Many web development projects have gotten BIG. They are known as Enterprise projects, although we called them Marathon Projects. Why? Because you need to have a lot of stamina to keep an 18 month project moving forward and aligned with its original purpose. The reality behind these projects is that they take a lot out of you – both the client and the agency. What’s more, the fast pace of the digital world may well see your ‘killer idea’ quickly out-dated. This increases the risk of making a heavy investment in something that may be considered disappointing or even redundant by your users when it finally goes live over a year from its inception.

So I put forward an alternative approach: move away from ‘Big Bang’ releases and into an agile delivery methodology that allows you to gage user interaction and reaction at every release. This information can then be used to inform improvements in subsequent iterative releases.

(Post thumbnail by jacsonquerubin)

This approach has two main benefits:
1. It improves the quality of the final product by weaving the user into the centre of the approach
2. It reduces the risk that the final product will be out-dated by enabling the overall strategy to be nimble and reactive to market and user trends.

Your project approach would consist of several small releases – each working under a fixed budget and timeline – without sacrificing high level goals. Your project will still be driven by clear business objectives, but the execution and implementation strategy can be refined and allowed to evolve as the digital landscape changes. This minimises risk and keeps the project open, enabling opportunities for collaboration. This keeps your bosses happy.

Each release cycle would conclude with the product team gathering user feedback, either through social channels, formal interviews or through traffic and data analysis. What are people using? What aren’t they using? The answers to these questions then feed back into the strategy, allowing you to give the user a more tailored, enjoyable experience. This keeps your users happy.

Lastly, each delivery is quick, fast and light-weight, which frees up energy for creativity and analysis that would otherwise be funnelled through to your stamina. This keeps you happy.

Simple :-)

Not deterred by Qantas’s hard-learned lessons, McDonalds decided just last month to jump into the fray with an ill-conceived social media campaign of its own. It prompted fans to tell their best McDonalds experiences, using the hashtag #McDStories. Somewhat predictably, Twitter was soon flooded with horror stories of toenail clippings in Big Macs, rats in kitchens and screws in McFlurries, complete with pictorial evidence.

What went wrong? Clearly, if you’re inviting such broad participation with an open question, you better be extra confident in the quality of your product and the support it enjoys in the community. Running this type of campaign amongst “friends and fans” on Facebook is certainly a safer proposition than the wide open battlefield of Twitter. Something McDonalds – a brand better known for its consistency that the experience it provides – has learned the hard way. And while Qantas generally occupies a special place in the hearts of Australians, timing is everything.

If you would like to explore the topic of reputation management in social media further, come to our Breakfast Briefing workshop or drop us an email to receive our forthcoming white paper on the subject.

While mobile was once the domain of internet giants, many SMEs are starting to fall in line as well. Is 2012 your year for mobilisation?

So where do I start? There’s no standard answer to this. It depends on the existing and target user base and your current and future content requirements. Personally, I would start with a mobile-specific version of your site and move up from there. While interaction will be largely restricted to that of your current website, this will allow those browsing the web on mobile devices to read your website in a mobile optimised format – a minimum requirement.

I want an app! If you have an interaction-heavy online business then it might be worth considering an app. These come in both native and hybrid flavours: native means the app is built specifically for the phone’s operating system (eg. iOS), whereas hybrid combines elements of native code with HTML5.

Why native? If you’re looking to offer users a truly engaging experience then a native approach will best address that need. Native apps are the ideal solution when dealing with lots of offline data, synchronising, and accessing native handset functionalities such as address book, camera etc. From the user’s perspective, native apps are fast, reliable, and powerful. From a business perspective, native apps can be expensive. The barrier to this approach is definitely upfront development cost and the fact that these will have to be repeated for each major platform targeted – iPhone, Android, Blackberry and WP7. If the thought of an expensive, inflexible development project doesn’t sound like the right investment then don’t worry. Fortunately, there are some cool options available that can make your geek and your wallet a lot happier.

A hybrid approach? If you are looking at a solution that will display content with extensive user engagement plus a lot of HTML based information and interaction then we are looking at a Hybrid solution. Hybrid apps are quite powerful, look like a native app and can function most of the native functionality that are available through a native platform. Did I mention that the development time is also faster with this approach. The trade-off here is, it is expensive than a regular HTML5 based app. But the good news is it still is cheaper than a native app.

I just want one simple solution! Okay, so you want one website that will display and function effectively on a broad range of PCs, laptops and mobile/tablet devices? In this case you are looking at adaptive design/fluid layout. This is when your website detects the device and display settings your user is using and then picks the best out of a number of pre-configured designs to display content optimised for that context.

The cost is a bit higher than a regular website build or a single app build, but it’s cheaper than doing both separately and can perform many of the same jobs . Visit the Boston Globe website on both your computer and mobile phones to see an example of this cool adaptive solution. Yep – that’s the same site. Better yet, if you decide later that you actually want a hybrid app as well then you can reuse a lot of the same code.

So… which is right for me? You should apply the same research and analysis to determining your mobile solution as you did your CMS. Each approach has a trade-off, but plotting out the business and user requirements of your mobile content before talking to your geeks will help ensure that you’re making the best decisions, maximising value and minimise waste. Long story short, “Think before do.”

Head over to Open Forum, the platform for focused dialogue on Australian public policy and social issues to read the article.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Gamification is the use of game design techniques and mechanics to solve problems and engage audiences. Typically gamification applies to non-game applications and processes (also known as “funware”), in order to encourage people to adopt them. Gamification works by making technology more engaging, by encouraging users to engage in desired behaviors, by showing a path to mastery and autonomy, and by taking advantage of humans’ psychological predisposition to engage in gaming.

Creating a linear online experience is the paradigm which is followed daily by many practitioners in the digital sphere. Creating applications for handheld devices certainly isn’t breaking news but how we make users want to engage with an app on a device that interacts with the real world is definitely still in its infancy.  At the heart of an experience that relies on game theory to engage, an underlying story has to exist. Around that narrative is what the user/participant relies on to find value; so there are two story world types for taking people on a journey:

- The Dorothy type (Wizard of Oz)
- The Alice type (Alice in Wonderland)

Dorothy was thrust into an unknown place but knew she had to do one thing: follow the yellow brick road. Alice on the other hand had to make choices. Explore. Find her own way.

While either of these story world types can be used to lead the user, the ability to steer a portion of the narrative and feel in control of the experience will win out in terms of engagement (especially with digital natives as a target audience who grew up gaming). That said, it is paramount when letting a user feel at the helm that you retain control behind the scenes. Without a core narrative to pull them back in your user’s journey can fall flat, so ensure you plan for this when incorporating diversions from each act /section of the core journey.

Aside from this fundamental aspect of the experience other things that need to be considered include:

- Know your target group and look at scenarios when testing is not possible
- Choose the right tech for your target audience (Native iOS app? Android? Web app?)
- Make sure there is a platform for discussion (Microsite? Forum? Social media driven?)
- Newest tech isn’t adapted by all – if it’s not accessible or requires a plugin you’re asking for trouble (Flash? Audio or screen reader enabled for the sensory impaired?)

And last but not least be prepared to listen to your users and iterate! Iterate! Iterate!

Back in April this year Google announced that usage limits would come into play for its Maps API service, which sounded the alarm for web developers and businesses alike. Since 2005 developers have been using the service to integrate Google Maps into their websites for route planners, business locators and a profusion of other valuable uses. Now, after six years of free use and endless amounts of website integrations Google have decided that the service is in fact too good to be free and have introduced usage limits and charges as of October 1^st. So what are the usage limits you ask? Well depending on how you look at it, Google have introduced a relatively low usage limit, which means websites and applications using the Maps API incur no cost for up to 25,000 map loads per day for each API and up to 2,500 map loads per day for Styles Maps. The general price after these quotas are hit is $4 per 1,000 map loads, but there are some allowances.

These new usage limits will have varying implications, depending on your type of business. The 25,000 hit threshold will be sufficient for many smaller companies, assuming they don’t gain a sudden popularity, in which case they can expect to be hit with some hefty charges. But you can feel safe(r) in the knowledge that these charges won’t spiral out of control, as according to Google, one load of the map counts as one hit, so the amount of clicks and varying usage of the map by an individual user, has no effect on pricing. However, this will provide little comfort for larger companies, who will inevitably exceed the usage limits and receive some unpleasant charges from Google. If your website is definitely going to exceed the usage limits then Google gives you three options to mull over.

1. Modify your Maps API application to ensure the number of maps generated per day is below the usage limit. This is easier said than done if you don’t want to affect usability – which we’re pretty sure is the case.

2. Enrol on the payment program for extra usage, which is an alternative to warning messages appearing on your website, courtesy of Google, and receiving a heated call from a Google sales manager.

3. Purchase the Maps API Premier Licence, which will give you unlimited usage but set you back $10,000 for the year – unless you’re a non-profit organisation that Google deems to be in the public interest.

Enhanced features such as geocoding, added support, and full control over advertising, are Google’s reasoning for the ‘cost effective’ $10,000 a year price tag for the Premier License. We have to admit these are nice features, but to offer a free lite version in addition to the premier version would have been a better option for companies and would provide them with a service they actually need.

We suggest that if you’re a non-profit organisation then you should be applying for the free Premier Licence straight away. But be warned Google has strict guidelines for who isn’t eligible. So don’t bother applying if you’re a political/religious group (including lobbyists), you have a pending or don’t have tax-exempt charitable status, or you are based outside the USA, UK, France, Germany Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

There of course, is always the possibility of boycotting Google Maps altogether and opting for an alternative service. Sites such as http://www.openstreetmap.org/ provide a free alternative but as with similar sites, functionality is compromised. Ultimately, although competition is always beneficial for the user, these sites highlight that the Google Maps API service is far more advanced on every level.

We have diminishing hope that this isn’t the start of something bigger and Google won’t start charging for other services such as Google Analytics. A similar incident happened with Google’s Checkout service, which was built with the intention to rival PayPal and its controversial transaction fees. We all got on board, with what we thought was the better alternative, and then Google hit us with the transaction fees. Don’t get us wrong we think Google develop great services, with unmatched functionality, but we can’t help feeling cheated by the self-titled ‘open’ company, and it appears that our free trials are quickly running out.

So is Google really the big bad wolf? If we take into account that Google is not the only company to start charging for its products then no, Microsoft, Sony, and Spotify are all culprits. But does this make it fair? In order to somewhat soften the blow, Thor Mitchell (the product manager for Google Maps API), has stated that Google will give you until early 2012 to consider your options and then start billing you for excess usage. And if this is all a bit too much to take in and you simply want to embed Google Maps into your site without using API, then be rest assured this will be a free service. This will still include embedding a simple map, a set of driving instructions, a local search, and maps created by other users.

It looks as though unless a substantial alternative service emerges in the next couple of months, larger companies will have to bite the bullet and either enrol on a payment plan or purchase the Premier licence. In future it would perhaps be sensible of Google to clearly outline from the get go that their services are not free, but are in fact free trials – which might restore some of our trust in the brand.

For many, I think the perception they had was that I would be sitting behind a computer screen entering ones and zeros into a program. However, that was far from the case.

The first wall…

I came across my first challenge within minutes of my arrival to the office… outlook email. Okay I guess it is not that scary, but for someone who has never used it before the amount of buttons and functions was enough to reconsider my assumption that I was technically savvy. Another inadequacy I felt was when writing up a draft of a social media company. Social media websites have multiplied in the past few years and keeping up with them can be difficult. Content platforms are constantly changing and some being made redundant. I think it is fair to say that Tom is no longer on MySpace.

And another thing, I don’t know about anyone else but I am sick of updating ITunes and checking the box to confirm I have read their updated terms and conditions. For all I know they could be deducting millions from my credit card.

Sharing is not caring

One surprising discovery I learned when attending a social media workshop was how volatile some industry forums can be. I already knew Twitter and other social media platforms were well known for their capacity to murder people’s reputations but I had no idea these sorts of things happened within professional industry websites.

The point was raised during the workshop about how people often defame other companies and individuals online but may one day want to work for that particular individual or employer. For all you know they could be your next client or business partner, heck, they might even play golf with your boss on weekends.

So what happens if you do have a stab at a competitor or a particular individual? You could always delete the post, but experiences with other social media platforms show how that really makes no difference. Information is often saved onto particular websites despite the delete option, and all it takes is screenshot > save > send (or alternatively share) by a fellow co-worker and there goes your next promotion.

Technology at the hands of the user

On my third day I went along to navigation testing for a new health website where many different people were tested including pharmacists, general practitioners and your average Joe. Across all the different people there was one clear part of the website they all feel they needed, and that was a search button.

People want quick information where they can find what they want in a few clicks. Which is perfectly reasonable, however I do wonder what we are missing when all we want is quick information. Gone are the days where people would spend hours trawling though information in order to find the right kind. The internet and in particular Google has changed this making all the information you need at your fingertips. This particular “Google it” way of thinking has meant that many company websites have changed in order to accommodate a search button.

A moment to reflect

Behind the initial shock of emails and the realisation that social media is unpredictable at the best of times, I found the digital world quite interesting.  It is a constantly changing environment filled with the potential to change the way people interact with companies and individuals. So, in an industry with so much innovation and change I am sure to be kept intrigued and fascinated by digital communication.

- actively drive people to your site
- use your site to impart information
- use your site to enable purchases
- use your site as part of your PR activity
- consider your site at least part of your organisation’s public facing strategy

then mobile internet should be at the forefront of your digital strategy. Reading Room are already well versed in helping to drive these solutions for our existing clients.

Download our Mobile Internet Whitepaper here

Look back over your respective careers; can you identify how much was planned in advance and how much was left to circumstance and opportunity?

I have realised that much of my career path as a “web” developer has been sculpted by circumstance and quite little by actual choice. Aforementioned circumstances have varied from the projects I was assigned to (and the skills I had to develop to support them) through to the maximum radius I was willing to travel when searching for a position in a new company.

I started out as a developer from the get-go but for a long time I was a ‘jack of all trades’ developer (interface, technical, flash, design, etc). Since joining Reading Room I have been working primarily on technical development and now I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything different. I could have started my tenure in the company as an interface developer and have progressed as much as I have as a technical developer but I took the role that was available at the time; this is a very good example of opportunity shaping my career rather than choice.

Admittedly I lacked direction in my early years, being content to simply develop was enough to satisfy me but as my career developed so did my desire to focus my skill set. My years in Reading Room have certainly allowed me to achieve this as the roles cater to specific skills.

From this point on in it will be choice that shapes the direction of my career rather than the alternative as I have a bedrock of experience to evaluate my decisions against. It’s just very interesting to me (now at least) how much I left to chance throughout the years.

So I call you now to ask yourself the same questions I have asked of myself. Where did you come from? How did you get here? Where are you going?

But what happens when you can’t use a computer? How do you function in a world that has moved so quickly to an overwhelming technology overload?

For the last month and a bit I have been teaching computer classes at the local seniors centre. Very brave people over 60 years old come along to the class expecting to be thrown into a big black hole of confusion. I admire their strength and determination as they hesitantly ask questions that start with “I know this is probably really easy but….”.

21% of Australians over the age of 65 have access to the internet¹ but I’ve had the amazing opportunity to spend time with people that have conquered their careers, family life and are incredibly wise, intelligent and outgoing…. But they find computers scary.

I even have some 90 year olds in the class that are inspired to learn more new things. We tend to go over the same thing each week but I let them get away with it….. The ones in their 80s, however have to be on their game.

Old person glossary:

As someone that dabbles in useability of websites daily, I have found the classes fascinating, seeing how non-experienced website users see our digital world.

The one thing that surprised me is how confusing website pages are. New users that aren’t familiar with looking at a page can’t tell the difference without close inspection as to what important content is and what an advertisement is. Taking a newbie through the steps of filling in a form online, they are confused and distracted by flashing banners, Facebook “Like” buttons and all other call to actions that I would tend to ignore. On each page I would have to describe to the user what they need to focus on to get their task done.  They are also so scared of doing something wrong, each pop up “allow/don’t allow” is the end of the world and frightening enough to turn the computer off until their grandchildren come over to help.

The PC mouse is an interesting tool for new computers users to get used to also. Knowing when to use the right or the left mouse button is incredibly confusing and tiny call to actions (like the pins on a Google map) are almost impossible to click on when your hand has a slight shake. The coolest lesson we have gone through so far is how to “drag and drop”. Using this surprise functionality saved them so much time when saving and moving documents, they were thrilled.

My favourite students*

Elsa – a sweet and huggable 82 year old who wants to share her card making stills online in a craft forum and to chat with people about paper craft from all over the world

Al – a handsome 78 year old who has hours of music on cassette tape. He wants to put this music on his computer to file and burn to a CD – but he can’t work a mouse yet

Gail – an outgoing 75 year old who is travelling overseas to play 10 pin bowling competitively, plays tennis every day and wants to learn about how to set up and run an Excel spreadsheet to become the clubs treasurer

Brian – who wants to email family and friends overseas but hasn’t figured out the difference between the brand of computer, the brand of browser, the brand of internet provider to get connected and the brand of the email provider to start an account with

I am learning a ridiculous amount of things about life experience, family, loss, friendship, patience, humour and how to make a good cup of tea.

Stay tuned for more glossary updates by following me on Twitter @khylandmcgovern OR #digitaloldies

¹ Participation in Society, Population Ageing in New South Wales 2008, Australian Bureau of Statistics, p.80
* not their real names