By Richard Neuman: The well connected project manager (technically speaking)

As an owner's/tenant rep, I am regularly in the field and rarely at my desk. Juggling the demands of managing construction sites, meeting new clients, writing proposals, interviewing contractors and vendors, project planning and networking with my colleagues is just the morning routine. How do I balance managing projects at multiple locations while maintaining the ability to be productive while mobile? As a self-described "technologist," all right computer geek, I have spent my professional career in broadcast facilities management and construction management searching for that killer app and awesome device that would streamline my life, stay connected to my projects and always have instant access to information. To bridge the digital divide is to be organized while connected. My "Ah-Ha!" moment occurred on a job site where the architects and contractors spent over ten minutes flipping through various revisions of 24" x 36" floor plans trying to find a single note. After watching the paper fly and tensions mount, I instantly called up the .pdf on my Motorola Xoom (gasp! not the iPad2) and had tin knockers crowding around the tablet pinch zooming the plans with their dirty fingers to find exactly what they needed. (Note to self: Splurge for the screen protector.) Everyone was impressed with how quickly the information was accessed and the tablet became a hit at each weekly meeting. A PM's most valued trait is organization. There are very useful apps and devices that can help the professional, to some extent, cut the cord and improve organization while in the field. Each day brings another tablet, smart phone, netbook and $1.99 application from the Android Market or iPhone App Store that the choices have now become overwhelming. Editors Note: The Journal will feature a new Monthly segment, "The well connected project manager (technically speaking)" from Richard Neuman of Relocation Management Solutions, Inc. The segment will feature several applications which Neuman believes are invaluable to industry professionals. Here are several of my favorite applications to stay synchronized and productive. These are not substitutes for a desktop or laptop, but they are useful tools that allow me to stay organized and connected while away from the computer. Touchdown for Android by NitroDesk ($) - Android Only One of the most serious drawbacks of the native iPad and Android mail clients is their poor usability and limited features. TouchDown is an outstanding application for the Android OS that seamlessly integrates with Exchange Server. Touchdown simply rocks and is the single reason why my email functionality doesn't suffer while not in front of Outlook. It's a terrific program for staying in sync with our Microsoft Exchange data and a great tool for anyone who is used to the features of Outlook. Although the interface isn't the same, it does give me a similar experience with Email, Calendar, Clients, and To-dos. All data syncs wirelessly with the exception of Notes which can be synced via USB cable. Evernote (Free and $) - Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, Windows Mobile, Windows Desktop, MAC Desktop Ever take a picture on a job site try to find it in the picture Gallery? It's not easy. Through Evernote, snap a picture and it's associated with the note. I find Evernote most useful as an alternative to most note programs. Evernote will also recognize printed or handwritten text in photos and images. Evernote organizes by the date a note or other document was created. Evernote is an organizational system. The software categorizes information several ways such as Tags, Note Titles and Notebooks. Evernote allows you to keep track of several projects at once with the "Notebooks" feature. Use Evernote to jot down notes, create to-do lists, clip entire Web pages, manage passwords, store screen shots, photos and text notes, and record audio. Everything added is automatically synchronized into a central web-based location, synchronized, accessible and searchable from any device. The mobile interface is very similar to that of the desktop version. Plus, with Evernote Web, you can share notebooks with anyone. Using the "Sharing" function, you can specify which individuals to send the notebook to, or create a URL that is posted for everyone to see. Quickoffice & Quickoffice Pro HD ($) - Android & iPhone Quickoffice gives you the ability to Create, View, and Edit, Microsoft Office files including Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations (doc & .docx, xls & .xlsx, .ppt & .pptx). Access files remotely from your Google Docs, Dropbox, Box, Huddle, SugarSync, and MobileMe accounts or from your SD card. Also included is a PDF viewer. Bubble by Ben Zibble (Free) - Android Ever need a level? If you're a project manager this app might make your life easier. Bubble is a quick way to measure if a surface is straight or not. You can use any side of the phone to measure the angle of a surface or you can measure a surface by laying your phone face up on the surface. Join the discussion and let me know your favorite apps by going to www.OwnersRepNY.com Richard Neuman is an owners rep with Relocation Management Solutions, Inc., Albertson, N.Y.