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The correlation between reduced crime rates and thriving communities is profound. Lower crime not only ensures the safety of residents but also sets off a chain reaction of positive outcomes that enhance the overall quality of life. In short, crime reduction touches not only the potential would-be victims and families. It also touches the entire neighborhood and community that may not even directly understand the downstream effects. We’ve observed this time and time again over the past 8 years in building Flock Safety, a technology company that builds tools to solve and reduce crime. When cities feel the impact of lower crime, it’s reflected across every aspect of daily life. Here are five downstream areas that can feel the effects. 1. Economic growth and job creation A safe environment is a fertile ground for economic development. Businesses are more likely to invest in areas where crime rates are low, leading to job creation and economic prosperity. Conversely, high crime rates can deter investment and prompt existing businesses to relocate, resulting in job losses and economic decline. A 2021 study tracking the impact of crime on local businesses found that “the estimated effects of property crime and outdoor crimes on consumer visits in the following month are negative, meaningful and strongly significant.” 2. Housing and urban development Safety plays a crucial role in the housing market. Communities with lower crime rates experience higher property values and increased homeownership rates. This not only benefits homeowners but also attracts real estate development, leading to improved infrastructure and amenities in a self-perpetuating benefit cycle. A report by the Center for American Progress highlighted that the largest economic benefits of reducing violent crime arise from the impact on housing values, as safer neighborhoods become more desirable places to live. On average, a reduction in a given year of one homicide in a ZIP code was correlated with a 1.5% increase in housing values in that same ZIP code the following year. 3. Public health and well-being The link between public safety and public health is undeniable. Communities free from violence experience better physical and mental health outcomes. Some of these effects are quite direct—one study tracked a 1% decrease in neighborhood violent crime was associated with a 0.21% decrease in cardiovascular death rates—while others center around a general sense of well-being. The absence of crime fosters a sense of security, reducing stress and anxiety. Moreover, safe neighborhoods encourage outdoor activities, social interactions, and community engagement, all of which contribute to overall well-being. 4. Educational opportunities Safety is a fundamental prerequisite for effective education. Students in secure environments are more likely to attend school regularly and perform better academically. A controlled study with the New York City Department of Education and the New York City Police Department identified that exposure to violence in students’ neighborhoods and an unsafe climate at school led to substantial test score losses. And lower crime creates a positive feedback loop where education leads to better job opportunities, further contributing to community prosperity. 5. Community cohesion and trust Effective public safety outcomes, specifically reduced crime, fosters trust among community members and between residents and law enforcement. This trust is essential for community programs, local governance, and collective efficacy. When people feel safe, they are more likely to participate in community activities, support local businesses, and engage in civic duties, all of which strengthen the social fabric. The ripple effects of reduced crime are vast and transformative. From economic growth and improved public health to stronger community bonds and enhanced educational outcomes, safety is the cornerstone of thriving communities. Garrett Langley is founder and CEO of Flock Safety. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

Institute for Fiscal Studies accuses official statisticians of ‘jumbled economic reasoning’, in latest setback for agency View the full article

At a recent groundbreaking for one of our data center campuses, three members of the community told our team, “Great, we’re going to get a Trader Joe’s now.” It may sound funny, but this is one small part of the data center effect. Having Starbucks and Whole Foods establishments in the neighborhood famously have been associated with higher property values. Data centers also boost the communities where they’re located, by creating jobs and supporting revitalization efforts, for example. Of course, the industry faces criticism too, often based on outdated perceptions that don’t reflect advances in design and sustainability. But public opinion is shifting—partly thanks to growing recognition of data centers’ vital role as the digital backbone of the economy and helping enable AI. Those who haven’t seen the data center effect in their community may soon. As of last year, the U.S. was home to almost 5,400 data centers. With facilities under construction expected to reach a new high in 2025 and demand projected to grow almost 10% annually through 2030, development is picking up outside urban cores and in secondary markets. Here are some of the overlooked ways that data centers are transforming the communities where they operate. 1. They are driving the shift to green power Data centers are pivotal in the transition to green energy. This is part of a broader sustainability push, as the industry aims to shrink its environmental footprint while diversifying power sources to keep up with AI’s demand. In fact, our company gets 100% of its electricity from zero-carbon renewable energy. To cool equipment, we leverage a closed-loop system that uses little or no outside water. We also prefabricate electrical and mechanical infrastructure, dramatically reducing waste and minimizing on-site construction. In our home state of Texas and elsewhere, data center providers are seeking more renewable options and funding their development. For example, hyperscalers Amazon, Google, and Microsoft invest heavily in clean energy sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear. By 2029, the U.S. sustainable data center market is expected to double, topping $35 billion. Thanks to such efforts, energy is becoming cheaper and greener, benefiting local communities and society at large. In 2023, 81% of new utility-scale renewable energy projects had lower costs than fossil fuel–powered alternatives. As the price of going green keeps falling, consumers will reap the rewards. 2. Data centers boost the local labor market Like any business that sets up shop in a community, data centers create jobs for local people. We see it in Dallas–Fort Worth, where providers are generating employment opportunities and attracting new talent. As the industry grapples with a labor shortage, reskilling is crucial. In addition to hiring trade school grads to build and maintain our facilities, we’ve filled key technical roles by retraining skilled military veterans. The impact on local labor markets can be profound. In Virginia in 2023, the data center industry provided more than 26,000 operational and construction jobs. In total, it supported some 78,000 jobs, delivering $6.2 billion in pay and benefits and $31.4 billion in economic output. Not including construction, each job in a Virginia data center supports 3.5 more. Data center providers are also partnering with post-secondary institutions to back industry-specific offerings. I sit on the advisory board of Southern Methodist University’s Master of Data Center Systems Engineering program, one of the few degrees of its kind. 3. Data centers attract other businesses Data centers exert their own gravitational pull, drawing other companies to the communities where they establish roots. In fact, the surge in new projects recently prompted Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to open properties near data centers. When a hyperscale data center moves into a market, businesses that support its services follow. If the applications using that facility are latency-sensitive, the need for speed pushes companies to locate nearby, too. The result can be a new business ecosystem for some communities and regions. In Virginia, the companies serving data centers include those in power distribution and management, IT hardware, cybersecurity, design, construction, and management consulting. The cybersecurity that local data centers provide is another business magnet. Meeting the security needs of industries with strict data privacy and storage rules, such as healthcare and financial services—as well as players in the AI arms race—is driving expansion. For customers, data protection combined with zero downtime is a powerful draw. 4. Data centers deliver broader economic benefits When a data center comes to town, the ripple effects are far-reaching. One perk? Better public infrastructure. Upgrades to roads, broadband, power transmission, and other needed services can improve residents’ quality of life. Data center companies can also breathe new life into long-dormant districts, redeveloping brownfields into new campuses. For local governments, data centers can be a major revenue source. Because they’re taxed locally but serve customers globally, they bring in tax revenue from outside. In Virginia in 2022 alone, the industry paid $640 million and $1 billion, respectively, in state and municipal taxes. When using public services, data centers have a high fiscal benefit–to–cost ratio. In Loudoun County, for every dollar of local public services required, data centers pay about $26, versus roughly $4 for manufacturing plants. 5. Data centers create community partnership opportunities In many cases, the data center industry enriches communities by giving back. Being a good neighbor requires asking residents what contributions they need and working with them to deliver. We’ve partnered with a nonprofit to support reforestation near our campuses, teamed up to educate students on industry careers, and provided donations to organizations supporting families in need. As the data center industry keeps growing, many more communities and state and local governments will find themselves approached by providers. Of course, each must make the decision that’s right for them. But the data center effect is worth considering. The industry still has work to do, but data centers can help build strong local economies with more opportunities for people and businesses…and, perhaps, even get their own Trader Joe’s. Andrew Schaap is CEO of Aligned Data Centers. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

The Connecticut bank said its newly minted president, Steven Sugarman, successfully led a private placement and signed a long-term employment agreement that makes him a potential CEO. David Lowery, current chief executive of Patriot, plans to step down in April. View the full article

Artificial intelligence and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are rapidly becoming two of the most challenging and consequential communication arenas for modern companies. According to Mission North’s 2025 Brand Expectations Index (BEx), public sentiment is evolving in ways that require corporate leaders to rethink how they communicate about these issues, balancing transparency with strategic messaging to maintain trust and relevance. We conducted BEx 2025 in November 2024, surveying 1,000 members of the general population adults and 500 knowledge workers. The goal was to provide practical and positive guidance for how executives such as CEOs, CCOs, and CMOs can bolster their brand’s reputation while also avoiding actions that might unintentionally harm it. We previously conducted BEx 2024, identifying and measuring leading factors affecting brands today, and used this as a foundation for Bex 2025. AI: BUILDING TRUST IN A FAST-MOVING LANDSCAPE AI adoption is surging, with tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini becoming household names. As AI continues to disrupt industries, public perception of AI companies has shifted significantly—though trust remains divided. Top survey findings include: Trust in AI companies and startups jumped 9 points in 2025 over 2024, reflecting increased awareness and adoption. Big tech is leading the trust surge with Google (66%), Amazon (65%), and Microsoft (61%) ranking the most trusted AI companies among the general public.Trust lags significantly for newer players (OpenAI: 41%, Anthropic: 23%). Communication builds trust. Knowledge workers overwhelmingly support transparent AI development, with 81% emphasizing security, 78% ethical oversight, and 77% privacy. Owned content from companies ranks just behind local news as the most trusted source of AI information. Security, privacy, and ethics are big factors in building trust. Security is a top driver of trust in AI companies for 81% of knowledge workers and 69% of the general public. Ethical oversight is also critical: 77% of knowledge workers and 66% of the public support external governance of AI development. Only 40% of the general public trust the government to regulate AI responsibly; 58% of knowledge workers prefer industry self-regulation, reinforcing the need for corporate AI ethics programs. The CEO is your best (or worst) asset, with 67% of knowledge workers and 57% of the public saying a company’s CEO reputation directly influences their trust in the brand. DEI AND ESG: NO LABELS, JUST ACTION In a climate of political and cultural pushback against DEI and ESG initiatives, companies face a paradox: While these programs are under attack, employees and consumers still widely support their underlying principles. The public supports DEI values—but not always the label. While corporate DEI programs face external pressures, 69% of the general public and 78% of knowledge workers believe in incorporating diverse perspectives. However, companies should remember that the DEI term may carry political baggage and could be rebranded to reflect its broader, inclusive mission. Actions speak louder than words. The study reveals a significant perception gap: 73% of the public supports inclusivity measures, but only 49% believe companies are following through. Businesses must showcase real, meaningful action rather than performative statements to bridge this gap. Environmental stewardship remains a priority. Despite shifting political winds, 68% of the general public and 77% of knowledge workers support corporate sustainability initiatives. Public stances on social issues remain divisive. While 65% of knowledge workers support corporate activism, only 50% of the general public feels the same. Companies should weigh external positioning carefully, prioritizing internal action and policies that reflect core values. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? As AI reshapes industries and DEI/ESG debates continue, communicators must stay ahead of evolving expectations. BEx presents some clear pathways forward: Own your narrative: For companies looking to tell their AI story: take control of your story, educate stakeholders, and focus on security, privacy, and ethical leadership to maintain and build trust. Double down on executive comms: The general public and knowledge workers are looking to CEOs for direction; look closely at how your leaders show up, both in words and actions. Transparency and authenticity are essential elements of an executive platform. Focus less on labels and more on results. Embedding inclusive and sustainable practices into company culture without drawing unnecessary controversy will allow brands to maintain credibility while avoiding political landmines. Direct communications is king. Audiences want to hear from you, and content increases knowledge; 81% of the general public and 84% of knowledge workers rank direct communications from companies (podcasts, long-form articles, and videos on technical and human-interest topics) as one of the most trusted sources of information, second only to local news. COMMUNICATE WITH CONFIDENCE The research makes one thing clear: Companies that proactively shape their narratives around AI and DEI will maintain stronger, more resilient brands. AI is no longer an emerging trend—it’s an operational reality. Meanwhile, DEI and ESG efforts remain essential to corporate success, even requiring strategic repositioning. Companies that take control of their messaging, prioritize transparency, and consistently communicate their values will be best positioned to navigate the challenges and opportunities of 2025. By doubling down on education, trust-building, and authentic storytelling, corporate leaders can ensure their brand survives and thrives in the ever-evolving landscape of AI and DEI. Tyler Perry is co-CEO of Mission North. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

Software increasingly makes the world go round. Without this critical digital infrastructure, the economy—and society at large—wouldn’t function. But as recent events like last year’s CrowdStrike outage have shown, enormous leaps in software power and complexity, including the integration of AI into the development process, ratchet up the potential for things to go sideways, fast. How can software teams better harness the supercharged new tools at their disposal? Here’s a look at five things that lie ahead. 1. As consumers lose patience with outages, developers make software more resilient For consumers, the CrowdStrike outage is just the tip of the iceberg. Other recent software disruptions include American Airlines’ holiday stoppage, the global shutdown of Meta’s apps, and a Microsoft 365 failure. When we commissioned a survey of U.S. consumers in 2024, their resentment was palpable. More than half had been impacted by software outages. And for 70%, releasing “bad” code is equal to—or even worse than—supermarkets selling contaminated food. Business leaders are worried too. When asked late last year, almost 90% of global executives expected major IT outages in 2025. The irony is these outages aren’t the result of hackers or security compromises—they’re due to preventable glitches and oversights in the development process itself. The way out of this mess? Moving forward, more companies will fully embrace modern DevOps practices—tools and processes that make software delivery more reliable and efficient. An emerging discipline just a few years ago, DevOps is quickly becoming table stakes across industries. The most crucial safeguard: automating the software development pipeline. If every engineer must follow the same steps for planning, writing, testing, deploying, and maintaining code, the entire process is smoother, faster, and safer. 2. AI transcends the hype Roughly 60% of developers deployed AI in 2024, up almost 20% from the previous year. But so far, we haven’t seen the expected AI productivity gains. That will change going forward. As software teams figure out how to operationalize AI, the technology will start to show its real value. After all, AI’s role in the development lifecycle goes well beyond writing code. Developers now have access to AI-native software delivery platforms that weave AI agents into every stage of the development process, not just coding. For example, a DevOps assistant lets software teams instantly create pipelines—and easily modify them. 3. Security threats (and responses) While invaluable to developers, AI has also been a boon to hackers. For instance, state-backed actors from China, Russia, and Iran have been using OpenAI tools to sharpen their skills and deceive targets. Indeed, the majority of hackers agree that businesses adopting AI have created new attack vectors. One vulnerability increasingly exploited: APIs, the doors and windows into code that allow apps to “talk” to each other. In the past two years, 57% of organizations were hit by an API security breach. And in a survey we conducted, more than two-thirds of businesses said genAI poses a risk to API security. For companies, fighting back requires taking stock of APIs and detecting and preventing attacks. The key steps: conducting an API inventory, ensuring that APIs meet specific security standards, and using smart tools to spot threats. Equally important: integrating security into the developer pipeline. This so-called “shift left” isn’t new—progressive companies have been working for years to get developers in on the ground floor of security initiatives. But we’ll see shift left strengthen—part of a broader effort to close the gap between Dev and functions like FinOps and continuous integration/continuous delivery. 4. DevOps platforms offer developers a one-stop shop As DevOps matures, a significant problem has surfaced: too many tools. Point solutions, handy tools and automations that make developers’ lives easier, are starting to overwhelm them. They add to daily toil instead of alleviating it. Currently, the average developer is asked to manage 14 different vendor tools. This context shifting between different interfaces, workflows, and licenses leads to confusion, cognitive overload, and development inconsistency. This all points to the need for a robust, integrated platform bringing the needed developer tools into one place. Critically, however, all the solutions need to be best of breed. Developers aren’t forgiving and would rather build their own tools than use inferior ones. For all these reasons, expect platform engineering to go mainstream this year. Indeed, Forrester predicts that in 2025, half of enterprises will abandon individual software tools for DevOps platforms. 5. Cloud costs tools become mission-critical For developers, getting a handle on cloud services costs has always been a headache. AI has taken that frustration to a whole new level. Because the latest AI applications use so much processing power, cloud costs can quickly escalate, leading to huge surprise bills. For the average business, cloud spending has leaped 30% in the past year, largely because of generative AI. That’s one reason why FinOps—another emerging discipline that bridges the gap between finance and engineering—is increasingly important. With developer visibility into cloud spending and accountability for it, companies should see significant savings and efficiency gains. But that hinges on new tech and on harnessing AI as part of the solution. AI-powered tools let anyone easily pinpoint cloud waste by asking questions in plain language. Armed with that knowledge, developers can get recommendations on the right fixes. The best cloud cost management tools also automate fixes, forecast cloud spend, and enforce rules for cloud usage. The result is significant savings—as much as 50% at Fortune 1000 companies I know. For software developers, big opportunities lie ahead, along with growing threats. Teams that stay vigilant and take advantage of the best tools will be better positioned to see real productivity gains from AI while avoiding the security and quality pitfalls. Jyoti Bansal is CEO of Harness. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. View the full article

President signs Defense Production Act in attempt to wean the country off critical resources from ChinaView the full article

If you’re managing multiple campaigns for your brand or your clients, you know how hard it is to scale landing page creation without sacrificing performance. This guide breaks it down—with real examples, tactical insights, and repeatable strategies from a designer who helped generate 14.8 million conversions using Unbounce. Inside, you’ll get: 5 high-performing landing page designs from SaaS, education, and entertainment industries Conversion-driven tactics you can apply to your own campaigns Smart tips for building faster, designing for mobile, and increasing results without reinventing the wheel Whether you’re designing in-house or outsourcing to your creative team, this guide delivers repeatable tactics you can put to work right away—whether you’re working in-house or across multiple clients. Get it here. View the full article

Migrating from Asana to ClickUp? Maybe you have two teams working in separate tools and you need to bring specific project information from one to the other? Let’s explore two methods for doing this. First method: using ClickUp’s built-in importer ClickUp has a built-in importing tool that can be used to pull tasks from Asana to your ClickUp lists. With this method, you’ll usually be able to kickstart your import within 10 minutes, and the full importing process can take up to a few hours. The exact time it takes to do this will vary, depending on how much data you’re importing. Here’s how this method works. Step 1: Prepare your ClickUp workspace Before you start importing your Asana data into ClickUp, you need to make sure your ClickUp workspace is properly set up. That means you need to create ClickUp lists to match the Asana projects you’re importing data from. You might also want to create ClickUp spaces to group up the lists you’ll be importing data into. Step 2: Prepare your Asana tasks Now that you’ve set things up on the ClickUp side, it’s time to do the same in Asana. Here’s what you’ll need to do: Make sure all Asana tasks are in a project. Freestanding tasks can’t be imported with this method. Move nested subtasks (i.e. subtasks within subtasks) to parent tasks, otherwise they won’t be imported. Add notes to tasks that need to be in multiple projects so you can manually add them to relevant projects in ClickUp. Add notes to any recurring tasks so you can add recurring due dates after they’re imported. Add notes to private tasks so they can be made private once imported in ClickUp. Step 3: Start the import After preparing everything for your impending transfer, go kickstart the import in ClickUp: Click on your Workspace avatar and click Settings. Click Import/Export. Click Asana. In Asana, give ClickUp authorization to import your tasks. Choose the Asana workspace you want to import data from. Choose the projects and tasks you want to import. Map Asana sections with ClickUp statuses or lists. Map Asana users to ClickUp users. Customize your import, choosing if custom fields will be imported, milestones will be imported as tasks, and more. Limitations of this method One advantage of this method? It’s built right into ClickUp and it’s available with all ClickUp plans. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best option for every organization. Here’s why: Lots of manual work involved: Not only does the import itself need to be triggered manually, but you need to manually prepare Asana tasks before they’re imported. You’ll also need to structure your ClickUp workspace to match the structure in Asana. Cleanup work needed: Even if you carefully prepare both Asana and ClickUp for your imports, you’ll have to dedicate time to cleaning up your ClickUp workspace. That includes setting up recurring tasks or adding @ mentions manually. No updates: Once you trigger your import and move your data over, that’s it. There’s no built-in way to handle updates after your migration date. Any additional work happening in Asana has to be manually exported to ClickUp. Limited tool support: This method is great for importing data from Asana and a few other tools into ClickUp, like Jira, Notion, Slack, and Wrike. But with only 12 tools supported, you’ll need other integration options for the rest of your stack. So how about trying a different method? Second method: using Unito’s Asana-ClickUp integration Unito is an integration platform with native 2-way syncing for some of the most powerful SaaS tools on the market, like ClickUp, Asana, Jira, ServiceNow, and Wrike. Its no-code interface makes it easy to build your first flow without sacrificing the depth and functionality you need. Here’s why Unito is the best way to import Asana data into ClickUp: No manual work: Most Unito users set up their first flow in 12 minutes or less. From there, everything is imported automatically. No cleanup: Unito automatically maps fields in Asana to ClickUp and syncs subtasks without any extra work on your part. Automated updates: Once your Unito flow is set up, it will automatically update ClickUp tasks based on work happening in Asana, allowing you to migrate at your pace. More tool support: Unito supports over 60 tools, meaning it’s your one-stop-shop for importing data from any tool in your stack. Want to see Unito’s integrations in action? Watch this video tutorial, where a Unito product expert integrates ClickUp and monday.com. Here’s a step-by-step guide to connecting Asana and ClickUp for your import. Step 1: Connect your tools Unito’s flow builder allows you to connect more than 60 tools, including Asana, ClickUp, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. First, connect your tools. In this case, you’ll be connecting an Asana project to a ClickUp list. Step 2: Pick flow direction This one-way flow will automatically create new ClickUp tasks to match tasks in Asana, allowing you to automatically import tasks as you work. Flow direction determines where Unito creates new work items. In most flows, you’ll want a 2-way flow, but if you’re just importing data from Asana to ClickUp (or doing a full migration), then you’ll want a 1-way flow, here. Step 3: Build rules Unito’s rules allow you to filter out Asana tasks you don’t want to import to ClickUp, as well as automatically placing them in the right lists. If you don’t want your entire Asana projects to be imported into ClickUp, you can use Unito rules to filter out Asana tasks that meet certain characteristics, like having a specific label or assignee. Step 4: Map your fields Field mappings connect Asana projects and ClickUp lists so your data always ends up in the right place. You can set up field mappings for 2-way updates, even in a one-way flow. Unito supports most fields, including custom fields, so you don’t lose any data. You can have Unito map these automatically or fine-tune them yourself. And that’s it! Your flow’s ready to launch. All Asana data will be imported into ClickUp and kept up to date automatically as you transition from one tool to the other. Ready to see what Unito can do? Meet with our team to start your migration. Book a demo View the full article

Verizon Business has introduced Verizon Business Assistant, a generative AI-powered text messaging solution designed to help small businesses automate customer interactions. This tool provides instant responses to frequently asked questions, learns from interactions, and connects customers to live employees when needed. AI-Powered Customer Support Verizon Business Assistant enables small businesses to enhance customer engagement by automating responses via text messaging 24/7. According to Verizon Business, this tool helps businesses save time, serve more customers efficiently, and gain valuable insights into customer needs and preferences. “Small business owners are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities, and want to use technology to improve operations and better connect with their customers,” said Iris Meijer, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, Verizon Business. “Yet access to that technology and AI tools that work for small businesses can be a challenge, which is where we want to help champion them. Verizon Business Assistant is one example of a solution we’re rolling out to support small business owners. It also addresses an increasing customer demand – particularly from younger generations – for easy digital tools to communicate with businesses on simple matters. This allows small business owners to focus on growing their business while ensuring their customers feel valued and connected to the business.” Key Features and Benefits Verizon Business highlights several features of the AI-powered assistant, including: Automated Responses: Provides immediate answers to customer inquiries, reducing the need for manual responses. Live Team Member Handoff: Transfers complex inquiries to a live employee when necessary. Continuous Learning: Builds a knowledge base over time to improve response accuracy. Text Messaging (SMS/MMS): Uses a familiar communication channel to enhance customer engagement. Insights Dashboard: Provides business owners with data on customer interactions and trends. Easy Setup and Customization: Integrates with existing Verizon mobile devices without requiring additional hardware or software. Business owners can customize responses and training to fit their specific needs. Enhancing Small Business Operations Verizon Business notes that the launch of Business Assistant comes as small businesses seek technology solutions to streamline operations and better serve customers. The company references findings from its fifth Annual State of Small Business Report, which indicates that small business owners are increasingly looking for ways to improve efficiency and connect with customers through digital tools. With Verizon Business Assistant, small businesses now have access to AI technology typically leveraged by larger enterprises. By automating routine interactions, the solution allows business owners and employees to focus on higher-value tasks while ensuring customers receive prompt and accurate responses. Verizon Business Assistant is now available and easily deployable for small business owners looking to enhance customer service through AI-driven automation. This article, "Verizon Business Launches GenAI Assistant for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Verizon Business has introduced Verizon Business Assistant, a generative AI-powered text messaging solution designed to help small businesses automate customer interactions. This tool provides instant responses to frequently asked questions, learns from interactions, and connects customers to live employees when needed. AI-Powered Customer Support Verizon Business Assistant enables small businesses to enhance customer engagement by automating responses via text messaging 24/7. According to Verizon Business, this tool helps businesses save time, serve more customers efficiently, and gain valuable insights into customer needs and preferences. “Small business owners are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities, and want to use technology to improve operations and better connect with their customers,” said Iris Meijer, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, Verizon Business. “Yet access to that technology and AI tools that work for small businesses can be a challenge, which is where we want to help champion them. Verizon Business Assistant is one example of a solution we’re rolling out to support small business owners. It also addresses an increasing customer demand – particularly from younger generations – for easy digital tools to communicate with businesses on simple matters. This allows small business owners to focus on growing their business while ensuring their customers feel valued and connected to the business.” Key Features and Benefits Verizon Business highlights several features of the AI-powered assistant, including: Automated Responses: Provides immediate answers to customer inquiries, reducing the need for manual responses. Live Team Member Handoff: Transfers complex inquiries to a live employee when necessary. Continuous Learning: Builds a knowledge base over time to improve response accuracy. Text Messaging (SMS/MMS): Uses a familiar communication channel to enhance customer engagement. Insights Dashboard: Provides business owners with data on customer interactions and trends. Easy Setup and Customization: Integrates with existing Verizon mobile devices without requiring additional hardware or software. Business owners can customize responses and training to fit their specific needs. Enhancing Small Business Operations Verizon Business notes that the launch of Business Assistant comes as small businesses seek technology solutions to streamline operations and better serve customers. The company references findings from its fifth Annual State of Small Business Report, which indicates that small business owners are increasingly looking for ways to improve efficiency and connect with customers through digital tools. With Verizon Business Assistant, small businesses now have access to AI technology typically leveraged by larger enterprises. By automating routine interactions, the solution allows business owners and employees to focus on higher-value tasks while ensuring customers receive prompt and accurate responses. Verizon Business Assistant is now available and easily deployable for small business owners looking to enhance customer service through AI-driven automation. This article, "Verizon Business Launches GenAI Assistant for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

UK, France, Germany and Nordics among countries engaged in informal discussions over a managed transferView the full article

Max's April slate includes anticipated new seasons of several original series. First up is the fourth installment of Max Original comedy Hacks starring Jean Smart as an aging comedian and Hannah Einbinder as her young writer trying to get their late night show up and running. Two episodes will premiere on April 10, with additional episodes dropping weekly until the season finale on May 29. Next is the sophomore season of HBO Original post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us (April 13), based on the video game franchise of the same name. This season picks up five years after the events of the season one—Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will return as Joel and Ellie, with Kaitlyn Dever appearing as Abby. New episodes of the Primetime Emmy-winning show will be released weekly, also streaming in American Sign Language (ASL). On the film side, Max will be streaming A24's Y2K (April 4), a disaster comedy set on New Year's Eve 1999, and Babygirl (April 25), the thriller starring Nicole Kidman as a CEO having an affair with her intern (played by Harris Dickinson). Max subscribers will also get a variety of live sports, including NHL and NBA regular season and playoff games as well as early season MLB matchups. Here's everything else coming to Max in April. What’s coming to Max in April 2025Available April 1A Kind of Murder (2016) A Stolen Life (1946) Aftersun (2022) All I See Is You (2017) Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011) April in Paris (1952) Bad Santa (2003) Bad Santa 2 (2016) Black Death (2010) Brittany Murphy: An ID Mystery (ID) Chopped After Hours, Seasons 1-3 (Food Network) Chopped Junior, Food Network, Seasons 6 & 7 (Food Network) Chopped Next Gen, Season 1 (Food Network) Deception (1946) Doubling Down with the Derricos, Seasons 1-3 (TLC) Drinking Buddies (2013) Edge of the City (1957) Expedition Unknown, Season 1 (Discovery) Friday (1995) Friday After Next (2002) Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail, Season 2 (Discovery) House Hunters Ho Ho Home, Season 1 (HGTV) House Hunters Renovation, Season 10 (HGTV) I'll See You in My Dreams (1952) In This Our Life (1942) It's Love I'm After (1937) Jezebel (1938) Jimmy the Gent (1934) Juarez (1939) June Bride (1948) Kid Galahad (1937) Land of the Lost (2009) Little Men (2016) Logan (2017) Lucky Me (1954) Lullaby of Broadway (1951) Marked Woman (1937) Moonshiners: American Spirit (Discovery) Moonshiners: Master Distiller, Season 3 (Discovery) Moonshiners: Whiskey Business, Season 1 (Discovery) Mr. Nobody (2011) Mr. Nobody: Extended Director's Cut (2011) Mr. Skeffington (1944) My Big Fat Fabulous Life, Seasons 6 - 9 (TLC) My Dream is Yours (1949) My Golden Days (2016) Naked and Afraid, Season 14 (Discovery) Next Friday (2000) Nobody Walks (2012) Now, Voyager (1942) Old Acquaintance (1943) On Moonlight Bay (1951) Panama Hattie (1942) Parachute Jumper (1933) Payment on Demand (1951) Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) Romance on the High Seas (1948) Satan Met a Lady (1936) Severance (2007) Sixteen Candles (1984) Special Agent (1935) Stampede (1949) Station West (1948) Storm Warning (1951) Suspicion (1941) Tea for Two (1950) That Certain Woman (1937) The Biggest Little Farm (2019) The Double (2014) The Old Maid (1939) The Prince (2014) The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) The Star (1952) The Terminator (1984) The Tree of Life (2011) The West Point Story (1950) The Wild North (1952) The Working Man (1933) Three on a Match (1932) Winter Meeting (1948) Young Man with a Horn (1950) Available April 2Bateau Mouche: Sinking Justice, Season 1 (discovery+) Ride of Your Life with Courtney Hansen, Season 2 (discovery+) Available April 3Fix My Frankenhouse, Season 2 (HGTV) HOP, Season 1C (Max Original) Available April 4Y2K (A24) Available April 5HGTV Smart Home 2025 (HGTV) Available April 6Iyanu, Season 1A (Cartoon Network) Lazarus, Season 1 (Adult Swim) Available April 72073 (2024) Barney's World, Season 1C Available April 890 Day Diaries, Season 6 (TLC) Available April 9All Access PD: Grand Rapids, Season 1 (ID) Available April 10Gremlins: The Wild Batch, Season 2B (Max Original) Hacks, Season 4 (Max Original) Available April 13The Last of Us, Season 2 (HBO Original) Available April 15Rock The Block, Season 6 (HGTV) Available April 16100 Day Dream Home, Season 6 (HGTV) Fist Fight (2017) Available April 17Cookie Monster's Bake Sale: Block Party (Max Original) Ghost Adventures, Season 29 (Discovery) Available April 18Lu & The Bally Bunch, Season 1B (Cartoon Network) Available April 19Bugs Bunny Builders, Season 2D (Cartoon Network) Impractical Jokers, Season 11B (truTV) Outback Opal Hunters, Season 7 (Discovery) Sal Vulcano: Terrified Available April 20The Rehearsal, Season 2 (HBO Original) Available April 21Yellowstone Wardens, Season 6 (Animal Planet) Available April 22Love It or List It, Season 20 (HGTV) Planet Earth III, Season 3 (discovery +) Available April 24Life of the Party (2018) Available April 25Babygirl (A24) Available April 2824 in 24: Last Chef Standing, Season 2 (Food Network) Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks, Season 2 (ID) Filthy Fortunes, Season 1 (Discovery) Available April 29Contraband: Seized at the Border, Season 6 (Discovery) Available April 30Castle Impossible, Season 1 (HGTV) Polyfamily, Season 1 (TLC) Twitter: Breaking the Bird, Season 1 (CNN) View the full article

Kind Lending has big plans to grow its retail channel and is signaling this by putting industry veteran Tammy Richards in charge of the operations. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. I love cookbooks that combine comfort food with a smattering of unfamiliar recipes that make me think, “Ooh, I wonder what that's like.” This mingling of brand-new dishes with ones that stir a bit of nostalgia is usually a hit for me. This week, I chose Salt, Sugar, MSG to feature for my cookbook of the week. Not only does it tick those boxes above for this Asian-American kid, but this book is also a reliable resource for those dinners when you're in the mood for a little bit of everything. About the bookSalt, Sugar, MSG is hot off the presses—it was published on March 18—and comes from chef Calvin Eng along with Phoebe Melnick. It may be Eng’s cookbook debut, but if you’ve ever tried his food at Win Son or Bonnie’s, you know that he is no flash-in-the-pan recipe developer. He’s been charming New Yorkers with interesting and bold flavors for some time—and there are many great examples of exactly that in Salt, Sugar, MSG. As you might guess from the title, this cookbook is not MSG-free. Quite the opposite actually: You’ll find MSG popping up here, there, and in unexpected places—kind of like how MSG and other glutamates naturally pop up in a lot of our food. Eng uses MSG like any other seasoning in this cookbook, because that’s exactly what it is: A cheap, easy, and harmless solution to boosting umami in your dishes, like Fuyu Cacio e Pepe Mein and MSG Caramel. Not only does the actual food benefit from the addition of monosodium glutamate, but I appreciate him using MSG in the title. It normalizes an ingredient and an entire community that once heavily suffered from the complete bullshit toxic myth of “Chinese restaurant syndrome.” Chef Eng has even teamed up with Ajinomoto to help dispel the myths surrounding MSG. If you’re just stretching your MSG wings, this cookbook offers plenty of opportunities for you to start getting your reps in. A great cookbook for mix-and-match pairingsThroughout the book, in the headnotes and in chapter introductions, you’ll read anecdotes from Calvin Eng’s childhood and his current shopping habits in Chinatown. His stories about the smell of warm soy milk and shopping for vegetables reminded me of grocery shopping with my mom at our local Asian market in New Jersey. One of my favorite parts of that shopping trip was (and still is) the fresh bakery section. Everything in that area of the store had been freshly made that morning, and we’d pick up a little bit of everything. We’d grab congee, pork buns, soy milk, hot noodle dishes, vegetable stir fries, and armfuls of scallion pork floss buns. At home, my mom would unpack everything and we’d all snack and basically chow down on this kitchen table banquet. Salt, Sugar, MSG welcomes this mix-and-match style of eating. Many of the dishes in this book are satisfying as single snacks or parts of a greater meal. Somehow, they all seem like they’d pair well with each other. If you picked three recipes out of this book blindfolded, you’d likely have a well matched meal. To test that theory, I just did exactly that and here’s the menu I came up with: the Lemon Cola Chicken Wings, Perfect Pot of Steamed Rice, and Shrimp and Pork Wonton Soup. See? You need some vegetables? Same technique in the vegetable chapter—Hot Salad (romaine lettuce with a sweet and salty soy sauce dressing). Done. While other cookbooks might give you a single recipe that includes the meat, veg, and carbs all together, Salt, Sugar, MSG gives you space to formulate the perfect meal for what you’re craving. This style of eating reflects how you might order at a dim sum restaurant or banquet hall—a plate of greens, a dish of steamed prawns or roast pork, steamed egg custard, and some rice. It’s actually a great cookbook for small appetites (just make a few plates for snacking) as well as for big family meals. The dish I made this week Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann I did my own version of mix and match for lunch this week with the Piggies in Scallion Milk Bread Blankets and Yeun Yeung (milk tea with coffee). I don’t much care for the average American hot dog on a bun, but dammit, if you change that bun to milk bread and add scallions, it’s a whole different ball game for me. The milk tea recipe, as simple as it is, was the first thing I decided on. It asks for orange pekoe tea, so I grabbed the Twinings Ceylon at my Shoprite and set up my boiling water, evaporated milk, and condensed milk. I was a little nervous that it would be too sweet (sometimes Thai iced tea overwhelms me) but it was perfectly creamy and sweet with a welcome bitter edge. I saved the rest for the morning so I could make the Bonus Recipe Yuen Yeung, which is just the addition of black coffee. The piggies were fantastic. I should have made all 12 like the recipe told me, but I turned the other half of the bread dough into a large milk bread loaf. (I was such a fool.) The milk bread recipe starts with a simple tangzhong (roux) which helps keep the bread dough soft and spongy. The sugar, egg, and butter enrich the dough and give the finished bun that perfect balance of richness along with the salt and umami from the hot dogs. Scallion hot dog buns and milk tea coffee—my new favorite lunch. Where to buy itSalt, Sugar, MSG is available as a hardcover, or as an e-book for a reasonable price. Since it’s brand new, you will definitely be seeing this one at the big box book shops and likely even at the local independent bookstores. Even if you don’t see it on their shelves, ask to see if they can order it to their location. Salt Sugar MSG: Recipes and Stories from a Cantonese American Home $14.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $14.99 at Amazon View the full article

In December Google added 24-hour data to the Search Performance report in Google Search Console. Now, that data will soon be available in the Search Console API, and you get not just the past 24-hours of that 24-hour data, you can get the hourly data for the past 8 days. Announcement. This was announced by Daniel Waisberg, from the Google Search team, at the Google Search Central Live event in New York City just a minute ago. 24-hour data. When Google announced this originally, Google said this “view includes data from the last available 24 hours and will appear with a delay of only a few hours.” Google added: “The ’24 hours’ view includes hourly granularity in an overtime graph, which is available in all 3 performance reports: Search results, Discover, and Google News. To show you data as soon as possible, Search Console will show data points as soon as we have any data on them, even if we haven’t completed collecting all the data for these points. We will indicate this in the UI using a dotted line.” Export. Google added the ability to export the data in a few file formats back in January. But now you also can access the data via the API, so you can get more real-time data to your internal tools or third-party SEO tools. Why we care. Being able to access this data outside of the web interface in Google Search Console can be super helpful when trying to debug and discover new insights. Having API access lets you program your own reporting and dashboards to see this data, in almost real time, from Google Search Console. That being said, the more recent data is not always the final data that Google shows, so reviewing the data again may be important, depending on what reports you are trying to generate. Keep an eye on this data, validate it against the other exports, and see how you can use it to improve your site and content over time. View the full article

At NVIDIA’s developer conference on Thursday, a large group of energy companies—along with a few technology companies—announced plans to collaborate on building AI models and apps aimed at improving the generation and distribution of electric power. The initiative, called the Open Power AI Consortium, is organized by the Palo Alto-based Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Founding members include Nvidia, Microsoft, AWS, and Oracle. Notably absent from the group are all of the leading developers of frontier AI models such as Anthropic, Google, or OpenAI. “This is about getting the right data, and getting it clean, so that it can be used for AI,” Jeremy Renshaw, who leads the consortium at EPRI, tells Fast Company. Renshaw says energy companies have mountains of data, but organizing it in a way that AI models can process is key. But already, over two dozen regional power companies in the U.S. have signed on, including Con Edison, Duke Energy, New York Power Authority, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Westinghouse Electric Company. EPRI President and CEO Arshad Mansoor said in a statement that the consortium will create an AI model, datasets, and apps to “enhance grid reliability, optimize asset performance, and enable more efficient energy management.” It will also foster a collaborative environment where utilities, startups, academics, and national labs can work together to address power sector challenges using AI. The consortium doesn’t include representatives from government agencies, but Renshaw said he’d like to see their inclusion. “We intend to include anyone involved in the making and moving of electricity,” he says. “Government is important because they do the permitting, licensing, and they provide regulations.” The announcement comes amid growing concern in the tech sector over the strain that AI workloads can place on data centers. (Google even pledged last year to buy energy from small modular reactors developed by Kairos Power to support its growing AI ambitions.) Axios climate reporter Alex Freedman notes that the power demands of the so-called AI boom have become a top priority for energy company CEOs in the U.S. Freedman highlights an ongoing debate within that sector over whether the power demands of AI will prolong the use of fossil fuels. Should that prove to be the case, AI could further push back constructive work toward climate goals. View the full article

It’s World Happiness Day, otherwise known as International Day of Happiness, but if you’re not feeling the love, you’re not alone. Many Americans aren’t that happy, according to the World Happiness Report 2025, which ranks happiness across nations. In fact, America doesn’t even make the top 10 or top 20 happiest countries in the world, and instead now sits at No. 24—earning its lowest ranking yet. (Spoiler alert: Finland once again is the happiest.) The report, which asked people from 140 countries to evaluate their life, looked at six major factors to predict happiness: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Each person ranked their own happiness over the last three years from 2022 to 2024. While all those factors are important, the key to happiness is often attributed to Harvard University’s landmark 85-year Study of Adult Development, which discovered that close relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness throughout our lives. The young and the hopeless Perhaps one reason for America’s plummeting levels of happiness can be understood through the eyes of Gen Z, who are currently experiencing an epidemic of loneliness and isolation (as are many Americans, but not to the same extent). The report found young people worldwide were increasingly lonely, with 19% reporting in 2023 that they have no one to count on for social support, a 39% increase from 2006. “The decline in the U.S. in 2024 was at least partly attributable to Americans younger than age 30 feeling worse about their lives,” Ilana Ron-Levey, managing director at Gallup, part of the World Happiness Report 2025, told CNN. “Today’s young people report feeling less supported by friends and family, less free to make life choices and less optimistic about their living standards.” It also found that in the United States and parts of Europe, lower levels of both happiness and trust have greatly contributed to more polarization along political lines. The silver lining? One positive finding was that people often underestimate other people’s kindness; that is to say, people are often kinder than we think, and doing nice things for others, actually makes you happier. What are the world’s happiness countries? Here are the world’s 20 happiest countries in 2025. Finland Denmark Iceland Sweden Netherlands Costa Rica Norway Israel Luxembourg Mexico Australia New Zealand Switzerland Belgium Ireland Lithuania Austria Canada Slovenia Czech Republic The five countries where people were most unhappy? Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe, in that order. The report is the result of a partnership between Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and an editorial board. View the full article

Under cover of night, a group of TikTokers known as the Cybertruck Hunters roam the streets, hunting Tesla Cybertrucks in the wild. When they spot one, they pull up behind it and project anti-Elon Musk and anti-Cybertruck messages directly onto its tailgate. The unsuspecting driver? Completely oblivious. The Cybertruck Hunters account popped up on TikTok just a month ago, but it’s already gone viral with a string of slick videos showing their antics. In some clips, they’re seen chasing down Cybertrucks in a black Lamborghini Aventador, the driver masked as Jack Skellington (the protagonist in The Nightmare Before Christmas). Turns out, the Cybertruck’s stainless-steel tailgate is an ideal projection screen. The messages appear razor-sharp—almost like the truck is broadcasting them itself. “Me just now realizing you are projecting this onto a stranger’s truck from behind,” one viewer commented. The messages? Anything but subtle. “Musk, this truck really is like you…tons of hype,” one reads. “Don’t think of this as a truck…think of it as a small penis enlarger,” says another. Naturally, the videos have sparked plenty of reactions, with one video racking up some five million views. “The word I’m looking for is HERO,” one commenter wrote. “I love people who have extra time. The pettiness is top tier,” added another. Unfortunately for Cybertruck owners, the public trolling isn’t their only problem. Tesla is recalling 46,096 Cybertrucks in the U.S.—essentially every unit built before February—due to an exterior panel that can detach while driving. While Tesla hasn’t released official Cybertruck delivery figures, analysts say the recall likely affects most of the trucks currently on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the stainless-steel trim poses a potential road hazard. Tesla will replace the faulty panel at no cost, but it won’t protect owners from the glowing taunts of the Cybertruck Hunters. View the full article

Academic researchers use a research plan for their thesis, dissertation or grant-funded studies. However, businesses and corporations also use a research plan for market research and product development. Even government agencies, policymakers and nonprofits use it. But what exactly is a research plan, what goes into it and why is it so important that organizations take the time and effort to conduct one? We’ll answer these questions and outline an example to show how it works in a real-life scenario. Finally, readers can download a free research plan template to help them get started. /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Research-plan-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free Research Plan Template Use this free Research Plan Template for Word to manage your projects better. Download Word File What Is a Research Plan? A research plan is a detailed framework that outlines the objectives, methodology, timeline and resources required for a research project. It serves as a roadmap for researchers, ensuring the study remains focused, organized and aligned with its goals. A well-structured research plan helps secure funding, gain approvals and effectively manage the research process. A research plan is crucial for guiding a study from concept to completion. Outlining objectives, methodology, resources and risks ensures a structured, efficient and impactful research process. Whether for academic, business or policy research, a well-crafted research plan increases the chances of success and meaningful contributions. If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Research planning is no different than creating a project plan, with its timeline, budget and resources. Therefore, anyone involved in creating a research plan will benefit from using the same tools that project managers and project teams use to plan, manage and track their work. In other words, project management software. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple project views to plan the research and allow teams to execute their tasks with the right tools for their jobs. That starts with scheduling tasks, resources and costs on a Gantt chart that can also link dependent tasks to avoid costly delays. It also filters for the critical path to identify essential tasks and slack and sets a baseline to track progress in real time. That research plan created on the Gantt chart is shared across multiple project views. Research teams can use kanbans to visualize their workflow, manage their backlog and collaborate. There are also task lists that prioritize work and allow for comments and attachments, just as on all project views. Stakeholders can get an overview of the project by using the calendar view. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgProjectManager’s Gantt charts schedule research plans. Learn more What Should Be Included in a Research Plan for a Project? A research plan is a structured document that outlines the key elements of a research project, ensuring clarity, organization and feasibility. It helps define the research goals, methodology, resources and timeline while addressing potential challenges. Below are the essential components of a research plan. Research Project Background & Justification This section provides context for the research, explaining why the study is necessary. An overview of the problem or opportunity being investigated A review of existing literature or previous studies Justification for conducting the research, including its significance and potential impact Research Questions and Objectives Clearly defining the research questions and objectives helps maintain focus. The primary and secondary questions the study aims to answer Specific, measurable objectives that outline what the research intends to achieve Key Stakeholders Identifying stakeholders ensures the research aligns with their needs and expectations. Who the key stakeholders are (e.g., sponsors, research participants, government agencies, business leaders) How stakeholders will be engaged throughout the research process Expected Outcomes This section describes the anticipated results of the research and their implications. How the findings will contribute to existing knowledge or practical applications Potential recommendations or actions based on the research results Research Methodology The methodology outlines how the research will be conducted. The research design (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods) Data collection methods (surveys, interviews, experiments, observations, etc.) Data analysis techniques and tools Research Project Scope Defining the scope prevents scope creep and ensures efficiency. The specific topics, areas or subjects covered in the research Any exclusions or limitations to keep the project focused Assumptions and Constraints Every research project operates under certain assumptions and constraints. Key assumptions that must hold true for the research to be valid Constraints such as budget limits, time restrictions and data availability Timeline A structured timeline helps keep the research on track. The key phases of the research, from planning to final reporting Milestones and deadlines for data collection, analysis and publication Resource Requirements This section identifies the resources necessary to complete the research. Personnel (researchers, data analysts, field assistants) Equipment, software and data access requirements Estimated Costs A budget breakdown ensures financial feasibility and funding allocation. Estimated costs for personnel, materials, software and travel Potential funding sources or sponsorships By incorporating these key elements, a research plan provides a clear roadmap, ensuring a well-organized and successful research project. Benefits of Writing a Research Plan for a Project A well-structured research plan provides clarity, direction and alignment for a research project. It ensures that all aspects of the study are carefully planned and effectively managed, leading to successful execution. Helps Manage Stakeholders’ Expectations A research plan clearly defines the project’s objectives, scope and expected outcomes, ensuring stakeholders understand what to expect. It aligns stakeholder interests by outlining their roles and responsibilities, preventing misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations. Setting clear deliverables helps maintain transparency throughout the research process. Ensures Project Strategic Alignment Aligning research with an organization’s goals and priorities ensures its relevance and long-term impact. A well-crafted plan demonstrates how the research supports decision-making and contributes to organizational growth. It also helps justify the project’s importance within a broader strategic framework. Allows Organizations to Validate the Feasibility of a Research Project A research plan helps assess whether the project is achievable within the available time, budget and resources. It identifies potential risks and constraints early, allowing for better planning and mitigation strategies. Additionally, a structured plan strengthens funding and approval decisions by demonstrating the project’s viability. By creating a research plan, organizations can ensure a smooth process, align efforts with strategic objectives and maximize the impact of their research. Research Plan Template For those who want to have the research plan already outlined, all they have to do is fill in the details in this free research plan template for Word. It helps researchers organize their thoughts and methods while ensuring nothing is overlooked in the process. /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Research-plan-template.png Using this free template allows for better time management, allowing for the planning of a timeline and the setting of realistic deadlines for each research stage. This will help keep the project on track. Project Research Plan Example To better understand what a project research plan looks like, let’s review a research plan example. Imagine a car manufacturer that’s developing a solid-state battery that aims to outperform current electric vehicle batteries. Research Project Background & Justification The rapid evolution of battery storage technology has created opportunities to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability in consumer electronics. This research project focuses on developing a next-generation solid-state battery with higher energy density, improved safety and faster charging capabilities compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. The project aims to address challenges in material stability, production scalability and cost-effectiveness, ensuring feasibility for commercial applications. Research Questions and Objectives Research Questions What materials offer the highest energy density and stability for solid-state batteries? How can manufacturing processes be optimized to reduce production costs? What design modifications enhance battery lifespan and safety? Research Objectives Identify and test promising electrolyte materials for high efficiency. Develop a scalable production method while maintaining performance standards. Assess battery performance under real-world conditions for safety and reliability. Expected Outcomes A working prototype of a solid-state battery with improved performance metrics. A technical feasibility report outlining best materials and manufacturing techniques. A cost-benefit analysis to determine commercial viability. Identification of potential partnerships with manufacturers for scale-up. Research Methodology Literature Review: Analysis of existing battery technologies and material studies. Material Experimentation: Testing different solid electrolytes in laboratory conditions. Prototype Development: Designing and assembling a small-scale battery model. Performance Testing: Evaluating charge cycles, efficiency and thermal stability. Industry Benchmarking: Comparing results with current lithium-ion and other solid-state batteries. Research Project Scope In-Scope: Material research, prototype development, cost analysis, safety testing. Out-of-Scope: Full-scale production, market deployment strategies. Assumptions and Constraints Assumptions Emerging materials will be available for testing. The research will yield a commercially viable prototype within the given timeframe. Constraints Budget limitations for advanced material acquisition. Dependency on external suppliers for key components. Compliance with evolving safety regulations. Timeline Phase 1: Literature Review & Material Selection, 3 Months Phase 2: Lab Testing & Prototype Development, 6 Months Phase 3: Performance Testing & Refinement, 4 Months Phase 4: Final Report & Business Feasibility Analysis, 2 Months Resource Requirements Human Resources: Research scientists, material engineers, testing specialists Equipment: Lab-scale battery fabrication tools, testing chambers Software: Simulation software for material performance analysis External Support: Academic partnerships, supplier collaboration Estimated Costs Materials & Supplies: $250,000 Equipment & Software: $150,000 Personnel: $400,000 Testing & Compliance: $100,000 Contingency: $50,000 Total: $950,000 This research plan serves as a structured guide to drive the successful execution of the solid-state battery R&D project while ensuring technical feasibility and commercial potential. How ProjectManager Helps With Research Projects It’s clear that a research plan is no different than the planning stage in project management. Therefore, project management software is going to improve the likelihood of success over using a static template. That’s because templates might organize the research planning, but then it’s stuck in an isolated document. Project managers can’t assign tasks and track progress and teams can’t execute their tasks from a Word document. More efficient is to create that plan on ProjectManager’s award-winning Gantt charts and allow teams to choose the tools they want to use to do their work. Robust Resource Management Keeps Teams Productive Once human and nonhuman resources are scheduled on the Gantt, teams can be onboarded and assigned tasks. But first, set their availability to streamline the process. Then, get an overview of resource allocation on the color-coded workload chart. It makes it easy to see who is overallocated or underutilized. Then, balance the team’s workload without having to leave the chart. This keeps teams working at capacity without threatening burnout. For a daily or weekly summary of team activity, check out the team page. It can be filtered by priority or progress, and tasks updated right from that page. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Track Progress and More Real-Time Dashboards and Reports There are other ways to monitor resources and other aspects of the project. For a high-level overview of the project’s key metrics, toggle to the real-time project or portfolio dashboard. It requires no set up, and starts automatically collecting live data that’s displayed on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more. Customizable reports get deeper into the details of project and portfolio status, as well as workload, timesheets and variance. All reports can be quickly generated and filtered to focus on key data points or summarize progress to share with stakeholders. Secure timesheets help with payroll, but also provide a window into labor costs to keep on budget. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg Related Content If a research plan is just the first step to managing a project, then there is surely much to learn about the various aspects of project planning. Below are some links to recent articles that we’ve published on how to write a business case, execute a plan successfully and more. What Is a Work Plan? How to Make a Work Plan In 7 Steps How to Write a Business Case (Template Included) Modern Challenges of R&D Teams in Manufacturing What Is an Implementation Plan? How to Execute a Plan Successfully ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post How to Write a Research Plan for a Project appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

If you’ve been on Google or virtually any social media website over the last few days, you might have seen stories about Amazon layoffs making the rounds. And if you were curious enough to click through to any of those stories, you might have discovered that Amazon is supposedly planning to lay off 14,000 managers by the end of this quarter—a stunning figure, even for a company as big as Amazon. But that figure is untrue. Not only that, it seems to have been essentially conjured up out of nowhere, before being picked up by a stream of headlines on Google News, viral Reddit threads, and would-be LinkedIn influencers dissecting it as if it were fact. In reality, what’s happening is less a story about an e-commerce giant flattening its management structure, and more a cautionary tale about how quickly and indiscriminately false news can spread in our current media environment. What did Amazon announce? The first thing to know is that Amazon did not announce 14,000 layoffs, nor did it say it wanted to trim its manager ranks by that number. “This claim is false and based on inaccurate assumptions,” Amazon spokesman Brad Glasser told Fast Company. “In September 2024, we shared with employees that we set a goal to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers by 15% across our organizations because it was the right time to bring us closer to customers and reinforce our culture of ownership. There are a number of ways to achieve that increase without eliminating roles. We’ve now reached that goal, which we believe will allow our teams to move even faster as they innovate for customers.” The contributor-to-manager plan referenced in Glasser’s statement was no secret. It was the subject of a memo from CEO Andy Jassy, which was shared publicly on Amazon’s website months ago. In it, Jassy said the plan would “remove layers and flatten organizations more than they are today.” Although that definitely sounds like Amazon was looking to have fewer managers, nowhere does Jassy say anything about 14,000 managers. And yet that figure was reported by a large number of online news outlets—many apparently based in India—just this week. So frequent were these reports that “Amazon layoffs” became a top trending search on Google. [Screenshot: via Google] Most of these stories contained vague references to sources, or no sources at all, with some simply attributing the news to “media reports.” At the same time, many of these outlets were indexed by Google News, giving them an air of legitimacy. And so if you were to scan headlines after searching for “Amazon layoffs” on Google, you could easily come away with the idea that Amazon is laying off managers by the thousands. We’ve reached out to Google for comment about whether any of these stories violate its content guidelines for Google News. [Screenshot: via Google] Where did the 14,000 figure come from? A reverse-chronological search of recent Amazon-related headlines reveals that at least one of the earlier stories cited Business Insider as the original source of the 14,000 figure, but Business Insider never reported that. In October, BI did report on a Morgan Stanley note in which the investment bank estimated that Amazon could save as much as $3.6 billion if it eliminated roughly 13,834 manager roles. BI’s headline rounded that estimate up to 14,000, but again, the story was not about layoffs that actually happened. It was about a speculative analysis for investors performed by a third-party company. What could likely have happened is that another news outlet misinterpreted the number, applied it to actual layoffs, and ran with it. It’s unclear which outlet was the first to do this, although India’s Financial Express website appears to have published one of the earliest stories. Its article, published on Tuesday, does not include any linked sources or even a byline. (We’ve reached out to the Financial Express to clarify the sourcing for the article.) Over the next few days, other outlets followed with their own version of the Amazon layoffs story. Those stories begot more stories, all citing each other or merely reporting the figure as fact. Cue the social media influencers, who presumably saw those headlines and used them as an opportunity to snag some engagement by weighing into Amazon’s strategy. Why is this happening and why should anyone care? Figuring out what’s real and what’s fake in our current information environment is difficult enough, but social media algorithms, incentives for engagement and clicks, and a lack of quality control on the part of large platforms are all making the situation worse. It’s not a new problem. Last year, we wrote about how a string of bogus stories about $12,000 stimulus checks from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) trended on Google for several days, driven largely by websites that had repurposed old URLs. But these phenomena are not victimless. False news can create real-life harms, whether it’s raising hopes among low-income Americans that a giant stimulus check is on the way to help them pay their bills, or creating unnecessary anxiety for people who happen to work as managers at one of the biggest companies in the world. View the full article

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Usually you can blame a low-quality video stream on a bandwidth slowdown or a poor internet connection—sites like YouTube will adjust a video's resolution accordingly, so instead of a crisp HD or 4K stream, you end up with a blurry, pixelated mess. You can manually adjust the resolution to make it look better, but you'll probably run into buffering issues, since your internet can't keep up. Recently, however, something else is happening to cause YouTube video quality to tank. Users are reporting that when they start a video—whether it be a YouTube Short or a standard clip—the stream will load in very poor quality, anything from 360p all the way down to 144p. While some are able to manually adjust the stream to a higher resolution (like 1080p), others find that doing so just results in endless buffering. For many right now, it's blurry videos or nothing. This isn't isolated to a specific browser or platform, either: Users on iOS, desktop, and smart TVs have all reported experiencing the same strange quality issues. It's possible that a fraction of these users have slow internet connections, but it's virtually impossible to conclude that all of them do. In fact, there are many complaints that, despite a fast connection that powers other internet activities without issue, YouTube insists on playing videos back at an unwatchable resolution. Luckily, YouTube itself is very much aware of what's happening. In a post to its support page published on Wednesday, the company identified the problem (144p or 360p defaults that buffer endlessly when changed), specified that it is indeed affecting iOS, desktop, and smart TVs, and shared that it is working on a solution. You'll notice that there's one platform that isn't affected by these issues: Android. As of this writing, it does seem that Android phones and tablets are unaffected by these recent quality issues. It's not clear why, beyond the fact that YouTube and Android are both operated by the same company (Google), which doesn't really explain what's going on here. Is there any way to fix the YouTube streaming quality problem?At this time, there really isn't much you can do but wait for YouTube to fix the problem. You can, of course, attempt to change a video's resolution manually from the settings gear under Quality, but you may find you're stuck with blurry playback, or run into the endless buffering issue. It seems silly, but at the moment, the only real workaround is to watch YouTube on Android if possible. If you have an Android phone or tablet, use that for your YouTube needs over an iPhone, iPad, desktop computer, or smart TV. The rest of us will have to hope YouTube issues a quick fix. View the full article