wearable technology market is expected to grow a whopping 40.8% annually, becoming a $5.8 billion industry by 2018. 5. Business Apps The proliferation of mobile devices means three things: more people are working on the go, more companies are adopting "Bring Your Own Device” policies, and more organizations are embracing remote workers. All of this has led to the rise of cloud-based SaaS companies offering business apps that help teams work together from anywhere, on any device. Gartner predicts Enterprise software spending will grow 7.3% in 2015 to reach $344 billion. 6. Mobile Health Mobile Health (mHealth) involves using mobile devices and networks to support medical care in both developed and developing countries. The demand for affordable and accessible healthcare continues to grow, and more and more healthcare professionals are carrying smartphones in their pockets. As a result, the mobile health market is expected to increase from $14.5 billion in 2015 to $58.8 billion in 2020. 7. Automated Guided Vehicles Think robot forklifts. These machines automate warehousing logistics, like retrieving products to fulfill orders and preparing shipments to be loaded onto delivery vehicles. AGVs are spreading through numerous big industries, like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, automotive, and warehousing — essentially, any business that requires transportation of materials. 8. Digital Detectives Ever dropped your phone in the toilet? Or lost your laptop? So much data gets lost, corrupted, or stolen (just ask Sony, Target, and eBay). Digital detectives work to recover that data, or protect it from being illegally accessed. Companies that can assist investigations into phishing and bank fraud schemes or other criminal cases will be in high demand, as will the ability to recover sensitive data from jeopardized devices and networks. 9. Big Data Analytics Although big data has been a buzzword since 2010, most companies are still pretty overwhelmed by it. Tools that can help distill big data to better understand customers and inform business strategies will continue to be in high demand in the coming years. With the emerging Internet of Things, a corresponding "Analytics of Things" market will also grow, and the big data and analytics market is projected to reach $125 billion worldwide in 2015. 10. Mobile Payments It's been a long time since smartphones were primarily used to make calls. Mobile devices have become multi-tools, infiltrating nearly every aspect of our business and personal lives. The next stage of that is the convenience of digital payments. Mobile payments are projected to grow 60% worldwide through 2015, reaching 47 billion transactions. What do you think 2015 will bring for entrepreneurs? Give us your take in the comments section. 10 Hottest Industries for Tech Startups in 2015 from Wrike Related Reads: 7 Ways to Fund Your Startup Top 10 Reasons Startups Fail Sources: Cio.com.au, Docebo.com, ElearningIndustry.com, Forbes.com, Gartner.com, GlobeNewsWire.com, Inc.com, Mashable.com, PostScapes.com, Statista.com
Why Social Media is a Top Priority for CMOs in 2015 (Infographic)
It's no secret that social media has permanently altered the marketing landscape. But eight years after Facebook opened its doors to businesses, many marketers are still trying to perfect their strategies and learn how to expertly navigate both emerging and established networks. According to a recent survey, this isn't likely to change in the coming year: social media is dominating CMOs' priorities for 2015. These three factors are driving CMOs' focus on social media: 87% of CMOs say social media is the most engaging medium for real-time content, over video and blogs. As a result, CMOs are devoting a full 21.4% of their total marketing budgets to social media efforts. Respondents admit social media is poorly integrated with their overall marketing strategy. (3.85 on a scale from 1-7.) Curious about how budgets are shifting from traditional to digital marketing this year? Or how content, analytics, and consulting fit into CMO plans for 2015? Take a look at the full infographic below: Source: Ciceron What do you think? Do you agree with these CMO priorities? Let us know in the comments below! Related Reads: 6 Top Marketing Trends for 2015 Will Your Company's Social Media Efforts Pay Off? (Infographic) Origins of the Hashtag in Social Media (Infographic)
2014 Wrike Year in Review
It's often said that to successfully head into the future, you need to know, claim, and celebrate your past. And with the new year upon us, now is the perfect time to look back on the year that was and see the entire awesome journey that we've all taken together.
6 Top Marketing Trends for 2015 (Infographic)
2015 is upon us! (Can you believe it?) Time moves fast, but the marketing industry moves even faster. Alongside constantly changing customer needs, marketing teams have to cope with new technologies and trends popping up every day, or risk being left behind. In our latest infographic, we’ve compiled six top trends that all marketers should watch out for this year in order to stay on top of their game. Do you have your own ideas for what the top marketing trends will be? Cast your votes and see if others agree! Make sure your friends are in the know. You can share this infographic on your site using this embed code: Wrike Collaboration and Project Management Software Related Reads: Is Agile Viable for Marketing Teams? 4 Ways to Arm Your Team for Content Marketing Success Using Wrike for High Performance Marketing Teams
Vote! What Marketing Trends Do You Expect to Have the Biggest Impact in 2015?
With 2015 just around the corner, more and more companies are releasing their views on top marketing trends that will come to light in the new year. But with all of these separate articles, we're interested in gathering a consensus. Which trends are going to have the biggest impact? What marketing technology innovations may be coming our way? And which trends are wishful thinking, won't be able to move the needle in the next year, or simply never going to happen? We've collected trend ideas from companies and marketing leaders all over the internet and brought them together in one list. Now it's your turn: 1. Vote for the two or three trends you think will have the biggest impact in 20152. Add your own predictions to the list if you don't see them already 3. Embed this list on your site or blog & share it with your friends and readers (click here for embed code) Vote! What Marketing Trend Do You Expect to Have the Biggest Impact in 2015? You can view more lists from the Wrike Team on Listly. Read through all of the 55 potential trends? Make sure you vote for the 2-3 trends you think will have a huge impact next year year, and add your own thoughts if we missed something. We're waiting to hear your feedback in the comments below!
34 Holiday Buys for Productivity Junkies (Gift Guide)
Productivity enthusiasts are a tough bunch to buy for. They loathe the distractions of clutter, so forego useless trinkets and get them something they’re sure to love: the gift of getting more done! Each of these gifts will bring greater efficiency (and a smile) to the face of your favorite prolific pal. GADGETS & APPS Tools that help you get more done. 1. Flic Wireless Smart Buttons Create a shortcut that initiates your favorite actions without pulling out your smartphone. Turn out the lights, hit snooze, take a selfie, start navigation, and more at the touch of a (physical) button. Pre-order it here. 2. Tile Attach these minimally-designed tiles to anything you'd hate to lose: your keys, luggage, bike, etc. The app shows you when you get closer to your lost item, or you can program your tile to make noise. Start your day organized and calm, instead of in a frantic rush of "Where'd it go?!" nerves. Get it here. 3. Alfred App Powerpack For your Mac laptop. Create shortcuts and hotkeys, search the web or your hard drive, create workflows, and more. Use it as a replacement for Spotlight and make your Mac more efficient. Get it here. (Or try the Free version yourself). 4. Spotify Premium subscription Listening to your favorite music (without the ads) puts you in a good mood and triggers higher brain function. And Spotify's "Deep Focus" playlist is great for getting in the zone (and staying there). Get it here. 5. Belkin WeMo Insight switch Turn your home devices on and off via mobile app. Works with IFTTT.com, or you can use “recipes” to complete specific actions. Free your brain from daily distractions like, “Did I leave the kitchen light on?” Get it here. 6. Noise-canceling headphones Minimize distraction with a set of noise-canceling headphones. You'll never have to worry about overhearing those "TMI" personal conversations in the office again. Bose QuietComfort: Get them here. 7. A simple alarm clock Stop using your phone as an alarm. It's more likely to distract you with incoming notifications and keep your mind racing than help you sleep. Instead, opt for a simple alarm clock that displays only the time. Retro Digital Flip Clock: Get it here. 8. Health & wellness tracker A healthy lifestyle is essential to productivity. There are dozens of options to choose from, including the Jawbone UP24, which will "nudge" you when you've been inactive for too long. A perfect reminder to take a productivity break. Find the perfect device for you here. BOOKS & BRAIN-BOOSTERS Get your brain in shape for the New Year. 1. The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin spent one full year trying science-based tricks and popular strategies to bring more joy to every aspect of her life. Find out what worked and add some happiness to your own life. Get it here. 2. Brain Rules (updated & expanded) John Medina’s bestseller explains the science of how our brains work and outlines 12 strategies for improving your brain's performance. Get it here. 3. The Mindfulness app Rejuvenate your mind and sharpen your focus with daily meditation. This app includes guided sessions from a quick 3 minutes to a half hour, or you can meditate silently until you hear the bells. Get it from the App Store or Google Play Store. 4. Action Method notebook Developed by Bechance founder Scott Belsky, The Action Method breaks every undertaking into three components: Action Steps, References, and Backburner items. This notebook is designed so that every page has clear sections to capture each component. Get it here. 5. Unstuck Productivity Tips Cards This deck of cards helps pinpoint the cause of productivity slumps and gives tips to help move past them. Also available in "Conjure Your Creativity", "Stop Your Procrastination", and "Stop Your Negative Thinking." Get them here. ROAD WARRIOR PRODUCTIVITY A long commute or hectic travel schedule shouldn't slow you down. 1. Portable USB charger No outlet at the airport? No problem. Anker Astro Portable Charger: Get it here. 2. Logitech Keys-to-Go Keyboard Work in comfort with this portable, durable keyboard. Pairs via bluetooth and runs on a rechargeable 3-month battery. Get it here. 3. Smartpen Record and replay on-the-go voice memos or reminders, and transfer handwritten notes scribbled on napkins and receipts into digital text so you can sync your analog & digital worlds. Livescribe Echo Smartpen: Get it here. 4. Powerbag This backpack contains a portable battery for charging your smartphone or tablet. Get it here. 5. Gigs2Go USB Flash Drives This tear-away USB pack is made of extremely durable recycled paper and plastic: it's shockproof, waterproof, and doesn't need a cap. Get it here. PRODUCTIVITY-ENHANCING STOCKING STUFFERS Sometimes big productivity comes in small packages. 1. Lemon-scented candle The pleasant smell of lemons improves focus and reduces errors by 54%. (If you're buying for an office buddy, you might want to stick with something non-flammable like this diffuser.) Williams-Sonoma Meyer Lemon Candle: Get it here. 2. Chocolate Aside from being delicious, chocolate releases dopamine, a hormone that motivates action, along with chemicals that promote calm and stimulate brain function. Godiva 72% Dark Chocolate Bar: Get it here. 3. “Make It Happen” Notebook by Panama For capturing goals big and small — and inspiring commitment. Get it here. 4. Aquanotes Waterproof Notepad For that buddy who claims their best ideas always come to them in the shower. Get it here. 5. Desktop organizer An organized worker is a happy and productive worker. Clear the clutter and save the 76 hours you spend each year looking for lost stuff. iStick Multifunction Desk Organizer: Get it here. 6. Cable clips Another simple organization item to keep your workspace tidy. CableDrop Cable Clips: Get them here. 7. Adorable desk calendar Looking at baby animals improves concentration and focus — and likely puts you in a better mood too. Who can stay grumpy with an adorable fluff ball always in sight? Puppies & Friends 2015: Get it here. 8. Colorful art print Use color psychology to beautify your office and stimulate your brain. Blue helps you concentrate and can make you more productive, while yellow improves your mood and can stimulate creativity. Water lilies by Monet: Get it here. 9. Flowers & Seeds Houseplants increase your focus, motivation, and creativity, while simultaneously eliminating harmful microbes. Potted gardenia: Get it here. OFFICE SHENANIGANS Having fun at the office is the new productivity essential. 1. Mustache paper clips Give your reports and memos some comical style. Get them here. 2. Clip-on desk cup holder Keep your caffeine close at hand, without worrying about accidental spills. Get it here. 3. USB rocket launcher Office warfare is serious business. Maximize your firepower with this nerf rocket launcher. Get it here. 4. Origami Sticky Notes Impress your colleagues by upcycling your used notes into fun origami masterpieces. Get it here. 5. "You Earned It" Bottle Opener Crack open a cold one in celebration of a job well done. Get it here. 6. I Am Very Busy art print Aren't we all? Get it here. 7. "You Can Do It!" mug For just the right amount of encouragement (and caffeine) on those days you'd rather be in bed. Mugs by Emily McDowell: Get it here. Happy Holidays from the Wrike team!
Where Collaboration is Heading in 2015: Top 4 Trends to Watch
With 2015 just around the corner, it's time to take a look at the growing collaboration trends that will affect the way you work with your team this coming year. While some are merely logical extensions of ongoing trends, a few may surprise you. 1. More Collaboration via Mobile/BYOD With mobile devices out-shipping desktop units four-to-one, one thing is clear: mobile is king. And it isn't just about units sold, it's also about work behavior on these devices. For example: 47% of all email is now being opened on a mobile device rather than on a desktop email client (based on 251 million opens tracked by Litmus). This doesn't mean completely abandoning desktops in favor of tablets, however, as the sheer overwhelming variety of devices brings about its own challenges. Converting files to compatible formats, for example. What is does mean is that team members will choose to work on personal mobile devices even when they're in the office, just for the convenience of accessing familiar tools and apps. As a result, mobile collaboration apps will continue to be a priority for team collaboration. Software companies creating collaboration tools will have to continue investing in mobile applications, especially with the sheer number of customer teams clamoring for a way to work together via their smartphones. Desktop UIs will continue to take a backseat to the growing demand for mobile collaboration tools. And companies will have to adapt. Over the past six years, the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) trend has been steadily reaching critical mass, giving CTOs and IT departments their fair share of security concerns. But with cloud storage now more accessible and the benefits of allowing people to work from the familiarity of their personal devices clear, expect 2015 to be the year when BYOD goes mainstream. 2. Increased Need for Systems (and Products) that Work Together Alongside the dominance of mobile and upward trend of BYOD, there will be an increased focus on interoperability: the ability of a system or a product to work with other systems or products without extra effort. Think about it: various new work devices coupled with the need to leverage new technologies that answer customers changing needs equals...? A big challenge. A team member using an iPad needs to participate in the same video conference as someone attending via webcam on a Linux laptop, for example, and it all has to work seamlessly. Work is already being done to make these integrations customizable by end users. Services like IFTTT (If This Then That) and Zapier have made automation between social collaboration tools and the larger ecosystem of work apps possible. For example, the Wrike and Zapier integration gives users the chance to create tasks from their choice of apps — anything from Evernote to Zendesk to Marketo. 3. Email Superseded by Social Collaboration Tools As early as 2010, Gartner was predicting that 20% of business users would choose social networking solutions over email as the main channel for communication and collaboration by 2014. With modern business growing more social in nature, that transition has come, and many companies are introducing cloud-based or internal social collaboration solutions. Here at Wrike, we've long said that managing projects via email is not ideal; there's a loss of context when information is consumed in fragmentary replies. There's a tendency for duplicated information as multiple people respond to one email thread. There's a lack of visibility into how a project is faring, forcing managers to spend time manually gather status updates from each contributor. Project management and social collaboration software solves the email problem by giving users tools to stay on top of projects and make communication more efficient between team members. That's not to say email is dead. Rather, it will go back to being used as a direct communication tool instead of a platform for project management and collaboration. 4. The Rise of Users Helping Users But possibly the biggest trend to watch out for is the rise of the community-led knowledge base. More companies will encourage super users and customer evangelists to take an active role in helping other users in the community, sharing tips and tricks in a common knowledge base. Alongside this, expect customer help desks to dwindle as crowdsourced support steps up to fill the need. Users still expect service in real time, so there will still be a need for live operators. But for the more reactive customer service desks, fully fleshed-out wikis and forums will be key to providing critical information that's contributed by fellow users. Where do you see collaboration going? Agree with our predictions, or do you have a different idea of how we'll collaborate this coming year? Share the post or our collaboration trends Slideshare and see what your colleagues think. We'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. Read Next: 6 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2015 Image Credit: Crystal Ball by Christian Schnettelker on Flickr. Some rights reserved. Edits made.
Meet Us at Google Enterprise Global Partner Summit 2014
This week, Google hosts its second annual "Enterprise Global Partner Summit" in San Francisco, where its partners from around the globe gather to learn about the latest innovations and upcoming Google releases. Our CEO and champion, Andrew Filev, is excited to be attending once again, representing Wrike as one of the top Google partners in the productivity and project management space. We have a long-term relationship with Google, and we were recently one of the first independent software vendors to transition into their relaunched Apps Marketplace experience. "I look forward to seeing everyone at the Google Partner Summit, catching up with our friends across the world, and hearing Google's announcements," says Andrew. "It's cool to touch base with such a great group of companies that are changing the way the world does business." Wrike keeps you connected with sources such as Google, which we know so many of you rely on daily at work. Our Gmail widget helps you work in Wrike without leaving your inbox. With Google Drive integration, you can attach files to tasks right from your Drive. You also can minimize the chance of projects slipping through the cracks by synchronizing your Wrike and Google calendars. We are always eager to meet more of our friends and customers, so if you're going to the event, get in touch with us. We look forward to seeing you there!
Wrike Featured as 'Cool Startup to Watch' at IBM Connect 2014
Last week myself and a few of my team members were able to attend the annual "IBM Connect" user conference in Orlando. This is our second time attending the event on behalf of Wrike, and it was great to be back in the IBM community. Wrike was selected by IBM as one of the "Cool Startups to Watch," giving us the privilege of showcasing our company and product at a special session featuring other social, dynamic companies. Our fearless founder and CEO, Andrew Filev, presented Wrike's social project management software to an audience of IBM customers, alongside four other startups: Hype, TemboSocial, Hootsuite, and Temasys. This year's theme "Energizing Life's Work" brought together companies committed to reinventing businesses of all sizes with better collaboration, just like IBM and Wrike. On the expo floor, we had a great time connecting with IBM customers, partners, and other tech companies that, like Wrike, integrate with IBM's tools for enhancing day-to-day work. It was also an invaluable opportunity to meet face-to-face with fellow Wrikers like Mizuno and Hootsuite! Being in a room with so many innovative leaders who value collaboration is always refreshing. We're excited about the relationships we've built, and look forward to working with some of our new friends throughout the year! Of course, for a company known for it's geeky innovation, IBM sure knows how to throw a party. Special thanks for their accommodations at Hollywood Studios in Disney World. We all had a blast!