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It’s all about risk. By Jody Padar Radical Pricing – By The Radical CPA Go PRO for members-only access to more Jody Padar. View the full article

And how to explain them. By Ed Mendlowitz 77 Ways to Wow! Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

And how to explain them. By Ed Mendlowitz 77 Ways to Wow! Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

Netduma is on the verge of signing up a third European tier one telco client. The post Netduma’s unique CPE-only optimisation solution boosts home connectivity QoE by many multiples, company says appeared first on Wi-Fi NOW Global. View the full article

Google will replace AdSense’s Ad Networks block with an Authorized Buyers control on Nov. 6, allowing new buyers by default and preserving existing blocks. The post Google AdSense Replaces Ad Networks With Authorized Buyers appeared first on Search Engine Journal. 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. Amazon Big Deal Days end tonight, Oct. 8, and Lifehacker is sharing the best bargains, based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. If you're in the market for headphones that allow you to hear your surroundings, without sacrificing too much on audio quality, you're in luck. Right now the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are available for $124.95 for October Prime Day, a 31% discount off their list price of $179.95. Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 $124.95 at Amazon $179.95 Save $55.00 Get Deal Get Deal $124.95 at Amazon $179.95 Save $55.00 I'm a recent convert to the world of bone conduction headphones (BCH). Now, whenever I'm running around Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, I absolutely rely on BCH technology to keep my ears open to traffic, other runners, and deranged cyclists. As my colleague Daniel Oropeza reviews in-depth here, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are the best set of BCHs that either of us have ever tried. With these Shokz, I've experienced little to no ear fatigue, even during 18+ mile runs. Their IP55 rating has proven true for me, having worn these headphones during humid summer runs and unexpected downpours. Most important for me, their battery life holds up, lasting even my longest training runs. Even if I forget to charge the night before a run, a quick five-minute charge gives me around 1.5 hours of listening time. Maybe they'll never match the bass response of traditional in-ear monitors, but they're more than good enough for podcasts, audiobooks, and music during my runs. Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don’t have Amazon Prime. Walmart’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET through Oct. 12 and includes deals up to 50% off. It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+. Best Buy’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, and has some of the best tech sales online. It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member. Target’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, and it has deals going up to 50% off. You can become a Circle member for free. Our Best Editor-Vetted Prime Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Meta Quest 3S 128GB All-In-One VR Headset — $249.00 (List Price $299.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) DJI Mini 4K 3-Axis Gimbal Camera Drone (Under 249 Grams) — $239.00 (List Price $299.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $148.94 (List Price $219.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Wyze Cam v4 2K Wired Wi-Fi Smart Security Camera (White) — $25.95 (List Price $35.98) Deals are selected by our commerce team 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. Amazon Big Deal Days end tonight, Oct. 8, and until then, Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over. Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. While you were reading your Kindle, I was studying the Boox. This line of e-ink devices from Chinese tech company Onyx may be be little known in the U.S. outside of members of its cult following (who you can chat with on Reddit), but it has a ton to offer anyone looking for an alternative to a Kindle Paperwhite (or an iPad, for that matter). While the phone-shaped Boox Palma 2 is my personal favorite e-reader, Boox also makes productivity-forward e-notebooks that seek to marry the easy-on-the-eyes screen of a Kindle with the functionality of an iPad. These even come complete with writeable screens, so you can use a stylus to take notes and sketch as you would in a physical notebook. And the biggest and arguably baddest Boox e-notebook of them all is the Boox Note Max, a massive 13.3-inch does-everything machine. Boox Note Max 13.3-Inch E-Notebook $689.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $689.99 at Amazon When I reviewed this behemoth last year, I focused on its versatility (it runs on an open Android operating system with access to the Google Play store, so it will run all the same apps as an LED Android tablet, and you can use it as a laptop by adding a custom keyboard case) and excellent writing experience (though it's not quite pen and paper, it feels pretty great). But as much as I'd like to say I use it for organizing all my notes, I mostly use the Boox Note Max to read manga. The Shonen Jump app looks fabulous on the crisp black-and-white Carta 1300 screen, and the 13.3 inches of real estate reveal details that are much harder to appreciate on a tankōbon page. It's gotten me back into the medium in a big way—which is great, because if my son is going to be peppering me with facts about One Piece, I might as well know what he's talking about. The downside to non-Kindle e-ink devices is that they're niche, and thus pricey. And because all e-ink screens are made in China, they've recently gotten more expensive due to tariffs. But right now, the Boox Note Max (along with the Boox Palma 2) is on a rare sale for Prime Day. You can currently save $60 on the Note Max—not a huge reduction in the $690 retail price, but welcome all the same. Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don’t have Amazon Prime. Walmart’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET through Oct. 12 and includes deals up to 50% off. It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+. Best Buy’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, and has some of the best tech sales online. It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member. Target’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, and it has deals going up to 50% off. You can become a Circle member for free. Our Best Editor-Vetted Prime Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Meta Quest 3S 128GB All-In-One VR Headset — $249.00 (List Price $299.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) DJI Mini 4K 3-Axis Gimbal Camera Drone (Under 249 Grams) — $239.00 (List Price $299.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $148.94 (List Price $219.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Wyze Cam v4 2K Wired Wi-Fi Smart Security Camera (White) — $25.95 (List Price $35.98) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Top Democratic lawmakers are asking the full appeals court to hear a case about the The President administration's efforts to fire employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. View the full article

Google made a handful of tweaks to its Channel Performance and Asset reports this week – including long-awaited ROI metrics like ROAS and CPA. But the most revealing update wasn’t in the announcement at all. A new, currently non-functional attribute called Campaign Type appeared in the Channel Performance report. Why we care. This addition — though inactive — signals that Google may soon expand the Channel Performance report beyond Performance Max (PMax) campaigns. The intrigue. For weeks, a tooltip in the interface has read: “Channel performance data is only available for Performance Max campaigns at this time.” That phrasing hinted expansion was coming. Now, with “Campaign Type” visible as a selectable attribute, the groundwork looks set for broader campaign coverage. Where it’s likely headed: Demand Gen next? This is the most probable first addition, given Google’s focus on merging data visibility across campaign types. API access coming. Developers and analysts will soon be able to pull this data programmatically. Network segmentation is now available in Asset Group reports. This feature, which has been requested for a long time, allows advertisers to dissect PMax data by network. Between the lines. The move looks less like a brand-new feature rollout and more like a structural realignment. Google appears to be nudging the Channel Performance report toward overlapping – and possibly replacing – elements of the Network report. It’s a familiar pattern: just as PMax’s Search Term Insights eventually merged into the standard Search Term report, Google seems to be using this incremental path to unify performance data sources. Bottom line: This “silent” update may not do anything yet – but it’s a clear sign that Google’s campaign reporting is evolving toward a unified, cross-network view. Or, as one PPC analyst put it: a performative detour bridging what advertisers want and what Google is willing to give. First seen. This update was first spotted by Head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce, Mike Ryan. View the full article

The truth is straightforward: the VantageScore 4.0 credit score outperforms the outdated FICO Classic credit score for mortgage, writes the chief data scientist at VantageScore. View the full article

The Senate confirmed former Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. board member Jonathan McKernan to serve as Treasury's under secretary for domestic finance on a party-line vote, installing a key industry ally in the Treasury Department. 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. Amazon Big Deal Days is ending tonight, October 8, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. After 20 years in the tech journalism business, I've honestly lost count of the number of tablets (and tablet/laptop hybrids) I've reviewed through the years. When it comes to these devices, I know something about what separates the duds from the diamonds. As the second day of the Prime Day sale rolls on, these are my picks for the best tablet deals. 11-inch Google Pixel TabletIf you're fully invested in the Google ecosystem, then the Google Pixel Tablet makes a lot of sense—especially as it's now available with a discount of more than a third for Prime Day. The price currently stands at $309 rather than the original $499, and it'll cater to all your key tablet needs—from videos to web browsing. 11-inch Google Pixel Tablet $309.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $190.00 Get Deal Get Deal $309.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $190.00 Along with the 11-inch screen (with 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution), this model gives you 256GB of storage space, a Tensor G2 processor, and the latest Android 16 software. Add in the official dock (sold separately) and you can turn it into a smart home hub, and get extra volume for your videos and audio, while the tablet is charging. 11-inch A16 Apple iPadApple updated its entry-level tablet for 2025 with this 11-inch iPad model, powered by the A16 processor, and even at the original price of $349, the 128GB model represents excellent value for money. You can now knock $70 off that price: Amazon is now selling it for $279 in honor of Prime Day. 11-inch A16 Apple iPad $279.00 at Amazon $349.00 Save $70.00 Get Deal Get Deal $279.00 at Amazon $349.00 Save $70.00 There are more expensive iPads out there, but the cheapest one is perfectly good at doing all the tasks you would commonly use a tablet for: checking emails, posting to social media, browsing the web, watching movies, etc. With four colors to choose from, many people aren't going to need to pay more. 12.4-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+If you're a fan of tablets, Samsung, or Android (or all three), the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is worthy of your attention. It's like an iPad Pro for those who prefer Android, with a superb 12.4-inch OLED screen, a Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ processor, 12GB of RAM, a dual-lens rear camera, lots of Galaxy AI features, and an included S Pen stylus. 12.4-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ $824.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $175.00 Get Deal Get Deal $824.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $175.00 It's an impressive device all around, and you can now get the 256GB version of this tablet for $824.99 rather than $999.99. 13-inch M4 Apple iPad ProThe entry-level iPad gets a mention further up on this page, but if you want the most powerful Apple tablet on the planet, then you want the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro. The 256GB model is currently available for $200 less—so you can pick it up for $1,099 rather than $1,299. 13-inch M4 Apple iPad Pro $1,099.00 at Amazon $1,299.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,099.00 at Amazon $1,299.00 Save $200.00 It's difficult to find anything new to say about the iPad Pros: As you no doubt already know, they're super-powerful, incredibly elegant devices that can replace your laptop and then some. They have great cameras and speakers, they're very versatile, and they work with a range of accessories (including keyboard covers and the Apple Pencil). 11-inch Amazon Fire Max 11This deal on the Amazon Fire Max 11 is my favorite of the Amazon-brand offers available on the site. The price on the 64GB model has been discounted from $229.99 to $139.99, which means you save $90—and the device was already pretty cheap to begin with. 11-inch Amazon Fire Max 11 $139.99 at Amazon $229.99 Save $90.00 Get Deal Get Deal $139.99 at Amazon $229.99 Save $90.00 Don't let the low price fool you into thinking this is a sub-standard tablet. It's perfectly fine for browsing websites and your email, for watching movies and shows, and for some lightweight mobile gaming. With an 11-inch screen size it's also nice and compact, and easy to carry around anywhere. Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don't have Amazon Prime. Walmart's Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET through Oct. 12 and includes deals up to 50% off. It's an especially good option if you have Walmart+. Best Buy's Prime Day competition sale runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, and has some of the best tech sales online. It's an especially good option if you're a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member. Target's Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, and it has deals going up to 50% off. You can become a Circle member for free. Our Best Editor-Vetted Prime Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Meta Quest 3S 128GB All-In-One VR Headset — $249.00 (List Price $299.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) DJI Mini 4K 3-Axis Gimbal Camera Drone (Under 249 Grams) — $239.00 (List Price $299.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $148.94 (List Price $219.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Wyze Cam v4 2K Wired Wi-Fi Smart Security Camera (White) — $25.95 (List Price $35.98) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Sam Altman’s once said advertising was a “last resort” for ChatGPT. Now he seems to think that “maybe ads don’t always suck.” What Altman is saying. In a new Stratechery interview, Altman admitted Instagram changed his mind about ads: “I love Instagram ads, they’ve added value to me, I found stuff I never would’ve found, I bought a bunch of stuff, I actively like Instagram ads. I think there’s many things I respect about Meta, but getting that so right was a surprisingly cool thing for me. Other than that, I viewed ads on the Internet as sort of like a tax.” “I believe there probably is some cool ad product we can do that is a net win to the user and a sort of positive to our relationship with the user. I don’t know what it is yet, I’m not like, “Here is our ad model’ already.” What Altman used to say. Altman dismissed ads as in 2024 as “a momentary industry.” He also said: “I kind of hate ads as an aesthetic choice … I like that people pay for ChatGPT and know the answers they’re getting are not influenced by advertisers.” At Harvard, he called ads a “last resort” and said “ads plus AI is sort of uniquely unsettling.” In a March interview, Altman dismissed “traditional ads” and shared his vision for an ads product: “The kind of thing I’d be much more excited to try than traditional ads is a lot of people use Deep Research for ecommerce, for example, and is there a way that we could come up with some sort of new model, which is we’re never going to take money to change placement or whatever, but if you buy something through Deep Research that you found, we’re going to charge like a 2% affiliate fee or something. That would be cool, I’d have no problem with that. And maybe there’s a tasteful way we can do ads, but I don’t know. I kind of just don’t like ads that much.” “I’m not going to say what we will and will never do because I don’t know, but I think there’s a lot of interesting ways that are higher on our list of monetization strategies than ads right now.” Then something changed. By mid-2025, the tone had already softened. On OpenAI’s own podcast, Altman said: “We haven’t done any advertising product yet. I’m not totally against it … I like ads on Instagram. … It’d take a lot of care to get right.” “Google Search was an amazing product for a long time. It does feel to me like it’s degraded. … There was a time where there were lots of ads, but I still thought it was the best thing on the Internet. I mean, I love Google search. … It’s clearly possible to be a good ad-driven company, but … there are obviously issues, too.” And after launching ChatGPT Pulse, he told reporters: “To the degree we can find out cool things to do that actually seem helpful to users … maybe there’s something to do there. But … we approach ads with great caution.” Why the change? Because OpenAI is staffing up to turn ChatGPT into an ad platform. ChatGPT is also banking on $1 billion in new revenue from “free user monetization” (read: ads) in 2026, according to an internal document. Why we care. The launch of ChatGPT ads product would give advertisers access to a massive new paid media channel with 800 million users. Altman once saw ads as the internet’s necessary evil. Now, he sees them as a possible feature – if done right. Stay tuned to see whether OpenAI can reinvent advertising for the AI age. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Amazon Big Deal Days ends tonight, Oct. 8, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over. Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. Like many Americans, I bemoan the fact that online shopping hurts local businesses, which can't compete with the convenience of unsustainable perks like "free" two-day Prime shipping. Like many Americans, I still buy a ton of stuff online anyway, because it's easier not to carry a huge pack of toilet paper home from Aldi (at least, as a New Yorker, I can still be a snob about the fact that I walk to buy groceries). But this also means that, come one of Amazon's Prime Day sales or during the holiday season, I have to deal with a lot of cardboard boxes. Some 35 million tons of "containerboard," or cardboard used to make shipping containers like Amazon boxes, is produced in the U.S. each year. By my estimate, at least 10 percent of that arrives on my doorstep. While I'm diligent about recycling all of it (the American Forest & Paper Association estimates that the "effective recycling rate" for cardboard is as high as 85%—yay!), breaking those boxes down to get them to fit in my recycling bin is a hassle. Or it was, until I learned about the Canary box cutter, a slim little knife with a non-stick serrated blade and a cheery yellow handle. CANARY Corrugated Cardboard Cutter, Made in Japan, Yellow $8.49 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $8.49 at Amazon A box cutter produced by a former Japanese sword companyThis $8 knife—yes, it is sold on Amazon, though mine was shipped to me in a padded envelope rather than a box—is made in Japan by a company called Hasegawa Cutlery, which got its start nearly 100 years ago polishing and grinding swords (the "Cutlery" part was added to the name after World War II, when the business first began producing scissors). Hasegawa's marketing language suggests it has brought all of its Japanese sword-making expertise to bear on creating consumer goods, and while I've never tried to break down a stack of shipping boxes with a katana, I can't imagine it'd be much easier than using my Canary. My previous methods for cutting through cardboard—kitchen scissors or a steak knife (don't be like me, kids!)—were less than effective, and utility knives, though certainly an improvement, aren't great at the task either. Cardboard is stiff and fibrous, so while a razor blade can slice through it pretty easily, it's hard to use one to make a controlled cut, as the blade will careen off-course if you try to go against the "grain," so to speak. Utility blades also dull quickly, but will still remain sharp enough to cut you if you handle them incorrectly. The all-around serrated edges of the Canary, on the other hand, seem to cut through cardboard like butter, whether you're going with or against the grain, pushing the blade or pulling it, or making a sawing motion; its blade stays sharp much longer, and won't cut you nearly as easily. (These qualities have made the Canary a favorite of crafters who work with cardboard.) I'm not the crafting type, but I've used my Canary on boxes both small and large. In about a minute, I cut down the big box my new air fryer shipped in, leaving a neat stack of small pieces of cardboard that are easy to toss into the bin. The knife works equally well on the lighter cardboard boxes like those Amazon uses, and thicker ones, like the beefy boys that held my Target flatpack furniture. It seems a stretch to call this little blade life-changing, but it has definitely saved me a lot of time—much more than $8 worth. Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don’t have Amazon Prime. Walmart’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET through Oct. 12 and includes deals up to 50% off. It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+. Best Buy’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, and has some of the best tech sales online. It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member. Target’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, and it has deals going up to 50% off. You can become a Circle member for free. Our Best Editor-Vetted Prime Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Meta Quest 3S 128GB All-In-One VR Headset — $249.00 (List Price $299.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) DJI Mini 4K 3-Axis Gimbal Camera Drone (Under 249 Grams) — $239.00 (List Price $299.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $148.94 (List Price $219.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Wyze Cam v4 2K Wired Wi-Fi Smart Security Camera (White) — $25.95 (List Price $35.98) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

A reader writes: My company is technically hybrid, but my department is almost exclusively work from home, which has suited me. This week, we’d been asked whether or not we’ll be attending an all-hands in person or on Zoom and I’d been really struggling with the decision. I like my coworkers, but I invariably get sick when I do in-person stuff and spent half of September audibly sick from the last in-person department meeting I attended. If I went, I planned to mask. The meeting was listed as being from 9 am – 1 pm and lunch is provided, but masking only works if you stay masked. That means I can’t eat or drink unless I’m outside and there’s no outdoor space at this location. Four hours in a mask without water guarantees a massive headache for me. Not ideal. I contacted the organizer to get a little more information about the timing and activities because some things don’t work well on Zoom, and if we were wrapping up at noon with that last hour as a social lunch I could cope and just leave early. He said, “In your situation, it’ll probably work best for you to call in” so that’s what I decided to do. This morning, I got a phone call from my manager, who is on vacation (always a good sign). He said they (I assume “they” is actually my grandboss, but I don’t know) “really want” me to attend in person. I took the hint, but was annoyed that they had asked us whether we wanted to show up, and then decided it was mandatory. Later today it became clear that no one had told the organizer that this was mandatory now, which made it feel like leadership was deliberately obscuring the change. Then I had a call with a coworker/friend and she told me that she heard my avoiding in-person events “has been noticed.” It took me a bit to figure out what that could even mean. I went to two in-person events in August and said yes to a conference in another state where “vaccine” is a bad word — what more could they want? Eventually, we concluded that they must be talking about the corporate astrology workshop I declined (because ick, pseudoscience), the tour I’m skipping (because I used to work at that location and don’t need to spend four hours driving to see it again), and the upcoming all-hands. For the record, I have not been shy about why I declined the workshop or the tour, though I did keep it work-appropriate. I feel that this is very unfair, though I can see how it looks, but the actual problem is that it wasn’t my manager who raised this issue with me. I don’t even know who “noticed.” But it feels like something I should address sooner rather than later, I’m just not sure how. Should I raise this with my manager? I’m afraid it will be obvious who told me, and I don’t want to get that person in trouble. Or should I wait to see if he raises it with me? I’m concerned he won’t; he’s only been a manager for a year, and I don’t know yet how he handles difficult stuff. I’ve had a manager who didn’t tell me about problems until they became Problems before (and even then I had to twist his arm to get it out of him), and ideally I’d like to avoid that happening again. I do plan to politely tell him that I don’t think this change was handled well. If they want us to come in, just say so. Don’t pretend to give us the option, or “strongly encourage” us and then hold it against us if we decline. I don’t think it’s necessarily clear that attending the all-hands in person is mandatory for everyone — it sounds like it’s generally optional, but the message was being passed along to you specifically that they’d like you to attend in person, presumably because they’ve noticed you haven’t been attending as many things in-person as they want. And who knows who “they” is here — maybe it’s your manager, maybe it’s his boss, maybe it’s both of them. Normally I’d say to be wary of putting too much weight on something you hear about third-hand — your coworker’s mention that she’s heard your not attending things in person “has been noticed” — but it matches up pretty well with the rest of the facts, so it’s likely correct. Still, though, it doesn’t make sense to try to sort through this without talking to your boss about it more directly. I get that you don’t want to out your coworker for confiding in you, but you don’t have to mention that at all. You can simply say, “I wanted to ask you more about our conversation about me attending the all-hands in person. I do attend some things in person, like the two events in August and the conference in X, but I try to be judicious about what I go to because I frequently get sick when I’m around large groups — I spent a couple of weeks sick after the last in-person department meeting. I can mask, of course, but it’s hard to do all day or when there’s a meal involved. We’d been told attending the all-hands in-person was optional and Francois confirmed that when I checked with him, so your request that I be in-person made me wonder if you have any concerns about how I’m managing in-person vs. remote more broadly.” Don’t get sidetracked by “if they want us to come in, just say so / don’t pretend it’s optional” — because, again, it sounds like it probably is optional for most people and they’re just asking you in particular to be there. Focus on what’s behind that. The post how do I address a rumor that I don’t attend enough in-person events? appeared first on Ask a Manager. 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. Amazon Big Deal Days is coming October 7-8, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. I've spent more than a decade reviewing laptops—which has involved a lot of battery and performance benchmarking—and I've been digging deep into the Amazon Prime Day sales to find you the best deals on laptops. If you're thinking of investing in an upgrade, these are the discounts I'd recommend taking advantage of. Dell 15Dell is always a good bet for a solid, no-nonsense laptop that can cover the basics for most users, and that's a perfect description of the Dell 15. It's now available for $449.99 from Amazon rather than the original list price of $599.99, which is a notable reduction of $150 or 25 percent, making this laptop well worth snapping up. Dell 15 Laptop $449.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal Get Deal $449.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $150.00 You get a spacious 15.6-inch screen, a capable Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage for your money. Those specs aren't going to break any benchmarking records, but aside from high-end gaming and demanding tasks like video editing, you're going to be well-covered. Samsung Galaxy Book 4 EdgeWho says Windows users can't have MacBook-level quality laptops? The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge begs to differ, with its polished and elegant exterior, and powerful innards—you get a Snapdragon X Plus CPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and a stylish 15.6-inch screen with this model, plus Galaxy AI on board. Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge $684.99 at Amazon $899.99 Save $215.00 Get Deal Get Deal $684.99 at Amazon $899.99 Save $215.00 If you're not already convinced, Amazon Prime Day has lowered this laptop down to $684.99 from $899.99. It's a versatile and capable laptop—with HDMI and microSD slots included—and it also meets the criteria for Microsoft's Copilot+ program. M4 MacBook AirYou don't have to wander far on the internet to find someone singing the praises of the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air: It's fast, it's quiet, it's cool, it's lightweight, and it has all the build quality and software expertise you'd expect from Apple. It's so good that it's probably the best laptop for most people right now. M4 MacBook Air $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 On top of all that, it's also $200 off at Amazon, for the entry-level configuration—a drop of 20%. It combines that M4 processor with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. If you work your way up through the specs there are deals on the more expensive models as well—all available in four colors. Microsoft Surface Pro 2024The Microsoft Surface Pro is the best two-in-one laptop and tablet combination you can get right now, and the 2024 Snapdragon X Elite configuration with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is down by a huge 36 percent in the Prime Day sales: It now costs $899.99 rather than the original $1,399.99. Microsoft Surface Pro 2024 $899.99 at Amazon $1,399.99 Save $500.00 Get Deal Get Deal $899.99 at Amazon $1,399.99 Save $500.00 After several false starts, Windows 11 is now equally at home in tablet or laptop mode, and the 13-inch touchscreen OLED is superb. Do bear in mind that you'll need to attach a keyboard cover to get the most out of this device as a laptop—which you should be able to afford from the savings you're making on the main device. Alienware 16 Area-51If you're after a gaming laptop deal, you can't do much better than the Alienware 16 Area-51: Its original price of $2,999.99 is a testament to how powerful this beast of a machine is, but you can now get $600 (or 20%) knocked off. Alienware 16 Area-51 $2,399.99 at Amazon $2,999.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal Get Deal $2,399.99 at Amazon $2,999.99 Save $600.00 That's still a significant chunk of money, but it's a huge savings, and this is one of the most highly rated gaming laptops on the market—from a brand you can trust. You get an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070Ti GPU on the inside, so it's packed with power. Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don't have Amazon Prime. Walmart's Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET through Oct. 12 and includes deals up to 50% off. It's an especially good option if you have Walmart+. Best Buy's Prime Day competition sale runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, and has some of the best tech sales online. It's an especially good option if you're a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member. Target's Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, and it has deals going up to 50% off. You can become a Circle member for free. Our Best Editor-Vetted Prime Day Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Meta Quest 3S 128GB All-In-One VR Headset — $249.00 (List Price $299.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) DJI Mini 4K 3-Axis Gimbal Camera Drone (Under 249 Grams) — $239.00 (List Price $299.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $148.94 (List Price $219.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Wyze Cam v4 2K Wired Wi-Fi Smart Security Camera (White) — $25.95 (List Price $35.98) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Ex-FBI chief who oversaw probe into Donald The President’s alleged links to Russia will face trial on January 5View the full article

Traders are bracing for a range of Fed outcomes: some hedging flows have favored outlier dovish scenarios and other trades have focused on the possibility that the Fed forgoes a move at one meeting. View the full article

Kentucky’s attorney general claimed Tuesday that the online gaming platform Roblox has become a “playground for predators” as he announced a lawsuit accusing the company of lax child safety measures. The Kentucky suit, filed by his office Monday in a state court, is the latest action alleging that the wildly popular site isn’t doing enough to protect children on its gaming services. To bolster safeguards for children and teenagers flocking to the site, the company needs to install effective age verifications and content filters, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said. Added parental notifications also are needed, he said. Courtney Norris, a Kentucky mother of three who joined Coleman at a news conference, said she mistakenly viewed Roblox as a safe online gaming choice for her children. “I came to realize, later than I would like to admit, that it actually is the ‘Wild West’ of the internet, targeted at children,” she said. The company is facing a growing backlash. The Kentucky suit comes after Louisiana sued the company in August. A suit was filed in Iowa after a 13-year-old girl was allegedly introduced to an adult predator on the platform, then kidnapped and trafficked across multiple states and raped. Roblox on Tuesday pushed back against the allegations. “We have rigorous safety measures in place from advanced AI models to an expertly trained team of thousands moderating our platform 24/7 for inappropriate content,” the company said in a statement. “No system is perfect and our work on safety is never done. We are constantly innovating our safety systems, including adding 100 new safeguards, such as facial age estimation, this year alone.” Roblox says it has 111 million daily active users. The company said in an email Tuesday that it implements strict safety defaults for its youngest users. It said the platform’s users under 13 cannot directly message others on Roblox, outside of games or experiences, and cannot directly message others during games or experiences unless the default setting is changed using parental controls. The company said it has rigorous text chat filters to block inappropriate words and phrases, attempts to direct under-13 users off the platform and the sharing of personal information such as phone number or address. It does not allow user-to-user image sharing and prohibits sexual conversations, it said. The Kentucky lawsuit gives a starkly different portrayal of the platform. Despite assurances its site is safe, the company has failed to install basic safety controls, the suit said. Roblox also fails to inform its users and their parents about “dangers inherent” on the platform, it said. Coleman, a Republican, said the site’s “cartoonish figures and experiences” appeal to children, but he warned that “underneath this cartoonish, innocent veneer is something sinister. The platform has become a playground for predators who seek to harm our children.” The Kentucky suit alleges that children are exposed to “violent or sexual situations within the Roblox universe, with parents reporting children contacted by strangers using third-party chat apps that function as if they are part of the game.” Norris said that like many parents, she considered it a safe choice for her children. “I described it as a ‘fenced-in backyard’ for kids’ gaming,” she said Tuesday. “And that is the genius and the danger I found of Roblox — the illusion of safety it gives parents like me.” “The reality is, Roblox makes it nearly impossible to police as a parent,” she added. The suit claims that Roblox’s lax protections violate Kentucky’s Consumer Protection Act and asks a judge to order the company into compliance. The suit seeks penalties of up to $2,000 for each violation of the consumer protection law. Coleman said his office is open to negotiating a settlement with Roblox. “Our goal is not to shut a platform down,” Coleman said. “Our goal is for Roblox to be safe.” Roblox said it shares the goal of keeping kids safe online, and said it would welcome discussions with Coleman’s office to “ensure they have a clear understanding of all Roblox is doing to keep users safe.” —Bruce Schreiner, Associated Press View the full article

Salesforce is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence (AI) with new tools that can help small businesses harness the power of AI more effectively. Recent developments on the Salesforce Platform promise to streamline data management and improve operational efficiency, enabling companies to focus on growth while reducing risks related to data handling. Many small business owners have felt the growing pains of integrating AI into their operations, often stymied by complex data landscapes and inconsistent governance practices. According to a RAND study, over 80% of AI projects face challenges that impede their potential value, primarily due to poor data quality and integration issues. Salesforce aims to tackle these hurdles head-on with a series of innovations that enhance the accuracy, context, and control of AI outputs. Salesforce introduces a unified data architecture to make AI applications not only possible but practical. The platform now features a metadata layer designed to bring structure to your data, helping ensure outputs are reliable and explainable. This foundational upgrade will resonate particularly well with small business owners who rely on consistent data for critical decisions. The platform is set to unlock a new work model where AI seamlessly collaborates with human employees across various workflows and decisions. This model, referred to as the “Agentic Enterprise,” focuses on three main core capabilities: Context and Accuracy: This feature ensures that outputs reflect a comprehensive understanding of the business environment, thus reducing the chances of errors. Built-in Trust, Security, and Compliance: The platform improves the security measures surrounding your data, ensuring that workflows are not only effective but also compliant with regulations. Open and Unified Framework: This aspect connects disparate systems, enabling easier integration and avoiding vendor lock-in. Salesforce recently rolled out several new key features aimed at enhancing these capabilities: Data Cloud Context Indexing: This innovation allows for better handling of unstructured data, enabling tasks such as trouble-shooting to be executed more rapidly. Imagine a technician uploading a complicated diagram and receiving precise instructions almost immediately; that’s the promise of better data context. Data Cloud Clean Rooms: These secure environments enable companies to share and analyze data without exposing sensitive information. Small businesses can collaborate with partners more freely, conducting analyses that drive insights while maintaining privacy. Tableau Semantics: This new tool translates data into understandable business language, ensuring that metrics are consistent across various teams. This means no more discrepancies when defining key performance indicators (KPIs). MuleSoft Agent Fabric: This feature manages and governs multiple AI agents, ensuring they work together instead of in silos. This is particularly useful for small businesses operating various projects or departments, allowing for streamlined operations. Enhanced AI Security and Compliance: Integrated security capabilities will safeguard your business’s AI initiatives, reducing risks and helping to maintain compliance with regulations. The launch also includes an acquisition deal for Informatica, which is slated to bring advanced data governance capabilities into the fold. This move could significantly bolster the data management strategies of small enterprises that often operate with limited resources. Salesforce’s Rahul Auradkar stated, “AI is the most powerful enabler of business transformation today… With these innovations, we’re helping our customers move faster, scale responsibly, and unlock the full potential of the Agentic Enterprise.” While there are tremendous benefits to these advancements, small business owners should also keep some challenges in mind. Implementing new technologies often requires investment, in both time and money. Additionally, the learning curve may present initial complications as employees adapt to these advanced tools. For small businesses with limited technical expertise, there may be concerns regarding the complexity of integrating these new systems with existing infrastructures. As with any significant shift, planning and training will be essential. Nonetheless, the advantages Salesforce offers with its new innovations point towards a more integrated and smarter future for small businesses. By leveraging these tools, companies can enhance their operations, increase efficiency, and ultimately deliver better value to their customers. With a focus on trust, security, and streamlined workflows, Salesforce is positioning itself at the forefront of AI integration, inviting small business owners to embrace this transformative tech. Businesses interested in exploring these developments can find further details on the original announcement at Salesforce’s website: https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/trusted-ai-foundation-agentic-enterprise/. Image via Salesforce This article, "Salesforce Enhances AI Capabilities with New Data Governance Innovations" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Salesforce is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence (AI) with new tools that can help small businesses harness the power of AI more effectively. Recent developments on the Salesforce Platform promise to streamline data management and improve operational efficiency, enabling companies to focus on growth while reducing risks related to data handling. Many small business owners have felt the growing pains of integrating AI into their operations, often stymied by complex data landscapes and inconsistent governance practices. According to a RAND study, over 80% of AI projects face challenges that impede their potential value, primarily due to poor data quality and integration issues. Salesforce aims to tackle these hurdles head-on with a series of innovations that enhance the accuracy, context, and control of AI outputs. Salesforce introduces a unified data architecture to make AI applications not only possible but practical. The platform now features a metadata layer designed to bring structure to your data, helping ensure outputs are reliable and explainable. This foundational upgrade will resonate particularly well with small business owners who rely on consistent data for critical decisions. The platform is set to unlock a new work model where AI seamlessly collaborates with human employees across various workflows and decisions. This model, referred to as the “Agentic Enterprise,” focuses on three main core capabilities: Context and Accuracy: This feature ensures that outputs reflect a comprehensive understanding of the business environment, thus reducing the chances of errors. Built-in Trust, Security, and Compliance: The platform improves the security measures surrounding your data, ensuring that workflows are not only effective but also compliant with regulations. Open and Unified Framework: This aspect connects disparate systems, enabling easier integration and avoiding vendor lock-in. Salesforce recently rolled out several new key features aimed at enhancing these capabilities: Data Cloud Context Indexing: This innovation allows for better handling of unstructured data, enabling tasks such as trouble-shooting to be executed more rapidly. Imagine a technician uploading a complicated diagram and receiving precise instructions almost immediately; that’s the promise of better data context. Data Cloud Clean Rooms: These secure environments enable companies to share and analyze data without exposing sensitive information. Small businesses can collaborate with partners more freely, conducting analyses that drive insights while maintaining privacy. Tableau Semantics: This new tool translates data into understandable business language, ensuring that metrics are consistent across various teams. This means no more discrepancies when defining key performance indicators (KPIs). MuleSoft Agent Fabric: This feature manages and governs multiple AI agents, ensuring they work together instead of in silos. This is particularly useful for small businesses operating various projects or departments, allowing for streamlined operations. Enhanced AI Security and Compliance: Integrated security capabilities will safeguard your business’s AI initiatives, reducing risks and helping to maintain compliance with regulations. The launch also includes an acquisition deal for Informatica, which is slated to bring advanced data governance capabilities into the fold. This move could significantly bolster the data management strategies of small enterprises that often operate with limited resources. Salesforce’s Rahul Auradkar stated, “AI is the most powerful enabler of business transformation today… With these innovations, we’re helping our customers move faster, scale responsibly, and unlock the full potential of the Agentic Enterprise.” While there are tremendous benefits to these advancements, small business owners should also keep some challenges in mind. Implementing new technologies often requires investment, in both time and money. Additionally, the learning curve may present initial complications as employees adapt to these advanced tools. For small businesses with limited technical expertise, there may be concerns regarding the complexity of integrating these new systems with existing infrastructures. As with any significant shift, planning and training will be essential. Nonetheless, the advantages Salesforce offers with its new innovations point towards a more integrated and smarter future for small businesses. By leveraging these tools, companies can enhance their operations, increase efficiency, and ultimately deliver better value to their customers. With a focus on trust, security, and streamlined workflows, Salesforce is positioning itself at the forefront of AI integration, inviting small business owners to embrace this transformative tech. Businesses interested in exploring these developments can find further details on the original announcement at Salesforce’s website: https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/trusted-ai-foundation-agentic-enterprise/. Image via Salesforce This article, "Salesforce Enhances AI Capabilities with New Data Governance Innovations" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Serious questions remain about what will happen if we do — and don’t — replicate human intelligenceView the full article

Launching a new initiative or improving an existing process requires more than a list of tasks. Without a clear plan, teams risk confusion, missed deadlines and wasted resources. An implementation roadmap helps bring structure to the process by laying out the steps, assigning responsibilities and showing how the work will progress over time. It turns strategy into action and keeps everyone aligned on what needs to be done and when. Creating an implementation roadmap gives stakeholders visibility into the entire process so they can anticipate challenges and track progress. This approach reduces miscommunication, keeps the project on schedule and ensures resources are used effectively. Whether you are rolling out a new system, building a product or managing organizational change, a well-made implementation roadmap helps your team stay focused and deliver results with confidence. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Implementation-roadmap-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free Implementation Roadmap Template Use this free Implementation Roadmap Template for Excel to manage your projects better. Download Excel File What Is an Implementation Roadmap? An implementation roadmap is a visual plan that outlines the steps needed to turn a strategy or initiative into reality. It maps out tasks, timelines and responsibilities in a way that makes the process easy to follow. By showing what needs to happen and when, an implementation roadmap helps keep projects organized and aligned with business goals. This roadmap also acts as a communication tool for stakeholders. It provides a shared view of progress, highlights dependencies and clarifies priorities. With an implementation roadmap, teams can anticipate potential roadblocks, make timely adjustments and ensure every step contributes to the overall success of the initiative. Project management software makes it easier to plan, execute and track an implementation roadmap by centralizing all activities in one place. Teams can create timelines, assign tasks and monitor progress in real time. This keeps everyone on the same page, reduces delays and improves accountability across departments and teams. ProjectManager is an ideal solution for managing an implementation roadmap because it combines dynamic roadmaps with powerful project planning features. Roadmaps link dependencies to avoid cost overruns, filter for the critical path and can set a baseline to track variance in real time. Resource management tools and real-time dashboards give teams the added visibility they need to stay on track. By using ProjectManager, you can keep work organized, adapt quickly to changes and deliver successful outcomes every time. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/light-mode-CTA.jpgLearn more When to Use an Implementation Roadmap An implementation roadmap is helpful whenever you need to coordinate multiple tasks, people and deadlines to achieve a shared goal. It’s especially valuable for projects or initiatives with dependencies, tight timelines and cross-team collaboration. Using an implementation roadmap helps teams stay organized, communicate clearly and keep work moving forward without confusion. Project Management In project management, an implementation roadmap provides a high-level view of how the project will unfold. It helps project managers schedule tasks, assign responsibilities and manage dependencies. This ensures teams understand priorities and milestones, making it easier to deliver on time and within budget. Construction Projects: An implementation roadmap is ideal for planning construction work, from pre-construction tasks to final inspections. It helps manage permitting, procurement, scheduling and subcontractor coordination so nothing falls through the cracks. IT Projects: Implementation roadmaps are widely used in IT for software rollouts, infrastructure upgrades and cybersecurity initiatives. They visualize each phase of implementation, making it easy to track testing, deployment and user adoption. Manufacturing Projects: In manufacturing, an implementation roadmap helps teams plan production line changes, equipment installations and process improvements. It keeps everyone aligned on timelines and minimizes costly downtime. Business Strategic Initiatives When companies take on large-scale initiatives like reorganizations, market expansions or policy changes, an implementation roadmap helps clarify priorities and communicate the plan. It shows stakeholders how the initiative will be executed step by step, reducing resistance to change by making progress visible. Product Development An implementation roadmap is also valuable in product development. It illustrates the journey from concept to launch, encompassing design, prototyping, testing, and release activities. This keeps product teams, marketing and stakeholders aligned on what needs to be done and when, reducing the risk of delays and missed opportunities. Related: 5 Roadmap Templates What Are the Key Elements of an Implementation Roadmap? An implementation roadmap is most effective when it includes all the elements that teams need to stay organized and aligned. These elements provide a clear structure for planning, executing and monitoring work. They help teams visualize progress, anticipate challenges and make better decisions throughout the project lifecycle. Below are the key components that should be included in any implementation roadmap. Project Timeline The project timeline is the backbone of any implementation roadmap. It shows the start and end dates for the project as well as the sequence of tasks that need to be completed. A clear timeline helps teams understand when work will begin, how long each task will take and when the project should finish. This visibility makes it easier to coordinate activities, avoid scheduling conflicts and keep everyone accountable for deadlines. A well-structured timeline also allows project managers to identify critical paths, adjust schedules as needed and keep stakeholders informed about progress. /wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ProjectManager-Gantt-Chart-Timeline-View-e1749846206448-600x329.pngLearn more Related: 10 Must-Have Timeline Templates Project Milestones Milestones are key checkpoints that indicate major progress within an implementation roadmap. They represent significant events, such as the completion of a project phase, the approval of a design or the delivery of a critical component. Including milestones helps teams stay motivated by showing tangible progress toward the end goal. Milestones also help stakeholders track the project’s health and provide opportunities to review deliverables before moving to the next phase. When milestones are visible, teams can identify potential delays early and take corrective action before they impact the overall schedule. /wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ProjectManager-Gantt-Chart-Milestones-600x360.pngLearn more Task Dependencies Task dependencies define the relationship between tasks within an implementation roadmap. Some activities must be completed before others can start, while some can run in parallel. Mapping these dependencies ensures that work is done in the right order and helps avoid costly delays. By understanding dependencies, project managers can plan for potential bottlenecks and adjust timelines when unexpected issues arise. This level of detail keeps teams from working at cross purposes and allows for smoother execution of the overall plan. /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Gantt-diagram-dependencies.pngLearn more Project Phases Breaking work into project phases adds structure to the implementation roadmap and makes complex initiatives easier to manage. Each phase represents a major stage of work, such as planning, design, execution and delivery. Phasing allows teams to focus on one part of the project at a time while still keeping sight of the big picture. It also creates natural review points where progress can be assessed, risks can be addressed and approvals can be secured before moving forward. This staged approach improves quality, reduces rework and makes it easier to control costs. Roles and Responsibilities Clearly defining roles and responsibilities is essential for any implementation roadmap. Each task should have an owner who is accountable for completing it. Assigning roles eliminates confusion, improves communication and ensures that work is distributed evenly across the team. When everyone knows what is expected of them, collaboration improves and projects move more efficiently. Including roles and responsibilities in the roadmap also helps with resource planning and ensures that no critical tasks are overlooked. Success Metrics Success metrics provide a way to measure whether the implementation roadmap is achieving its intended results. These metrics might include completion dates, budget targets, quality standards or customer satisfaction scores. Defining success criteria at the outset helps teams stay focused on outcomes rather than just activities. It also provides stakeholders with a way to evaluate project performance and make informed decisions. When metrics are tracked throughout the project, teams can make adjustments to stay on target and improve their chances of success. Resource Allocation Resources include the people, materials, equipment and budget required to complete the project. Effective resource allocation ensures that these assets are available when needed and used efficiently. The implementation roadmap should outline which resources are required for each task and when they will be used. Proper allocation prevents overallocation, reduces idle time and minimizes costs. It also allows project managers to identify potential shortages early and make adjustments before they disrupt progress. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/workload-page-resource-management-lightmode-600x294.pngLearn more Related: 7 Free Resource Management Templates Risk Log A risk log is a critical component of an implementation roadmap because it helps teams anticipate and address potential problems. It lists risks that could affect the project, along with their likelihood, impact and mitigation strategies. By maintaining a risk log, teams can prioritize issues and prepare contingency plans. This proactive approach reduces surprises, improves decision-making and helps keep the project on schedule. Regularly reviewing and updating the risk log ensures that teams stay alert to new risks as they arise. /wp-content/uploads/2024/01/risk-image-lightmode-600x331.pngLearn more Change Log Change is inevitable in most projects, and a change log helps manage it effectively. This document tracks all changes to the implementation roadmap, including adjustments to scope, schedule, budget or resources. Keeping a detailed change log ensures that decisions are transparent and that stakeholders understand why changes were made. It also helps prevent scope creep and provides a historical record that can be used for future planning. A well-maintained change log keeps projects under control and reduces the risk of miscommunication. Related: Free Change Log Template Implementation Roadmap Template Want to try making one yourself? Download this free implementation roadmap template. It offers a structured format for teams planning out projects from start to finish. This template organizes the process into a clear timeline divided by months and weeks, allowing project managers to arrange phases and milestones in a way that’s easy to follow. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Implementation-Roadmap-Template-Screenshot.png All major deliverables and activities can be mapped out in the schedule, making team responsibilities and deadlines clear at a glance. Adopting a consistent roadmap structure helps teams maintain focus, communicate goals and monitor progress through each stage of implementation. Implementation Roadmap Example This implementation roadmap example lays out the major stages, milestones and key deliverables needed to successfully launch a product over a three-month timeline. The template is structured by weeks and months, tracking progress for different team members on distinct objectives like user authentication, dashboard design and real-time notifications. Breaking down the roadmap by specific tasks helps all contributors know what’s due each week and which project elements are interconnected, making it easier to visualize dependencies and maintain momentum throughout development. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Implementation-Roadmap-Example.png Responsibilities are distributed among team members, with activities detailed for each role so nothing is overlooked during execution. Features such as file upload, analytics reporting, data security and payment integration are line-itemed, making the roadmap a clear guide for building, testing and releasing new capabilities. The format gives everyone transparency on goals and schedules, supporting collaboration between developers, analysts and managers and keeping focus on collective success. How to Make an Implementation Roadmap With ProjectManager Creating an implementation roadmap with ProjectManager begins with clearly defining your project goals and breaking them down into actionable tasks. The platform allows you to map out the project from start to finish, visually laying out timelines, milestones and deliverables in a structured plan. By using our intuitive interface, you can sequence tasks logically, identify dependencies and establish realistic deadlines. This initial roadmap acts as a blueprint that aligns the team, sets expectations and ensures that every aspect of the project is accounted for before execution begins. Watch the brief video below to learn more about how ProjectManager can support project portfolio management. Optimize Resource Management to Prevent Bottlenecks Once the roadmap is in place, our software helps optimize resource management. You can assign tasks to team members, track workload and balance responsibilities to prevent bottlenecks. The color-coded workload chart and team page provide a real-time view of who is working on what, allowing project managers to allocate resources efficiently. By monitoring capacity and adjusting assignments directly within the platform, teams can maintain productivity and avoid over- or under-utilizing personnel. This centralized approach ensures resources are used effectively, supporting the successful completion of each milestone. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Stay on Schedule With Tracking and Progress Monitoring ProjectManager also excels at tracking progress throughout the implementation roadmap. Using features like Gantt charts, dashboards and real-time reporting, project managers can monitor task completion, detect delays and measure performance against planned objectives. Automated notifications and visual indicators help keep the team on schedule, while the ability to generate reports makes it easy to communicate progress to stakeholders. Project managers can continuously track the project to make data-driven decisions, quickly resolve issues and ensure the roadmap stays aligned with the overall project goals./wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Team-summary-better-data-light-mode-home-screen-dashboard.png Related Content For those readers who care to learn more about roadmaps, get other free templates and learn what an implementation plan is, check out the links below. 5 Roadmap Templates What Is an Implementation Plan? (Template & Example Included) What Is a Post-Implementation Review in Project Management Process Implementation: A Quick Guide How to Create a Flawless Implementation Schedule for a Project How to Create a Strategic Roadmap for Your Organization 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 How to Make an Implementation Roadmap (Template Included) appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

“Being efficient got me more work, not more money. So I left.” Big 4 Transparency By Dominic Piscopo, CPA For CPA Trendlines Go PRO for members-only access to more Dominic Piscopo. View the full article

“Being efficient got me more work, not more money. So I left.” Big 4 Transparency By Dominic Piscopo, CPA For CPA Trendlines Go PRO for members-only access to more Dominic Piscopo. View the full article