College Sports Information Directors of America

A Forum for Small Ideas with Big Impact for SIDs

by Bill Smith, University of Arkansas

How often has this happened in your office:

• Staff members struggle with the same software glitch, or can’t get the effect they want from a product.
• Small (sometimes big) problems get solved by a single “Eureka” moment and a simple little workaround.

Here’s your chance to share those solutions to problems ranging from PR technique to computer hacks with others in the sports information profession.

Hints and Hacks is a new column for CoSIDA On-Line that provides a forum for small technical and technique oriented solutions. The goal is to collect several ideas a month and publish them here for the benefit of the organization as a whole. At the same time, maybe we can have a little fun as well.

What HnH is:

• A chance for you to help your fellow SIDs with labor and time saving ideas. They can be as simple as a new way to gather bio information for press guides or a novel way to arrange files to a full-blown Excel spread sheet routine for a particular sports’ statistics.
• A place to make best-of-practice suggestions on small items. Do you have an idea that isn’t quite a Workshop Table Topic? Does your office have a novel way of tracking the ever changing media phone/email/cellphone lists. Maybe a few paragraphs long rather than a two-page handout? This is the place to put those out for your colleagues.
• A way to bring new technical solution to other SIDs. Have you figured out an interesting effect in one of the trademark programs most SID offices use? Created a work-around for a common software problem? Discovered a new template for a publications or database program? Share them with the rest of us.
• A new product or service that has been extremely helpful to your office. Sometimes a specialized piece of software can make all the difference to a project, but many SIDs don’t have the time to experiment. Tell us about your discoveries.
• A way to let others know about items outside the field. Often, great new techniques come from other industries. Do you have a background outside of sports information, or perhaps a spouse or friend has brought something to your attention from their field.

What HnH isn’t:

• A place to vent on things that don’t work. Remember, anyone can point out the problem – help others with a solution.
• Full-blown product reviews. Leave that to the trained professionals of those companies PR firms.
• A forum to discuss pros and cons on equipment and software. No Brand A versus Brand B here.

Be a part of HnH

Join in by emailing your ideas to the HnH editor, Bill Smith. Any length HnH is welcome; however, we prefer short articles – remember, it’s a time-saving column.

If you have supporting materials – photos, diagrams, detailed information – attach that to your submission. We may use it as links or for illustration.

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