August 2008 Issue
Creating a Digital World: Data As Design Material
Published: August 18, 2008
The common wisdom is that we now live in the age of information; the freedom and access we have to data is unprecedented in history; and the efficiency and convenience of online commerce, research, and communication has already transformed our lives for the better. While this is true, of course, our excitement should be tempered by these realizations:
- We’re only just beginning to discover what possibilities the information age may bring.
- We’re at the very beginning of a major transformation in the way we work, play, and live.
Category: Columns
Execution Is Everything
Published: August 18, 2008
The number one enemy of any strategy is poor execution. All across
the business landscape, the ability of an organization to execute its strategy
is one of the most critical elements of success. And for an effective UX
strategy, the broad range of elements requiring alignment and implementation
make its successful execution all the more difficult.
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Category: Features
Winning Considerations for Interactive Content
Published: August 4, 2008
User interface designers have more interactive options than ever for presenting content. So, we can make meaningful strides toward offering users the right content in the right place, at the right time, in the right amount. However, these rich options for interactively presenting content also come with a challenge.
Remember, years ago, when the new world of desktop publishing
features opened up to us? People often succumbed to the temptation to use all of those features in one document, resulting in indulgences such as five clashing fonts on a single page. Such
excessive formatting made the content harder to read, less usable, and
potentially, less credible. Likewise, today, we need to think carefully about
when and how we present content. This column offers my thoughts on some winning considerations for interactively presenting content—from both usability and persuasion perspectives.
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Category: Columns
Selling Your Brand by Using Your Web Site as a Customer Research Tool
Published: August 4, 2008
With companies moving business online, the Internet has become a source of profit for them. We all know how this works. You establish an online presence, sell your brand well—and you make money. Let’s rewind. We are selling our brands online, but doing it well is the challenge. To do it well, keep the following in mind:
- Customer research is an important factor in generating business revenues, so it must be done right—that is, at the right place and at the right time.
- The online medium should not be the only way of gathering customer information.
- Recognizing emerging trends—behavioral, demographic and emotional—helps companies move forward strategically.
Category: Features