When it comes to Backpack, Chad Brandt really uses "the whole buffalo." He wrote to us with a list of ways Backpack helps him organize his travel, work, and business school information. If you're looking for ideas on how to get the most out of Backpack, read on...
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I recently started graduate school at the University of Chicago and knew that Backpack would come in handy for managing my school work and schedule. It certainly helped during the application process!
Here's a quick list of my interesting Backpack pages:
1. Travel
Organize frequent flier miles, upcoming travel details and to-do lists for preparing for a trip. This page is always in my sidebar. Creating a quick table in Notes is extremely useful. Also, I click "E-mail me a copy" the night before a trip to have all of those travel details in my inbox.
2. Quick portfolio
I'm a web developer and don't have time to update my business website with each new project. Instead, I e-mail a screenshot to this backpack page and add its corresponding url. I can easily share this backpack page with prospective clients.
3. Web Development projects
I build websites and templates from graphic designs. My work doesn't require a full blown project management system. Instead, each project has a unique backpack page with an introduction note, a task list, a requirements list, gallery of screenshots, photoshop files, sitemaps, site content and client contact information. I've shared these pages with clients and additional developers.
4. Taking the GMAT
As I said previously, I recently started business school. The application process started in January here in Chicago. First step - Take the GMAT. I used Backpack to manage my entire schedule, study materials, links, sample tests, passwords (to Kaplan), everything. I also tracked my daily practice test scores in a simple table.
5. Applying to business school
The application process is not quick. I had to gather recommendations, write essays, acquire undergrad transcripts, schedule an interview, buy a suit, etc. Backpack allowed me to keep all of those details in one place, accessible from any browser.
6. Starting business school
Prep for orientation, school loans, immunization, course schedule, IDs, portals, urls and more urls. I have 1 backpack page for all of this information.
7. Business school class info and assignments
I download the syllabus, class slides and homeworks from the poorly designed business school portal and upload to my backpack page. I set a to-do list at the top of the page outlining each week's assignments and place all supporting information below dividers (thanks for that feature). As I complete homework assignments or papers, I upload my solutions to Backpack.
One of my classes has a ton of reading, so I upload all of those PDFs to Backpack. Simple.
Business school class info and assignments
8. Invoicing
I also use Backpack for project time tracking and invoicing at the end of each month.
Plus...
I wrote all of my business school application essays in Writeboard (attached to my Backpack account). This process was so much less distracting than using Microsoft Word. I focused on content and not formatting. Open up writeboard in Firefox, hit F11 for fullscreen and you are golden!
Chad's travel info
Do you use a 37signals product in an interesting or noteworthy way? Let us know.
