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<p>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/viget/8697058388/in/set-72157633373948453"><img alt="" src="http://viget.com/uploads/image/blog/Vigetry_Celebration.png" style="width: 1602px; height: 586px;" /></a></p>
<p>
<em>The feeling of being “done” is hard to beat</em></p>
<p>
I recently started receiving the <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/">Denver Post</a> on a daily basis. When I began the subscription, I was unsure if I would actually read it, given the availability of every news article I could ever want on the Internet. Surprisingly, I immediately found myself reading the entire newspaper nearly every day, and I continue to do so. The reason, I’ve discovered, is that I can <em>finish</em> the newspaper.</p>
<p>
Similarly, <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/preagan">another Vigeteer</a> took a few days off to repair the fence in his yard. When he returned to work, he spoke to how great it felt to be able to actually finish something, to be able to say “I’m done.” The sense of completion was satisfying.</p>
<p>
These seemingly unrelated experiences really got me thinking about the fact that the feeling of being done is something most people relish, and it’s something we rarely get to feel when working through web projects. Certainly web sites <a href="http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/2431844/rocket-launch-o.gif">launch</a> and that, often, is a major milestone worth <a href="http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view/22343/excessive-celebration-o.gif">celebrating</a>; but, typically, the work is not done there. There’s always more to do with updates, bug fixes, and second, third, or fourth phases.</p>
<p>
Feeling like you’ve completed something can be an important element to being satisfied at work. I doubt anyone wants to go day after day without feeling like progress has been made or that they’ve finished something. This is why, I think, as a Project Manager it’s important to try to provide that sense of completion often throughout a project. Here are some thoughts on how this can be done:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>
<em>When working on a retainer or support project, which has no launch or end date, be sure to focus on features being worked on and celebrate the individual feature launches. Even if it’s a small item that took a day or two to complete, congratulate any team members who worked on it for finishing that feature.</em></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
<em>Even if you are working on a project that has a launch date, if the project will take longer than a couple of months, identify specific goals and celebrate when they’ve been reached. Every few weeks, team members should feel like they’ve completed something. If too much time passes without anyone feeling things are getting done, motivation and interest can wane.</em></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
<em>Whether working on an agile project or not, always conduct the iteration retrospectives. For all types of projects, retrospectives provide an opportunity to not only talk through what could go better as the project progresses, but also to reflect on what’s been completed to that point. Celebrate the progress and completed features.</em></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>
<em>Tell outside people about the things your project team has completed. Discuss the great work someone has done with their managers, or their peers, or the whole company if that’s an option. Here at Viget, we meet as a company once a week and project managers are all able to highlight what was completed on their projects in the past week. Seize those opportunities to be specific about what features can now be called "done."</em></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
These all may seem like common sense thoughts; but, they are still important to remember. Our job as Project Managers includes ensuring the team is as happy as possible, as well as helping the team feel that sense of completion along the way.</p>
<p>
Also, don’t forget to take a moment to look at what you, as a Project Manager, have completed. In my career, I’ve spent a year on a project without feeling like we finished anything. It was a tough year, and I’ve used that as a learning experience to take time to reflect on what has been completed, even if the project, as a whole, will not be done for quite some time. Fixing a fence post on a weekend or reading the newspaper each day should not be the only time we feel like we’ve finished something.</p>
<p>
How have you been able to surface the feeling of completion throughout your projects?</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/MzH3uu2l8hU" height="1" width="1"/>
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Jason Sperling
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<p>
At our last <a href="http://viget.com/flourish/happy-13th-birthday-viget">TTT</a>, Viget’s company-wide quarterly event in April, <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/mdaniels">Mitch Daniels</a>, digital analyst, shared some thoughts on the state of the mobile web. He’s posted about <a href="http://viget.com/advance/2013-rise-of-the-second-screens">The Rise of The Second Screens</a> previously; but, it was a great reminder of what, to me, is the big argument for responsive design:</p>
<p>
<strong>The number of unique screen resolutions being used to access web sites is increasingly varied and growing at a rapid pace.</strong></p>
<p>
<a href="http://viget.com/advance/responsive-design-an-overview">Responsive design</a> is <a href="http://viget.com/advance/10-astounding-mobile-stats-and-the-3-mobile-trends-to-watch">not the answer</a> to supporting every user that wields a mobile or tablet device. However, it has emerged as the best strategy for reaching the largest variety of devices with the least fragmentation of assets.</p>
<p>
<strong>How Many Unique Screen Resolutions Hit My Web Site?</strong></p>
<p>
To find out, we looked at data from a handful of sites that we’ve worked on over the last four years. Some of the top resolutions included 1920x1080, 1600x900, 1440x900,1366x768, 1280x1024, 1280x900,1280x800, 1024x768, 768x1024, and 320x480.</p>
<p>
Notice how similar some of these screen resolutions are? Today, there are <a href="http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?1679" target="_blank">no longer any gaps between screen sizes</a>.</p>
<p>
But, the other change that’s astounding is how many total screen resolutions, on average, hit web sites beyond these top resolutions. In Q1, 2013, the average unique screen resolutions was 232. Two hundred and thirty-two. While there’s some browser, device, and reporting artifacts* influencing this number, it is interesting to see the trend across the years:</p>
<p>
<em>Unique Screen Resolutions (Average) from 2010 to 2013</em><br />
<br />
Q1 2010 - 97<br />
Q1 2011 - 129<br />
Q1 2012 - 229<br />
Q1 2013 - 232</p>
<p>
Within a three-year time span from Q1 2010 through Q1 2013, we’ve seen 139% growth.</p>
<p>
We then filtered the results by the number of unique screen resolutions related to 80% of the visits to the sites. This helps give a sense of how unique screen resolutions correspond to the majority of traffic to web sites.</p>
<p>
<em>Unique Screen Resolutions - 80% of Visits (Average)</em></p>
<p>
Q1 2010 - 7<br />
Q1 2011 - 9<br />
Q1 2012 - 13<br />
Q1 2013 - 15</p>
<p>
So ... If we want our content and functionality to be optimized for 80% of our users, we cannot design for a single screen resolution. This data clearly indicates that designing for a single screen resolution is a thing of the past.</p>
<p>
Mobile devices, like electronic music, texting, and cars that drive themselves, are here to stay. Consider that Adweek recently reported that <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/tablets-overtake-smartphones-big-shopping-device-149654" target="_blank">by 2017, mobile devices will account for one-fourth of online sales in the U.S.</a> Here’s even more data on <a href="http://screensiz.es/" target="_blank">screensize</a>.</p>
<p>
In the past six months alone, we have seen the share of mobile traffic to various client sites grow by up to 75%. While device usage varies widely by individual site, some clients now see a large majority of their traffic visiting on devices of various sizes. Here’s how the mobile share of traffic has grown, on average, over the years:</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://viget.com/uploads/image/blog/Responsive_Web_Design_Mobile_Share_Of_Site_Traffic.png" style="width: 595px; height: 468px;" /></p>
<p>
Based on average data from random sampling of client sites Q1 for 2010 - 2013.</p>
<p>
<br />
<strong>Some Important Changes In Mobile Device User Behavior</strong></p>
<p>
Back in the days when there were fewer mobile devices and, thus, fewer screen resolutions to consider, we could somewhat reasonably intuit users’ needs and intent based solely on the device they were using. This is increasingly misleading. According to <a href="http://ssl.gstatic.com/think/docs/creating-moments-that-matter_research-studies.pdf" target="_blank">Mobile Search Moments Study</a>, nearly 80% of all mobile searches take place from home or work, locations in which a desktop computer is often readily available. No longer are mobile devices used because there is no alternative. Worldwide, calling mobile devices a “second screen” may also be a misnomer as lack of infrastructure or hardware costs drive increased use of mobile devices as the primary device.</p>
<p>
We also see an increasing trend toward multi-channel access. Users who start their experience on one device will move to another when necessary. They’re growing more accustomed to expecting parity across devices, not simply stripped-down versions of the desktop site when accessing from a mobile device. This is an important consideration as responsive design assumes Universal Access to content. Read more: <a href="http://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/multiscreenworld_final.pdf" target="_blank">Google Report on Multi-channel Use</a>.</p>
<p>
<strong>Why Can’t I Just Do Responsive Later?</strong></p>
<p>
You can. But, it costs more. We’ve found from current projects that it’s very hard to retrofit a site to be responsive. Responsive design isn’t just thinking about the “mobile design” or “tablet design”; but, instead, about “how does this look at 400, 500, 600, 700 ... 1,200px?”. Getting from a fixed-width desktop design to responsive design requires, at a minimum, the CSS, HTML, and JavaScript rewritten to account for flexibility. Oftentimes, the delivery and management of content needs to be adjusted as well.</p>
<p>
Over the last year, we’ve had several clients who have come to us with sites designed years ago for desktop whom we’ve worked with to retrofit their sites to be responsive. Retrofit isn’t really the right word for it, though. We often need to rebuild the front-end architecture to achieve the necessary site performance (speed), which is much more important for a responsive site that is consumed on mobile. In addition, we also usually need to redesign UI elements and update the backend application or content management system. This level of effort represents a significant additional cost that can be avoided if responsiveness is planned from the onset.</p>
<p>
<strong>Four Arguments Against Responsive Design</strong></p>
<p>
Not everyone is a responsive design champion; but, there is a sense that it’s becoming the price of entry for web design. Here are four arguments we hear against responsive design, along with a bit of Viget-y perspective:</p>
<ol>
<li>
Costs more upfront, harder to do. - This is true; but, it evens out over time.</li>
<li>
Levies heavy technical requirements, especially on asset delivery. - Same as 1.</li>
<li>
Non-technical web editors don't know how to produce things that won't muck up the responsive design. - Project-dependent, but largely false.</li>
<li>
Can't / don't want to migrate old content. - Very true and very problematic. There are strategies around this though.</li>
</ol>
<p>
<strong>Learn More</strong></p>
<p>
Responsive design is an important strategy for addressing mobile and tablet users. Here are some posts where we talk about different aspects of responsive design:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="http://viget.com/advance/responsive-design-an-overview">Responsive Design, An Overview</a> (includes a handful of examples)</li>
<li>
<a href="http://viget.com/advance/10-astounding-mobile-stats-and-the-3-mobile-trends-to-watch">10 Astounding Mobile Stats and The 3 Mobile Trends To Watch</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://viget.com/inspire/managing-javascript-on-responsive-websites">Managing JavaScript on Responsive Websites</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://viget.com/inspire/building-a-nested-responsive-grid-with-sass-compass">Building a Nested Responsive Grid with Sass & Compass</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://viget.com/flourish/front-end-developments-a-year-in-review">Front-End Developments: A Year in Review</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://viget.com/inspire/sxsw-part-of-the-process-for-getting-enlightened-and-energized">SXSW, Part of the Process for Getting Enlightened and Energized</a></li>
</ul>
<p>
<strong>… browser, device, and reporting artifacts* and other notes.</strong></p>
<p>
Some issues that impact unique resolution reporting include:</p>
<ul>
<li>
Some browsers calculate screen resolutions differently.</li>
<li>
There are long-tail visits that represent a pixel difference and are not something you would design differently for ... This is why we’re interested in knowing the number of unique screen resolutions that make up 80% of visits. It’s also interesting to note that, when we looked at broad ranges, we discovered that, in some instances, resolutions with at least one dimension > 1600 account for 16% of visits, and resolutions with at least one dimension < 500 account for 11% of all visits. These resolutions represent the more extreme ends of the spectrum, and a vast majority of visits fall somewhere in the middle, as explained <a href="http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?1679" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li>
Giant monitors (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/viget/6642234935/" target="_blank">like the ones we use</a>) have large screen resolutions; but, we often browse on 1/2 or even 1/4 of the screen. GA only reports the actual monitor resolution, not the browser size.</li>
<li>
Screen resolution is not always a great indicator of device size or browser size. High-density display devices have relatively high pixel counts, but are still small view-ports. It is important not to confuse screen resolution and view-port size. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a resolution of 1920x1080, which we might confuse for a large desktop monitor, but it isn’t.</li>
<li>
While the number of unique screen resolutions is a useful statistic, the % mobile visits also illustrates the range of devices that we're seeing hitting web sites these days.</li>
</ul>
<p>
<em>Data from Google Analytics and a handful of sites we’ve worked on over the years. We’ve excluded any resolutions that accounted for fewer than 1/10,000 visits.</em></p>
<p>
Special thanks to <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/mdaniels">Mitch Daniels</a>, <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/pkoch">Paul Koch</a>, <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/tmoy">Todd Moy</a>, <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/jfields">Jeremy Fields</a>, and <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/omcginnis">Oliver K McGinnis</a> for their contributions and assistance on this post.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/ICvaZWwj9Tw" height="1" width="1"/>
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Tue, 28 May 2013 18:04:00 GMT
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The Big Argument for Responsive Design
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Kevin Powers
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<p>
<img alt="School of Sweltz" src="http://viget.com/uploads/image/blog/Laura-Sweltz-Teachin.jpg" style="width: 740px; height: 433px;" /></p>
<p>
Every Friday at Viget we gather for a company-wide meeting and lunch (brunch for our <a href="http://viget.com/about#locations">Boulder folks</a>) and during that time one of us delivers a short presentation on a relevant topic. We call it a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=labshare" target="_blank">Labshare</a> -- a humble routine indicative of the value we place on sharing and educating. A more formal example: our quarterly, public <a href="http://viget.com/training/google-analytics-101">Google Analytics training</a>. Whether it's buttoned up or strictly casual, we always look for opportunities to share and learn, particularly during the course of our client work. Pairing our deliverables with durable skills means our clients walk away with more value than can be detailed in a Task Order.</p>
<p>
While a feel-good sense is intrinsic to this approach, there are practical reasons we do this as well. Here are a few recent examples:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<strong>The Situation</strong>: <em>During the course of month-to-month Google Analytics work, we recognized there were smaller tasks our client could handle and, consequently, be positioned to apply their budget in more meaningful ways.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Our Approach</strong>: Instead of simply resolving a request or answering a question without providing explanation, we took the time to walk the client through our approach and rationale, showing them the steps along the way. In the case of Google Analytics, this largely took the form of screen-shares and navigating the GA interface to find a particular piece of data. In addition to this day-to-day encouragement, we also conducted onsite training to foster even more self-sufficiency.<br />
</li>
<li>
<strong>The Situation</strong>: <em>With talented designers in-house, our client's team was curious to better understand modern techniques and tools in the area of UX design and contribute more to the work at hand.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Our Approach</strong>: In this instance, we invited the client to our office for an afternoon of training in OmniGraffle, our preferred wireframing tool and a mainstay of our creative process. From there, we structured our reviews of new material in a more iterative, collaborative way, inviting the client more and more into the design process. The client, in turn, began to pass along these skills to in-house team members, which bettered their design process in various other areas beyond our specific project.<br />
</li>
<li>
<strong>The Situation</strong>: <em>Our client had limited funding for ongoing support from Viget, yet needed to update and tweak (in reasonable ways) the Rails-based site we built as part of our project.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Our Approach</strong>: The most complex example of the three listed here, this scenario was also the most rewarding. It’s not unusual for our client teams to lack in-house Rails developers. Understanding this at the start of a recent project meant we could steadily move the knowledge bar up throughout the engagement. We began by encouraging our client to complete a <a href="http://www.codeschool.com/paths/ruby" target="_blank">few online courses</a>; followed by thumbing through more <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Rails-Tutorial-Addison-Wesley-Professional/dp/0321832051" target="_blank">advanced materials</a>; and, then, at the point when our Rails app began to take shape, we sat with them to walk through the general architecture and data conventions. This process was an extended one, to be sure, and covered other key topics, such environments and deployment processes Fast forward to today, and our client is committing small updates to Github and pushing to production.</li>
</ol>
<p>
The examples here certainly aren’t meant to trivialize the expertise required in these areas. As creative, digital folk, we know it takes years (years!) of focus and experience to allow us to consult with clients in these ways. That’s why most clients come to us, after all...because of our expertise.</p>
<p>
Transferring a bit of that knowledge and skill to allow your client to achieve more online (all the while tending to their product or organizational objectives) is a rewarding experience. Maybe not 1:1 dollars rewarding, but certainly positive juju for one’s business and heart-space.</p>
<p>
</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/QL013M3djHU" height="1" width="1"/>
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Tue, 21 May 2013 15:21:00 GMT
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One of Your Deliverables Should Be Education
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Patrick Reagan
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<p>
As someone who has been a professional software developer for quite some time, I often joke that each year I hate technology more and more. I'm not going to "check in" on Foursquare, won't ever use a daily deal, don't do Facebook, and finally deleted my LinkedIn account last year. I'm not swearing off all technology, though — I use Twitter in place of RSS and <a href="http://www.strava.com/athletes/reagent">Strava</a> to track my rides. I believe in the selective application of technology — any tool or service I decide to use must provide some perceivable value.</p>
<p>
I like to apply this same philosophy to my professional work environment. Now that the Viget team is spread across <a href="http://viget.com/about#locations">three locations</a>, there are tools and services that help us communicate across offices. Having a laptop on-hand is definitely part of our strategy for having an effective distributed workforce. This, too, is a double-edged sword. I've seen instances where having a laptop in a meeting can quickly connect people across offices, allow someone to perform some rapid on-the-spot research, and even be an effective tool in a remote interviewing situation.</p>
<p>
However, as useful as this technology can be, I've also witnessed how quickly it can derail an otherwise productive meeting. Here are three reasons why I think laptops can be meeting poison:</p>
<h2>
It's a Distraction</h2>
<p>
Yes, there are those dull meeting moments and, especially when you have remote attendees, periods of awkward silence. During those periods, there's a strong temptation to briefly check your email, or send a quick IM, or respond to someone in Campfire, or check Twitter, or …</p>
<p>
… you just missed something important. You can't ask her to repeat what she just said. Everyone will <em>know</em> you weren't paying attention. Your attempt to fill that void might have caused you to miss out on some key detail of this new project.</p>
<h2>
You're Ineffective</h2>
<p>
Now you've divided your attention between two activities. Despite the <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5041144/debunking-the-myth-of-multitasking">myth of multitasking</a>, you're now less effective at both tasks. A meaningful meeting with key participants requires the same focus as responding to a colleague or client via email. Our <a href="http://www.coachbillhart.com/2013/04/multitasking-is-a-myth/">"addiction to new information"</a> makes that "quick" context switch <em>so</em> attractive that you can't resist it. But it's not quick. Choosing distraction over focus robs others from your valued insight that only your dedicated attention can provide.</p>
<h2>
It's Just Poor Manners</h2>
<p>
Maybe I'm in this meeting with you. I can see you sending that IM while I'm asking a question about a core feature in this application. Maybe you just responded to one of my emails while I <em>know</em> you're in a client meeting. In both cases, you've sent the message that others' time is worth less than yours.</p>
<h2>
What to Do?</h2>
<p>
Here are a few strategies that I've found to be effective in minimizing my own meeting-time distractions:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Peace out</strong> — Not all meetings are created equal. If you don't think you're needed in a particular meeting, politely decline the invitation. Already in a meeting that doesn't seem useful? Excuse yourself and suggest an offline follow-up instead.</li>
<li>
<strong>Kick it old school</strong> — Grab a notebook and leave the laptop behind. Not only will you remove the IM / Twitter / email distraction, the constraints that it places on your note-taking will force you to capture only the most important information.</li>
<li>
<strong>Close up shop</strong> — If you do need to bring your laptop to a meeting, quit the applications you don't need to use. If you're giving a demo of your work, close it when you have finished your presentation.</li>
</ul>
<p>
Are you frustrated by this seemingly recent practice, or do you think I've overstated the negatives and omitted some glaring positives? Let me know.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/k2TEU66MRqs" height="1" width="1"/>
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Mon, 20 May 2013 16:13:00 GMT
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Three Reasons I Hate Laptops in Meetings
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Becky Tornes
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<img alt="The Event" src="http://viget.com/uploads/image/blog/bsw-scene.jpg" style="width: 730px; height: 484px;" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">
As part of <a href="http://boulderstartupweek.com/">Boulder Startup Week</a>, Viget hosted a moderated panel session, <a href="http://viget.com/flourish/boulder-startup-week-2013-how-startups-get-to-great-design-may-17th">How Startups Get to Great Design</a>. With over 150 people in attendance, this event built upon the success of our 2012 event <a href="http://viget.com/flourish/boulder-startup-week-2012-may-16th-20th">Startups + Great UX = Great Success</a>.</p>
<p>
This year’s event brought together designers from agencies and product companies to discuss what works for startups when going through a redesign. The session was valuable, with moderator <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/jfox">Jackson Fox</a> doing an excellent job of keeping the topics on track and making sure each panelist had a chance to speak to their experiences.</p>
<p>
<img alt="Panel" src="http://viget.com/uploads/image/blog/bsw-panel.jpg" style="width: 730px; height: 484px;" /></p>
<address>
(For more photos, please visit our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/viget/sets/72157633545716190/with/8758941864/">Flickr Page</a>!)</address>
<p>
The panelists, talented designers working inside local startups and agencies, included:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="http://andy.is/">Andy Stone</a> - Art Director at <a href="http://www.mocavo.com/">Mocavo</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://matthewgist.com/">Matt Gist</a> - Product Designer at <a href="http://www.birdbox.com/">BirdBox</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://viget.com/about/team/bculbreth">Blair Culbreth</a> - Designer at <a href="http://viget.com/">Viget</a></li>
<li>
<a href="https://twitter.com/heavywinter">Mike Rivera</a> - Director of User Experience at <a href="http://www.sliceoflime.com/">Slice of Lime</a></li>
</ul>
<p>
The floor then opened up for the Q&A portion. </p>
<p>
<img alt="Question and Answer" src="http://viget.com/uploads/image/blog/bsw-qa.jpg" style="width: 730px; height: 484px;" /></p>
<p>
If you didn’t get the chance to get your question addressed, please use the comments below and the designers will do their best to respond here.<br />
</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/YCqkXG_AdTw" height="1" width="1"/>
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Fri, 17 May 2013 21:01:00 GMT
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| title |
How Startups Get to Great Design: Q&A from Boulder Startup Week 2013
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| dc_creator |
Lawson Kurtz
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<p>
Search keyword analysis for analytics has always felt more painful than necessary. Such analysis typically involves filtering through hundreds or thousands of subtly-different variations of search queries to form an impression of the relative importance of particular words and phrases. It's a time-consuming and often subjective process that isn't any fun at all.</p>
<p>
Since current analytics services lack a tool to digest raw search query data into a list of the most important words, we built one fit for the task.</p>
<h2>
Introducing Search Words</h2>
<p>
<a href="https://github.com/vigetlabs/Search-Words" title="Search Words">Search Words</a> is an application that restores some sanity to the search keyword analysis game. Raw search query data goes in, and a list of searched words and their summed search volumes comes out.</p>
<p>
Specifically, Search Words is a Rack application (built on Sinatra) that takes a CSV file containing search queries with corresponding search volumes, and returns a combined list of search volumes for each word contained within those queries. The application also combines plural and singular versions of a particular word if both forms are present, and will ignore common words (e.g. "a", "and", "or", etc.).</p>
<h3>
Example Input and Output</h3>
<pre class="prettyprint lang-html">
Input |---------------------------------------| | Search Phrase | Total Searches | | ======================================| | Lemurs | 1,000 | | durham bulls | 500 | | bull fighting | 100 | | lemur dance | 2,000 | | Durham | 700 | | How to catch a lemur | 35 | |---------------------------------------| Output |---------------------------------------| | Search Word | Total Searches | | ======================================| | durham | 1,200 | | bull | 600 | | fighting | 100 | | lemur | 3,035 | | dance | 2,000 | | catch | 35 | |---------------------------------------|</pre>
<h3>
Demo and Installation</h3>
<p>
A demo of the Search Words application can be found <a href="http://search-words.herokuapp.com/" title="Search Words Demo">here</a>. To install Search Words, see the <a href="https://github.com/vigetlabs/Search-Words" title="Search Words GitHub Repository">project's repository on GitHub</a>. Complete installation instructions can be found within the readme.</p>
<p>
Search Words is a very simple application at the moment, so feel free to <a href="https://github.com/vigetlabs/Search-Words/issues/new" title="drop us a line">drop us a line</a> if you have suggestions for improvement.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/-t1T8MkOqpw" height="1" width="1"/>
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Thu, 02 May 2013 13:50:00 GMT
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Simplifying Search Keyword Analysis
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| dc_creator |
Kevin Powers
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<p>
As project managers (PMs), we’re conditioned (often early in our careers) to exercise control over a long list of variables in order to drive a project to successful completion. It’s commonplace to hear specificity like, “designing this comp should take 4 hours; we’ll get client feedback in 2 days; and we have to deliver the 6 comps described in the contract.” The prevailing view is that project management entails perfection -- and that perfection requires to-the-letter execution. The reality, however, is very different. Projects are made up of people and require creative problem solving. And since people aren’t perfect and creativity is often a complex exercise, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that projects are therefore full of imperfections. While many of us come to this realization eventually, we need to do so more quickly. Actively embracing project management as an imperfect science will help us be better at it. As the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_is_the_enemy_of_good" target="_blank">saying</a> goes, <strong>“perfect is the enemy of good</strong>.”</p>
<p>
Viewing project management through this lens doesn’t mean throwing out the contract, foregoing estimates upfront, or simply winging it. A good portion of any project can be driven quite precisely. For instance, commitment from your team and client is still something you need to establish. But know that things can and often do turn out differently. It’s disappointing when such inevitable changes make project managers feel stressed and frustrated. Prepare for the imperfect, and spend your energy (and time) worrying about those influences and disruptions that truly matter.</p>
<p>
Risk management is a term that comes to mind within this subject. Sure, you can document risks upfront, devise mitigation strategies, and cuddle up with that plan believing you’re secure and prepared. That approach, however, is just another form of management; and oftentimes, micro-management, which is even worse. Successful project management is not just about being prepared, it’s about being adaptable.</p>
<p>
At Viget, we have a number of tactics baked into our approach that help us embrace the inevitable project imperfections. Some include:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<strong>Managing against a lower budget cap:</strong> For every project, we establish a “buffer” (typically 10-20% under the contractual cap), which allows us to appropriately allocate more time in areas of the project as needed, as our understanding evolves.
<ul>
<li>
<em>How does this help?</em> If we find ourselves revising comps more times than originally intended, the overall budget isn’t suddenly blown.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Booking team members 80% on a primary project: </strong>When a new project is underway, the reflex among most PMs is to make sure the designer, for example, is focused solely on that one project. But that’s risky. What happens if that designer is needed for another project they worked on previously; or an emerging new business opportunity requires their attention? At Viget, team members have headroom week-to-week to tend to emergent or smaller tasks.
<ul>
<li>
<em>How does this help?</em> If <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/emunoz">Elliott</a> is heads down on <a href="http://viget.com/work/wwf">WWF</a> design and suddenly gets pulled into a sales pitch, that time spent outside of his primary project has already been accounted for and shouldn’t disrupt the timeline or client expectations. And if no such disruption surfaces that week, Elliott’s free to get ahead on his primary project. Planning for the unplanned means your project and timeline can productively adapt.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Revising the task order at the project start:</strong> At Viget, we keep our contracts fairly high-level since we understand that only so much can be known during the sales process. Does the client <em>really</em> need 12 user flows? It’s hard to tell at that early stage. After we kick off a project, one of our first deliverables is typically the Project Charter, which refines details included in our contracts and more accurately sets the stage (and client expectations) for the work ahead. To be sure, this doesn’t mean we’re pulling a bait-and-switch, but instead establishing a more accurate plan based on client input.
<ul>
<li>
<em>How does this help?</em> To do our best work, it’s critical to have meaningful input from the entire team and the client. While we do everything possible to include that as part of the early sales process, it’s not always feasible. Your deliverables and approach will be much more successful if you have the latitude to refine them (within budget and other core contractual bounds) following focused kickoff and project conversations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
<p>
I think most PMs understand this inherent variability and that a project usually finishes in a different place than originally intended. What I don’t think most in our field embrace and admit is that <strong>this is OK</strong>. We need to acknowledge that projects will always be imperfect in one way or another, and focus our energy and attention on being flexible and adaptable within this unpredictable landscape.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/RhWfuPYFQEk" height="1" width="1"/>
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Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:50:00 GMT
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| title |
Project Management and Embracing Imperfection
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| dc_creator |
Ben Eckerson
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<p>
Like most returning from the yearly tech pilgrimage known as SXSW, I’m as excited and re-energized as ever to innovate and make the web a better place. This is a familiar feeling albeit a different perspective.</p>
<p>
In 2011, I went to Austin as a digital producer for a big agency and it opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about and executing digital work. I returned from SXSW on a mission to work differently. Popular panels from 2011, including “<a href="http://schedule.sxsw.com/2011/events/event_IAP7768">Do Agencies Need to Think Like Software Companies?</a>” inspired thoughts of change — but it was conversations outside these panels that led me to challenge the big agency way and to change our process and execution.</p>
<p>
This year I went as a member of a smaller digital agency and with fellow <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/davery">Viget</a> <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/bculbreth">folks</a> — <a href="http://viget.com/about/team/jgarber">some</a> of whom have been attending since 2005 — the experience offered a different perspective. One co-worker stated, “SXSW used to be for the ‘doers,’ now it’s for the ‘talkers.’” I’ve heard this sentiment before, but never talked at length with anyone who has witnessed the evolution first hand. The attendance of smaller, leaner digital agencies that are part of the “old guard” at SXSW is quickly dwindling, making way for larger, louder, and less tech-savvy ad agencies and brands.</p>
<p>
The successes of smaller <a href="http://www.bkwld.com/profile">digital</a> <a href="http://www.thisisgrow.com/agency">agencies</a> working directly with brands to create products and platforms in a more collaborative, faster, leaner way has been well-documented for the better part of the last decade — especially at SXSW. It’s left larger agencies attempting to learn from smaller specialized shops by trying out new processes, roles, or initiatives in order to attract and keep developer talent. These agencies have realized that digital is more than banner ads, social media campaigns, and ad buys — yet it seems they still can’t truly replicate what the smaller, more specialized digital shops are doing right.</p>
<p>
While a number of smaller digital shops (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/business/global/wpp-acquires-akqa-to-beef-up-digital-marketing.html?_r=0">like AKQA</a>) have been bought out by larger companies, the smarter, forward-thinking folks are realizing the limitations of the structure and process at bigger agencies and are migrating away. Some join the brand side, others join smaller digital agencies (<a href="http://viget.com/about/team/beckerson">like me</a>), while others spin up new digital agencies (<a href="http://www.finch15.com/">like this one</a>). But all seek to approach advertising/branding/marketing/making digital work differently than they had done so at big ad agencies.</p>
<p>
I had the pleasure of meeting a full spectrum of brand, big agency, small digital agency, and startup digital agency folks in Austin. We discussed the industry landscape at length over a pint of Shiner. I shared a bit about Viget and the pleasantly surprising policies, process, and people that “get it” that I’ve experienced in my short time here. I spoke of the smart, creative, motivated, and multi-talented folks that work efficiently within our flexible process on smaller, more dedicated teams than the bigger agencies have. I explained that all team members share both creative ideas and poignant questions with clients (large and small) in a refreshing environment of transparency on every project.</p>
<p>
Others shared similar positive experiences on recent projects, or recalled frustrations from their big agency past — ultimately reflecting on such an exciting time in our industry where brands are getting smarter and more digitally savvy. In a year where I was shut out of <a href="http://schedule.sxsw.com/2013/events/event_IAP15722">panel</a> after <a href="http://schedule.sxsw.com/2013/events/event_IAP15722">panel</a> due to the influx of the “new guard,” it was once again the conversations outside the panels that proved to be the most valuable experience.</p>
<p>
</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/Nk8MqAmH6T8" height="1" width="1"/>
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Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:18:00 GMT
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| title |
Deja Vu: Big Agencies, Small Agencies, and SXSW
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| dc_creator |
Becky Tornes
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<p>
If you turn to the co-worker sitting next to you and you ask “What can I be doing better?”, chances are you’ll get a generic, vague answer as most coworkers don’t want to make waves or be hurtful. It’s generally a great thing; but, it can make it hard to know between annual reviews if anything you’re doing is off-base. This is why when you start a new job, you are in one of the best positions possible to solicit advice on what you should and shouldn’t do in your job.</p>
<p>
As a Project Manager at Viget, I work with members from all teams/groups/labs. As part of my Viget orientation, I was given the opportunity to talk with a member of each team/group/lab (a UX designer, front-end developer, backend developer, visual designer, and marketing/analytics team member) and learn more about how they operate, the deliverables they create, and - because of a final question I always asked - what they’ve liked and haven’t liked as much about project managers here at Viget. Because my question wasn’t asking them to comment on <em>me</em> or <em>my</em> work, everyone I talked to was very willing to cite examples of things project managers have done that they love and things they wish project managers would or wouldn’t do.</p>
<p>
I made note of everyone’s responses and try to regularly look at them to remind myself of common pitfalls. Whether you are a veteran or newbie project manager, or not a project manager at all, I think these tips are good reminders for all of us who work with and within teams.</p>
<h4>
<strong>1. Ask early and often, and definitely never assume</strong></h4>
<ul>
<li>
Aren’t sure if someone should be in a meeting? Or, if they have all the information they need? Or, if something is a front-end or backend development ticket? Just ask.</li>
<li>
When in doubt, ask team members too many questions.</li>
<li>
Avoid making assumptions. Always ensure you are asking team members how long something will take before committing them.</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<strong>2. Encourage collaboration</strong></h4>
<ul>
<li>
Facilitate more collaboration between disciplines. Upfront collaboration is extremely helpful to a project’s success.</li>
<li>
When a conversation or collaboration happens on the fly in an office, make sure what was discussed or decided is communicated out to all team members. This is especially critical if you are working with a remote team (team members spread out across locations).</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<strong>3. Meetings are not necessary for everyone all the time</strong></h4>
<ul>
<li>
Does everybody need to be at your meeting? Will each person have something valuable to contribute?</li>
<li>
Communicate the purpose and goals of each meeting in advance. Use the meeting description field in a meeting invite to explain why we are having the meeting and allow team members to figure out if it makes sense for them to join.</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<strong>4. Find out the best way to communicate with each team member</strong></h4>
<ul>
<li>
Are you getting blank stares when you ask a question? Are team members too quick to say yes if a new task or amount of hours seems reasonable? Different people respond to different methods of communication, and you need to find out what people respond to and what resonates so you can effectively ask questions and get valuable answers.</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<strong>5. Stay calm</strong></h4>
<ul>
<li>
Everything is urgent and a big deal, especially to the client -- but, that doesn’t mean it’s time to panic. The calmer you are, the more likely things will go smoothly and efficiently.</li>
</ul>
<p>
</p>
<p>
These were the top 5 consistent things I heard from the various co-workers I talked to; but, I have no doubt there are more great tips project managers can hear to make their team members' lives easier. Do you (as a project manager or member of a project team) have a tip to share? Please post it in the comments below!</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/a_1Pm7qr4UM" height="1" width="1"/>
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Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:46:00 GMT
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| title |
Project Manager Tips: Direct From the Project Team
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| dc_creator |
Kevin Powers
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<p>
A lot of times when we’re bidding on new work (e.g., responding to a RFP) there’s a question that lingers in the back of our minds: Should we do pre-emptive design compositions as part of our pitch? The answer is almost always* “no” but the concern is born of conditioning, really. For a lot of agencies it’s the norm to respond to a new opportunity with an arsenal of design work and eye-candy, seemingly in the hope of winning the work with flashy product over thoughtful process. But, the process matters a lot to us and, more importantly, the prospective client, which is why we consider mixing design comps and sales a bad idea.</p>
<p>
As a bit of background, early work in this area usually takes the shape of designing a client’s new homepage (and likely additional pages) in the case of a redesign project, or comping up most of a user interface if we’re talking about an app. Producing this work during the course of an actual project usually involves research and conversations with stakeholders (internal and external); user experience design; and visual exploration and design. In short, getting this right involves a lot. It’s always seemed to odd to try and cram this much thought and effort into a sales pitch for one primary reason:</p>
<p>
<strong>It completely skips any collaboration and relies entirely on intuition. Not the worst thing, exactly, but the work is missing a key element: the client’s input. It’s product built largely on assumptions -- and you know what happens when you assume -- and often surface-level details.</strong></p>
<p>
For Viget, and I imagine a lot of agencies, partnership and collaboration is a critical part of doing good work -- both for the resulting efforts and the client relationship. Jumping into design comps during the very early stages of sales stands in stark contrast to this ideal. So, if you’re delivering a proposal that speaks to your collaborative nature and is accompanied by premature work like this, that seems weird.</p>
<p>
While a lot of groups provide this early creative in order to get a leg up in the selection process, there are other ways to make your bid stand out. While we won’t mock up a client’s new homepage during sales, we will produce designs and other assets that speak to our ideas, creativity, capabilities, and process. We might design some panels that talk about our IA/UX approach and how that would be tailored to the client’s particular needs. Or, we might create a unique visual that speaks to our overall vision and goals, whether they be technology- or design-related. These activities require a bit more thought and purposefulness, however, than just comping up a prospective client’s new homepage.</p>
<p>
For example, when we were bidding on the <a href="http://viget.com/work/wwf">WorldWildlife.org redesign</a>, we accompanied our proposal with a custom-designed microsite that explained our vision for the redesign and showed off our ability to create a responsive site. While we leveraged visual assets relevant to the redesign, we carefully clarified that the microsite was more of a digital proposal than a premature attempt at a redesign.</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://viget.com/uploads/image/blog/wwf-microsite-thumbnail.jpg" style="width: 740px; height: 307px;" /></p>
<p>
There are lots of ways to imbue your proposal with creative sensibilities, enthusiasm, and awareness that doesn’t involve risky guesswork and that compromises your process. This is how we do it. And, it’s proven more successful than not.</p>
<p>
<em>*Unlike some, we don’t have any moral opposition to upfront creative. On occasion, an exciting prospective client may request design comps as part of the sales process and is willing to spend time with us to do initial discovery work. In these rare instances, we evaluate very carefully if the opportunity is worth the investment, and if the risk associated with this kind of early design is ultimately the best way to start an engagement. Usually when these clients proactively solicit this work as part of the process, it’s done with a high degree of detail and direction. If not, we simply decline to bid</em>.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/RURZFlg8Q8c" height="1" width="1"/>
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Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:09:00 GMT
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| title |
Why We Don’t Mix Design Comps and Sales
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| dc_creator |
Saad Ahmed
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<p>
One of the reasons why I love our industry is because everything is shared. Code, designs, projects, tips and tricks -- there are no secrets, it seems -- except when it comes to sales. Joe Rinaldi from Happy Cog wrote a great <a href="http://cognition.happycog.com/article/win-some-lose-some">blog post</a> on how sales is about the only topic in the development and design community that doesn’t receive the transparency that design process, development methodologies, and well, source code receives.</p>
<p>
I agree, and I want to help change that. First off, the basics. At Viget, along with our CEO, I'm tasked with keeping our talented team of designers, developers, web marketers, and project managers happy and challenged by bringing in new clients and projects.</p>
<p>
The first questions I am always asked are “How do you even get in touch with people who want to hire Viget? How do people hear about Viget in the first place?”</p>
<p>
In other words, where do “leads” come from?</p>
<p>
The answer is quite simple. </p>
<p>
Sharing knowledge, building relationships through teaching, and focusing on client success are three key components of our marketing strategy. These build and bolster our reputation and, ultimately, generate inbound referrals.</p>
<p>
<strong>Share Your Knowledge</strong></p>
<p>
Sharing knowledge is a vital aspect of the open source culture, and that’s why we blog often. The most surprising thing about this strategy is how unpredictable it can be (in a good way). Before I came to Viget, I knew that blogging was something “good to do,” but after three years of seeing the amazing <a href="http://viget.com/flourish/viget-blogs-by-the-numbers-infographic">results of content marketing</a>, I understand why it is our primary marketing strategy. What’s different, though, is our primary focus on sharing our knowledge and experience with our fellow web developers, designers, and marketers instead of catering to the C-suite.</p>
<p>
As a result, over time our peers get to know our culture and capabilities and tend to hire us to help with challenging projects we're well-suited for. In fact, one blog post directly led to a Fortune 10 organization contacting us and eventually hiring us because we blogged about a solution to a problem they were working on.</p>
<p>
The other advantage of targeting our blog content to our peers is that it doubles as our primary indirect recruiting platform as well.</p>
<p>
<strong>Build Strong Relationships Through Teaching</strong></p>
<p>
Through our blogging efforts, we also get a fair share of leads that just don’t make sense for Viget, whether because of a technology mismatch (we don’t do .NET development, for instance), client type (though we’re headquartered in DC, we almost never take on government projects), or low budget, among other reasons.</p>
<p>
Regardless, we treat all opportunities with the same level of respect and consideration, from a small startup with a limited budget to the VP of eCommerce who has millions to spend. When I’m talking with someone whose business opportunity isn’t a great fit, my goal is for that person to walk away with something learned or gained. Aside from my natural desire to teach and impart knowledge, I know that helping someone now will eventually pay off somehow, some way</p>
<p>
Sometimes those payoffs include referrals to a multi-billion dollar company, as was the case when we spent time talking with an underfunded startup company. They were appreciative of Viget’s help, and they vowed to hire us when they were ready. Three months later, the startup CTO remembered us and referred Viget to his friend at the company.</p>
<p>
Other times, our help results in a warm “thank you” note and a Starbucks gift card, which we received from a small business owner with whom we shared vendor evaluation and selection tips. I still hold onto the note to remind myself that I’m more than a salesperson -- I’m a steward guiding folks to the right solution, whether it’s with my company or elsewhere.</p>
<p>
<strong>Focus on Client Success</strong></p>
<p>
Once we gain new clients, we focus on producing great work, avoiding bloat, and building real, lasting, individual, relationships. Then, when our clients win awards, generate more revenue, or get promoted, they continue to work with us as their go-to agency. When satisfied clients speak at conferences and expand their own personal networks, we benefit because they refer us new business. They refer us not because we have a big expense account (we don't) or because we'll treat them differently (we won't) but because they know we'll treat the next client the way they were treated from the start. At the end of the day, the best advertisement for your work is your client’s success.</p>
<p>
<strong>Always Be Authentic</strong></p>
<p>
Finally, it’s a mistake when salespeople go out of their way to do things very differently for “big fish” prospects. Whether a “big fish” or a small business, my approach is the same: treat people well, be willing to teach, and ask the difficult questions that will help them find the right outcome -- whatever it may be. This mentality helps keep me level-headed even though hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars may be at stake.</p>
<p>
No matter how you do it, generating new business is hard work. With a long-term view, you can build a great book of business, a good reputation, and a strong culture with people who want to work with you. By applying the principles of generosity, respect, and authenticity espoused by the open source community, you can create demand for your product or services, plant seeds, lay the groundwork for referrals, and trust that your generosity will eventually work in your favor.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/cFO65IOA8mI" height="1" width="1"/>
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Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:03:00 GMT
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| title |
How to Sell in an Open-Source Economy
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Mitch Daniels
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<p>
It’s no secret that the use of mobile devices has exploded in recent years. A study by the GSMA, a trade association, estimates that 3.2 billion people (46% of the world’s population) own at least one active mobile device. By the end of this year, the total number of mobile devices is expected to exceed the global population.</p>
<p>
Handheld devices have become integral to the way we interact with the web and the world around us. More than half of adult cell owners in the US go online with their phones and nearly a third use a phone as their primary means of online access. More and more, we’re even using our devices while engaging in other activities. Nearly 40% of Americans use a phone or tablet while watching TV, usually to play games and engage with social networks.</p>
<p>
All data points to the continued rise of this “second screen” and major brands are taking notice. In the first few months of 2013, several major television broadcasts have openly embraced device multitasking and provided further confirmation that mobile devices are fundamentally changing the way we consume entertainment.</p>
<h2>
#superbowl47</h2>
<p>
The Super Bowl is frequently the most-watched American television broadcast of the year. While last year’s broadcast saw some recognition of the “second screen” phenomenon, this year’s surge in device-focused efforts points to a growing recognition of the shifts in audience behavior.</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://www.sportsgeekery.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/cbs-super-bowl-1.jpg" style="width: 468px; height: 314px; border-width: 4px; border-style: solid;" /></p>
<h4>
<strong>CBS</strong></h4>
<p>
When planning for their coverage of the Super Bowl, CBS worked under the assumption that the game is “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6koXYcyr3g">appointment television</a>”. Unlike March Madness or some smaller sporting events, the Super Bowl is an event for which nearly every audience member specifically plans to be in front of a television. Given this assumption, CBS designed their online coverage around the “second screen” use case.</p>
<p>
Rather than replacing or duplicating television content, CBS focused on augmenting the television experience by providing live stats, alternate camera angles and live social feeds. They even implemented a “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Subservient_Chicken">subservient chicken</a>” camera that was guided by the votes of the online audience. When the 49ers were struggling, people voted to point the camera at backup QB Alex Smith, a camera angle that producers hadn’t even considered.</p>
<p>
To improve the user experience and widen their audience, CBS made a conscious decision to provide seamless access to online content. Their coverage required no login or upfront content selection decisions. A single click could take a user from an organic search to a live stream of the game. This frictionless process improved the user experience and resulted in higher-than-expected online viewership.</p>
<h4>
Advertisers</h4>
<p>
CBS wasn’t the only brand to recognize the growing importance of the “second screen”. Advertisers also made a push to gain traction through social media.</p>
<p>
Super Bowl XLVII saw 52 ads aired between kickoff and the game’s final whistle. 30 of those ads (57%) included a hashtag or other reference to social media. Last year, only 27% of ads incorporated similar references.</p>
<p>
In addition, several major brands developed marketing “war rooms” to allow immediate responses to game activity. These rapid response teams incorporated marketing agencies and brand managers to ensure key decisions makers were able to quickly respond to important moments in the game.</p>
<p>
Oreo was particularly successful with this approach, and served a simple ad less than ten minutes into the third quarter blackout. The ad was was retweeted more than 15,000 times. By planning for such an opportunity, they were able to harness the "second screen" to capitalize on a key moment and reach a huge audience with little cost.</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://scm-l3.technorati.com/13/02/04/74879/oreo-tweet.png" style="width: 450px; height: 483px; border-width: 4px; border-style: solid;" /></p>
<h4>
Viewers</h4>
<p>
More than 108 million people watched the Super Bowl’s television broadcast. Three million users engaged with CBS’ online stream, the most ever. While that may seem a relatively small number, streaming on CBSsports.com accounted for 3% of <em>all internet traffic</em> on Super Bowl Sunday, an astonishing figure.</p>
<p>
Viewers were also engaged with their “second screens” outside of CBS’ content. In total, they generated 24.1 million tweets during the game, 76% more than the year before. Tweets about ads accounted for nearly a third of all Twitter activity, with GoDaddy’s controversial ads receiving the most buzz (although much of that attention was negative).</p>
<h2>
<img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/6HYaQfc.png" style="width: 370px; height: 302px; border-width: 4px; border-style: solid;" /></h2>
<h2>
#oscars</h2>
<p>
The Academy Awards ceremony commands a notably smaller audience than the Super Bowl and the commercials are not as renowned. However, ABC did its best to court users who were tapping away on their devices while watching the show.</p>
<h4>
ABC</h4>
<p>
For the third straight year, ABC developed a companion app to provide “backstage access” to the awards ceremony. For the first time, that app supported users on Android and Kindle. Touted as “the ultimate Oscar experience", it provided content such as movie trailers, photos, and additional live video streams to expand the television broadcast.</p>
<p>
During the show, viewers were explicitly encouraged to use hashtags such as #bestdressed to discuss their favorite fashions.</p>
<h4>
Other “Second Screen” Content</h4>
<p>
ABC wasn’t the only brand vying for viewers’ attention. New York Times film critic A.O. Scott streamed <a href="http://www.niemanlab.org/2013/02/second-screen-first-oscar-night-lets-the-new-york-times-explore-being-a-live-event-companion/">live play-by-play commentary</a>, a “Mystery Science Theater 3000 type of thing”, to engage second-screen viewers. Entertainment news sources E! and the Hollywood Reporter distributed dedicated Oscars apps, and a number of second screen apps such as zeebox and ConnecTV provided special content for the show.</p>
<h4>
Viewers</h4>
<p>
The evening saw 8.9 million Tweets, nearly a quarter of which were sent during red carpet coverage. Top moments included the award for Best Picture (85,300 Tweets per minute) and Adele’s performance of “Skyfall” (82,300 Tweets per minute). Even the stars were engaged on social media, posting message before, during and after the event.</p>
<p>
<img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/kLsBm1N.png" style="width: 450px; height: 505px; border-width: 4px; border-style: solid;" /></p>
<h2>
So What?</h2>
<p>
The rise of mobile devices in television may come as no surprise. We’ve seen their growing importance in other areas for years. Audiences are no longer content with a single, uni-directional content stream. They want to customize their entertainment experiences and engage with their social networks in real time.</p>
<p>
Seeing major networks and advertisers so openly court "second screen" users is yet another reminder that these devices are fundamentally transforming the way we engage with nearly everything around us.</p>
<p>
At Viget, we’ve seen growing mobile engagement on our own website and on those of many clients. We’re honing our design and development skills to produce meaningful web experiences across platforms. How have you seen device usage affect your business? How are you adapting to appeal to an increasingly mobile audience?</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/DjbucxFb6hI" height="1" width="1"/>
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Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:46:00 GMT
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2013: Rise of the Second Screens
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Kevin Powers
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<p>
When I attended my first TEDx event back in 2009, it was preceded by some itemized convincing of my boss. Not exactly surprising, considering the new series was founded earlier that year, and <a href="http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxMidAtlantic-John-Forte-1150">John Forté</a> doesn't outwardly apply to one's routine as a project manager. After three years, however, I'm convinced everyone, regardless of field or function, should attend these local events. Here's why.</p>
<p>
The motto of the larger TED series, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, is "ideas worth spreading." Frankly, how can <em>anyone</em> say the creation and expression of ideas is not relevant to their job? Prior to 2009, accessibility of the TED program, however, was largely relegated to their web videos. TEDx came about -- where x = independently organized TED event -- and first-hand exposure to this provoking line of content was suddenly available in your backyard. (Thanks to hard-working organizers, like <a href="https://twitter.com/davetroy">Dave Troy</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/natemook">Nate Mook</a>.)</p>
<p>
The events are usually thematic, such as this year’s <a href="http://tedxmidatlantic.com/speakers-talks/2012-bios/"><em>Be Fearless</em> of TEDx MidAtlantic</a>, or targeted at a specific subject, like the <a href="http://tedxoilspill.com/">Gulf of Mexico oil spill of 2010</a>. Whatever direction, the programs offer exposure to topics and ideas that most of us would otherwise miss in our day-to-day. TEDx is a punchy, accessible and needed interruption to our well-worn habits of attention and thought. When was the last time (or have you ever) briefly considered the subject of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2r2Rx8VRq48">endocrine disruption</a>?</p>
<p>
TEDx is usually simulcast online, which is great for distant, distributed audiences; but if you’re able, you should certainly attend the event in person. Given the wide-ranging subject matter, you have occasion to meet some interesting folks, including many outside of your industry. It’s also nice to simply step away from your desk and learn something new. As a project manager working with various clients and subject matter, it’s useful to discover ways to shake up the norm and study new things. TEDx is a must-experience in this respect.</p>
<p>
It’s wonderful to see the program <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/markfidelman/2012/06/19/heres-why-ted-and-tedx-are-so-incredibly-appealing-infographic/">doing so well</a>. More than 4,300 locally organized events have been hosted across 1,200 cities and 133 countries, which amounts to something like 16,500 talks. Yet I still get quizzical looks from friends and colleagues when TEDx MidAtlantic comes around each year. It’s a shame. You won’t find a more inspiring, varied program of speakers and ideas that will leave you wondering -- a pastime that often fails to break into our daily routines. So when <a href="https://www.ted.com/tedx/events?when=upcoming">TEDx rolls through your town</a>, <strong>go</strong>.</p>
<p>
Here’s one of my favorite talks from this past year’s event:</p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="416" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z_ojyXVVFKA" width="740"></iframe></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/QWAxvj0wy78" height="1" width="1"/>
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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VigetEngage/~3/QWAxvj0wy78/why-everyone-should-attend-tedx
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| pubDate |
Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:07:00 GMT
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| title |
Why Everyone Should Attend TEDx
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| dc_creator |
Kevin Powers
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<p>
On a recent two-day business trip (part project check-in, part <a href="http://viget.com/training/google-analytics-101">Google Analytics training</a>) I decided to leave the laptop at the office and carry only my iPad. (Note: the iPad was accompanied by a <a href="http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/ultrathin-keyboard-cover?crid=1240">Logitech Keyboard Cover</a>, which is <em>super</em> handy.) I was curious how the device would fair in the day-to-day. These observations are by no means profound, but they helped me finally decide whether the iPad is a worthy proxy for the laptop. The short answer: probably not.</p>
<h2>
Pros</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<strong>You don’t have to remove it from your bag at security</strong>. A small convenience, sure, but a convenience nevertheless.</li>
<li>
<strong>The retina display (in recent models) is actually a lot of fun in the day-to-day</strong>. Particularly when it comes to working on documents, the crispness of the text is nice and noticeable.</li>
<li>
<strong>4G models ensure connectivity is rarely an issue</strong>. In the airport, on the way to a meeting, or at the client's office where visitor wifi access can be a chore, the ready-made cellular connection of the iPad (again, 4G models) proves a boon.</li>
<li>
<strong>Sketching is a nice change of pace</strong>. I'll sometimes draw my notes instead of typing them, particularly when visual representations (e.g., mind maps) are more useful.</li>
<li>
<strong>Lots of apps are coming of age</strong>. Google Docs is <em>a lot </em>better on the iPad than it used to be, as are tools like <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evernote/id281796108?mt=8">Evernote</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/diet-coda/id500906297?mt=8">Diet Coda</a> (for the infrequent, on-the-go code update). And <a href="http://readdle.com/products/documents/">Documents by Readle</a> is a solid attempt at actual file management on the iPad.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
Cons</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<strong>Multitasking is slow and tedious</strong>. Typing and singular activities in general are fine on the iPad, but the minute you start switching applications -- tapping the home button twice to jump over to Basecamp and again to get back to Google Drive -- your productivity grinds.</li>
<li>
<strong>Scrolling and page interactions are troublesome</strong>. If you're using a complex web-based tool (e.g., for creating development tickets), you'd be surprised how difficult pages can become when touch-and-scroll is your primary way of navigating. Tapping the screen to initiate a scroll can often trigger elements (e.g., a link on the page), making scrolling difficult.</li>
<li>
<strong>There isn't a decent IM client</strong>. While there are instant messaging apps for the iPad, I haven't found any particularly useful. And running such an app proves to be an incredible drain on your battery.</li>
<li>
<strong>File management, as always, is still pretty bad</strong>. Surprisingly, I was able to print/convert a Google doc to PDF (using the buggy desktop version of Google Drive), save it to Drive, and then email it to a client (using <a href="http://readdle.com/products/documents/">Documents by Readle</a>), but this process took so long I was late to board my flight. Apps are getting better in this area, but this continues to be a huge deficiency (however purposeful) in iOS.</li>
<li>
<strong>Some sites still force the "mobile" version</strong>. With all the advances in and adoption of responsive web design, not to mention the growth of tablets, it's baffling to visit a site on the iPad and be presented with a handicapped version intended for a phone's 4" screen. Thankfully, Chrome now allows you to specifically "Request Desktop Site." Similarly, and at least for iOS users, locking important content inside of Flash-based elements proves frustrating.</li>
</ol>
<p>
The iPad stacks up pretty well to your laptop if you're tackling a few, focused activities. But as a reliable go-to, especially in the speedy routine of work, the device and OS quickly become a hinderance.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/I7g-nZmgxpU" height="1" width="1"/>
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Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:46:00 GMT
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| title |
5 Pros and Cons of the iPad on Business Travel
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Kevin Powers
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<p>
A solid portion of Viget's client base falls into the startup category. Projects in this area range from simply designing the UI of an app to complete platform development; and they offer quite a bit in terms of new opportunities and interesting subject matter. They also bring with them excitement in process and a project's day-to-day, primarily stemming from the growth and change intrinsic to these companies. If you're working with a startup now or in the future, this list of typical “growing pains” is good to keep in mind. The following events, while disruptive, don't have to derail your project. (We won’t name names, but each example is from an actual Viget client, so we’re pretty familiar with how these events play out.)</p>
<h2>
1. Outside Investment</h2>
<p>
Emerging companies are often actively looking to raise funds to make their idea a reality. Financing during the course of the project can usually bolster the resources available for the work at hand (great!); have no effect at all; or shift the priorities and focus of the company to something entirely different. The latter means your project may stall or the client may simply become less engaged. If an infusion of cash happens during your project, it’s a good idea to be open and direct with your client about the expected impact.</p>
<h2>
<br />
2. Change of Leadership</h2>
<p>
Being new companies, startups often don’t have their leadership team completely filled. It’s not unusual for new members to join the client team, individuals to get promoted, new positions to get created, and sometimes as a result, have your lead point-of-contact (or their boss) change mid-project. These switch-ups can be disruptive to a project if said new person isn’t versed on the work completed, the work ahead, and all the decisions and expectations therein. A couple good ways to head off questions like “Why did we do that?” are (a) useful and appropriate documentation (of course!) and (b) a focused meeting with the new team member to step them through the project and its current state.</p>
<h2>
<br />
3. Pivots</h2>
<p>
In the harried adventure of “making a go of it,” some startups may suddenly decide to go in another direction; and after your project has already started. Interestingly, we’re sometimes the advocate for this change and often approach startups with this open mindset. This new path can sometimes have a similar bearing as the original, which means, depending on the timing, your project can adjust its steering well enough. If you’ve already completed a critical mass of design and development, however, then the focus likely turns to salvage -- of the work already in the can, what can be used and adjusted to fall in line with this new direction. Sometimes it’s a lot, sometimes a little. Clients are usually understanding as to the disruption this change may cause and are willing to adjust your scope in a commensurate way.</p>
<h2>
<br />
4. Acquisition</h2>
<p>
Similar to a pivot, outright acquisition of your startup client is highly disruptive to your project and can even spell the end of your work. Building that new app or redesigning that site, for example, has a hard time competing for attention when your client is purchased by Facebook. What typically happens is that your project -- most active work with vendors throughout an organization, for that matter -- is put on hold until the dust settles. Few people, your client included, likely understand the full effects of being acquired. If this happens during your project, it’s a good idea to start immediately devising stopping points and reconciling that with your client’s expectations. While you’re usually able to see the project through to the end of a particular deliverable/phase, it’s certainly not uncommon for your project to stop completely until the organizational changes are sorted. This obviously upsets your project, but it’s often a time for celebration as well. Many startups intend for acquisition, so whenever we’ve encountered this scenario, it’s usually with a smile.</p>
<p>
<br />
Startups grow up fast, and that can sometimes rattle the project you’ve carefully laid out over many months. The net of these “growing pains”, however, is often positive, most certainly never boring, and likely results in some of the most satisfying work you’ll come across.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/VigetEngage/~4/eMjjJYg4CGM" height="1" width="1"/>
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| pubDate |
Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:20:00 GMT
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| title |
Working with Startups: 4 Common Growing Pains
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