Mike’s Points

At least when considering a site’s usability, Web 2.0 characteristics make for a poorly-designed website.

That is according to Jakob Nielsen in a BBC News article (Web 2.0 ‘neglecting good design’).

“Describing Web 2.0 as the ‘latest fashion,’ Mr Nielsen said many sites paying attention to it we’re neglecting some of the principles of good design and usability established over the last decade.

Good practices include making a site easy to use, good search tools, the use of text free of jargon, usability testing and a consideration of design even before the first line of code is written.

Sadly, said Mr Nielsen, the rush to embrace Web 2.0 technology meant that many firms were turning their back on the basics.”

It never hurts to focus on the basics. Sound fundamentals. And, it’s easy to lose “site” of the basics when new tools and trends come around. So, Nielsen’s comments are a good reminder that:

WE ALWAYS NEED TO REACH AND COMMUNICATE WITH OUR AUDIENCES IN WAYS THEY PREFER.

One bit of research I found interesting and not surprising was:

“Research suggests that users of a site split into three groups. One that regularly contributes (about 1%); a second that occasionally contributes (about 9%); and a majority who almost never contribute (90%).”

However — and this may be blasphemous — I do not totally agree with Nielsen on one point:

“Mr Nielsen also questioned championing teenage use of the web as a harbinger of what people will continue to do when they were older.

Although people in their late 30s make very different use of the web to those in their teens, Mr Nielsen expects that when those teenagers grow up the time they spend online will diminish.”

I agree to a point but the tendencies will remain — such as the desire to be technologically-connected — and that information is what we can take from the teens. So, while there will not be a one-on-one correlation in habits and uses, there is still valuable information — tendencies and trends — we can take from the teen and young adult use of technology.

– Mike

(Thanks to Mike Osswald for the pointer to Nielsen’s story.)

Mostly for the agency folks, but can also be applicable for in-house personel:

“A client will always find additional budget for a good idea that addresses its business objectives.”*

Ken Lauerer (president of previous employer)

The thinking is to always be thinking about how to serve and be of value to the client — even if it says it’s out of budget for the FY/CY. If you can develop an idea and plan that will impact sales (or another significant business objective), the client will find the money to implement it.

So, the client ends up winning (improving its business) and the agency ends up winning (additional revenue).

– Mike

*This may not be an exact quote, but it’s pretty close.