Using EMail Effectively at the Yale School of Medicine

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Using E-Mail Effectively at the Yale School of
Medicine
NOTE For additional advice
seehttp//its.med.yale.edu/email
Jack Beecher MPH, Director YSM Training and
Organizational DevelopmentDavid Stagg Ph.D.,
Director ITS-Med Client and Technology
ServicesNicholas Brenckle, MBA, YSM E-Mail
Postmaster 30 November 1999
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Agenda

• Relevance of this session
• E-mail Fundamentals Terminology - Protocols -
  Applications
• E-Mail options at YSM
• Your personal e-mail strategy
• Client or Server Based Mail
• POP3 or IMAP
• E-Mail management and etiquette
• Assistance and questions

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Our Objective

• To educate you about e-mail options so you can
  make an informed selection of the best option for
  you

Why is this relevant to you?

• Improve e-mail performance for yourself
• Optimize your personal e-mail file organization
• Choose the options which best suit your needs
• Improve e-mail performance for all YSM e-mail
  clients
• Avoid surcharges

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Relevance to YSM

• E-Mail at YSM has grown exponentially
• We now have more than 5,000 e-mail clients
• We have identified over 150 clients who are
  likely to be using E-Mail sub-optimally
• We expect this number to increase
• Sub-optimal use effects both the individual user
  and the community of users

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Gartner Group Research

• E-mail overload is confronting many enterprises
• Through 2002, the number and size of messages
  will grow at a compound annual growth rate 35
  per year
• End users are having difficulty managing their
  inbox
• There is no simple technical solution
• Enterprises need to educate their users about
  e-mail usage "best practices
• Through policy documentation
• Training

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E-Mail FundamentalsTerminology

• The Server and the Client and their
  relationship
• Server is the host computer
• Client is the users computer

Us
You
Examples of other client/server
relationships Restaurant / Diners Aircraft
Carriers / Airplanes
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E-Mail FundamentalsProtocols

• Mail ProtocolsPOP3 Post Office Protocol 3IMAP
  Internet Message Access Protocol
• POP3Available longer than IMAPMost prevalent
  protocol (but percentage is declining)Less
  complex than IMAPFewer features than IMAP
• IMAPSuperior securityExcellent
  flexibilityGaining in market share

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E-Mail FundamentalsApplications

• E-Mail Application Options at YSM
• EudoraPro 3.0 (POP3 only - no new clients)
• EudoraPro 4.0 (POP3 and, for PCs, IMAP)
• Netscape Messenger 4.51 (YSM - IMAP only)
• Web Mail (similar to IMAP)
• Pine (Legacy e-mail)

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Client vs Server Based Mail

• How mail works
• Incoming mail is held at the post office (mail
  store on the Server) until you log on and ask
  for it
• When you log on and request your mail the system
  checks your in-box in the mail store and acts
  according to the preferences you selected
• Two choicesLeave mail on server (in the mail
  store)Download mail to client (your computer)

IMAP Default
POP3 Default
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Client vs Server Based Mail

• Leave mail on server (in the mail
  store)(Default option for IMAP)
• Network connection required to read your mail
• Only message headers are downloaded
• All new message headers in the in-box of the
  mail store are downloaded each time you check
  mail
• Download mail to client (your computer)(Default
  option for POP3)
• Download all new messages to your computer
• Readable without being connected to the network

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Your E-Mail Strategy

• Do you use more than one computer to get e-mail?
• If NOT, Do you share extremely sensitive
  information?
• If NOT,
• You can choose either POP3 or IMAP
• We recommend
• Netscape Messenger 4.51 (IMAP)
• Consider filing all messages on your computer
• Actively manage all mail you leave on the server

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Your E-Mail Strategy

• Do you use more than one computer to get e-mail?
• Do you log in from outside of the University to
  get mail?
• Do you want access to all of your mail from all
  locations?
• Your choice is IMAP
• We recommend
• Netscape Messenger 4.51 (IMAP) Actively manage
  all mail you leave on the serverCreate folders
  on the server to empty your in-box

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E-Mail Strategy

• Why choose Eudora 3.0 (POP3)?
• When you have an older computer that can not
  support Netscape Messenger 4.51
• Why choose EudoraPro 4.0 (IMAP)?
• When you have a strong preference for the Eudora
  interface versus Netscape Messenger 4.51

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Current Protocol - POP3/IMAP

• How do you know which protocol you are using?
• View the main screen in Netscape Messenger 4.51
• If it contains email.med.yale.edu you are IMAP
• View the main screen in EudoraPro 4.0
• If it contains a header called Dominant you
  are IMAP

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IMAP
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IMAP
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Creating New Folders

• To create a folder on the server
• Right click the server name (email.med.yale.edu)
• Select New Folder
• Type in a name
• To create a folder on your computer
• Right click on Local Mail on your computer
• Select New Folder
• Type in a name

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Deleting Messages Requires Two Steps

• Step I
• Delete the mail by selecting the message header
  and pressing the delete key OR select the
  delete icon when a message is highlighted
• This places a red X next to the message
• Step II
• Under File select Compact This Folder
• Other methods may not work as expected

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Advanced Mail Features

• Filters
• Both applications allow you to automatically
  process messages based on your criteria Processes
  include Automatically deletion Changing
  priorites Automatic filing

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Advanced Mail Features

• What about Web Mail
• New technology not yet in production for faculty
  and staff
• Allows you to use the internet to retrieve and
  respond to your mail
• Limited features
• You can experiment

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E-Mail Advice from Gartner

• Sending E-Mail
• Messages should be sent only to those who need
  the information.
• E-mail originators need to be know their
  recipients' capabilities
• The number and size of attachments is a critical
  consideration for mobile recipients operating
  e-mail over a slow-speed link.
• Senders should correctly classify the
  information
• Urgent" or "informational"
• Why should originators care?
• Avoid a reputation for sending unnecessary e-mail
• Avoid having their messages deleted before being
  read.

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Good Sender Habits

• Use distribution lists with caution.
• Send e-mail messages only to recipients who need
  the information.
• Be succinct. Effective e-mail messages are short
  and to the point.
• Keep the message focused on a single topic.
• Include a subject line that captures the content
  of the message. This helps recipients prioritize,
  file and search for messages.
• Tag messages appropriately. Do not tag messages
  as "High Priority" or "Urgent" if they are not.
• Do not modify someone else's message.
• Do not broadcast someone else's message without
  permission.

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Good Sender Habits

• Do not "reply to all" unless they all need to see
  your reply.
• Choose the number and size of file attachments
  with great care.
• Address e-mail according to the expected action
• "To" is expected to respond
• "CC" is expected to read the message as
  information only
• Consider message format
• No guarantee that the recipient can display the
  message as intended by the sender
• Do not depend on alignments, fonts or colors to
  make a point

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Good Recipient Habits

• Develop regular intervals for using e-mail
• Delete messages that are no longer needed
• File important messages into organized folders
• Browse the subject line to identify important
  messages
• Reply or acknowledge receipt of messages promptly
  
• Use inbox rules and filters to file messages
  automatically
• Delete junk mail (spam)
• Request to be removed from unwanted distribution
  lists
• Do not reply to all recipients unless they all
  need to see your reply

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Summary

• Select the protocol and application that meet
  your needs
• Manage your email
• Contact the HelpDesk 5-3200 for assistance

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Using E-Mail Effectively at the Yale School of
Medicine
Discussion
NOTE For additional advice
seehttp//its.med.yale.edu/email
Jack Beecher MPH, Director YSM Training and
Organizational DevelopmentDavid Stagg Ph.D.,
Director ITS-Med Client and Technology
ServicesNicholas Brenckle, MBA, YSM E-Mail
Postmaster 30 November 1999