Wednesday Buzz: Gmail’s Big Redesign

If you’re a Gmail user, get ready for your inbox to work harder for you. Today, Google is rolling out a fresh look and several new features to the webmail client—its biggest redesign since 2011.

One of the most significant new features is the ability to assign certain emails a “confidential mode,” reports CNBC  (opens in a new tab). Users will now be able to set emails to expire after a certain amount of time and even assign a passcode that email recipients will get in a text message.

The service has also made tasks easier to access and more robust. And now, your calendar will appear in the right rail, cutting down on how often you have to switch browsers.

“Gmail is also making it easier to take actions on messages,” the news network’s Jordan Novet and Jillian D’Onfro write. “The app will surface attachments and files in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides right below the subject line while you’re scanning your inbox, folders and search results, so you don’t need to dig through all the messages in a thread to find what you’re looking for.”

Journey Mapping

Attendee journey maps allow you to not only pinpoint the weak spots in your event, but identify areas where you can add extra value. It’s all about improving the member experience! https://t.co/PbmU0TCOBp  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab) #eventprofs  (opens in a new tab)

— MemberClicks (@MemberClicks) April 25, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

Looking to add a little more value to your next meeting? Try creating an attendee journey map.

A journey map can help you pinpoint confusing or troubling spots in your event. “By identifying (and correcting) those spots, you can improve the member experience,” Callie Walker writes in a recent MemberClicks blog post  (opens in a new tab).

Mapping also helps you to boost the sections of your event that are not necessarily bad, but could fall a little flat. “For example, when members are waiting in line at registration, what are they experiencing?” Walker asks. “If they’re just standing there, could a magician or some live music make it more enjoyable?”

Walker goes on to provide a step-by-step guide for producing your own map.

Other Links of Note

Do you know what traits make up a good board leader? The Capterra Nonprofit Technology Blog reveals what you should look for when you’re on the hunt  (opens in a new tab).

There are mistakes that can derail any meeting within just a few minutes. Here’s how to solve them, from Meetings Imagined  (opens in a new tab).

Business travel can be a real challenge. BOSS Magazine  (opens in a new tab) provides a few tips for making the most of it.

(Google handout photo)