Build a website in Wordpress, 10 reasons
November 25, 2007
Wordpress open source software used to be just for building blogs, but now its more than good enough to have your website built with.
You should.
For all my friends in small businesses, here’s my reasons.
- Wordpress can be used to create a website from scratch with no coding (with a little reading)
- Anyone can add pages, and this means more content, and more updates (no charge)
- Search engines care very much about content levels and how often a site is updated.
- Content is preserved, even when changing the look of the site (Thats what this Wordpress Content Management System actually does)
- Change the look, and all pages are updated, there’s no hard-coding. A website can live and breathe.
- Thousands of developers are working to simplify all sorts of advanced capability – e.g. Search Engine friendly stuff, statistics management! audio and video embedding, database and e-commerce functions.
- If you get stuck, any Wordpress contractor can pick up where you left off – easily
- It is a major bonus for a website to support RSS and blogs, for marketing, and with Wordpress, such rich functionality is built in of course.
- Websites are tons better when interactive - positive customer comments build trust and credibility and will increase conversions from visits to contact.
- It’s free to use
Forget the word Blog – just think of this as a way to replace that old website that looks like a brochure and to start a conversation in your marketplace, and hit those search engines.
Sharepoint Success Story, where are you?
November 21, 2007
I thought it would be a good idea to look for Sharepoint success stories.
An old colleague - sorry Roger, the phrase nearly works both ways - was fired up about the capabilities of Sharepoint 2007, and so I wanted more evidence.
Google search for ‘Sharepoint success story’ and the first result is from HP, a re-assuringly titled ”
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Success Stories
First in the list? Alberta Pensions Administration Corporation (APA)
The result?
Pants. Not available….are they using Sharepoint? See below
Sorry, we were unable to find the Enterprise Library page you were looking for. It’s possible that this page is no longer available.
The Enterprise Library provides the most current Enterprise marketing content available.
The second link is available – but doesn’t mention Sharepoint, and the third doesn’t exist at all (webpage not found) and so on.
I spotted a familiar UK name example at the bottom of the list, Wiltshire Constabulary, – but that link puts me through to an index of case studies….which doesn’t include Wiltshire Constabulary. Grief.
Perhaps there could be an arrest warrant issued soon…please?
In the interests of balance, there is the Microsoft customer evidence site - but there is a large amount of will do, plans to, intends to – type language.
I’ll be interested to see what transpires in this, the third incarnation of Sharepoint. How much longer will companies wait for the finished article.
Lastly, I saw this post from collaboration loop, which seems to ask many of the questions that I also have – without too many answers yet.
The questions:
Is SharePoint a Web 2.0 platform? Is SharePoint a content management system? Is SharePoint a workflow manager? Is SharePoint a social computing platform? Or is SharePoint a portal to other applications?
(I’m not sure why I link to Collaboration Loop, as comments don’t seem to be published on their site anymore. It’s a bit like being lectured instead of having a conversation 
)
Anyhow, The Answer:
Well…the answer to all of these questions is a conditional “yes.” SharePoint does have the capabilities to function in all these roles.
But – the article’s point then extends to the fact that it isn’t best of breed in any area, and is partnering with best of breed in multiple disciplines to deliver the goods. For how long will that last, and how does a customer company make a decision. I wonder.
CEO condones facebook use for staff
November 20, 2007
Encouraging your employees to use Facebook?
That’s bucking the trend wouldn’t you say? It is being reported that up to 70% of UK’s employers are banning access according to the linked article.
In that context, there is a great interview from the CEO horse’s (Jeremy Burton of Serena) mouth, over at the ‘For Immediate Release’ podcast site. When getting to the site, scroll to the player for 16th November. (24 mins)
At ‘face value’ (sorry) it sounds like a very ‘new age’ ‘new media’ thing to do, but actually, the interview does enable Jeremy to put things very succinctly, articulately even, and it does make sense.
Mostly.
The situation first came about by banning emails on a Friday, a practice I haven’t experienced personally, but applaud none the less. And having banned (internal?) email, staff found a way around it and thus, experiencing a richer form of communication and relationship bulding, the ‘missing link’ was discovered by all.
It’s no suprise that almost anything enables better relationships and conversation than does email, but I still have this feeling that Facebook is merely a signpost, rather than an eventual destination. This year’s Second Life, if you will.
The vital question of things for me, ‘Personal versus Business communications’ was discussed briefly, but despite the answer “that it gave the CEO something to talk to the despatch guy in the lift about”, I don’t think that this subject has been put to bed yet.
Have a listen though, a few decent pointers to be had
Serena looks like an interesting company. Mashups are this year’s workflow?
Don’t get Linked In? I do now.
November 16, 2007
I posted a video around the public safety of facebook a few days ago, and I’m still not convinced that donating your information to that particular medium is beneficial.
Linked In is also fairly new to me, although now I think probably it’s more mainstream than I originally gave it credit for - having been around before such things were referred to as ’social networks’.
Incidentally, a colleague told me he treated it as a rainy day thing, so that struck a chord. Thus, I was willing to put a little more effort in – being much more acceptable to me than that facebook for business purposes.
The thought of any future employer or customer being able to search through fluff, stuff and nonsense just makes me want to keep my private networks private, and my business networks businessy.
However – this interview post, a 15 mins thing with one of the most active users – 4200 contacts, was an eye-opener this evening.
I can see this stuff is still in its infancy, but I ‘get it’ better now. Many thanks Chip.
Any other Linked In stories will find me listening?
The question of what replaces multi-person email
November 6, 2007
I caught sight of a post by chip griffin, arguing that the stuff he saw at the defrag conference – which seems to be a collaboration technology show – wasn’t compelling enough to replace email.
Email is simple and ubiquitous, so why replace it.
I think that’s a contentious point – and probably purposefully so. These bloggers eh, always stirring the pot. As if I didn’t come across his missive through RSS.
But Chip looks from the point of view of a user – and I happen to agree with that point. Complicated isn’t good.
My own view is that email is great when it’s one to one, and when the extent of the interaction is easily defined. Question – Answer – Done.
But Email can go horribly wrong where there are multiple parties, or where an ongoing conversation is required.
So – what problems are there with email? Here’s a few I can think of, feel free to suggest more.
- Where can I look to see progress around a topic that involves a few of us – where can anyone look to see progress? I know….lets send another email and ask.
- Email is fraught with the following problem: If I email you with a question about the project and you haven’t responded – who’s responsibility is it that the action didn’t get done? It’s mine of course….but email blurs the lines and makes it difficult. “He didn’t get back to me” is something you hear over and over
- Email hides what is important, and gives you what is urgent (your newest emails) instead.
- If someone joins the conversation late, where can they look to get up to speed
Have I missed anything?
In short, I don’t think the email problem is actually a myth, but just what we do about it isn’t exactly clear. I thought it was going to be SharePoint – but from what I read, the jury is still out there too.
There are no shortage of new innovative companies looking at the issue. Anything topic based catches the eye. From that acquisition of Parlano, perhaps Microsoft still think there is more work to be done around collaboration too.
The product experience is everything
November 5, 2007
As per my last post, I am continuing to look at the software user interface, and the impact on communications software product success.
I found a link to a great presentation from Peter Merholz of adaptivepath. “The Experience is the Product” sounds a lot like “the software IS the interface”, which is a Steve Jobs quote I return to, again and again.
Eastman Kodak, iPod and the Wii are good examples in the presentation of innovation.
In some ways, it is good to find one’s themes echoed somewhere else, particularly when someone much more eloquent is putting forth their thoughts.
I also noted more than a passing resemblance to trivergence , where the device is but a part of the overall system.
To flesh out the experiential side of product success, I again recommend listening to this linked file, from Lou Carbone. This is a must for any product manager.
I’ve seen loads of white papers that explain the technology (admin) approach and the communications enabling business processes (business case).
But where are the white papers on the Unified Communications user experience?
Thanks be to Futurelab and Karl Long for the pointers