One of the first steps that a project team must take in order to reduce the energy consumption of a building is to design the project with energy goals in mind. These energy-saving benchmarks are defined in our latest infographic “Owner's Project Requirements (OPR)”. The project requirements outlined in the OPR infographic will serve as the reference points for all design, construction, and ongoing maintenance operations.

Lean is more than a simple collection of tools; it is an interconnected system that focuses an entire organization on creating the value that customers want in the most efficient and effective way possible.

In an effective Lean system:

• Practitioners work continuously to eliminate the defects and rework in their systems
• Material and information is "pulled" by downstream processes in the system
• Value-added work is enhanced and non-value-added work is minimized
• Resources (including employee skills) are maximized to the greatest extent possible

Johanna Rothman is the owner of Rothman Consulting Group, through which she has coached product developers, led Agile transformations, and improved projects, programs, and organizations for over 26 years. She has also written a large collection of books about project management and the workplace.

Prior to consulting, Rothman was a software engineer who served as a project leader, program manager, and director at Boston Technology. She is a longtime contributor to Skye Learning courseware, providing expert commentary for Introduction to Agile, Principles of Scrum, PMP® Exam Prep Course, and more.

In this job market, candidates need every advantage they can get to stand out, and a well-crafted resume is crucial. Producing the best possible resume requires knowing its function--to get you into the pile of candidates who will be considered further.

When writing your resume, it’s important to recognize that the hiring manager may be fielding hundreds of resumes for a position in addition to their regular job duties. Each resume, therefore, will receive only a cursory glance to determine the candidate’s qualifications. Your resume should be designed to make it easy for a hiring manager to learn your professional accomplishments at a glance. To that end, follow a few rules to ensure your application isn’t overlooked.

Like former New York mayor Ed Koch, who was famous for his catchphrase, “How’m I doing”, we here at MindEdge and Skye Learning are always looking for feedback from the public.

Comments from our learners, both positive and negative, help us work continuously to improve our courses and certificate programs. And so our question to the public is a simple one: What sort of impact are our courses having on the lives and careers of our learners?

The answer, based on the findings of our first Learner Outcomes survey, appears to be overwhelmingly positive.

Buyers are evolving faster than sellers.

A major factor in the growing gap between buyer and seller is the rise of millennial decision-makers. There are more than 11 million Millennials worldwide on LinkedIn alone. Mobile technology, increased information, more market transparency, and data analytics are some of the elements shaping how Millennials make buying decisions for their organizations. Sellers must adapt to the following shifts in order to win the attention, business, and loyalty of millennial buyers. Check out our latest infographic for five need-to-know characteristics of millennial buyers.

Building downtime into your schedule can help you recharge your battery, manage stress, and keep perspective. During these moments of downtime, it is important to completely step away from your work obligations (that means silencing your smartphone!) and focus on the activities that bring you personal fulfillment. Making time for these activities is essential for avoiding burnout.

Dax Grantham is a small business attorney and the owner of Grantham Law in Woburn, MA. Skye Learning is thrilled to feature Grantham as a subject matter expert in Law for Small Businesses.

Grantham provides legal services to business and individuals across eastern Massachusetts, primarily offering general counsel services to emerging small businesses. He also practices in the areas of business/corporate law, personal and business bankruptcy, and business litigation. He has practiced law for nearly twenty years.

Negotiations occur in many different settings. We negotiate with family members, friends, and business associates. Negotiations happen so frequently that we often don't even realize when they occur.  Negotiations occur because people value things differently. 

People are not born with negotiation skills. They must be learned. We engage in many informal negotiations every day; however, in a business setting, more formal negotiations occur. In fact, negotiation is the norm for high value transactions.

This week, Skye Learning is thrilled to spotlight Dr. S. Atyia Martin, an expert for the AEM®/CEM® Prep Course (U.S. version). Martin is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM®) with nearly 20 years of experience in emergency management, public health, intelligence, resilience, and homeland security. She was worked for the government, the private sector, and the nonprofit sector. Currently, she is CEO & Founder of All Aces, Inc., a consulting company that advances racial equity and builds organizational resilience. Martin is a distinguished senior fellow for the Global Resilience Institute.