the interactive medium :concept 1

paper prototype that is….

Best Practices for Deploying Widgets

Last week I had the honor of speaking at ad:tech Chicago. My fellow panelists and I discussed the growing importance of widgets (and other flavors of social media, by extension) during a session, “Widgets and Applications — The New Media Network.” Led by our moderator, Chris Duskin, Omniture senior director of product marketing, we quickly defined the space and then proposed a framework of best practices in four key areas: content, distribution, measurement, and optimization. While it’s impossible to distill an hour-long panel discussion into a short column, I’ll do my best to share some of the key points. Our full introductory presentation can be found here at SlideShare.

Context

After an intro to the topic and panel from Chris, I opened the discussion with some thoughts about why the space is getting so much attention lately, centered on a theory of evolution in advertising. Advertising 1.0 was all about shouting loudest and most often. We relied on intrusion and interruption to connect with consumers. The digital manifestation of that was banners and buttons and whatnot, all aimed at driving traffic to your site.

As consumers gain more control over media experiences and the advertising that goes along with them, that model becomes less effective. So we began a shift to advertising 2.0, which trades the intrusion for conversation. If 1.0 was about buying attention, 2.0 is about earning attention by creating great experiences and providing value. In a sense, advertising 2.0 turns marketers into street musicians who must hone their performance and their content. They have to be so good and so relevant that random passers-by will choose to stop and experience the content. The digital manifestation of this is strategies that aim not to drive traffic to your site, but rather, drive your site to the traffic. It’s not about putting your entire site out there, of course. Rather, it’s about finding the right experiences from your suite of assets, and getting those out there in the right places. This shift from buying attention to earning attention is not entirely new. Some of the best TV spots ever produced have embraced this philosophy and produced extraordinarily compelling content. But not everyone held such high standards. Some were spoiled by the interruption model, producing less than engaging spots, and relying on the buy to drive results. That’s the kind of work that’s no longer effective, online or off. And it has driven focus back to a critical need to create great content and experiences that people will seek out rather than try to avoid. Widgets are one of many ways that this shift is beginning to manifest itself online.

Widgets, Defined

Combine several different flavors of things that can be called “widgets” with all the buzz and hype, and it can be difficult to know exactly what people are talking about. So we continued the discussion by laying out some important definitions. Many different models exist, including custom-branded widgets developed by a marketer. Sonya Chawla, Slide.com general manager, contrasted that approach with case studies of how some clients leveraged integration with an existing widget (and with built-in audience) to achieve success. Ben Pashman, VP from Gigya, further helped to define the space by drawing some great distinctions between widgets and applications. (See the slideshow deck for details.)

A key additional distinction came from an audience question — where do desktop widgets fit in this whole ecosystem? Not to oversimplify the response, but Ben had a great answer, suggesting that the distinction goes beyond the obvious fact that desktop widgets are installed at the operating system level and can operate offline, while Web widgets live embedded on Web pages. He described desktop widgets as mostly utility-based and Web widgets as much more about entertainment.

Content

The panel seemed to agree that developing the right content is a critical part of the success equation, and that it’s all about finding a unique piece of value that a brand can provide to the audience. Carnet Williams, CEO of Sprout, further suggested that empowering the consumer to customize the widget remains an extremely powerful way to build a connection. Sprout is introducing a new platform that puts powerful widget creation tools in the hands of the consumer, allowing them to take a core piece of functionality and mold it to an incredibly personal experience.

Distribution

Content may be king, but the panel universally agreed that praying for a viral miracle was not the right approach. “Viral marketing” is often perceived as the go-to tactic when budgets are small. Reality is, viral and social media programs, including widgets, require as much care and feeding as any other marketing program you might embark on. Truly viral hits that take off on their own are the exception, not the rule. Promotion, distribution and nurturing are absolute keys to success. You create the right content, and then you’ve got to tell your audience that you’ve done something of interest.

Measurement

We quickly ran through a variety of key metrics typically used by widget marketers. The basics generally include quantitative metrics such as views, installs, time spent, actions/interactions, and post-view actions. Everyone agreed that metrics vary by client and should be tied back to a program objective. There was further discussion around leveraging qualitative metrics to complement and supplement the wealth of numbers available. Listening closely to what people are saying about your brand can help you plan a social media program, optimize your existing program, and evaluate the program ongoing.

Optimization

Lastly, and related to the measurement piece, we discussed the importance of looking at a widget not as a static thing that you create once and set free to live forever in that form. Rather, a widget is dynamic — pulling the latest info from an RSS feed, or adapting to viewer preferences either actively or passively. In this sense, a widget is not unlike any other kind of digital campaign — a flexible, nimble piece of content that can be centrally managed and dynamically updated, affording incredible power to those that manage and maintain their programs closely.

Social media, or what my agency refers to as Social Influence Marketing — and widgets as a subset of that — have been getting a ton of buzz lately. It is as radical a change as any thus far set in motion by digital. If the passion, enthusiasm, and case studies discussed last week are any indication, then “social,” unlike some digital marketing buzzwords that have come and gone, seems worthy of the attention.

log into: http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3630473

MY MELBOURNE MUSINGS….

Right now, at this very moment I could have been back in India, possibly engaged in diploma project, which could have been interesting or not so interesting. And over the small chai breaks I could have been recounting to friends or colleagues that at this same time I was supposed to be in Melbourne at RMIT, doing my diploma project. The very oppositeness of the two situations, their strange contrast and the phrase “supposed to be” are I think the undercurrents of my stay in Melbourne.

 

Melbourne was no culture shock to me, I being a bird from the so called open and liberal NIDian scenery. But still every place has its differences and Melbourne laid out its own before my eyes. Some were pleasing, some were amusing, some confusing and some not so palatable. The contrast ranged from striking to blurred. On the surface level I guess it was all mostly high contrast – high rise buildings of CBD, a fabulous signage system, straight grid locked road where even blondes with least amount of direction sense wont lose their way, public display of affection, 9 out of 10 cars on road a piece of desire, a completely free city circle tram – a system that would never have worked in the current India, just 8 hrs of contact per week with one’s lecturer, sacred weekends religiously spent partying by the young adults (students and working alike), minimum Rupees 240 for an average decent meal, the packaged lifestyle, Toilet paper!!, the inevitable need for women to look great 24×7, the females’ ubiquitous stiletto boot mania in winter no matter how much wreck those heels caused their nervous systems, lack of a subconscious alert to save resources in everyday life in the common man of Australia, a dwindling population, a high proportion of Asians – Melbourne might almost have looked Singapore or Korea or China had it not been for horizontal hoardings and shop signs lettered with English and not vertical ones with pictorial calligraphy on them, the amazing energy of people up and bustling about the city for their work at 7 in the morning, the most respectable punctuality – Time is God and other people’s time a bigger God, the respect and duty that each person had for his or her job, how its normal to expect one to know his or her ob inside out, perfectly disciplined dogs, no cows and buffaloes on road, babies imprisoned in prams. The list could go on and on.

 

But I would like to divert my thoughts to the greyer boundaries too, the underlying similarities that I found in human beings here as a race.

 

In last 3 months I have had both my highs and lows as a student, as a human being, as a designer. There have been times I have felt detached and frustrated, sometimes being at a loss to understand what I am here in RMIT for, sometimes questioning and requestioning my design purpose in The Locavore project, juggling with the openness and categorization of design, sometimes swayed by famous people’s words (courtesy papanek and papanek), sometimes having revelations and eye openers of my own, working like crazy for a day and whiling away the next day completely, the Tuesdays and Thursdays stories when after the session I felt totally zapped and unfocussed. The deign world felts so matrixed to me…… where I am lost.

The dilemmas, the movements, the discourse of design ,the practise- absolutely no end. Comforting myself with a hot cuppa of coffee in the hudsons and anwering to my own questions and telling myself  that yes, the enlightenment has just started………there is a whole life to live in this confusion. There were brighter moments too which has the total impact on me. Amused by  this fraternity of design which gives you smile without no reason. I have grown here as a person, as a designer and hope this trend continues.     

 

Life in Melbourne was also a roller coaster in terms of basic needs for almost 1 and a half months. Shifted dormitories 5 times (without taxi) before landing up with one of old childhood friends staying at One Exhibition street. And so put an end to being the brand ambassador of Hungry Jacks, lunched and dined there for 80% of our 1st 1 month. Our loyalty was taken up instead by Rosie’s across the street for a regular dinner there daily with Anindita and Gautam and we are still loyal to it. Another favourite hang out was Hudson’s Coffee below, especially after the Tuesday’s and Thursdays classes. The conversations over coffee at Hudson worked in different ways at different times. At times, it would ease and clarify a mind muddled with questions and doubts. But many a times, it would even induce 10 other questions, to be pondered over later with the almost regular Friday evening wines. I also think building 87 is the love of our life. We can’t seem to get unglued from it. Its like a drug you can’t live with it and you can’t live without it.

Thankfully the juniors dragged us away to a couple of beaches and sightseeing. We got christened in different ways by different people in the building – the intellectuals by the sweet old psychiatrist who visits the building once a week, Samosa making experts by Ronnie and lots more. But 87 is where we all sit together as friends and peers and its almost like a mini NID. Maybe if we had broken apart and sat with other students from the university in different settings and places, our experiences would have been enriched more. But whether the loss is a great one, I cannot judge at this point. Garlic bread from the store Aldi when first discovered was a sort of Godsend economic snacking solution feeding hungry poor Indians in 87. It is still a favourite! Of course home made lunch is great and cheap, but nothing beats indulgences like swiss rolls or garlic bread or Subway cookies. Oh yes, Subway is a kind of last resort when Rosie is shut. I believe the reason this paragraph goes to show that Locavore Map Project has been on my mind but from some other perspective – Food!

 

Talking of the Locavore project, which was the reason of my coming to Melbourne and living here for short but intense time.  This project was new to me and the area where it belongs- sustainability and food was kind of heard, but never got a chance to work in it. So the syncing has to start. The project familiarization started with the brief given by my guide Dr. Soumitri Varadarajan  and discussion. This is the first conversation happened and I told soumitri about my being a new fish in this  pond of sustainability. He also clarified me about the nature of the project and his play in the discourse.

I was just absorbing every bit of information but not able to synthesize it. Started reading the books and seeing the DVD’s given by Soumitri and felt myself sinking in the world of sustainability, ecodesign, social innovation, food miles, and yes the 100 mile diet and related jargon. The book 100 mile diet gave a soft yet strong introduction to the word LOCAVORE. It actually inspired me to dig more into the project.

Lot of inputs was also coming from the regular studio discussions and fellow students from RMIT who were also working on the same project.

Gradually it has started building upon, lots of information and data and experience, collaboration. Meeting with people who are actually living with the LOCAVORE concept. In the mean while I was also introduced to the map making section or say cartography section of the RMIT which implies that yes I will be dealing with the maps and stuff like that and hence the face of the deliverables started taking the form. But slowly-slowly the decisions have to be made and this is where the real test of the understanding happens. After the pitch-in presentation the whole gamut of issues was in-front of me. What to do? What is right  or appropriate? This perspective of the problem or the other one. And hence the non active period in design seeps in and I would confess that it is the most difficult time for me.

But constant guidance or I would not say guidance it was something else…yes the presence of confidence in you makes you get going.

Then one push and you are again on the track …..working, making sense out of paraphernalia. Decided to deal the project on two levels and finally I set to WORK and the point to be delighted was that I have got the fun, the pure enjoyment where a creative person might get to reside and everything else is taken care of. Soumitri played a perfect role of teacher by being as inspiring as a mentor, as cruel as a client , as supportive as a friend and as strict as a guardian. Somebody has said that there are very few people who can render a long lasting inspiration on one’s life.

 It was great experience working with you Mister Soumitri.

 

I think we, the PG students must be the only ones to have stayed 3 months in Melbourne without purchasing a Metcard. The Sunday super saver always made it more sense to go sightseeing on Sundays rather than Saturdays. Talking of public transport, the city circle has a mood of its own. It chooses to give us the slip exactly on the days we are late and then we have to sit for another 10 minutes before the next one arrives. And on days when we are bright, shampooed and early, it will decide not to come at all or skip the Exhibition to Nicholson part of the loop.

 

We get worried about losing 10 minutes or half an hour and there are weeks I’ve spent doing nothing in my design work here. But that again is the elusive contrast. It seems like we have chilled out for a whole week not really working on our projects. But come to think of it now, while doing my map, my mind’s soil was getting fertilised in that one week for the seed of spark to be sown. I believe, designers can never completely disassociate themselves from their work. It can probably never be a 9 to 6 job to get done with. And I think that is the beauty of design – all pervasive …not there all the time, but still there every time. It’s a complicated simplicity … so yet again we return to the contrasts, the juxtapositions of two divergent things. Someone once said design is the convergence of everything. But maybe it is a divergence too.

Same as the case with my coming to Melbourne and becoming a part of it. I say that I won’t stay here forever , but I will remember it for its minutest details. The people and the place, the learning and the teachers all will be written in the memory, forever with freshness of feeling it any moment. I will cherish the memories forever

 

And last but not the least thanks to the endeavour exchange program which made my coming to Melbourne possible and living this enriching experience- a truth.

Thanks for everything !!

Christian Nold

 

 

 

 

Christian Nold thinks we should pay more attention to how our environment shapes our emotional and physiological states. His work with Bio Mapping—which measures people’s responses to their environment and connects those feelings to their physical location—suggests that a map of emotional landscapes represents a powerful tool for analyzing the relationship between place and broader social issues

http://www.softhook.com/

demystifying technology for non profits

Maps for Advocacy: An Introduction to Geographical Mapping Techniques

Smog, fast-vanishing forest space, protest marches, human rights abuses and myriad such events and activities need constant attention and backing. Highlighting such issues is no more a herculean task for advocacy groups. Information, communication and digital technologies have smoothened out processes and systems and contain techniques and tools which, if appropriately used, can easily bring about phenomenal change.

Geographical maps are the latest transformation tools that the technological revolution has enabled.

http://new.tacticaltech.org/mappingforadvocacy

IN DEFENSE OF THE FOOD by Michael Pollans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWg0cCNAB-M

CALL OF THE WILD….RECOGNIZING REAL FOOD

article by michael in an australian weekend magazine

Food. There’s plenty of it around, and we all love to eat it.

Because most of what we’re consuming today is not food, and how we’re consuming it — in the car, in front of the TV, and increasingly alone — is not really eating. Instead of food, we’re consuming “edible foodlike substances” — no longer the products of nature but of food science. Many of them come packaged with health claims that should be our first clue they are anything but healthy. In the so-called Western diet, food has been replaced by nutrients, and common sense by confusion. The result is what Michael Pollan calls the American paradox: The more we worry about nutrition, the less healthy we seem to become.

But if real food — the sort of food our great grandmothers would recognize as food — stands in need of defense, from whom does it need defending? From the food industry on one side and nutritional science on the other. Both stand to gain much from widespread confusion about what to eat, a question that for most of human history people have been able to answer without expert help. Yet the professionalization of eating has failed to make Americans healthier. Thirty years of official nutritional advice has only made us sicker and fatter while ruining countless numbers of meals.

Pollan proposes a new (and very old) answer to the question of what we should eat that comes down to seven simple but liberating words: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. By urging us to once again eat food, he challenges the prevailing nutrient-by-nutrient approach — what he calls nutritionism — and proposes an alternative way of eating that is informed by the traditions and ecology of real, well-grown, unprocessed food. Our personal health, he argues, cannot be divorced from the health of the food chains of which we are part.

In Defense of Food shows us how, despite the daunting dietary landscape Americans confront in the modern supermarket, we can escape the Western diet and, by doing so, most of the chronic diseases that diet causes. We can relearn which foods are healthy, develop simple ways to moderate our appetites, and return eating to its proper context — out of the car and back to the table. Michael Pollan’s bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we can start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives, enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy, and bring pleasure back to eating.

MICHAEL POLLAN

THE ART OF LOOKING SIDEWAYS…

The Art Of Looking Sideways”, relating to VR and imagination.

“While Tibetan Monks pray for two weeks before their mandalas to transform then into three-dimensional floating palaces of light, with Virtual Reality one only needs to push a button. Virtual Reality is a technology which electrically converts physical and mental impulses into a computerised facsimile; a digitised doppelganner. By putting on some electronic gear you automatically get plugged into cyberspace, a world of controllable illusion. The brain, anxious to optimise the illusory sensations, grants them the credibility normally reserved for real experience. At the moment the tools are rather crude, but it works like this: The Datasuite projects an image of the body out into space, the Eyephone conjures up the vistas, the Dataglove interprets gesture. Tilt your hand to the left, you look left; point your finger, and you move forward. You are infact in effect free to go where you like and do what you will. Using software of world knowledge one could construct a symphony orchestra or do a bit of brain surgery. The more imaginative participants might mix imagery and sensations, play with time and space, or engage in auto-eroticism – a field of fantasy referred to as Tellydildonics. The options are seemingly limitless: jog around the moon, swim through banknotes, sit on the rings of Saturn, be a piano and play yourself. Technology, said Max Frisch, was the knack of so arranging the world that we don’t have to experience it. In much the same way Virtual Reality bestows a sensation of achievement without the real experience. I guess that presented the option of walking around a Virtual Florence rather than the real Florence, many people would choose the former. They’d prefer thee homogeneous version rather than being in an old smelly city with traffic congestion and pigeon shit all over the place. There’s an anecdote about Kierkegaard standing rapt in thought in a municipal flower bed. An irascible park keeper arrived and demanded to know what he was doing there. ‘What are any of us doing here?’ replied the sage. His imagination didn’t need an electronic substitute.“

interesting visual inspirations…..

some interesting clues……