Dear Facebook, I have been cheating on you. It was completely unintentional and I can explain everything…sort of.

This week I finally got my invite to Google+.  I had been waiting, wanting to dive in and better understand this shiny new toy that everyone is talking about. This week I got a chance to satisfy my initial curiosity and better understand this new gadget.  

I fumbled some in the beginning until I figured out the interface. I found that it got a bit more interesting as I started understanding how to add people to circles.  It’s been fun to find Ashton Kutcher or Michael Dell and add them to my circle of “Inspirational People”. In this new social tool, I don’t need to be connected to close friends to get content going. I already know this could be addictive.

Here’s a deeper dive into a few of the features I found interesting…there are many more yet to discover:

• Circles: Circles seems to be a hybrid of friending and following that seems difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s cool. You can put anyone in a Circle, and they can choose to reciprocate or not. The interface is easy and very dynamic.  Drag a user here.  Drop them there.  Put them in multiple groups.  The animations for creating, deleting and modifying Circles are also easy to use and fun.  Very cleverly designed.  It also allows for communication streams to be far more organized than on Facebook. While the “group” feature exists in Facebook and is similar to Google +, Google has definitely mastered the art of making it extremely user friendly.
• Stream: The stream — essentially the Google + version of a Facebook news feed — pulls in information from posts made by people in your circles. You, or anyone following you, can also give your personal endorsement, the +1, to any post or comment. Similar to the “like” button. Aesthetically, it’s a big step up from the News Feed.  One of the best features for me was the ability to sort your stream by Circles to see posts only relevant to work or to catch up on the latest news from your friends, etc. Again, bit confusing until you get used to the interface, but highly addictive thereafter.
• Hangout: I personally have yet to try this feature, but from what I understand it is super cool.  The functionality will allow users to post the hangout to their circles and your friends in that circle will be able to join the hangout which is basically a video conference for multiple people.  I believe it will be interesting to see how this actually unfolds within the Droid and the iPhone app interface.  Could this be a significant VOIP play in the future?

My first few days with Google Plus have been addictive. I’m not certain when the “shiny new toy” syndrome will wear off, but for now Google + was fun to use and has a lot of potential. I could see using it in addition to Facebook, but until Google weaves more of their existing services into G+ and I can integrate more of the people I know, it won’t become my main way to socialize online.

Facebook, can we still be friends?

“Nothing ruins a great website… like people using it.”

This remark was made by SmashingMagazine.com writer Ian Lurie in his recent article featured on the site, Getting Started With Defensive Web Design— a piece in which Lurie explores how the shortcomings of a website’s usability can pose problems that can’t be saved by even the most captivating visual design or creative content. If the user runs into a problem that can’t be easily solved, it’s likely that they’ll simply abandon the site, never to return again as a result of their frustration. The aim of any website is to expand its audience, but it’s just as important to maintain that which already exists, and defensive design focuses on just that.

So what exactly is “defensive design”? It’s a contingency plan for when design fails— and this fail may very well be a mistake made by the user, so it’s important to create a web design that is both proactive and reactive to errors. So now the question is how to design defensively.

Web design should first and foremost be proactive to potential road blocks that will leave the user banging his or her head against the wall or worse, completely uninterested in further interaction with the site. Here are some ways to avoid making someone’s hate list and to instead make him or her feel like a valued visitor:

1.     Never assume that the user will “just know” their way around your site and how to use it. Create contextual help that appears on the current page or roll over inline help boxes that help guide users in the right direction and create confidence in their navigation of your site.

2.     Create a website that is still functional even in the event that your images fail to upload due to slow speed or poor connections. You’ll never know exactly what you’re dealing with, so be positive that under no situation will your site be unusable.

3.     Consider providing an on-site search option, and remember that to err is human— features like closest-match for misspellings and auto-completion for the absentminded are great ways to ensure that search and navigation of your site are seamless.

4.     Forms are the proven enemy of many users. Highlighting errors makes any mistakes clear and easy to correct. Courteous error messages prevent the user from feeling scolded or belittled, and preservation of data that has been previously entered by the user facilitates the otherwise laborious process of filling out forms.

5.     Page errors are expected to occur. Finding creative and kind ways to display the “page not found” screen never hurts, and helping the lost and confused user find his way back or to his intended destination make for a better user experience. Use analytics to determine if a reoccurring page error is fault of your own.

6.     Limited landing pages or ambiguous copy can stir up trouble as well. Be sure to avoid making these kinds of mistakes in designing your site, and again, as Ian Lurie warns, do not assume that the user will just “figure it out.”

Taking these points in consideration will minimize potential errors and will almost certainly increase traffic to your site, consisting of both new and returning users. A better web experience equals a better brand experience, and that is ultimately the goal of any website. Don’t let a weak defense make your website work against you.

As the saying goes, “a good defense is the best offense.”

Written by: Savannah Harper, LB Wordsmith

Photo courtesy of Wild Women Entrepeneurs

A friend and I were talking about digital media the other day and he asked me a question: When do new media and digital marketing become a part of traditional media and evolve to the new “normal”? I didn’t have an answer. I would like to say in many ways we are actually there…but as I listen to clients and view the marketing world that exists today, I would say we still have a way to go.

In my life as a consumer, the two are completely intertwined. I look at all social mediums every day, from my phone, my laptop, at my desk, on the treadmill, before bed…you get the picture. I am extremely connected. I see the vanity URLs on commercials and immediately take mental note to see what they deliver. I scan the QR codes and want to know what magical thing is revealed.  This has become my new “normal”. Even as the growth of social media explodes with over 600 million people on Facebook, more than 200 million on Twitter and the numbers and networks are still growing, I sincerely believe we are in the infant stages of understanding how all of this becomes integrated in a way that doesn’t mean brands are sticking a Facebook share button on their websites and then stating they are “digital” and “socially engaged”.

The way we consume media and information has changed dramatically even if we can’t gauge or measure the exact result.  I read a story online recently that very much imitated something that would seem very normal to me.  It was a story about two co-workers talking incessantly about a recent TV commercial they had seen. But the thing was that they hadn’t actually seen the ad – at least not in the traditional sense of the word “seeing”. That is of course if the first image that entered your head when you thought about seeing a commercial is sitting in front of an HDTV watching a commercial break. How they saw this ad was completely personal: one colleague’s daughter had tweeted her a note to check a posting she’d made on her Facebook wall for a link to the YouTube-located commercial that she’d had been alerted to by a co-worker on LinkedIn. Is that the new “normal”?

And if that seems a bit round-about, there are two things you ought to know: First, the entire interaction from start to finish took less than 4 minutes, and that included the commercial being viewed twice (once by the daughter and once by the employees) and subsequently an additional comment being posted by a colleague who then alerted her son in another city and another time zone. Second, this is increasingly becoming how real brand communication and engagement is taking place – at the speed of the consumer.

Social media marketing and the various connecting tools currently available to brands can be extraordinarily useful in opening channels of communications between brands and customers. However, it is just one tenet in a comprehensive marketing strategy. Social media should be seen as a conversation and part of an ongoing relationship with a consumer, but only a part of the relationship. Digital platforms should be leveraged in a way that complement and ultimately extend traditional marketing engagement to deepen relationships with consumers and create even more compelling marketing strategies.

So when will we get to this new “normal”? To be honest, I’m not sure.  I think many people that you ask would react the way I initially did with the answer that we have already arrived. Some would say we will never get there and others would say we are somewhere in the middle of the journey. 

I don’t know the exact timing…but let me check my Facebook and LinkedIn and get back to you!

What do designers know that developers don’t? It is often said that development is the least glamorous job at any organization. Many times designers are looked at as magical music-makers. Why are they perceived that way when we bring their designs to life? It feels more like they put the frosting on the delicious cakes that we as developers make?  We would argue that we must create amazing things together and one would not be as good without the other.  Who wants a cake without frosting?  And who wants frosting without the cake?

So then, why should we look at developers any differently than designers? Why shouldn’t development be as magical and innovative as a designers approach? Designing and design thinking happen at all stages of a process to create just about everything from a sports car to a tea cup. The combination of function and aesthetics are a beautiful combination. Like cake and frosting.

I recently read an excerpt in a Fastco Design blog ”Designing is About the Decisions you Make Every Day” by Stefan Boublil…”…design was meant to serve people and make life easier, not just better looking. When designers succeed, the results do not need explanations, a narrative or descriptive tags; they tell their stories in how they work. The prize is not fame, fortune, or blog hits but the betterment of society through what might have been perceived, at first, as the peculiar placement of a handle on a cup but ended up changing how we sip, if not the world.”

I agree with the sentiment, but think we take it one step further in the web development world.  Why can’t we also use this same design philosophy and apply it to everything we create. We should strive to build applications that create an emotional connection for our users. Something as simple as a form on a site should never result in a user feeling confused or bewildered about the process. Creating moments of delight in something as a simple as a web form should be a benchmark that we as developers choose every day.

We can be as glamorous and magical as designers; we just need to change the paradigm and believe in it.  We often allow our work to be dictated by the design/creative process; however we have a dutiful obligation to add to the creation before it feels mandated as a functional/technical specification document.   Ultimately we need to own the function, just the same as the designer owns the aesthetic. 

Design thinking should be applied at all levels of the design and development process.  We don’t make a distinction. It’s the “methodology for practical creative resolution of problems or issues that looks for an improved future result”.  So, this means it could be reflected in how the site looks, but also, how a site functions for the user.

In a world where we are outsourced, feared and hold the least glamorous job, we can change the stereotype. We can create amazing. We can learn depth and breadth of knowledge that will allow us to live in the same circle as designers.  We can use design thinking as a gauge to be great. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live in that world?  I for one think it is possible.

I admit I stole the photo from a great blog written by Tenessa Gemelke with Brain Traffic entitled “When Words Fail”. To me it provided relevant context for the importance of planning effective content strategy because it has the potential to change the entire spirit of communication. Content isn’t just words and information, it is the diligent approach to messaging; it serves a purpose and provides guidance to its audience.

Words can be very quickly misunderstood and that can lead your users in the wrong direction, confused and unconnected to your goals and overall objectives. Words and content can make or break your web presence. They set the tone, guide the user and allow for better engagement with your audience. Good content strategy can be your differentiator if done correctly and can ultimately set you apart amongst the noise.

Content strategy has to be part of the design thinking process, part of the entire approach to web development and design. It is as critical as how something is graphically designed or how it gets coded. Content strategy is integral in the web design and development process and if done correctly also complements traditional and online marketing integrations in a way that allows for the deepest levels of engagement.  It can mean the difference between how traditional media integrates with online media and marries in a way for the ultimate user experience. Let’s face it. Content rules.

Content strategy is part of our fabric. We believe it is a critical piece of the entire Design Thinking philosophy and part of our approach in every client engagement. For content to be most effective, it is critical to know where you want your business to be and how you expect growth.  Know where your online audience lives and works and plays. Know what they want to see, hear and understand. Know how they want to consume information. Know what they want to know and how they look for data. Then…use content as a strategic arsenal to get there.

Content rules in today’s hyper-interactive environment.  It has made people rich. It has caused people heartache. It has misguided and guided. But at the end of the day, perception is reality and content can provide a clear path to success if done strategically.

The fear of scope creep, project slippage and 11^th hour requirement changes has kept many a soul up at night.  These announcements usually bring on an array of issues, chief among them monetary implications for both the project manager and the client.  All resulting in a crazy frenzy for that last-minute, must-have feature.  But what are we really fighting?  Who are we blaming? Ourselves? The client? The angry one-eyed project monster?!?!  It is far easier to point the finger at someone else, but like Granddad once said, “When you point your finger at someone, there are 3 fingers pointing right back at you.”  Advice well worth taking and advice that I aspire to always remember.  

The real problem is most scope battles are fought in reaction mode rather than in anticipation mode.   So let it be written, let it be done, that if a project is worth doing, it is going to have scope creep.   Why not plan for it?  Why should we view scope creep as a negative? Let’s instead try and focus our efforts on what we can do about it., Is there a way to plan for scope creep rather than make ourselves crazy trying to avoid it? No there couldn’t be…that would be …impossible?  Call me crazy, but here are a few guidelines that can help manage the fragile edges of a scope. Not every project will allow for these guidelines to be implemented so utilize your ‘thinker’ and use these guidelines as a framework for potential ways to avoid the pitfalls.

1. Don’t avoid– anticipate! Address scope creep up front in the project budgeting and sales cycle. Something WILL come up that was left out of the initial requirements gathering process. Allowing space in the budget for this gives you and your client room for additional efforts that will inevitably come up.

2. The Golden Schedule: Schedules vary, plans change, vacations arise and sickness can be unavoidable. Be sure to incorporate these things into the planning process for both your project team and the client. And always allow for plenty of time for feedback turn-around and the often under-appreciated QA (quality assurance) process.

3. Know Thy Scope: The only way to manage scope creep is to keep track. It is critical to provide ongoing project documentation (business and technical requirements, wireframes, user-flows, designs, etc.) and the critical reference material that validates scope is being met and adhered to. Equally important is the expectations of your client and their understanding of the scope and subsequent approval.   It is far easier to demonstrate to a client where scope is being crept when expectations are understood from the beginning.

4. Educate, Share, and Empower: The customer is always right. But is there a path to lead them in the “right” direction? It is important to ensure the client knows what to expect from the process and why the process exists. Managing expectations in the beginning is critical to managing overall scope.  Clients can then feel empowered to share the same expectations and plans in the beginning and can assist in understanding overall change implications.

5. Chase Down the Butterfly: When things do arise that fall outside of the agreed to requirements, meet with your entire team to understand the full ramifications. What seems to be small can sometimes have broad reaching implications, resulting in the butterfly effect. The risk of the butterfly effect increases as a project is further along so the later in the project the more critical this becomes. Managing this quickly is critical.

6. Stamp of Approval: Once a new requirement is identified and understood by your client and internal team, document in a mutually agreed to manner. This can take the shape of a very formal change control process or be as simple as an email correspondence that contains the specifics agreed to.  The key is to document so everyone understands the details and process for proceeding.  Memory is fallible.

As I noted previously there is not one cut and dry solution to any scope creep.  I often use an example/analogy in many different forms that basically sums up scope creep.  How many times have you gone into McDonald’s (and/or insert other fast food restaurant) here and asked for extra ketchup?  Do they give it to you?  Do they speak rudely to you and throw the ketchup at you?   Or do they simply say, “I’m sorry but if you look on your receipt you will notice your meal only came with two packets.  If you would like to discuss additional ketchup options, I would be happy to arrange the conversation.” Well they probably wouldn’t say that and in most cases I hope they would just give you the ketchup w/o any of the above drama. 

However, as is the case with most projects, we are not dealing w/ a simple packet of ketchup, however similar rules apply.   The point is that in 99% of cases the client might just not understand the rules of the game.  The bottom line is that project process is about anticipation, communication and conversation.  If a PM ever finds themselves mad at a client, then in those 99.9% of the cases, they didn’t do any of these 6 steps up front. 

 Marketing and customers are two words that have been around for years. Transactions have been a part of cultural norms most likely as far back as the caveman days. I’m not sure where or when the actual word “marketing” became widely known, but certainly the concept is not new. How we market however, has evolved as both customers and commerce have progressed.

Marketing used to be all about “push”.  Essentially companies just shouting the value of their products hoping to incite people to go buy them. It was a one-way medium. That worked for a while and then a theory popped up that suggested the customer become the center of marketing efforts and the traditional 4P’s (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) became more about Consumer, Cost, Convenience, Communication – you got it, the 4 C’s. I don’t think any of this gets lost in our new digital age, but I certainly would argue the world of social collaboration, digital engagement and interactive strategy have birthed many new ways to engage with consumers.  This in turn has dramatically changed our approach to creating marketing strategies that build intimate connections with consumers.

So what should we be considering instead of the traditional marketing approach? We need to begin the process of looking at these marketing concepts a bit differently. Online and digital strategies have changed the way consumers engage, influence and make purchasing decisions. There are apps for everything from buying a movie ticket to depositing a check. We can search in Facebook, Bing, Yahoo, Google and Twitter for anything imaginable.  There are influencing reviews on everything from doctors to restaurants. E-commerce is now in Facebook. All of these items designed in a way to leverage a new evolving marketing mix. So what should we be thinking about?  Hear me out on this…in a recent brainstorming session here at LB we referred to it as SSED:

• Place is now about Search Engines and discoverability – location, location, location.
• Promotion is now about Social influence and engagement – real-time engagement and influence.
• Product has become more about Experience – creating a more intimate connection.
• Price has become second to Design in many ways – functionality and utility over cost.

I am not suggesting we dismiss the previous P’s and C’s, yet that we simply allow for new factors (you guessed it… the SSED’s) in the ongoing marketing game. Interactive strategies must embrace these new paradigms and create digital footprints that leverage each of these new tenets to create a wholistic marketing strategy. Interactive is now as important as traditional mediums. The intricate details and objectives of each must be woven together in a way that complements and provides a 360 view of the consumer and subsequently how we build connections with them. Websites and social mediums are the new storefronts and it is critical they be created and ultimately designed in a way to maximize this new SSED approach.

It’s a whole new ballgame and B2B and B2C marketing is requiring the balance of the traditional 4P’s with these new and engaging ways to market in real time. Search, Social Influence, Experience and Design are all going to play a larger part in how we evolve marketing strategies and leverage the digital landscape.