Technology, Usability, Web Content Management, Web Development, Webcast

Why Could Your Content Management System Implementation Fail? June 30th, 2010

Are you about to invest in a new CMS? Or are you struggling to salvage your current system? So many CMS implementations fail, don’t let it happen to you.  In this live Webinar, I explored the reasons why so many fail, and focused on how to make your CMS work for you.

If you missed it, check out the slides on Slide Share, below, or listen to the recording.

Internet Strategy, Social Networking, User Experience Design

How to Get Familiar with the Principles of Web Design June 29th, 2010

Tune into Federal Tech Talk on 1500 AM radio at 11:00 AM EST, for an interview of Leo Mullen, CEO of NavigationArts, by host, John Gilroy. The topic is “How to Get Familiar with the Principles of Web Design.” Leo speaks to how the Web can be leveraged to engage citizens. The conversation also addresses the primary steps in building a Web site, the importance of user experience, social media, the power of mobile, search, and more.

Some highlights from the segment:

Technology, Web Development, Browsers, CSS, HTML5, JavaScript

Learning All About HTML5 June 25th, 2010

So one of the latest and greatest buzzwords in Web Development Land is “HTML5″ and some folks may be wondering exactly what the deal is. Long story short, it’s a work in progress, it’s being created in the open, and it’s features are being tested by browser vendors already. Mozilla, Apple, Google, Opera, and Microsoft all have their efforts going at the same time, some of them with overlap, some of them without. Finally, there are features which can be reliably used today. There’s plenty of information out there if you’re looking.

Social Networking

NavigationArts to Sponsor Web Managers Roundtable June 22nd, 2010

NavigationArts is sponsoring the Web Managers Roundtable event, Social Studies 301: Revealing the Myths & Management Strategies of Social Media.  The Event takes place on July 14th from 8:30 am to 11:15 am and features 4 distinguished speakers, guaranteed to be an interesting talk!  To request an invitation contact julie@justshowup.com and mention NavigationArts.

Application Development, Web Content Management, Web Development

Transcript of SharePoint 2010 Chat with Product Team Members (public) June 18th, 2010

On May 17th three members of the SharePoint product team participated in a Live Q&A session about SharePoint 2010.  I didn’t see the content posted anywhere yet, so below is the transcript.  SharePoint 2010 Web Content Management topics are covered multiple times!  Enjoy!

User Experience Design, Visual Design

Kayak Travel Planning June 16th, 2010

Kayak is a newcomer to the travel industry, but they have created such an engaging experience that it’ll be tough to ignore them the next time I start thinking about a vacation.

The Kayak Explore feature is something that I have not seen before – presented visually.

Internet Strategy, Social Networking

Own Your Social Presence June 15th, 2010

NavigationArts is sponsoring the HealthCare New Media conference in Chicago this week.  One of the major concerns faced by Healthcare marketers is getting their organizations to embrace (or even allow) a social media presence.  I am a huge proponent of asking the question “Why?” when thinking about social media.  Defining an appropriate strategy with measurable goals that meet business objectives is the key to success.  However, if you are a large organization such as a hospital, you already have a social media presence whether or not you know it or control it.

Information Architecture, User Experience Design

Web App Masters Tour: Your Homepage Should Not Reveal Your Corporate Underpants! June 11th, 2010

I also attended the Web Apps Masters Tour, and heard something in the opening address that made me smile! At almost every business stakeholder meeting I have had as a consultant, the most common thing I hear is  “ but where does my stuff go on the homepage, it is very important!”

So let’s take a step back and realize the reality on the Web in the present time:

Application Development, User Experience Design, mobile

Web App Masters Tour: Form Field Design June 10th, 2010

Along with several other members of the NavigationArts User Experience Design team, I attended the Web App Masters Tour.  Considering design in the Mobile space added an interesting new layer to a common design question:

Social Networking, Technology

Peer Persuasion: Driving Your Business Without Driving You Crazy June 8th, 2010

For all the aspects of modern life that have been irrevocably changed by the digital tsunami, happily some of the crucial drivers of human behavior have remained stubbornly the same. We’re seeing lots of clients wrestling to understand dynamics that can incent certain audience segments to persuade peer groups to support ideas, activities, and commercial transactions. According to our friends at McKinsey & Company, “word-of-mouth is the primary factor behind 20%-50% of all purchasing decisions and is the only factor that ranks among the top three at every stage of the buying process.” They argue that the influence of word-of-mouth is most pronounced when consumers are buying for the first time or when the product /service is perceived to be a premium tier, expensive product.

Peer persuasion is another way of thinking about an activity that is frequently (mis)labeled word-of-mouth marketing. This term typically refers to consumer-to-consumer communications that have occurred with no exchange of economic incentives. More and more, the mouth has less and less to do with how such behavior is promoted. Web technologies have amplified and accelerated the power of such peer persuasion by shifting the model first from a one-to-one to a one-to-many, and more recently to a many-to-many model.  In this environment, the real or perceived strengths (or failings) of a product are posted on countless Web sites and blogs or disseminated through social networks with almost instantaneous impact, burnishing or bruising brands in the process.

Insight Article, User Experience Design, Visual Design

1 Web site + 1 Email = 1 User Experience. June 8th, 2010

Like most digital marketing consultants, I’m concerned with improving the online user experience for users of my clients’ Web sites – arguably the quickest way to provide a positive return on any Web marketing investment.  With few exceptions, upgrading the online experience to meet a marketing objective involves making enhancements to the email marketing program in parallel.  What I’ve noticed, lamentably, is the number of often systemic hurdles that prevent marketers from treating Web sites and emails as one user experience.

Emails, particularly opt-in consumer marketing HTML format emails, basically look and feel like a web page, and invite interaction exactly the way a browser-based Web page would.  And they should – since the goal of non-transactional emails is to “get the click” and deliver a visit to the emailer’s Web site.   So why on earth would marketers allocate budget separately, deploy creative and technical resources inconsistently, and otherwise architect these systems in silos, and thus permit discordant and inferior user experiences to occur?

Usability, User Experience Design, User Research

User Research and Usability Testing, the Key to User-Centered Design June 3rd, 2010

The most successful Web sites are those that put the user’s needs, rather than the organization’s, at the center of its design.   But without User Research and Usability Testing, how can you have a user-centered design?

In this presentation to the Potomac Forum, Director of User Research, Toral Contractor, and Information Architect, Kirsten Miller, outline the following major methods of user research and usability testing, providing case studies for each method with tips and important discoveries.  And help you understand how each method fits in to the project lifecycle.

Check out the whole presentation or download it from slideshare:

Application Development, Internet Strategy, Technology, Web Content Management, Dynamic URLs, SEO, Sitecore

SEO-friendly URLs in Sitecore June 1st, 2010

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a critical feature of any Web site. One aspect of SEO is the URL itself – there are certain best practices to follow when it comes to URLs so that they can be best interpreted by search engines, and are built in the best way possible to increase their rankings. When your site is being run by a CMS, you have to make sure that it’s creating SEO-friendly URLs for you.