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A construction traffic management plan is an essential part of any project that takes place near roads, busy intersections or active job sites. It provides the framework for safely directing vehicles, machinery and pedestrians around the work area while maintaining efficient movement and minimizing disruption. As construction traffic management becomes more complex, well-designed plans help teams coordinate logistics, reduce congestion and prevent costly safety incidents. With multiple contractors, delivery schedules and changing site conditions, managing the flow of traffic requires careful coordination. A strong construction traffic management plan brings structure to this process by establishing clear entry and exit routes, parking zones and safety barriers. It ensures that everyone on site understands how vehicles and equipment will move throughout the project, which reduces confusion and improves safety for both workers and the public. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Construction-Traffic-Management-Plan-Screenshot.png Get your free Construction Traffic Management Plan Template Use this free Construction Traffic Management Plan Template for Word to manage your projects better. Download Word File What Is Construction Traffic Management? Construction traffic management involves organizing and controlling the movement of vehicles, equipment and pedestrians in and around a construction site. It focuses on minimizing conflicts between workers, machinery and the public while maintaining safe and efficient traffic flow. Project management software improves this process by giving teams a central hub for planning deliveries, assigning access points and scheduling equipment movement. Managers can visualize site traffic layouts, communicate changes instantly and monitor compliance with safety requirements. This reduces delays and ensures that construction traffic management is consistent throughout the project’s duration. ProjectManager is ideal for this type of construction work because it combines planning, tracking and collaboration tools in one platform. Managers can create schedules with robust Gantt charts that link dependencies, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track progress in real time. They can also map traffic routes and assign responsibilities in real time. Its dashboards, multiple project views, such as task lists, help coordinate everyone involved in construction site traffic management, ensuring smooth operations and safer outcomes on even the busiest job sites. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgLearn more What Is a Construction Traffic Management Plan? A construction traffic management plan outlines how vehicles, machinery and pedestrians will safely move around or through a construction area. It typically includes diagrams, designated access routes, signage locations and delivery schedules. The plan also identifies potential hazards and sets procedures for managing congestion and emergency access. By maintaining an organized approach to vehicle and equipment movement, teams prevent confusion and reduce safety risks. A well-structured construction traffic management plan ensures consistency across contractors and keeps communication clear between field crews, site managers and external stakeholders. Why Is It Important to Make a Construction Traffic Management Plan? Developing a construction traffic management plan is essential for keeping workers, visitors and the public safe. Without proper planning, traffic congestion and accidents can occur, disrupting workflow and delaying completion. This plan ensures that all movement around the site is predictable, controlled and documented, reducing liability and maintaining compliance with local regulations. It also helps coordinate heavy equipment deliveries and waste removal schedules, which keeps projects running smoothly. A proactive approach to construction traffic management ultimately saves time, protects workers and supports a safer construction environment overall. How to Make a Construction Traffic Management Plan? Creating a construction traffic management plan requires careful attention to site logistics, safety requirements and communication across all project stakeholders. The process involves documenting every aspect of vehicle and pedestrian movement around the site while aligning with local regulations. Below are the key components that make up an effective construction traffic management plan and ensure smooth, safe operations throughout the project. 1. Project Information & Contacts This section includes basic project details such as location, scope, duration and responsible parties. It also lists key contact information for site supervisors, project managers, traffic controllers and emergency personnel. Keeping these details accessible ensures quick coordination and response in case of schedule changes or safety incidents related to construction traffic management. 2. Regulatory References & Approvals All relevant local, state and federal regulations must be outlined in this section. It includes permits, approvals and compliance requirements related to road closures, detours and safety signage. Documenting these references ensures the construction traffic management plan aligns with jurisdictional standards and prevents costly legal or operational delays during the construction process. /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-construction-ebook-banner-ad.jpg 3. Work Zone Layout & Limits This section provides diagrams or maps showing the boundaries of the work area, including where vehicles can enter, exit and park. It defines restricted zones and pedestrian pathways to maintain safety and efficiency. Accurate mapping helps teams visualize how construction site traffic management will operate day-to-day, minimizing confusion and congestion. 4. Existing Traffic Conditions Understanding current traffic patterns is crucial for developing an effective plan. This section assesses surrounding roadways, pedestrian volumes and nearby intersections to identify potential hazards or conflicts. Analyzing existing conditions allows the construction traffic management team to create strategies that reduce disruptions and maintain consistent flow around the site. 5. Construction Traffic Flow & Routing Plan This part details how vehicles and equipment will move through and around the job site. It includes designated haul routes, delivery schedules and turning points for large machinery. A well-developed routing plan supports smooth construction traffic management and ensures that materials and personnel can reach their destinations efficiently without compromising safety or productivity. 6. Pedestrian, Bicycle & ADA Accommodations This section ensures safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians, cyclists and individuals with disabilities. It outlines temporary walkways, detours and crossing points that comply with ADA standards. Proper planning of pedestrian and bicycle routes is essential to maintain public safety and accessibility during construction traffic management activities around active work zones. Related: 20 Best Construction Scheduling Software of 2025 (Free & Paid) 7. Vehicular Traffic Control & Channelization This section defines how traffic will be directed through or around the construction area. It specifies traffic control devices such as cones, barriers and flaggers to safely guide vehicles. Effective channelization prevents collisions, minimizes congestion and maintains a steady traffic flow, which is crucial to successful construction traffic management throughout the project duration. 8. Access Management Access management controls how vehicles enter and exit the construction site to maintain safety and efficiency. It identifies designated entry points for workers, deliveries and emergency services. Well-planned access management prevents bottlenecks, protects pedestrians and ensures construction site traffic management operates smoothly without disrupting nearby public roads or private properties. 9. Internal Traffic Control Plan (ITCP) The internal traffic control plan focuses on managing the movement of vehicles and equipment within the construction site itself. It defines travel lanes, loading areas and equipment zones to minimize conflicts. An organized ITCP supports safer and more efficient construction traffic management by reducing the risk of on-site accidents and workflow interruptions. Related: 10 Free Construction Plan Templates for Excel & Word 10. Signage Markings & Warnings This section specifies all traffic signs, pavement markings and warning devices used around and within the work zone. It ensures compliance with safety standards and provides clear visual cues to drivers and pedestrians. Proper signage and warnings are key elements of effective construction traffic management, promoting awareness and reducing confusion in busy environments. 11. Traffic Control Personnel Traffic control personnel play a crucial role in a construction traffic management plan. They guide vehicles and pedestrians safely through or around construction zones. Their responsibilities include setting up and maintaining barriers, directing traffic during peak hours and responding quickly to unforeseen hazards. Properly trained personnel ensure that the construction site traffic management is efficient and minimizes delays for both workers and the public. 12. Incident & Emergency Management Incident and emergency management in construction traffic management involves preparing for accidents, vehicle breakdowns and other unexpected events. A comprehensive plan includes clear protocols, communication channels and quick-response strategies to maintain safety and minimize disruption. Effective incident management protects both construction personnel and road users while keeping construction site traffic management organized and responsive during emergencies. 13. Phasing and Schedule Phasing and schedule define the sequence of construction activities and traffic control measures. By breaking projects into phases, a construction traffic management plan ensures smooth traffic flow and reduces congestion. Scheduling work to avoid peak traffic times and coordinating lane closures helps maintain safety and efficiency. Well-planned phasing supports both construction productivity and overall site traffic management. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Gantt-Light-Mode-Timeline-Focus-600x322.jpgLearn more 14. Public Information & Notifications Public information and notifications are essential components of construction traffic management. Informing the public about lane closures, detours, and schedule changes helps prevent confusion and accidents. Methods include signage, social media updates and direct communication with nearby communities. Effective communication improves compliance and enhances the safety and efficiency of construction site traffic management. Construction Traffic Management Plan Template Download this free construction traffic management plan template for Word to help project managers organize and track all aspects of construction site traffic. It includes tables for project info, work zone layout, routing, signage, personnel, incidents and public notifications. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Construction-Traffic-Management-Plan-Screenshot.png The free template is easy to update and share. Using it ensures safe, efficient traffic flow, regulatory compliance and clear communication with stakeholders throughout the project. Construction Traffic Management Plan Example This construction traffic management plan example demonstrates best practices for managing vehicle and pedestrian flow on an active work site. It ensures safety, minimizes delays and provides clear responsibilities, contacts and procedures for all stakeholders involved in construction site traffic management. 1. Project Information & Contacts Field Sample Data Project Name Vista Verde Boulevard Improvements Project Location 1450 E. Main St., Austin, TX 78702 Project Description Road widening and new utility installation along a 0.8-mile corridor Contractor GreenBuild Construction LLC Project Manager Brooklyn Miller Traffic Control Supervisor Alex Johnson, ATSSA Certified Start Date March 10, 2025 Estimated Completion November 20, 2025 24-Hour Emergency Contact (512) 555-2987 Submitting Agency Austin Transportation Department This section provides key project information and contacts to coordinate construction site traffic management and ensure quick communication in emergencies or daily operations. 2. Regulatory References & Approvals Reference / Permit Issuing Authority Reference No. / Date Notes MUTCD (Part 6 – Temporary Traffic Control) FHWA 2009 Edition (Revised May 2023) Primary standard for traffic control devices City Right-of-Way Permit City of Austin, Transportation Dept. ROW-AUS-2025-118 Required for lane closures and detours Lane Closure Request Texas DOT – Austin District TXDOT-LC-2025-047 Approved for off-peak hours only Environmental Clearance Texas Commission on Environmental Quality TCEQ-EC-2025-011 Stormwater and air quality compliance ADA Design Standards U.S. Access Board ADA 2010 Governs pedestrian detours and accessibility This section lists required permits, references and approvals to ensure the construction traffic management plan complies with local, state and federal regulations. 3. Work Zone Layout & Limits Element Description Work Zone Limits Between 14th Street and 22nd Street, both eastbound lanes affected Staging Areas Vacant lot at 15th & Main used for material storage and crew parking Buffer Zones 50-ft taper at each lane closure, 20-ft buffer from work area Transition Areas Traffic taper using cones at 20:1 ratio per MUTCD Work Zone Diagrams See Plan Sheet TCP-3 and TCP-4 (attached) Pedestrian Detour Zone Temporary sidewalk detour along Elm Street with ADA-compliant ramp Defines the physical limits of the work zone and key layout elements to manage construction site traffic safely and efficiently. 4. Existing Traffic Conditions Data Type Description / Values Source / Date Average Daily Traffic (ADT) 22,500 vehicles per day City of Austin Traffic Count, 2024 Peak Hour Volume 2,200 vph (5–6 PM, eastbound) Field observation, March 2025 Truck Percentage 6% TxDOT count station 145 Posted Speed Limit 35 mph MUTCD sign audit, 2024 Existing Signals 3 signalized intersections within work zone Traffic control map Pedestrian Crossings 5 marked crossings, 2 school zones nearby City GIS inventory Existing Issues Congestion at 17th St. intersection during PM peak Observed by field engineer Details current traffic patterns, pedestrian crossings and known issues to plan effective construction traffic management strategies. 5. Construction Traffic Flow & Routing Plan Item Description / Details Construction Vehicle Access Primary access via Elm Street; no access from residential alleys Haul Routes Eastbound trucks use Main → 25th → Industrial Blvd. → I-35 Exit Routes Outbound trucks return via Oak Avenue to avoid school zone Detour Routes (Public) Through-traffic diverted to Riverside Dr. Delivery Schedule 9 AM–3 PM weekdays only (off-peak hours) Temporary Road Closures Full closure between 17th and 19th Streets for 3 days during paving Coordination Notes Advance coordination with Waste Management and local bus operator (CapMetro) Outlines how construction traffic will flow, including vehicle routes, detours and delivery schedules, ensuring safe and predictable site movement. 6. Pedestrian, Bicycle & ADA Accommodations Element Description / Measures Pedestrian Detour Route Temporary sidewalk installed along Elm Street with continuous ADA-compliant surface (min. width 5 ft.) ADA Ramps Two temporary curb ramps at 17th St. and 19th St. intersections per ADA 2010 guidelines Crosswalk Relocation Crosswalk at 18th St. shifted 50 ft north to avoid active work zone Signage “Sidewalk Closed — Use Detour” and “Pedestrian Detour →” signs per MUTCD W20-2 and G20-2 Bicycle Lane Closure Temporary merge with vehicle lane between 16th and 20th St. with “Share the Road” signs (W16-1) Protective Barriers 42-in. high plastic barriers separating pedestrians from traffic at mid-block detour section Night Visibility Temporary LED walkway lighting (15 lux min.) along the detour path Provides safety measures for pedestrians and bicyclists, ensuring ADA compliance and separation from active traffic in the work zone. 7. Vehicular Traffic Control & Channelization Control Element Description / Standards Applied Lane Closures One eastbound lane closed between 14th and 22nd St.; minimum open lane width = 11 ft. Taper Length 240 ft per MUTCD Table 6C-3 for 35 mph approach speed Devices Used 28-in. traffic cones, Type III barricades, portable message boards (PCMS) Pavement Markings Temporary yellow centerline and white edge lines using removable tape (TTMP-01 spec) Temporary Barriers Water-filled Jersey barriers protecting work zone near 17th St. intersection Advance Warning Signs “Road Work Ahead,” “Merge Left,” and “Be Prepared to Stop” per MUTCD Part 6 Speed Reduction Temporary advisory speed: 25 mph through work zone with radar feedback sign Flagging Operations Two certified flaggers stationed at 17th St. and 22nd St. during daytime truck entry Describes lane closures, signage and devices used to channelize traffic safely through the work zone while maintaining compliance with MUTCD. 8. Access Management Access Point / Location Current Condition Construction-Phase Access Plan Commercial Driveway (16th St.) Two-way access to retail plaza Maintain right-in/right-out; flagger during deliveries Residential Side Street (18th St.) Local access street Always open to residents; post “Local Traffic Only” Emergency Vehicle Access N/A Minimum 12-ft lane width maintained; coordination with Fire Station #3 School Drop-Off Zone (19th St.) Active 7:30–8:30 AM No construction activity during school hours; traffic control cones removed daily Transit Stop (20th St.) Bus Stop #2123, CapMetro Route 22 Temporarily relocated 150 ft east with posted notice and ADA-compliant pad Specifies access points and measures to maintain safe entry and exit for residents, emergency vehicles, schools and transit during construction. 9. Internal Traffic Control Plan (ITCP) Area / Zone Internal Vehicle Movement Pedestrian Safety Measures Notes Material Storage Area (15th St.) Trucks enter west side, exit east side; one-way circulation Coned pedestrian path to field office Supervisor: A. Johnson Excavation Zone (17th–19th St.) Backhoes and dump trucks operating parallel to live traffic 6-ft separation buffer with barricades High-visibility PPE required Staging Area (Elm St.) Concrete mixers queue off Elm St.; flagger control Access limited to authorized personnel only Deliveries scheduled off-peak Loading Zone Reverse only under spotter guidance Audible alarms and rear cameras on all trucks Maintain daily checklist Crew Parking West lot, outside main work area Designated crossing with safety cones No backing into live lanes Details internal vehicle movement and pedestrian protection to reduce risks within the construction site and ensure smooth material handling. 10. Signage Markings & Warnings Sign / Device Type MUTCD Code / Spec Placement / Spacing Notes Road Work Ahead W20-1 500 ft before taper First advance warning sign on approach Merge Left W4-2 200 ft after W20-1 Mounted on portable stand Speed Limit 25 R2-1 Beginning of work zone Replaces existing 35 mph sign Flagger Ahead W20-7 200 ft before flagging station Used only when flagging active Portable Message Board — One each direction, 700 ft upstream Displays “ROAD WORK NEXT 2 MI.” Pavement Markings TTMP-01 spec Throughout lane closure Removable tape – white and yellow Temporary Barricades Type III Barricade At each road closure Reflective panels both sides Nighttime Lighting NA At work area per illumination plan Avg. 20 lux at road surface Specifies all signage, markings, barricades and lighting to warn motorists and maintain safety through construction zones. 11. Traffic Control Personnel Role / Position Name Certification / Training Responsibilities Contact Traffic Control Supervisor Alex Johnson ATSSA Certified Supervisor Oversees all traffic control operations, ensures MUTCD compliance, conducts daily inspections (512) 555-4421 Flagger #1 (East End) Taylor Nguyen ATSSA Flagger Certification Directs vehicles entering/exiting site, coordinates with flagger #2 via radio (512) 555-3098 Flagger #2 (West End) Jordan Smith ATSSA Flagger Certification Manages lane closure taper and assists with truck routing (512) 555-4567 Field Inspector (City) Maria Lopez City of Austin ROW Inspector Verifies compliance with approved traffic plan (512) 555-2842 Safety Officer Brooke Allen OSHA 30-Hour Ensures worker protection and proper use of PPE in proximity to live traffic (512) 555-8829 Lists personnel responsible for traffic control operations, inspections and safety on site, ensuring construction traffic management plan compliance. 12. Incident & Emergency Management Incident Type Response Procedure Responsible Party Coordination Contacts Incident Type Response Procedure Responsible Party Coordination Contacts Vehicle Collision in Work Zone Stop work, secure scene, call 911, notify Traffic Control Supervisor, complete incident report Traffic Control Supervisor Austin Police Department (512) 974-5000 Injured Worker Render first aid, contact Safety Officer, call EMS if required Safety Officer Austin EMS Dispatch (512) 972-1000 Hazardous Material Spill Stop operations, isolate area, call Fire Dept., follow spill containment plan Site Superintendent Austin Fire Department (512) 974-0130 Equipment Breakdown Blocking Lane Move equipment if safe, deploy cones, notify supervisor, contact tow service Crew Foreman City Tow Contractor (512) 555-8812 Severe Weather (Lightning, Flooding) Suspend work, secure materials, close work zone if necessary Project Manager National Weather Service Alerts Describes incident response procedures to maintain safety and continuity of construction traffic management in emergencies. 13. Phasing and Schedule Phase Duration Key Activities Traffic Configuration Notes Phase 1 – Utility Relocation Mar 10 – May 15, 2025 Relocate water and power lines One eastbound lane closed, pedestrian detour active Work limited to weekdays Phase 2 – Roadway Excavation May 16 – Jul 31, 2025 Earthwork and subgrade prep Alternating lane closures Night work permitted 8 PM–5 AM Phase 3 – Paving & Curb Work Aug 1 – Sep 30, 2025 Asphalt paving, curb and gutter installation Short-term full closures (3 days) Notification required 72 hrs prior Phase 4 – Sidewalk & Signal Upgrades Oct 1 – Oct 30, 2025 ADA ramps, traffic signal adjustments Single lane closure, pedestrian access maintained Coordinate with signal techs Phase 5 – Final Striping & Cleanup Nov 1 – Nov 20, 2025 Permanent markings, site demobilization Full reopening of all lanes MUTCD compliance verification Breaks construction work into phases, specifying timing and lane configurations to coordinate traffic flow and minimize congestion. Related: Construction Schedule Template 14. Public Information & Notifications Communication Type Audience Method / Channel Frequency Responsible Party Pre-Construction Notice Nearby residents & businesses Mailed letter and city website post Two weeks before start Project Manager Weekly Progress Update City Transportation Department Email summary and photos Every Friday Traffic Control Supervisor Public Advisory Signs General motorists Portable message boards (“Expect Delays”) Continuous Field Crew School Coordination Vista Verde Elementary Direct phone contact with principal Prior to each phase change Safety Officer Media / Social Media Updates Local public City’s Twitter & Facebook feeds As needed for major closures City Communications Office Complaint Resolution Residents / businesses Hotline: (512) 555-2987 24/7 availability Project Manager Specifies communication strategies for keeping the public informed and addressing concerns, improving compliance and traffic management efficiency. Free Related Construction Project Management Templates These free construction project management templates help streamline planning, documentation and reporting for construction projects. Each template provides a structured format to ensure safety, track daily progress and clearly define project scope, making it easier for project managers, contractors and teams to maintain efficiency and compliance on-site. Construction Safety Plan Template Download this free template to outline potential hazards, safety procedures and required protective measures for construction sites. It helps project teams implement safety protocols, assign responsibilities and document compliance with OSHA and local regulations, promoting a safer work environment for all personnel. Construction Daily Report Template Use this free template to track daily activities, workforce, equipment usage, weather conditions and project progress. It allows project managers to record events on-site, monitor productivity and maintain accurate records for reporting, accountability and informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle. Construction Scope of Work Template This free template defines project objectives, deliverables, tasks and responsibilities. It ensures that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of work requirements, timelines and expectations, reducing misunderstandings and supporting successful project execution from planning through completion. How ProjectManager Helps Manage Construction Projects ProjectManager gives construction teams multiple project views, including Gantt charts, kanban boards, task lists and calendars to plan and monitor work efficiently. These flexible views let managers oversee every phase from design to closeout, ensuring tasks stay on schedule and within budget. Built-in version control keeps documents current and prevents confusion when plans or drawings are updated, while integrated file sharing, comments and permissions maintain a single source of truth for the entire team. Watch the video below to see how else ProjectManager can elevate your construction projects. Streamline Resource Management ProjectManager makes it easy to allocate labor, equipment and materials across multiple job sites. Real-time resource tracking from color-coded workload charts shows who’s available and which crews are over or under-capacity, so managers can balance workloads and avoid costly downtime. Team pages provide an overview of individual team members. With drag-and-drop scheduling and automated alerts, the platform ensures the right people and tools are in the right place when needed. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Track Progress with Dashboards and Reports Live dashboards and customizable AI-powered reports in ProjectManager give immediate visibility into project performance. Managers can view progress by task, team or phase and quickly spot delays or budget issues. Integrated and secure timesheets simplify labor tracking and can be updated directly from the field through the mobile app, keeping costs accurate and productivity transparent throughout the construction project. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AI-Insights-Darkmode-Dashboard-GPT5.png Related Construction Project Management Content Of course, a construction traffic management plan is one part of the larger construction project management process. Readers who want to learn more about construction documentation, methods and techniques are encouraged to follow the links below. 32 Construction Documents (Templates Included) 10 Types of Construction Projects with Examples 18 Construction Methods and Techniques How to Make a Construction Plan Construction Phases: Documentation, Templates & Steps ProjectManager is online 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. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Construction Traffic Management Plan: Example & Template appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Memes can be fun. But when a big corporation decides to get in on the action, the fun usually dies. As spotted by Android Authority, Google is currently working on a new feature for Google Photos called "Me Meme," though Android Authority thinks it could be called "Meme Me" upon release. The feature is simple: Through the power of AI (sigh), you can turn pictures of yourself or a family member into "your favorite memes." Cool. Here's how it's supposed to work: You choose a "meme template," along with a sample photo of yourself, a friend, or a family member. That photo reportedly needs to be backed up to Google Photos before you can use it here. And while not a requirement, the feature recommends you use a selfie with a clear view of your face. That makes sense: If the AI is going to insert your likeness into a meme, it needs an accurate view of what you look like. Otherwise, you'll just end up generating a meme with some stranger's face. At the moment, the only meme Me Meme currently advertises producing is "This Is Fine," the meme taken from KC Green's comic of a dog sitting in a burning room. Android Authority wasn't able to get the feature working, but saw promotional images of the feature in action, which shows a sample selfie, and the end result. Importantly, the "Me Meme" menu option also features a graphic of a person dabbing. Again—and I cannot emphasize this enough—cool. Even through Google's "official" meme generation here, I'm not sure I'd be able to tell that the AI image is supposed to be based on the reference selfie. Unless the AI really captures the person's likeness, Me Meme loses whatever appeal it might have otherwise had. Why would anyone want to send a custom AI version of a meme with some random person as its subject? Though, building off that point, one might ask why anyone would want to send an AI-generated meme of themself at all? Maybe this will be Google's Bitmoji moment. Maybe this feature will never actually come to pass. Either way, the AI era is certainly interesting, if not all that cool. View the full article

Late-night talk shows are a uniquely American invention that blend humor, the news of the day, and celebrity guests. While Johnny Carson was not the first late-night host, he perfected the genre through trial-and-error during his 30-year tenure on NBC’s The Tonight Show, setting the standard for years to come. As the longest-running host in the show’s 70-year history, he became a permanent fixture in the culture zeitgeist and a kingmaker and queenmaker, giving many comedians such as Joan Rivers, Drew Carey, and Ellen DeGeneres their big breaks. Recently, late-night talk shows have been making headlines for unexpected—and possibly politically motivated—reasons, calling into question freedom of speech and media monopolies. The announced ending of CBS’s offering The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and the temporary suspension of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! were both controversial moves. (CBS maintains its decision was financial not political.) All this off-stage drama is nothing new. Carson faced his own dilemmas—including a mobster putting a hit out for him. That’s just one of the many intriguing stories found in the new book Love Johnny Carson (Dutton, 2025) by Mark Malkoff with David Ritz. It was released just two days before what would have been the legendary host’s 100th birthday. Let’s talk about Malkoff’s credentials before we get into the Frank Sinatra of it all. Who is Mark Malkoff? Malkoff’s father first exposed him to Carson’s late-night antics. “Though my father was just an average fan of the show, like millions of other Americans, when he told me about seeing that taping, it struck a chord somewhere deep inside me,” Malkoff writes. A super fan was created. A young Malkoff continued his Carson education by taping the series—it presumably aired after his bedtime—and watching it the next morning while eating cereal. He would also make a pilgrimage to Carson’s Los Angeles NBC studio and attend college at NYU to be close to Carson’s New York history. Malkoff began “The Carson Podcast” in 2014 and spent eight years interviewing people who knew the funny man. This book feels like a natural extension of the podcast. Malkoff’s purpose was to further educate the public on Carson’s “cordiality, calmness, cool, warmth, wit, and love.” How did Frank Sinatra save Carson’s life? Many different versions of this story have circulated for years. Malkoff spoke to comedian Tom Dreesen to get to the bottom of it all. Dreesen heard it both from Jilly Rizz, the owner of Jilly’s Saloon, and Frank Sinatra himself. Carson was a talented entertainer who also had his fair share of demons, one of which was alcohol. In the spring of 1971, an already intoxicated Carson went out to Jilly’s with friends where he spotted a beautiful woman. According to Dreesen, Carson approached her and “put his hand up her miniskirt.” This woman was the girlfriend of notorious mobster “Crazy” Joe Gallo, who was known for his bad temper. When Gallo found out, he warned that Carson’s days were numbered. “The word all over Manhattan was ‘Carson’s a dead man . . . He’s gotta go into hiding,’” Dreesen told Malkoff. Sinatra and Carson ran in similar social circles and had “bonded six years earlier at the St. Louis benefit show,” according to Malkoff. The crooner came up with a plan to host Gallo and his family at an unpublicized charity show and make a big fuss over them. After the event backstage, Gallo thanked Sinatra and asked if there was anything he could do for him. Sinatra answered: “Johnny Carson.” While Gallo was not happy about this, he backed off for old blue eyes. “I don’t believe anybody but Sinatra could have saved Carson’s life,” Dreesen told Malkoff. So while Kimmel and Colbert’s recent experiences are unfortunate and life-changing, perhaps they can take solace in the fact that it was not a life-and-death situation. Carson went on to host The Tonight Show until 1992, leaving behind a franchise that lives on today in an increasingly fractured TV environment that has been disrupted by streaming and other forms of digital media. According to a UPI report at the time, his final episode attracted more than 62% of the television audience, some 55 million people. View the full article

Electric-truck maker Rivian is laying off another 600 people, or about 4% of its workforce as the global demand for electric vehicles decreases, the Wall Street Journal reported. This follows a previous round of layoffs in 2024. Rivian is one of a number of technology and media companies that have seen layoffs in October, including: Meta, Paycom, Charter, NBC News and the Wall Street Journal. Unfortunately, October 2025 is no outlier. From technology companies to media conglomerates, the layoffs are part of a trend in both the U.S. and Europe as companies start to slash staff and downsize. Some are blaming artificial intelligence (AI), though critics say it’s just an excuse for companies to trim staff. The layoffs could also be way to hedge against the current economic uncertainty triggered by inflation, tariffs, the skyrocketing cost of living, and now an ongoing federal government shutdown. Below are some of the tech and media companies that have been laying off workers since the beginning of the month. Fast Company has reached out to all of the companies listed below for comment. Rivian On Thursday, there was news that Rivian was laying off about 4% of its workforce, after a previous smaller layoff affecting some 1.5% of the company last month. Rivian, like many EV manufacturers, is expected to see EV sales decline in the wake of the The President administration’s decision to end a hefty federal tax credit for EV purchases. Rivian is also planning to launch a new vehicle in 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal. Meta On Wednesday, Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger, and WhatsApp, said it is laying off about 600 employees from Alexandr Wang’s new “superintelligence” research lab, after hiring the 25-year-old wunderkind and investing $14.3 billion in his company, Scale AI, in June. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the social technology company plans to invest between $60 billion and $65 billion in AI capital expenditures in 2025 alone. Paycom Earlier this month, Oklahoma City-based payroll and human resources software company Paycom laid off more than 500 employees, citing “workforce restructuring due to efficiencies in advanced automation and AI-driven technologies that will impact a limited number of back-office roles.” Charter Cable and broadband giant Charter Communications said on Wednesday that to streamline operations, it was laying off some 1,200 employees, or just over 1% of its 95,000-person workforce, mostly in corporate management and back-office roles. The roles would not be in sales or service positions. The company lost 117,000 internet customers in Q2, and 60,000 in Q1, amid growing competition from mobile providers, per Reuters. NBC News Meanwhile, NBC News is laying off about 7% of its staff, or 150 people, in cuts that started rolling out last week on October 15. The cuts come ahead of a split and rebrand from cable news network MSNBC, which will now be called MS NOW (which stands for “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World”). The move is part of a larger spin-off from parent company Comcast, which also includes CNBC and USA Network. The Wall Street Journal Also this month, the Wall Street Journal laid off a dozen reporters and editors from its education, health, and science news teams, citing structural changes. “I recognize that change can be unsettling,” editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said in a staff memo. “I want to thank them for them for their many contributions to the Journal, particularly Stefanie Ilgenfritz [who] has spent more than 35 years at the Journal and has helped shape distinctive and consequential journalism, including a series on Medicare fraud that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2015.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple products are expensive for a reason: they're good. But that doesn't mean you have to spend an arm and a leg to get Apple brand stuff. Apple's "Special Edition" (SE) watch models for us mere mortals are more budget-friendly, but they still have competitive features. If you've been eyeing an Apple Watch look no further than the 2nd Generation GPS Apple Watch SE, starting at $169.99 (originally $249) at Walmart. The bigger 44mm size is available for $199 (originally $279). (GPS 40mm) Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Ink Sport Loop Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) $169.99 at Walmart $249.00 Save $79.01 Get Deal Get Deal $169.99 at Walmart $249.00 Save $79.01 (GPS 44mm) Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - M/L Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) $199.00 at Walmart $279.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.00 at Walmart $279.00 Save $80.00 SEE -1 MORE The 2nd Apple Watch SE starts around the same price as the Series 7, but the 2nd Apple Watch SE was released a year later (in 2022) than the Series 7. That means it'll be getting at least one more year of security updates and features than the Series 7. This model is lightweight, has excellent apps (same as the premium models), a great battery life of up to 37 hours on a charge (according to PCMag's review) has a crash detection feature, and many other features that punch above its weight. The sleep tracker, heart rate monitor, phone call capacity, and GPS are also excellent. Since this is the GPS version, you'll be limited to carrying your iPhone around within Bluetooth or wifi reach to take calls or texts. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds — $114.80 (List Price $129.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501AE AI XL Hepa- Safe Self-Emptying Base Robot Vacuum — $299.99 (List Price $649.99) Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam, White with Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen), White — $59.99 (List Price $99.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Tesla is recalling more than 63,000 Cybertrucks in the U.S. because the front lights are too bright, which may cause a distraction to other drivers and increase the risk of a collision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the recall includes certain Cybertrucks with a model year between 2024 and 2026. The vehicles were made between Nov. 13, 2023, and Oct. 11, 2025, with operating software versions prior to 2025.38.3. The agency said that Tesla is not aware of any collisions, injuries, or fatalities related to the condition. Tesla, which is run by billionaire Elon Musk, is issuing a free software update to correct the issue. Earlier this month, federal regulators opened yet another investigation into Tesla’s self-driving feature after dozens of incidents in which the cars ran red lights or drove on the wrong side of the road, sometimes crashing into other vehicles and causing injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a filing that it was looking into 58 incidents in which Teslas reportedly violated traffic safety laws while using the company’s so-called Full Self-Driving mode, leading to more than a dozen crashes and fires and nearly two dozen injuries. The new probe adds to several other open investigations into Tesla technology that could upend Musk’s plans to turn millions of his cars already on the road into completely driverless vehicles with an over-the-air update to their software. In March, U.S. safety regulators recalled virtually all Cybertrucks on the road. The NHTSA’s recall, which covered more than 46,000 Cybertrucks, warned that an exterior panel that runs along the left and right side of the windshield can detach while driving, creating a dangerous road hazard for other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. On Wednesday, Tesla reported a fourth straight decline in quarterly profit, even as sales rose. The automaker reported third-quarter earnings plunged 37% to $1.4 billion, or 39 cents a share, from $2.2 billion, or 62 cents a share, a year earlier. That marked the fourth quarter in a row that profit dropped. And even the revenue rise, a welcome relief from a sales plunge earlier in the year due to anti-Musk boycotts, came with a significant caveat: Customers rushed to take advantage of a $7,500 federal EV tax credit before it expired on Oct. 1, possibly stealing sales from the current quarter. —Michelle Chapman, AP business writer View the full article

Asana is one of the most popular tools for teams looking to organize their work—but what is Asana, exactly? Is it a task management software or a full project management solution? The answer lies somewhere in between. Asana helps teams plan, assign, and track tasks while also managing complex projects through timelines, workflows, and dashboards. It’s designed to improve collaboration, eliminate confusion, and keep everyone on the same page. In this guide, we’ll explain what Asana is, how it works, its key features, and what pricing options are available for teams of all sizes. What Is Asana? Asana is a task management tool founded in 2008 by former Facebook executives. They named their tool after a word in Sanskrit, in reference to a yoga position. Just as yoga improves your body and mind, the aim of Asana is to help you work better through streamlined communication. While communication is the bedrock of any project, it has to hold up a complex structure to be successful. Asana falls short of what a project manager would want from a tool but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth exploring further. Asana organizes teams and tries to help them manage their work. The software allows teams to create projects, assign tasks with deadlines and communication between team members. It shares basic features with many other project management apps. There are also tools that allow users to report on progress and performance, add attachments and use calendars, among other things. The software can be integrated with other apps, including Gmail, Slack, Microsoft Outlook, Dropbox, Google Drive and Zapier. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/asana-pm-integration.pngLearn more Asana Pricing Plans Asana offers four pricing plans. Each has its pros and cons, but there is a low bar for entry for the casual users and more advanced plans for those who need to have the full suite of features: Personal: A limited free plan. Starter: After a 30-day free trial, it’s $10.99 per user, per month when billed annually ($13.49 when billed monthly). Advanced: This plan is $24.99 per user, per month when billed annually ($30.49 when billed monthly). Enterprise: For this tier, you must contact their sales department. What is Asana? It’s a straightforward task management platform that offers list, board, timeline and calendar views, along with task assignments, priorities, labels, dependencies and recurring tasks. While it’s great for organizing daily work and team collaboration, Asana’s project management depth, reporting flexibility and customization options are still limited compared to more advanced platforms. With ProjectManager, teams gain multiple project views—Gantt, list, board, calendar and sheet—plus task linking, custom fields, and real-time workload tracking. It also enables cost management, baseline setting, and dynamic dashboards without switching between tools. Powered by AI Project Insights, ProjectManager helps identify risks, balance workloads and keep schedules on track. Try ProjectManager for free today and experience professional-grade project management capabilities. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AI-Insights-CTA-Gantt-Lightmode-GPT5.pngLearn more Asana Views and Tools Asana offers several views and tools that help teams organize and visualize their work, but most are built for task-level management rather than full project or portfolio control. While these views improve visibility and collaboration, they lack the advanced scheduling, reporting, and resource management capabilities found in more comprehensive project management software solutions. It’s also important to note that the availability of these features depends on the pricing plan you choose. List View: A simple spreadsheet-style layout for organizing and tracking tasks. It’s practical for basic task management but lacks the depth and automation expected from advanced project management tools. Board View: Uses a Kanban-style layout that’s great for visualizing workflows, yet it feels limited for managing complex dependencies or large, multi-team projects. Timeline View: A lightweight Gantt-style view that helps visualize schedules but doesn’t offer the advanced scheduling controls found in more robust project management software. Calendar View: Displays tasks by due date for easier planning, though it’s mostly suited for smaller teams or short-term task coordination. Dashboard View: Offers basic visual reports and charts, but its analytics are minimal and can’t match the depth of dedicated reporting tools or enterprise platforms. Workload View: Shows how tasks are distributed among team members, though it oversimplifies resource management and lacks advanced capacity or skill-based planning options. Messages View: Provides a built-in communication space, but it’s more of a convenience feature than a true collaboration hub for complex team discussions. Files View: Gathers all attachments in one place, which is helpful for quick access, but version control and document management features are limited. Goals View: Helps track objectives and align tasks to broader goals, though it’s largely a surface-level feature without strategic portfolio planning depth. Portfolios View: Gives a general overview of multiple projects, but its functionality is basic and doesn’t offer the robust portfolio controls found in enterprise-grade tools. Asana Features Asana includes a wide range of features designed to simplify task organization, communication and reporting. It works well for teams that need visibility and coordination, though most features—such as Gantt charts, reporting and workload tracking—are fairly basic compared to advanced project management software. Still, Asana provides a solid foundation for everyday task and team management. Gantt chart: Asana’s Gantt chart has very limited project planning, scheduling and tracking features. Task Management: Organize work in shared projects viewed as lists or kanban boards. Projects can be broken up into tasks and subtasks and viewed on a timeline. Attachments can be added, dependencies identified and fields customized. Communication: Add comments to tasks and tag other team members. Comments can also be added to images and PDFs, which become tasks that can be tracked. There are team pages that collect the team’s projects and profiles on one page and everyone can comment and drop announcements. Project Views: Get multiple views of your project, including a task list, which is a prioritized to-do list. There’s also a list view, which is a grid that can be filtered and formatted. The workload view helps manage resources. The calendar view shows an overview of the work with important dates. Reporting: Use the tool to set, track and manage your project goals, set milestones to break up bigger projects into more manageable parts and motivate your team. Get status updates to monitor the project and share with stakeholders. A dashboard can be customized to show real-time data in charts. Team Management: Organize your project teams and keep team members connected with shared calendars and comments, while also controlling privacy settings as needed. Add vendors, contractors and other patterns into the communication channel to keep them in the loop. What Is Asana Used For? Asana is used to organize, assign, and track work across teams. It’s primarily a task management tool, helping users break projects into smaller steps, set priorities, and monitor progress. Many teams use it for marketing campaigns, product launches, and team planning because it simplifies communication and accountability. However, while Asana does include timelines, dashboards, and workload views, these features remain fairly lightweight compared to full-scale project management software. It’s best suited for small to mid-sized teams that need visibility and coordination rather than deep scheduling, budgeting, or resource forecasting. In short, Asana helps teams stay organized and meet deadlines efficiently—but those managing complex, multi-project portfolios might find its planning and reporting capabilities somewhat limited. Pros and Cons of Asana Does the tool really help manage projects, tasks and teams through every phase of a project’s life cycle? Let’s take a look at what Asana does well and where it falls short: Pros of Asana Free Version: Asana has a free version, which is a plus, except when you start to use it. The tool that you get is barebones and hardly useful for any sort of professional. Collaboration: The software does connect teams to help them collaborate. The workspace is a window onto all the tasks and projects that are currently active. This provides some transparency but falls short of a truly collaborative experience. Integration: It’s a bit of a backhanded compliment, but at least Asana is able to begin filling the holes in its features by partnering with third-party apps that can give the software a bigger range. While it’s not as good as having all the features you need under the hood, it’s something. Prioritization: Knowing what you have to do and when is key to running a successful project. Asana helps you prioritize work. That boosts productivity. Security: Asana keeps your data safe with secure storage. Cons of Asana No True Gantt: While the tool has a Gantt-like timeline, it has nowhere near the power of what a real Gantt chart can do. This is a major omission, as the Gantt chart is a foundational project management tool. It is used for planning and scheduling and is often where the project manager lives for the duration of the project. Hard to Use: Another problem with Asana is that it’s a steep learning curve for new users. Its interface isn’t user-friendly and most new users will have to carve out a substantial amount of time to get training before they can be onboarded. Lacks Time Tracking: There are no timesheets or any other time-tracking features, which is a dangerous deficit if you’re looking to keep a project on schedule. Asana can track projects and tasks, but not time the task’s assignees spend working on them. This is a problem, not only for tracking but billing clients. Can’t Handle Complexity: Asana seems to excel at simple projects, but once things get complicated, it becomes less easy to use. Big teams and projects crowd the page and make it difficult to scan important information or track tasks and team members. Speaking of tasks, they can only be assigned to one person. That might work on smaller projects, but often a task will be executed by more than one person and there’s no way to do this simply. Expensive: Even though the company offers a free version, most people will need more features to manage their projects. Once you start moving up into the paid subscription plans, things can get pricey fast. This is especially a problem if you’re a relatively small team. Basic features like start dates and dependencies aren’t available unless you pay for an expensive plan. ProjectManager Is the Best Asana Alternative It’s no contest. While Asana is a decent task management tool it falls woefully short of covering all the bases necessary to deliver a successful project. ProjectManager offers everything that Asana does in a user-friendly package and more. It gives your team dynamic collaborative tools to help them work better together. The idea of running a project without a Gantt chart makes most project managers blanche. The timeline from Asana is just not going to cut it when it comes to what our tool does to help you organize all the disparate parts of your project. Plan with our Gantt, which automatically calculates critical path and sets a baseline so you can compare planned versus actual progress. When you’re assigning, our real-time data shows you who on your team is available when which makes assigning tasks more efficient. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-150_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA.jpgLearn more. One of the biggest differences between Asana and ProjectManager is our robust task management features. While you’re stuck with only one assignee per task with Asana, you can assign as many as you want with our tool. We show all your tasks and subtasks in one place, allowing you to prioritize, add attachments, link dependencies and set durations without having to jump to an expensive pay plan. /wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IT-overlay-List-Dark-NC-ZOOM-task.jpg Unlike Asana, you can track the time your team takes to complete their tasks with timesheets that do more than just streamline the payroll process. Timesheets can auto-populate repeated tasks and automatically add assigned tasks. Managers can use timesheets to monitor how many hours their team has spent working on their tasks. Then when the timesheet is approved it’s locked and secure. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Timesheet_Wide_Zoom-175_Adjusting-Date.jpg Our software has one-click reports on timesheets for greater detail, but also project and portfolio status, workload, time, cost and much more. While the live dashboard gives you real-time data from a high-level view, our dashboard doesn’t have to be configured like Asana, so you save time. We can also export and import in multiple formats and switch between project views without losing any data. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Dashboard_Construction_Wide_Zoom-150.jpg If you want to learn more about our award-winning project management software, visit our homepage and view our full feature set. See why project managers have used our software to plan over 2,000,000 projects around the globe. Related Content Best Asana Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked Asana vs. Monday: In-Depth Software Comparison Asana vs. ClickUp: In-Depth Comparison Asana vs. Microsoft Project: In-Depth Comparison Monday.com vs. ProjectManager: Which Is Best for Project Management? Smartsheet vs. ProjectManager: Which Is the Better Project Management Software? ProjectManager is award-winning software that helps you better plan, execute and report on your project all in real-time so you make more informed decisions. Get transparency into the workflow, balance your resources for greater productivity and give teams the collaborative features they need to work better together. Try ProjectManager today for free. The post What Is Asana? Uses, Features and Pricing appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Small business owners may want to brace themselves as new insights from the latest CNBC | SurveyMonkey Small Business Index reveal an uptick in inflation concerns. With 71% of respondents believing that prices will continue to rise, many are grappling with the distinct threat inflation poses to their operations and profitability. This marks an increase from 66% in the previous quarter, with only 28% now convinced that inflation has peaked, down from 32%. The Small Business Index offers a window into the thoughts and feelings of entrepreneurs across the nation, providing vital information that could influence business decisions. The survey explicitly highlights that small business owners rank rising prices as their leading concern, with 24% identifying it as the biggest risk they currently face. In a climate where consumer demand (17%), tariffs (10%), supply chain disruptions (10%), and rising interest rates (10%) follow closely behind, it becomes clear that maintaining financial health is a priority for many. “Inflation is and will continue to be an essential topic for small businesses,” stated a spokesperson from SurveyMonkey. This sentiment resonates deeply within the small business community, where every percentage point in pricing can impact the bottom line significantly. Rising prices not only threaten margins but can also disrupt consumer spending behavior. Understanding how these changes might influence the market becomes critical for small business owners. For instance, some may find it necessary to adjust pricing strategies or seek new suppliers to mitigate cost increases. Others may have to reevaluate their offerings or enhance value propositions to attract budget-conscious consumers. SurveyMonkey’s findings also suggest that small businesses are acutely aware of the interconnectedness of these challenges. With consumer demand lagging behind other concerns, operators may need to invest more rigorously in customer engagement strategies or marketing to sustain sales amid inflationary pressures. Fostering strong customer relationships can be essential, allowing businesses to navigate through tougher market conditions more effectively. However, there are challenges tied to these concerns that owners should keep in mind. Rising operational costs can make it tough for small enterprises to remain competitive. Small businesses often operate on thinner margins than larger corporations, making even slight hikes in operating expenses difficult to absorb. Accordingly, business owners should not only track inflation trends but also explore avenues for increasing efficiency. Implementing technology solutions or refining processes may help stem costs and maintain profitability. Additionally, the survey statistics indicate that supply chain issues continue to plague small businesses, remaining a top concern for 10% of respondents. Budding entrepreneurs may want to explore diversifying their supply chain or investing in local suppliers to reduce dependency on overseas shipping—an approach that can reduce delivery times and increase responsiveness. The complex landscape of inflation, consumer sentiment, and operational strategy creates a pressing need for small business owners to engage with these issues proactively. “Being informed is key to surviving and thriving in today’s economic environment,” the SurveyMonkey spokesperson added. This underscores the importance of leveraging tools such as the Small Business Index for ongoing market analysis. As inflation fears rise and rank prominently among business ownership concerns, small enterprises must not only adapt but also consider the broader market implications. The road ahead may be filled with challenges, but with vigilance and strategic foresight, small businesses can find their footing. For more detailed insights and ongoing updates, refer to the original SurveyMonkey report here. Image via Envanto This article, "71% of Small Business Owners Fear Inflation Will Keep Rising" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small business owners may want to brace themselves as new insights from the latest CNBC | SurveyMonkey Small Business Index reveal an uptick in inflation concerns. With 71% of respondents believing that prices will continue to rise, many are grappling with the distinct threat inflation poses to their operations and profitability. This marks an increase from 66% in the previous quarter, with only 28% now convinced that inflation has peaked, down from 32%. The Small Business Index offers a window into the thoughts and feelings of entrepreneurs across the nation, providing vital information that could influence business decisions. The survey explicitly highlights that small business owners rank rising prices as their leading concern, with 24% identifying it as the biggest risk they currently face. In a climate where consumer demand (17%), tariffs (10%), supply chain disruptions (10%), and rising interest rates (10%) follow closely behind, it becomes clear that maintaining financial health is a priority for many. “Inflation is and will continue to be an essential topic for small businesses,” stated a spokesperson from SurveyMonkey. This sentiment resonates deeply within the small business community, where every percentage point in pricing can impact the bottom line significantly. Rising prices not only threaten margins but can also disrupt consumer spending behavior. Understanding how these changes might influence the market becomes critical for small business owners. For instance, some may find it necessary to adjust pricing strategies or seek new suppliers to mitigate cost increases. Others may have to reevaluate their offerings or enhance value propositions to attract budget-conscious consumers. SurveyMonkey’s findings also suggest that small businesses are acutely aware of the interconnectedness of these challenges. With consumer demand lagging behind other concerns, operators may need to invest more rigorously in customer engagement strategies or marketing to sustain sales amid inflationary pressures. Fostering strong customer relationships can be essential, allowing businesses to navigate through tougher market conditions more effectively. However, there are challenges tied to these concerns that owners should keep in mind. Rising operational costs can make it tough for small enterprises to remain competitive. Small businesses often operate on thinner margins than larger corporations, making even slight hikes in operating expenses difficult to absorb. Accordingly, business owners should not only track inflation trends but also explore avenues for increasing efficiency. Implementing technology solutions or refining processes may help stem costs and maintain profitability. Additionally, the survey statistics indicate that supply chain issues continue to plague small businesses, remaining a top concern for 10% of respondents. Budding entrepreneurs may want to explore diversifying their supply chain or investing in local suppliers to reduce dependency on overseas shipping—an approach that can reduce delivery times and increase responsiveness. The complex landscape of inflation, consumer sentiment, and operational strategy creates a pressing need for small business owners to engage with these issues proactively. “Being informed is key to surviving and thriving in today’s economic environment,” the SurveyMonkey spokesperson added. This underscores the importance of leveraging tools such as the Small Business Index for ongoing market analysis. As inflation fears rise and rank prominently among business ownership concerns, small enterprises must not only adapt but also consider the broader market implications. The road ahead may be filled with challenges, but with vigilance and strategic foresight, small businesses can find their footing. For more detailed insights and ongoing updates, refer to the original SurveyMonkey report here. Image via Envanto This article, "71% of Small Business Owners Fear Inflation Will Keep Rising" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A reader writes: You’ve recommended that interviewers consider lunch interviews in some circumstances and advised candidates with dietary restrictions to review the menu in advance and choose a known safe item. I’m hoping you can help me navigate a more difficult version of this situation. I don’t eat any food prepared by restaurants because I can’t reliably avoid getting sick unless I’ve tested the exact item multiple times at home. Even if I review the ingredients, I might identify something that will make me sick, but I can’t be confident that it won’t (unless the only ingredient is water). While nothing I eat would cause serious injury, I’m not comfortable risking even mild illness unless I’m home. As a result, I typically consume only water when away. Fortunately, I’ve only needed to work outside my home a few dozen days in the past five years. On those occasions, I sometimes brought bland, relatively safe food from home if it was easy to floss and brush afterward (due to another health issue). If not, I skipped lunch, even when lunch was provided. I’m wondering what you think my best options are for handling lunch interviews. Here’s what I’ve considered: 1 Ask to reschedule the interview outside of lunch hours, citing dietary restrictions, if it’s originally scheduled to include (or likely to include) lunch. I worry this would reveal a disability and risk discrimination (even if such discrimination is illegal). 2 Join the lunch interview but don’t eat. This may be more awkward than #1, as it could make the interviewer(s) uncomfortable. Still, it’s not always clear in advance whether lunch will be involved. For example, during a three-hour interview at a previous job, the final interviewer said, “Lunch just arrived. Let’s grab some from the kitchen and eat here together.” (This wasn’t a problem for me at that time.) 3 Accept some risk of getting sick and eat lunch. I can reduce my risk by keeping my portions small, avoiding higher-risk foods, and taking medication that can help in the short term. That would probably work out just fine, but I’d still feel uneasy about it. Ideally, #1: ask for an interview that isn’t over lunch. Sample language: “I have some dietary restrictions that mean I can’t safely eat in restaurants. Would it be possible to schedule it not over lunch?” That’s preferable to going to the lunch interview and not eating. There’s a good chance your interviewer will feel uncomfortable eating while you’re not, which will introduce awkwardness into a situation where you don’t want awkwardness. Plus, most interviewers will wonder why you didn’t speak up earlier — and while many will write that off as nervousness about an interview, the higher up you move in your career, the more it might stand out. But as you pointed out, you might not always get advance warning. One way to handle that is to ask about it ahead of time if the hours they’re proposing you be there seem likely to cover lunch — so for example, if they invite you to a four-hour interview beginning at 11 am, you could say, “Can I ask about the logistics for that day? That time period sounds like it might include lunchtime, and I have some dietary restrictions that mean I’ll need to bring my own food if lunch is planned. I can easily do that, but wanted to flag it in case it affects any planning on your end.” But there might be other times when you don’t expect food to be involved and suddenly it is. In that case, you can simply say, “Thank you so much for the hospitality. I have some diet restrictions that mean I can’t eat it, but that’s completely fine — I’m happy to just drink some ice water while you’re eating.” (Ideally, though, if there’s something non-perishable you can tuck in a bag when you’re going to interviews, you’d then be prepared to say, “I have a granola bar with me that I’ll eat” or so forth.) You may get people who try to figure out what they can get for you that you can eat, because they want to be hospitable. In that case, just cheerfully say, “Oh, no thank you! My restrictions make it close to impossible, but I really appreciate you offering.” Don’t accept the risk of getting sick just to seem polite! You really don’t need to. (And if an employer gets weird about any of this, that’s pretty useful info about what it might be like to work there and navigate their work functions with food.) The post how to handle lunch interviews when you have extreme dietary restrictions appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Personalized vaccines that steer the immune system to fight unique cancer cells show promise, but another powerful way to treat cancer might be hiding in plain sight. People being treated for advanced skin and lung cancer lived longer if they had received a Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, according to new research published in the journal Nature. Both vaccines work using mRNA, which prompts cells to make a virus-like protein that triggers a useful immune response and teaches the body how to protect itself. When a team working to develop personalized mRNA cancer vaccines found that those vaccines were mostly effective due to the broad immune response they prompted – not their custom-built nature – they decided to see how well widely available mRNA vaccines worked at the same task. The team analyzed records from almost 1,000 advanced cancer patients at Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center, comparing outcomes between people that had received one of the two COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and those who hadn’t. They found that lung cancer patients vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna shot lived almost twice as long after starting cancer treatment. Patients with aggressive melanoma who received an mRNA vaccine also showed improved outcomes, but people in that group lived for so long their average survival time couldn’t be determined in the study. Non-mRNA vaccines like those used for the flu did not show the same positive effect. The patients with the biggest benefit were given the vaccine within 100 days of beginning the immunotherapy known as checkpoint treatment and those whose cancer looked the least likely to respond well to treatment. The research team believes that the immune response from mRNA vaccines sets up the immune system for more effective checkpoint treatment, which instructs T cells to work overtime to hunt down cancer in the body. “The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine acts like a siren and activates the immune system throughout the entire body” Adam Grippin, co-author and radiation oncologist at MD Anderson told Nature. “… We were amazed at the results in our patients.” Defunding the future Future research will continue to explore the powerful potential of mRNA vaccines to fight cancer, but the path won’t be easy. Science funding in the U.S. has taken a massive hit across the board under the second The President administration, but the situation is especially grim for mRNA research. In August, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the government would cancel $500 million in federal funds for mRNA vaccine research, throttling one of the most promising lanes of research with life-saving potential for everything from future pandemics to cancer and HIV. In a video explaining the decision to slash mRNA research, Kennedy announced that he believed science using mRNA “poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses” and HHS would be “moving beyond the limitations of mRNA for respiratory viruses and investing in better solutions.” During Operation Warp Speed, the vaccine development program during The President’s first term lauded even by his critics, the president hailed Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine as a “medical miracle.” “This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history,” The President said at the time. Experts across the medical world agree, with epidemiologists issuing particularly dire warnings about America’s future without mRNA research. “There is no upside,” Harvard Professor of Epidemiology Bill Hanage said of the cuts to mRNA vaccine development. “There is only downside. We would be fighting any future pandemic with one hand tied behind our back.” View the full article

Oil prices spiked Thursday after the U.S. announced massive new sanctions on Russia’s oil industry in an attempt to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and end Moscow’s brutal war on Ukraine. U.S. benchmark crude jumped 5.8%, to $61.91 per barrel midday Thursday, and analysts say if the situation remains static, U.S. consumers will soon be paying more at the pump. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said while it was difficult to predict with certainty because of the number of moving parts, consumers will likely see a bump in prices as early as next week, if not sooner. “We’ll probably start to see motorists be impacted by the sanctions at the pump in the next couple days and it might take five days for that to be fully passed along,” De Haan said, adding that the full impact also depends on whether the Russian or U.S. positions change. “Russia will feel pressure to come to the table in light of the new developments or President The President may react when he sees oil prices rising to levels that become uncomfortable, so I don’t think this is going to be very long-lasting,” De Haan said. Oil prices have been relatively low for the past few years and last week the cost for a barrel of U.S. benchmark crude fell below $57, its lowest level since early 2021. The price for a barrel of U.S. benchmark crude did rise near $79 a barrel early this year, just before President Donald The President took office, a price not necessarily considered outrageously elevated by most analysts. The broad, extended decline in oil prices pushed the average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. last week under $3 for the first time since December of last year, according to GasBuddy. For much of 2025, inflation has been held mostly in check, partly due to cheaper prices at the pump. However, that could change quickly as higher energy costs have a downstream effect on prices for virtually all products and services across industries. “The impact to a lot of Americans is that products derived from cruel gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel are all likely to see price increases,” De Haan said. The main reason oil and gas have stabilized at lower levels this year is that the group of countries that are part of the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries has continued to boost production. Earlier this month, OPEC+ leaders announced they would raise oil production by 137,000 barrels per day in November, the same amount announced for October. The group has been raising output slightly in a series of boosts all year after announcing cuts in 2023 and 2024. Russia is the leading non-OPEC member in the 22-country alliance. The group’s next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 2. The sanctions against Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil follow calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as bipartisan pressure on The President to hit Russia with harder sanctions on its oil industry, the economic engine that has allowed Russia to continue to execute the grinding conflict even as it finds itself largely internationally isolated. The European Union on Thursday announced its own measures targeting Russian oil and gas. The price for Brent crude, the international standard, rose $3.26 on Thursday to $65.85 per barrel. —Matt Ott, Associated Press business writer View the full article

Google today celebrated the 25th anniversary of its ad platform, first launched as AdWords in 2000. Now known as Google Ads, the platform remains the backbone of the company’s revenue engine. Over two and a half decades, Google Ads has evolved from a manually managed system to a sophisticated AI-driven advertising platform spanning Search, YouTube, Play, and the wider web. What Google is saying. Google is celebrating, with Vidhya Srinivasan, VP/GM of Ads & Commerce, sharing how AI is empowering us to rethink what’s possible’ and create a future of smarter, more helpful advertising. “Generative AI is transforming digital marketing, and I am so proud to see us leading the way with agentic capabilities, tools that automate and optimize campaigns and cutting-edge creative generation” She emphasizes that the best ads provide answers and opportunities for inspiration, especially on Search and YouTube. She finally thanks its teams, advertisers, publishers, and creators for 25 years of collaboration, looking forward to the next 25. Lookback. On this quarter-century milestone, Google has been moving fast on AI updates in the past few years and has really sped up the frequency of update announcements, with many of them coming from industry experts instead of Google itself. Let’s look at some significant Google Ads stories in the past couple of years: New products at Google Marketing Live 2024 Google PMax upgrade allows mass AI creative asset production Google rolls out immersive, AI-powered Shopping Ads Google visual storytelling advances for YouTube, Discover, Gmail Google starts testing ads in AI overviews Google’s first-party data unification Ads Data Manager available to all Google gives merchants new brand profiles, AI branding tools Google tests AI-powered ads for complex purchases New products at Google Marketing Live 2025 Google expands ads in AI Overviews, AI Mode to desktop New Google AI tools transform Creative Ads, Video Campaigns, Brand Listings Google unveils Smart Bidding Exploration Google unveils new tools for testing, measurement, data Google is putting agentic tools in Ads and Analytics Google Marketing Advisor, an AI sidekick for advertisers, coming soon to Chrome Performance Max Advertisers gained control to customise elements like logos, colours and fonts within PMax campaigns for better brand alignment. Google acknowledged that API-based placement exclusions do work for PMax campaigns (contrary to earlier guidance) giving more granular control. PMax campaigns can now include “Message” assets (chat-based interaction) allowing direct messaging from ads, increasing engagement options. Advertisers gained visibility into which search terms triggered PMax ads and can now add negative keywords directly from that report—boosting transparency. PMax campaigns can now include or exclude specific device types (desktop, mobile, tablet, TV) offering more precision in device-level targeting. Advertisers can now add up to 50 “Search Themes” (signals guiding PMax toward search intent) — up from earlier limits (10→25→50). The negative keyword cap in PMax campaigns was raised from 100 to 10,000 per campaign — giving much greater control over exclusions. Advertisers can now view cross-campaign channel performance for all PMax campaigns at the account level instead of individual campaigns only. PMax campaigns now support 9:16 vertical image formats (e.g., for mobile/Shorts-type placements) — enabling mobile-first creative flexibility. Audience. Google broadened “Audience Signal Targeting” (previously only for Performance Max) to App campaigns — giving advertisers more direct audience signals in app-install/engagement campaigns. Advertisers can now build remarketing lists from viewers of specific YouTube creator videos (not just own channel) — expanding the audience-targeting toolkit. Due to consent issues, Google disabled key conversion tracking & remarketing audience building for EU traffic if Consent Mode v2 isn’t used — impacting audience signal quality. Google introduced a limit on how long a user can remain in a Customer Match list (540 days max) to improve data freshness and privacy compliance. GA4 audiences (including predictive ones) can now be created and used directly in Google Ads, giving more segmentation and activation capability. RSAs. For developers/advertisers: via API you can remove automatically created assets linked to RSAs, giving more control. Google’s AI now dynamically assembles above- and below-the-fold assets: omitted descriptions, headlines used as sitelinks, etc., increasing flexibility of RSAs. Data for each RSA headline (clicks & conversions) is now available — big step for creative optimisation in RSAs. New AI Tools. Google officially announced AI Max for Search campaigns — enabling automation of keywords, creative and landing pages. In the following months advertisers kept noticing even more capabilities for this new functionality: Additional insights on rollout, keyword-less targeting, geo controls and reporting enhancements. Brand inclusion/exclusion controls integrated into the AI Max settings panel for new campaigns. AI Max appears as its own match type in reporting dashboards — giving advertisers visibility into automated matches. Reporting now allows viewing search terms, ad headlines and landing pages together for AI Max campaigns. Google introduced a new experiment type for testing AI Max within campaigns (50/50 split control-variant). New “Sources” column shows where AI Max traffic comes from (landing page inclusion, expanded matches etc.). Privacy concerns continue. In October 2025, after industry concerns of Google’s privacy solution and Google saying they will no longer be removing third party cookies from Chrome, Google officially shut down its Privacy Sandbox initiative, which aimed to replace third-party cookies with privacy-preserving ad technologies. In February 2025, Google introduced a 540-day cap on Customer Match list durations across its advertising platforms. In May 2024, Google began rolling out changes to comply with new state privacy laws and user opt-out preferences across its ads and analytics products. In January 2024, Google updated its data privacy policies for targeted ads in Europe to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). View the full article

Microsoft’s Copilot Fall Release adds new features, including search improvements, memory, connectors, and more, rolling out now. The post Microsoft Updates Copilot With Memory, Search Connectors, & More appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

There are many project management software products available on the market. Many of them are good and only some are great. It’s a matter of finding the right fit for your business needs. Let’s take a look at one of them, Oracle Primavera Cloud. Does Oracle Primavera Cloud have the features and price point you’re looking for, does it address the work you need to do and are there Oracle Primavera Cloud alternatives that do the job better and less expensively? We’ve answered these questions and then some below. What Is Oracle Primavera Cloud? Oracle Primavera Cloud (OPC) is a project, program and portfolio management software. It was created to get Oracle’s Primavera P6 into the cloud to compete with other cloud-based platforms. The software integrates project and portfolio planning with teams, resourcing and risk management as well as scheduling. This cloud-based software can be accessed through Wi-Fi and allows users to share projects and progress across the project team. Cloud-based software facilitates better collaboration, communication and consistency across multiple projects or when managing one project. There are four service modules that make up the larger Oracle Primavera Cloud. They are Primavera schedule, task scheduling, Primavera portfolio and risk management. All of these features can be found in ProjectManager, an award-winning project and portfolio management software that empowers teams to plan, manage and track projects in real time. Just like OPC, our software is cloud-based, has multiple project views and can track projects, programs and portfolios in real time, but at a more affordable price. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Construction-Gantt-Task-Info-CTA-BUTTON-1.jpgLearn more Oracle Primavera Cloud Plans & Pricing The features you’ll get with Oracle Primavera Cloud (OPC) depend on the license plan you choose. Since these are enterprise-grade solutions, the cloud licenses tend to cost more than the traditional desktop version of Primavera P6. Below are the historic pricing tiers published by Oracle for its cloud services: Product name Monthly subscription fee User minimum Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management Cloud Service $125 per Hosted Named User / month 25 users Primavera P6 Progress Reporter Cloud Service $12 per Hosted Named User / month 25 users Primavera P6 EPPM Web Services Cloud Service $20 per Hosted Named User / month 12 users Oracle Prime Projects Cloud Service $150 per Hosted Named User / month 25 users Primavera Unifier Cloud Service $200 per Hosted Named User / month 25 users Primavera Analytics Cloud Service $100 per Hosted Named User / month 25 users Note: These prices come from Oracle’s official Construction & Engineering Global Price List (November 10, 2016) and are for reference only. Oracle no longer publishes current public pricing for Primavera Cloud, and actual costs may vary depending on the reseller, region, or contract size. In general, most implementations start around $100 per user per month with minimum seat requirements—making OPC roughly one-third the cost of a full Primavera P6 Professional license. Oracle Primavera Cloud Views and Tools Oracle Primavera Cloud offers multiple views and tools that give users flexible ways to plan, schedule, and analyze projects. Each view provides a distinct workspace for managing tasks, visualizing dependencies, tracking performance, and generating reports, allowing teams to collaborate effectively and maintain full control over every phase of project delivery. Dashboard View: Displays high-level project or portfolio metrics using customizable tiles, charts, and KPIs, giving stakeholders real-time visibility into performance, progress, and resource utilization across multiple workspaces. Grid View: Presents project data in a spreadsheet-like layout for editing activities, durations, costs, and resources quickly, supporting bulk updates and flexible column customization for efficient data management. Gantt Chart View: Visualizes project schedules on a timeline, showing task dependencies, milestones, and baselines, enabling critical-path analysis and real-time progress tracking within the Primavera Cloud environment. Activity Network View: Displays activities and their logical relationships in a flow-chart format, helping planners identify sequencing, parallel paths, and schedule bottlenecks in complex project structures. Work Plan View: A collaborative board for managing weekly tasks, commitments, and handoffs; it connects field teams with schedulers to align short-term execution with the overall project plan. Task List View: Organizes detailed task information in a sortable, filterable table that supports progress tracking, assignments, and completion status, bridging field updates with contract-level schedules. Scorecard View: Provides portfolio or program performance comparisons through weighted scoring metrics, allowing decision-makers to evaluate project alignment with strategic objectives and optimize resource allocation. Report Editor View: Lets users build and customize reports visually, combining charts, tables, and filters in Canvas or List modes to present project insights tailored to stakeholder needs. Oracle Primavera Cloud Features Like Primavera P6 Professional and Primavera P6 EPPM, Oracle Primavera Cloud focuses on project, program and portfolio management, but has a different feature set. OPC has the added benefits of faster delivery and fosters collaboration to improve efficiency and quality. Here are some of its key features: Project planning: OPC lets users do a variety of project planning actions such as creating a project breakdown structure (PBS), mapping out work packages and milestones and tracking their percent completion. Project scheduling: Oracle Primavera Cloud integrates CPM scheduling with lean scheduling tools and the schedule comparison tool lets users compare schedule baselines and analyze project variance. Resource management: OPC offers customizable spreadsheets and histograms for resource allocation and resource utilization analysis. Risk management: Oracle Primavera Cloud has a risk register equipped with risk analysis and risk management features, which aren’t available in P6. In addition, OPC lets users perform Monte Carlo analysis for quantitative risk analysis. Budget management: OPC can be used for budget tracking, creating cost breakdown structures (CBS) and managing cash flows. Task scheduling: Oracle Primavera Cloud has collaborative task planning, which manages activities from the schedule and breaks them down into tasks. Portfolio management: OPC offers a portfolio view of all projects and programs to help users manage multiple projects’ pipelines, estimated budgets and capital spend requirements. What-if scenario modelling / capital planning: For owners, OPC provides scenario modelling (cost, schedule, resources) and capital spend planning. What Is Oracle Primavera Cloud Used For? Oracle Primavera Cloud is only for planning, managing and executing projects. It’s made for large and small projects alike and has been used in industries ranging from construction to manufacturing, energy and IT. However, unlike Oracle Primavera P6, it’s cloud-based and allows users to monitor the health of their projects, update activities and collaborate with others on the project team. It’s easy for team members to access project documentation, wherever they’re working, regardless of the time. For example, in construction, Oracle Primavera Cloud connects people working in the office with those on the job site. Because the tool is on the cloud, work can be synchronized across the supply chain and owners can work with delivery teams and other project resources to plan, deliver and manage operations better. Oracle Primavera Cloud is also used to schedule using the critical path method, which is a technique that identifies the tasks that must be completed to deliver a quality product or service. It also employs lean scheduling methods. Combined, these features can be used to schedule projects more efficiently In summary, the Oracle Primavera Cloud is for users who want a 100-percent cloud-based solution, one that provides multiple workflows and improves communication and collaboration. Users who aren’t tied to a desktop will appreciate the fact that the software can be accessed from any device that can log onto the internet. Its simple interface is a nice change from the complexity and necessary training of Oracle Primavera P6. /wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gantt-Chart-Template-Excel-image.png Get your free Gantt Chart Template Use this free Gantt Chart Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template Pros and Cons of Oracle Primavera Cloud Now that you have a better understanding of what Oracle Primavera Cloud is, don’t forget to consider its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a more critical look at the pros and cons of Oracle Primavera Cloud to help potential customers know if this project management software is right for them. Pros of Oracle Primavera Cloud Certainly, one advantage of OPC is that it’s an online project management software. There’s an Oracle Primavera P6 already on the market, but without the features that only an online tool can provide. The development of this tool speaks to a shortcoming of Oracle’s other product offerings. Using project management software that’s not in the cloud is a hurdle most users choose not to clear. As mentioned, the tool is more user-friendly than Primavera P6. Not only does it connect teams wherever and whenever they work, but it has a full suite of features that anyone managing a project will want to better plan and monitor their work. The software is specially designed for managers responsible for multiple projects. It has features to help identify, prioritize and select projects that’ll align with the overall strategy of your organization. It adjusts to changing requirements to track funding, reallocate budgets and report on performance across the entire program or portfolio. Cons of Oracle Primavera Cloud While OPC might be easier to use than Oracle Primavera P6, that doesn’t mean it’s user-friendly. The interface takes a lot of getting used to, even when compared to the notoriously complicated Microsoft Project. That’s saying something. That might be one of the reasons that users say the tool is handy when working on a large, complex project. However, if you’re tasked with managing a smaller, simpler project it can prove overly cumbersome. If you don’t understand how the software and critical path method work you’re going to make mistakes. There have also been complaints about integrations, such as with Microsoft Office and MS Project. In fact, you’ll have to employ an IT professional to migrate the database from one computer to another. But one of the biggest issues isn’t with the software, but the pricing. It’s a very expensive product and all tiers of subscriptions are going to cost you. It’s always worrisome when a product doesn’t list its prices, like a fancy restaurant with no prices on its menu. You know you’re going to be paying through the nose. Oddly, though Oracle Primavera Cloud sells itself as a collaborative tool, some of its collaborative features are lacking. For example, its real-time document editing is limited. Another limitation is that there’s little customization and what there is can feel bothersome. ProjectManager Is the Best Oracle Primavera Cloud Alternative Oracle Primavera Cloud is a powerful project and portfolio tool, but it’s complicated to use and expensive. The more licenses, the less viable it is for managing a project. It’s also built for larger projects, but if you’re working on a mid-to-small project, you’ll probably find the tool frustrating. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that’s flexible enough to work in projects of any size, across industries as varied as construction, manufacturing, professional services, IT, education, government and much more—all at an affordable price. Use Multiple Project Views for Planning and Executing Our Gantt chart is a powerful scheduling tool that can link all four types of task dependencies, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to compare planned effort against actual effort in real time. There’s also a roadmap if you’re managing a program or portfolio. These are great features for project managers, but teams have to execute those plans and they need other tools, such as a task list, kanban board, sheet and calendar views. Construction crews can knock off their punch list on task lists, and manufacturers or developers can visualize workflow with kanban boards, manage their backlog and plan sprints collaboratively. Calendar views keep stakeholders informed that milestones are being met. All views update together in real time and can be easily shared, commented on and more. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Professional-services-task-list-150.png Monitor and Control Progress and Performance Teams can’t execute tasks in a vacuum and expect projects to run smoothly. Project managers can get a high-level view of the project with our real-time dashboard. It collects live data automatically and displays them in easy-to-read graphs and charts. Just toggle over to the dashboard whenever you need to see metrics on cost, time, workload and more. Unlike Oracle Primavera Cloud, you don’t have to create a dashboard. It’s already there waiting for you to use it. There’s also a portfolio dashboard to give you a view of the performance and progress of your program or portfolio of projects so you can make more insightful decisions about allocating resources. For more detail, use our customizable reports, which can be filtered to show only what you want to see. Then easily share them to keep stakeholders updated. /wp-content/uploads/2022/11/project-management-dashboard.webp There are more features that can help you manage your project, program or portfolio. We have risk management tools to identify and track issues until they’re resolved, task and resource management tools balance workload to keep teams working at capacity and productive. Plus, there are automated workflows to add efficiency with task approval settings to maintain quality throughout execution to delivery. Flexibility, a wide range of powerful features and an affordable price point make ProjectManager the best Oracle Primavera Cloud alternative. Related Primavera Content What Is Oracle Primavera P6? Uses, Features & Pricing Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Project: In-Depth Software Comparison ProjectManager is an online project and portfolio management software that connects teams in the office, on the job site and everywhere else. Our collaborative platform lets you share, comment and more to keep work moving forward. Empower your team to plan, manage and track their work in real time. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who are using our software to succeed. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post What Is Oracle Primavera Cloud? Uses, Features & Pricing appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Clippy, the animated paper clip that annoyed Microsoft Office users nearly three decades ago, might have just been ahead of its time. Microsoft introduced a new artificial intelligence character called Mico (pronounced MEE’koh) on Thursday, a floating cartoon face shaped like a blob or flame that will embody the software giant’s Copilot virtual assistant and marks the latest attempt by tech companies to imbue their AI chatbots with more of a personality. Copilot’s cute new emoji-like exterior comes as AI developers face a crossroads in how they present their increasingly capable chatbots to consumers without causing harm or backlash. Some have opted for faceless symbols, others like Elon Musk’s xAI are selling flirtatious, human-like avatars, and Microsoft is looking for a middle ground that’s friendly without being obsequious. “When you talk about something sad, you can see Mico’s face change. You can see it dance around and move as it gets excited with you,” said Jacob Andreou, corporate vice president of product and growth for Microsoft AI, in an interview with The Associated Press. “It’s in this effort of really landing this AI companion that you can really feel.” In the U.S. only so far, Copilot users on laptops and phone apps can speak to Mico, which changes colors, spins around and wears glasses when in “study” mode. It’s also easy to shut off, which is a big difference from Microsoft’s Clippit, better known as Clippy and infamous for its persistence in offering advice on word processing tools when it first appeared on desktop screens in 1997. “It was not well-attuned to user needs at the time,” said Bryan Reimer, a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Microsoft pushed it, we resisted it and they got rid of it. I think we’re much more ready for things like that today.” Reimer, co-author of a new book called “How to Make AI Useful,” said AI developers are balancing how much personality to give AI assistants based on who their expected users are. Tech-savvy adopters of advanced AI coding tools may want it to “act much more like a machine because at the back end they know it’s a machine,” Reimer said. “But individuals who are not as trustful in a machine are going to be best supported — not replaced — by technology that feels a little more like a human.” Microsoft, a provider of work productivity tools that is far less reliant on digital advertising revenue than its Big Tech competitors, also has less incentive to make its AI companion overly engaging in a way that’s been tied to social isolation, harmful misinformation and, in some cases, suicides. Andreou said Microsoft has watched as some AI developers veered away from “giving AI any sort of embodiment,” while others are moving in the opposite direction in enabling AI girlfriends. “Those two paths don’t really resonate with us that much,” he said. Andreou said the companion’s design is meant to be “genuinely useful” and not so validating that it would “tell us exactly what we want to hear, confirm biases we already have, or even suck you in from a time-spent perspective and just kind of try to kind of monopolize and deepen the session and increase the time you’re spending with these systems.” “Being sycophantic — short-term, maybe — has a user respond more favorably,” Andreou said. “But long term, it’s actually not moving that person closer to their goals.” Part of Microsoft’s announcements on Thursday includes the ability to invite Copilot into a group chat, an idea that resembles how AI has been integrated into social media platforms like Snapchat, where Andreou used to work, or Meta’s WhatsApp and Instagram. But Andreou said those interactions have often involved bringing in AI as a joke to “troll your friends,” which is different from the “intensely collaborative” AI-assisted workplace Microsoft has in mind. Microsoft’s audience includes kids, as part of its longtime competition with Google and other tech companies to supply its technology to classrooms. Microsoft also said Thursday it’s added a feature to turn Copilot into a “voice-enabled, Socratic tutor” that guides students through concepts they’re studying at school. A growing number of kids use AI chatbots for everything — from homework help to personal advice, emotional support and everyday decision-making. The Federal Trade Commission launched an inquiry last month into several social media and AI companies — Microsoft wasn’t one of them — about the potential harms to children and teenagers who use their AI chatbots as companions. That’s after some chatbots have been shown to give kids dangerous advice about topics such as drugs, alcohol and eating disorders. The mother of a teenage boy in Florida who killed himself after developing what she described as an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship with a chatbot filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Character. AI. And the parents of a 16-year-old sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman in August, alleging that ChatGPT coached the California boy in planning and taking his own life. Altman recently promised “a new version of ChatGPT” coming this fall that restores some of the personality of earlier versions, which he said the company temporarily halted because “we were being careful with mental health issues” that he suggested have now been fixed. “If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it,” Altman said on X. (In the same post, he also said OpenAI will later enable ChatGPT to engage in “erotica for verified adults,” which got more attention.) —Matt O’Brien, AP technology writer View the full article

Claimants said 36mn consumers would be entitled to damages of about £1.5bnView the full article

Sora, OpenAI's short-form AI video platform, has been available for iPhones for the past few weeks. Users have spent that time generating hyper-realistic vertical videos that, despite their watermarks, might already be fooling people on the internet. I, for one, see nothing good about a tool that can make these types of videos from simple prompts, perhaps outside the sheer novelty alone. But the app is undeniably popular, and, as expected, OpenAI is continuing to "improve" it. On Wednesday, the head of Sora, Bill Peebles, shared a roadmap of updates coming to the app, from cameos for your pets to video editing tools. Sora will soon let you make cameos of anything you wantPeebles says that "character cameos" are on their way in the coming days. When this feature drops, you'll be able to make cameos of just about anything you want, including your pets (Peebles suggests your dog or guinea pig), stuffed toys, as well as AI-generated characters Sora may have produced in your past videos. Cameos are a defining, and controversial, Sora feature. It lets you scan your likeness into the app so you can create videos featuring yourself. Not only that, you can remix videos with cameos of anyone else who has scanned themself into Sora—assuming their permissions allow you to use their cameos. It's impressive tech, but it raises major ethical concerns, considering you can make someone else do or say things they never signed off on. Now, apparently, you'll also be able to do the same with the family cat or your childhood stuffed animal. Following these additional cameo options, Peebles says you'll be able to see "the latest trending cameos in real time." I'm guessing the idea is to browse the most popular cameos on the platform, and, if you want to, add them to your own videos. Sora is also getting basic video editing tools. According to Peebles, this starts with the ability to stitch multiple clips together, though other "powerful new features" will follow. Peebles says the Sora team is also working on reducing "excessive moderation," which he acknowledges is "super annoying" to users, as well as improving the app's performance. Speaking of apps, Android users will soon have their chance to try Sora. Right now, the app is iOS-only, but Sora's Android version is "actually coming soon," Peebles says. A reminder to be wary of what you see on the internetAs critical and cynical as I am about Sora and services like it, I can see the utility here. I imagine people will get a kick out of being able to put their pets in any situation they want. And if they want to make fried eggs sing a song, or a stuffed animal say "hello," more power to them. But my main concerns with this app are not assuaged by any of these updates: Sora still lets you generate convincing videos with a simple prompt, with the only safeguard a watermark that's easy to remove if you know where to look. People were already falling for fake videos on the internet before these tools came along; now, it's becoming way too difficult to know whether what you're watching is actually real or not. If you ask me, you're better off assuming all of it is fake. Disclosure: Lifehacker’s parent company, Ziff Davis, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems. View the full article

While expectations that another federal rate cut is on the way next week, other economic trends may be having a larger influence on mortgage lending. View the full article

President Donald The President has pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who created the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange and served prison time after failing to stop criminals from using the platform to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking, and terrorism. Zhao had asked The President for a pardon previously. He has deep ties to World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture that the Republican president and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. launched in September. The President’s most recent financial disclosure report reveals he made more than $57 million last year from World Liberty Financial, which has launched USD1, a stablecoin pegged at a 1-to-1 ratio to the U.S. dollar. World Liberty Financial also recently announced that an investment fund in the United Arab Emirates would be using $2 billion worth of USD1 to purchase a stake in Binance. Zhao also has publicly said that he had asked The President for a pardon that could nullify his conviction. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Thursday that the Biden administration prosecuted Zhao out of a “desire to punish the cryptocurrency industry.” She said there were “no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims,” though Zhao had pleaded guilty in November to one count of failing to maintain an anti-money-laundering program. “I failed here,” Zhao told the court last year. “I deeply regret my failure, and I am sorry.” —Will Weissert, Associated Press View the full article

The Spotify app is currently experiencing crashes and freezing on Android, the company has acknowledged after about two weeks of pressure from listeners. A fix is purportedly on the way, but in the meantime, there are a few steps you can take to get your music going. Reports of problems with the Android Spotify app first started on the Spotify help forums, although they have since spread to social media as well. Those affected complain that the app either freezes when opening, or crashes midway through listening. Others mention that problems only pick up when connecting to wifi—Spotify has since confirmed that "the issue doesn't occur while using mobile data." According to Spotify, the company is aware of the problem and is working on a solution. Additionally, Spotify says most complaints are coming from Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel users, although the cause is unclear. While there could be a problem with these devices specifically (a user on Reddit has theorized that the culprit might be Chromecast compatibility), because these are also popular Android phones, it could just be an issue with sample size. Regardless of phone model, not all users on Android are affected. While listening on my Pixel 10, I experienced no difference from using the app on my iPhone 15 Pro. If you are an Android user and are currently unable to use the Spotify app normally, try these solutions while waiting for an official fix: Listen on mobile data insteadBecause the issues with the Spotify app are limited to wifi, the simplest solution to the problem is to use mobile data instead. While it's not an ideal solution, as not everyone has unlimited data, it's a simple fix for those who do. Disconnecting from wifi depends on your model of phone, although you can usually find the toggle by swiping down from the top of the screen. Use the web playerWhile it's not as convenient as using the Spotify app, you could try using the browser version of Spotify instead to get around the issue. Click here to access it. Note, however, that the web player will try to swap over to the Spotify app if you have it installed, so you'll either need to temporarily uninstall it, or adjust your browser's permissions to keep it from redirecting links to the app. On my Pixel 10, this is under Settings > Apps > Default apps > Opening links > Spotify, although your phone's controls might be different. Note that the web player also lacks a few features, such as downloads. Try a different wifi networkWhile this isn't an ideal solution if your home wifi network is affected, Spotify says the bug is currently only affecting "certain WiFi networks." If you find yourself in the office or at a coffee shop, it's worth connecting to their wifi to see if the problem persists there. View the full article

As weather disasters become more and more frequent, the home insurance system feels broken for Americans across the country. Now, the advocacy nonprofit Consumer Reports is trying to implement a “homeowners insurance bill of rights” to codify baseline protections across all 50 states. According to a survey from the group, homeowners have seen their insurance rates climb—like Sierra in North Carolina, whose insurance spiked 43% last year, with her provider citing the “increased regional weather risks” as well as Hurricane Helene’s impact specifically. They’ve been denied payouts, like Charmian in Illinois, who says their provider refused to pay for hail damage on their roof. Hail storms are becoming both more frequent and more damaging as global temperatures rise. And some homeowners have been outright abandoned as insurance companies flee high-risk states and drop long-time customers. Because of the growing risk of wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and other disasters, homeowners have been dropped in states including California, Florida, and Louisiana, among others. Vicki in California is one example, even after she spent money on fire protection measures. An industry ‘almost universally disliked’ Sierra, Charmian, and Vicki are some of the more than 500 Consumer Reports members who shared their insurance stories with the nonprofit when it began to look into the home insurance market. Consumer Reports rates all sorts of products and services, from appliances to electric vehicles to anti-virus software. But it only just started covering insurance providers this year. The focus on home insurance was prompted by the January wildfires in Los Angeles—and the news that major providers like State Farm and other insurers had canceled hundreds of policies in the months before that disaster hit. “It’s really been a flood of heartbreaking stories of people who have lost their homes that didn’t even know that they were in extreme weather risk regions and didn’t have sufficient insurance or even insurance at all to help rebuild,” says Sara Enright, Consumer Reports senior director of safety and sustainability advocacy. Consumer Reports put out the call for stories from its members that January, and received responses filled with frustrations like reduced or eliminated coverage and skyrocketing rates from all 50 states. In September, Consumer Reports revealed its ratings of best and worst homeowners insurance, the first time it did such a list. The nonprofit looked at 28 providers, but after surveying 24,000 policyholders, only three received a Consumer Reports recommendation. “That’s pretty poor showing,” Enright says. “This is an industry that’s almost universally disliked by its customers.” Nine rights for homeowners The insurance industry is clearly struggling with the realities of climate change, and the extent to which extreme weather is becoming more common. The scale of damage is increasing to such an extent that traditional insurance models no longer apply to our current reality. Consumer Reports wanted to help figure out some solutions. “We felt that there are things that the insurance industry could do to ease the pain on their customers in the meantime, as they figure out their business model under a world in which extreme weather events are going to occur more frequently,” Enright says. So the nonprofit got to work writing up a Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights, one that prioritized consumer voices. Along with more than 500 stories from members, it engaged more than 56,000 consumers in total to get feedback, which it then analyzed for certain themes. It also partnered with advocates that have studied insurance, like United Policy Holders and the Consumer Federation of America. It came up with nine rights it says all policyholders should be guaranteed, and which would make the home insurance market more fair: A clear, plain-language explanation of what is—and isn’t—covered by your policy Knowing which risk factors are used to determine eligibility and set rates Fair access to coverage based on property risk, not your finances Receiving written notice and a full explanation well in advance of major changes to your insurance policy Benefitting from incentives to “harden” your home against severe weather or wildfire risk Insurance security during and after declared States of Emergency No penalties for inquiries and unpaid claims Prompt, full, and fair payment on a claim Immediate and adequate financial support for emergency housing and essentials Some of these rights seem obvious, or like they’d already exist—like clear language around what a policy covers. But policies may not actually be that transparent to homeowners. It’s also an intentional way to call out how the industry can seem unfair, and unaccountable to its customers. “A lot of the rights cover things where you’re like, ‘Why doesn’t that exist?’” Enright says. “Right after a disaster, don’t drop your home insurance policy right—that’s not legally required in most states, and that just seems like a very low hanging fruit for insurers to be able to say ‘no we’re not going to abandon you in your time of need.’” A patchwork system Though some of these rights aren’t legally required in certain states, the majority are already covered by at least one state law. The problem is that the insurance industry is a patchwork system, with different requirements and responsibilities from state to state. “We believe that those rights should then be extended to all policyholders, to create a stronger protection network for everybody,” Enright says. Consumer Reports wanted to ensure that these rights were possible, and that they could get onboard. Though it’s a fact that companies will drop customers in high-risk areas like California, the nonprofit didn’t feel it could call for a change to such business practices. Canceling policies because the risk is too high, or hiking insurance rates are “business decisions that have to be made in the time of climate change,” Enright says. “Obviously we think that those should be overseen by state regulators, but it’s not something that we thought we could voluntarily ask insurance companies to say that they would stop doing.” But the bill of rights does call for actions like providing enough advanced notice so homeowners can respond, fight back, or find a new provider before their insurance ends. The full bill of rights also shares some tips for what homeowners can do to protect themselves in the meantime, before these rights are (hopefully) enacted—suggestions like asking if any risk scores were used to determine their premiums, and how they could improve their risk score to lower their rate. There’s a customer education component to this crisis, Enright adds; many people don’t even know their basic home insurance package doesn’t cover flooding, for example. Consumer Reports next steps Still, Consumer Reports wants the insurance companies to adopt these rights, and state legislators to codify them. They were formed so as not to require dramatic business changes, Enright says, and Consumer Reports is also reaching out to all 28 insurers it rated this year to talk about how they can implement these changes. “Our hope is that insurers will see some value in adopting, as an industry, universal rights that will level the playing field for all of them so that they are competing on customer service as much as anything else,” she says. The nonprofit is also reaching out to industry groups and talking to state legislators about putting consumer protection policies in place. The insurance industry is legislated at the state level, so that’s where Consumer Reports is focusing. Consumer Reports also launched a petition asking for signatures in support of the Homeowners Insurance Bill of Rights. At the federal level, like around FEMA or federal flood insurance, details are still up in the air as the The President administration has cut departments and slashed services. The President’s moves to gut the NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, may actually increase home insurance premiums and make companies drop even more homeowners, experts warned back in February, because the data that department once provided is crucial to understanding risk. Though Consumer Report’s member stories reveal how frustrated homeowners are with their insurance companies, Enright wants to note that this effort isn’t about painting insurers as bad actors. “This is a story about us adapting to extreme weather events driven by climate change,” she says. “We have to work together. We need the insurance industry to be strong so that communities can get through extreme weather events and be resilient. We need to find solutions that work both for insurance companies as well as consumers.” View the full article

China’s ruling Communist Party said Thursday it will focus on speeding up self-reliance in science and technology, a long-running push that has become more pronounced as the U.S. has imposed increasingly tight controls on access to semiconductors and other high-tech items. The announcement by state media came in a communique after a four-day meeting that approved a draft of the party’s next five-year development plan. China faces “profound and complex” changes and rising uncertainty, it said. The communique did not directly mention the trade war with U.S. President Donald The President. China’s leader Xi Jinping is expected to meet The President for talks in South Korea next week. Since returning to the White House, The President has ramped up tariffs on imports in an effort to compel manufacturers to shift factories to the United States. That has added to pressure on the Chinese economy at a time when the leadership is struggling to resolve a prolonged downturn in the property market and stoke stronger domestic demand. But China has managed to keep exports growing by shifting to other markets, and the statement signaled the government is confident it can counter external threats with domestic policy tools, said Gary Ng, a senior economist at Natixis, a French investment bank. “It means China will likely demand more from the U.S. to reach a deal, if one is to be reached,” he said. The communique contained few surprises, largely echoing the policy direction set out by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who wants to build China into a tech leader and global power with a robust military able to command respect and exert international influence. It provided only a broad overview of the coming 2026-2030 five-year plan, indicating its scope without details. More information may be released in the coming days, but the full plan won’t be known until March, when the legislature gives a rubber-stamp approval to the plan at its annual meeting. “The general impression of the communique is that it highlights much more continuity than change,” said Xin Sun, a senior lecturer in Chinese and East Asian Business at King’s College London. Ng said that compared to the previous plan five years ago, the government is deepening its push for technological self-sufficiency, income redistribution and a transition to clean energy. The country’s industrial policy has driven the rapid development of the electric car and wind and solar industries in recent years and has turned now to robotics and artificial intelligence. The party will “accelerate the all-out green transformation of economic and social development,” the statement said. It said that China would continue to boost domestic demand and spending, an objective that economists said is important for the country’s economic growth, though it didn’t signal any significant change to that approach. China has rolled out various policies to help increase consumption — such as subsidies for consumer loans and child care and trade-in programs for electric vehicles and appliances. Economists are watching for more measures to support consumption by the year’s end. Beijing said this week it is still on a “solid foundation” to achieve its full-year official growth target of around 5%, after China’s economy grew 4.8% in the July to September quarter. The meeting of the party’s Central Committee was notable for the low number of deputies, an indication of Xi’s deep purges among the Communist Party’s top ranks. Out of 205 members, 168 attended the meeting, the communique said, along with 147 out of 171 alternates. Eleven alternates were made voting members to fill vacancies on the committee. The party meeting chose a replacement for China’s second-highest-ranking general. He was expelled from the party along with eight other senior military officials on suspicion of corruption, the Defense Ministry announced just days before this week’s meeting. Zhang Shengmin was named vice chair of the Central Military Commission, the top military body. He was already a member of the commission and holds the rank of general in the People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force. He is secretary of the commission’s Discipline and Inspection Commission, which investigates corruption. The elevation of Zhang shows an emphasis on political loyalty and anti-corruption as Xi continues a push to modernize China’s military, Sun said. —Ken Moritsugu, Huizhong Wu, and Chan Ho-Him, Associated Press Associated Press researcher Yu Bing contributed. View the full article

At the end of each year, I publish a slew of “where are they now” updates from people whose questions I answered here in the past. In past years we’ve had several hundred each December and it’s been magnificent. If you’ve had your question answered here in the past, please email me an update and let us know how your situation turned out. Did you take the advice? Did you not take the advice? What happened? How’s your situation now? (Don’t post your updates here though; email them to me.) Note: Your update doesn’t have to be positive or big to be worth submitting. We want to hear them all, even if you don’t think yours is that interesting. And if there’s anyone you especially want to hear an update from, mention it here and I’ll reach out to those people directly. The post where are you now? (a call for updates) appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe AI is changing the way we work at lightning speed. Tools that once felt experimental are now handling everything from scheduling to drafting reports. By 2030, executives predict only 1/3 of work will be fully done by humans. That leaves us with an urgent question: How do we future-proof our skills? As part of our 2025 AI Collaboration Index report, we asked leaders and knowledge workers around the world: As AI takes over more routine tasks, which human qualities will matter most? Their answers reveal a clear direction. Taken together, their answers highlight the timeless skills that become even more valuable in an AI future. Below, we’ll unpack five top skills to invest in for an AI-powered future, along with practical ways to strengthen those skills and weave them into your everyday work. The top 5 human skills for the future of work with AI 1. Critical thinking Related Article How to build critical thinking skills for better decision-making By Kat Boogaard In Productivity What it is: The ability to analyze information, weigh evidence, and form sound judgments. Why it matters: Our research shows 42% of knowledge workers admit to trusting AI outputs without verifying them due to time pressures. Without critical thinking, speed translates to risk. How to build it: Treat AI as a sparring partner, not an oracle. Ask it to show sources, generate counterarguments, or stress-test its own answers. Instead of defaulting to the first output, push it to “show its work.” Build a habit of slowing down your thinking before making calls. Even a brief pause helps activate deeper reasoning. Techniques like a simple pre-mortem exercise – or imagining what could happen during a project, both good and bad, and planning accordingly – sharpen your ability to spot twists and turns and strengthen your reasoning over time. 2. Creativity What it is: The capacity to generate new ideas, identify subtle connections, and turn imagination into tangible outcomes. Why it matters: As routine work becomes automated, creativity is emerging as even more of a competitive advantage than it was before. The World Economic Forum ranks creative thinking among the top skills for the future of work. In an AI-enabled world, the ability to spark original ideas – and refine AI’s suggestions into something fresh – is what sets humans apart. How to build it: Use AI as a brainstorm buddy. Ask it for divergent exercises, rapid-fire prompts, or “bad ideas only” to unlock new directions and spark truly original ideas. You can also use AI to quickly prototype concepts—whether that’s a mock design or a sample script—so you can spend more energy refining and iterating, Seek inspiration outside your usual lane. Studies show cross-disciplinary exposure boosts creativity. For example, if you’re in marketing, you might look to architecture, art, or even biology to spark breakthrough ideas. Build time into your week to explore industries, media, or disciplines far from your own. 3. Emotional intelligence What it is: The ability to recognize or tune into emotions – your own and other people’s – and use that awareness to guide how you respond. Why it matters: Emotional intelligence (also called EQ) isn’t just a “nice to have.” Research shows it’s a strong predictor of job performance across roles, and it has a direct impact on your ability to make sound decisions, build stronger relationships, and manage your own stress. In an AI-driven workplace, EQ only grows in importance. AI can analyze sentiment, but it can’t build trust, strengthen connections, or rally a team around a big idea. That’s on us humans. How to build it: Do a quick end-of-day “emotion check-in.” Write down what frustrated you, what energized you, and how you reacted. Psychologists call this affect labeling – naming emotions out loud. It sounds simple, but studies show this practice reduces stress and makes it easier to regulate your reactions the next time around. Use AI for role-play. Ask your chat tool to behave like an upset customer or skeptical boss, and practice your response. Then ask AI to critique your tone and clarity. Think of it as a safe space to rehearse tough conversations. 4. Technical proficiency From the PlaybookEmbracing new technology can be challenging, especially when it’s as powerful as AI. Build your team’s confidence in AI with the AI Innovation Day Play, a focused day of learning and doing with AI. Run the Play What it is: The ability to effectively use, understand, and adapt to digital tools and systems that power modern work – including AI. Why it matters: If you can’t work strategically with the tools of your trade, you risk getting stuck on the sidelines. Teams with higher AI technical proficiency don’t just use it to automate busywork – they unlock the full spectrum of AI’s potential by collaborating with it and embedding it across team workflows. Our data shows this strategic approach to AI improves the very nature of collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving. How to build it: Jam with AI, regularly. Block off a weekly “practice block” with your team to try new tools, prompts, or AI-enhanced workflows. Our research shows that making time to experiment with AI can boost creativity by 21%, and buy you back hours down the road. Focus on impact, not just speed. Don’t just use AI to go faster – use it to go further. Ask yourself: Are we solving problems in innovative ways, or just automating the old ones? Fortune 1000 execs expect AI to help teams tackle nearly 2x as many innovative ideas in the next five years. Now’s the time to experiment and push boundaries. 5. Decision-making Related Article This is how effective teams navigate the decision-making process By Kat Boogaard In Teamwork What it is: The ability to weigh information, risks, and context to choose a path forward. Why it matters: AI can crunch numbers and serve up options, but it can’t tell you what truly matters, weigh trade-offs, or take accountability for the call. Strong decision-making is what lets you filter the noise (which is extremely loud in the age of AI), identify blind spots, and turn AI’s insights into smart, human-centered action. How to build it: Make your goals and priorities visible to AI. When you connect your objectives or team OKRs to your AI tools, you get more relevant recommendations and avoid wasted effort. Pressure-test your options with AI. Before making a decision, ask AI to “surface risks, generate counterarguments, or highlight what you might be missing.” Make fast, reversible decisions – and learn from them. Teams don’t need to wait for perfect information. And that’s not always realistic. Make small, low-risk decisions quickly, then use AI to analyze outcomes and pivot if needed. This “test and adapt” mindset helps teams move forward, even in uncertainty. Our research shows that while daily AI use has doubled and perceived productivity gains are up 33%, only a small fraction of companies see true AI-enabled transformation at the team or org level. That gap underscores a truth: raw tools don’t build thriving teams; human skills and better processes do. So in strengthening these skills, teams don’t just keep pace with AI. They unlock its power to multiply their impact. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post 5 skills teams need to thrive in the age of AI (and how to build them) appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article