QG Software Blog

CrazyEgg just entered the crowded market of Website analysis tools, despite the presence of a 800-pound gorilla in the room (Google Analytics). We’ve been using Analytics along with other tools, ranging from classic StatsCounter.com to sophisticated desktop applications like ClickTracks.com.

Considering that Analytics is free and also integrates with Google AdWords, why even bother checking another tool? The answer is simple - it’s different.

CrazyEgg is pretty light, and has two main tools - site overlay and heatmap. The first option is available in Analytics but the second one is pretty interesting. The heatmap color codes where exactly the users click on your page. Here is a quote from MicroISV on a Shoestring blog:

“Incidentally, if you’re wondering “Why does Crazyegg report different data than Analytics?”, the answer is that CrazyEgg tracks clicks on a per-coordinate basis and Analytics tracks them on a per-URL basis.”

This will give you a new angle of view on your stats.

The free version of CrazyEgg will track up to 4 pages, 5000 clicks/month. The setup is easy, so go ahead and check it in action!

P.S. These guys also have a great sense of humor.

- Sergei

Small businesses are on the rise, according to the “Intuit Future of Small Business Report”. And the demographics are changing - now baby boomers and Generation Y are leading the pack. Here are some snippets from the report:

“Americans aged 55 to 64 form small businesses at the highest rate of any age group—28% higher than the adult average”

“… currently rising Generation Y (ages 5 to 25) … the most entrepreneurial generation ever.”

If you want to find more information about these trends, the 20-page report is available for free here.

- Sergei

I mentioned in an earlier post, that over the years I have looked at various applications to manage projects. I wrote about the struggle to find the right fit of features and methods. It seems that this is not a unique experience. In fact… today it is even more confusing. One simply needs to take a (search) through the web and you will find a tremendous variety of PM applications. The number of applications may tell us that this is a difficult problem to solve. Or, at the root, I believe this is a situation where “my” approach may not always be what “you” need. In other words a one size does not fit all. So, we have a wide variety of PM applications that have cropped up.

Here is an interesting article that illustrates this at Web Worker Daily.

Really, this is about learning what works for you. It means trying out the various solutions and finding the method that helps you get your work done. You will have to wade through much of the hype and determine what you need. Painful, I know… In my walk down the path of choices, I had to make a list of items I had to have in order to mange my projects. I also got feedback about what the staff/team members needed, after-all they will have to use this on a daily basis. My point is simply this; get really clear on your needs, ignore the hype and the flash, test the ones that match your list.

So, speaking of a path and an option for your PM needs.

In our development of Project and Team Manager we have tried to implement the features that our customers tell us they need, not just what we think should be done. Of course, we are not always perfect in this. But, we do try to avoid the “we know better than you” mentality. We know our application may not work for everyone, and that really is ok, but at least see if we match your list.

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Greg

The interview lasts for an hour, but it’s worth it. Joel and his partner, Michael Pryor, share their thoughts and plans on Fog Creek Software.

Those who have read “Joel on Software” and “Founders at Work” will be familiar with most of the things discussed. Joel also covered some new topics like the next release of FogBugz. The most interesting detail is the plan for offering the hosted version of Fog Bugz – a very common trend in web2.0 world.

Joel nicely blends the old traditional practices and the new trends. He got some years under his belt working on software development, and it gives him a certain perspective on things.

Definitely worth listening to. Don’t mind the random people walking casually behind the scene.

Check the interview here.

- Sergei