Spreadsheet Template for The Business Model Canvas - @business_design

I have recently been introduced to "The Business Model Canvas" created by Alex Osterwalder. I have fruitfully brainstormed few ideas using this. I created a small spreadsheet template for noting down the ideas (spreadsheet templates attached). A better, full-featured version is available as a web-app - http://bmdesigner.com/ 

Alex Osterwalder's website: 

Alex Osterwalder's video: 

His book looks exciting - looking forward to buying one:

PS: I have used OpenOffice for generating this - I am not sure how this would look on Excel. 

Click here to download:
The Business Model Canvas.ots (15 KB)

Click here to download:
The Business Model Canvas.xlt (18 KB)

Application Development - Start with the Views

Its always good to start a software application project with the end product in your mind. The best way to achieve this is to start with the 'View' in Model View Controller architectural pattern. 

Your goal should be to see / showcase the end result very early in your project - this will help you improve the solution immensely with respect to delivery of a solution your clients really want and reinforces ideas as to the direction you are taking. 

This also helps you to gather as much information as possible before you start coding your Controllers and Models. 

Building Blocks of your application:
View > Controller > Model

From experience, I suggest clear separation in Views, Controller and Model - this will ensure that your project will be portable across Cloud Platforms with minimal modifications to the other layers.

Tutorial v0.1: Gaelyk & GWT working together on App Engine

GWT is probably the most productive technology I have used to build amazing User Interfaces. Now coupled with Gaelyk you get an amazing combination to get stuff done quicker and productively.

Before I proceed further, if you are new to Gaelyk you might want to read Java development 2.0: Gaelyk for Google App Engine and the Gaelyk Tutorial. If you are new to GWT you might consider reading the tutorial. 

Please note this is a very basic tutorial and only scratches the surface of what's possible. It is intended to help you with this bug. 

Also this has been written over number of weeks, hence the flow isn't great. When I have time again, I am hoping to fix this and re-release it. 

Due to formatting issues, I have attached this tutorial as a PDF. 

Click here to download:
Gaelyk_GWT_Tutorial_v0.1.pdf (221 KB)
(download)
Click here to download:
tutorial.zip (144 KB)

Fixing Indian Govt Websites - Part - I - Case of Indian Railway Website

Be the change you want to see in the world.
 - Mahatma Gandhi  

I am frustrated with the way Indian Govt Websites are in their present form. Totally unintuitive and nonsensical. I spent the better half of this morning trying to buy a ticket on the Indian Railways website - and in the end decided to give up and ask my parents to buy it for me. 

They are made by people who never ever got out of their room to check to see how others would use. 

Take for example the following screenshots.
 
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Is it just slack/lazy programming or plain stupid?

Picture_222

Why do I need to know this error? Does it really make any sense to the end user?

Picture_224

There are literally dozens of ways you can get lost in the website trying to buy one ticket.

I have taken this frustration and started a small group on Facebook to help and promote better design and functionality on Indian Govt Websites. If you care about this. Do join. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=159155004112675