E-consultancy - Web Project Management - News and Blog

Domain name tools for brainstormers

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 12:29:00 UT

Choosing a domain name these days for a new web venture or microsite is an activity filed somewhere between painful and truly horrendous. So what tools can you use to minimise headaches and the time spent on finding a domain name?

Of Mice and HIPPOS

Tue, 20 May 2008 08:28:00 UT

I�ve been talking to clients a lot recently about the problem of heavy mice on websites, i.e., the lack of incentives - or cheese trails if you�ll let me extend the metaphor � to motivate customers to click through to the next page and the next page after that.

Something as simple as telling them what they might find on the next page will help click-through tremendously and we all know that increased click-through ultimately means higher conversion and revenue.

Upgrading a website? Four key SEO tips for web design firms

Wed, 7 May 2008 14:25:00 UT

As many web design firms take on the remit of upgrading a client�s website, it is important to integrate best�practice SEO techniques into the web design process.

This will ensure that your client both maintains and benefits from the free rankings available�in the organic listings�of the major search engines.

What drives your strategy for web design?

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 12:51:00 UT

I read an interesting article on usability and user experience posted recently on this site by Tom Stewart, the Chair of the sub-committee of the International Standards Organisation (ISO), which is responsible for the revision of ISO 13407, the international standard for Human Centred Design.

We are in the process of redesigning our site for a new platform being developed for release later this year, and the aforementioned article got me thinking about the planning for the design of a website.

Eye-tracking 2.0: it's about users, not science

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:22:00 UT

Eye-tracking has been used in web design for many years. However, the widespread preconception is that it takes PhD skilled technicians - plus long consulting hours - to make any sense or use of people�s eye gaze data.

The value from eye-tracking has been directly related to consultancy skills, but shouldn�t it be more about real users?

How to launch a new website - post launch

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 08:33:00 UT

In the early stages it is very important to monitor your site's reputation using something like Google Alerts or even a paid solution.

Web text that's worth it: the six most underrated types of digital copy

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 09:15:00 UT

Digital copy is underappreciated,�underrated and - astonishingly - still the poor cousin of the web relaunch process.

Generating ROI from eye-tracking

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:22:00 UT

The web is a tough place to sell services. Results are quite easily measured and people will only buy things that are clearly worth their money.

Can eye-tracking stand that test?

Breast Cancer Care�s Bertie Bosr�don on charities and new media

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:22:00 UT

Bertie Bosr�don has spent the last two years assembling the new media team at Breast Cancer Care � not an easy task considering�budget constraints,�competition for staff and the challenge of educating other departments about online marketing.

We spoke to him about the upcoming user-centred redesign of Breast Cancer Care�s website and whether opportunities for charities in social media marketing live up to the hype.

Q&A: Future Platforms� Sergio Falletti on mobile usability

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:48:00 UT

Here, we speak to Sergio Falletti, director of mobile app specialists Future Platforms about the challenges and opportunities of mobile website design.

Seven in ten web projects miss deadlines - study

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:30:00 UT

Almost 70% of online marketing campaigns don�t meet their launch deadlines, according to a survey of senior marketers.

The study, conducted by PK Data, found lengthy approval processes, IT department bottlenecks and problems with web content management systems (WCMSs) were the main causes behind delayed projects.

Q&A: Bruce Tognazzini on human-computer interaction

Tue, 6 Nov 2007 15:11:00 UT

Bruce Tognazzini was�Apple's 66th�employee,�developing the company's first usability guidelines and founding its Human Interface team.

Almost thirty years later, he's a principal at�Nielsen Norman Group and still making his feelings known when companies commit design errors.

Here, 'Tog'�gives us�a variety of�thoughts on interface design, freedom, the future of computing,�the�iPhone's place in�world history and why�he travels�around�in�a 400 sq ft motorhome�while towing a 4x4 and two Segways.

The beauty of site optimisation

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:41:00 UT

On my way to work the other morning, I noticed that the stylish apothecary Space NK on Westbourne Grove was closed for refurbishment.

Not something likely to inconvenience me enormously, as its beauty products are aimed predominantly at the discerning ladies of Notting Hill.

It did, however, get me thinking about the cost of redesigning a retail outlet and inevitably, considering my line of work, how that compares to the online retailers I talk to day to day.

Q&A: David Heinemeier Hansson explains Ruby on Rails

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 12:12:00 UT

Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson - named Hacker of the Year in 2005 -�talks about the�web development framework's growing popularity among businesses (including E-consultancy - we have a new Rails-powered site under development) and the problems of managing an open source community.�

Interview: Webtogs founder James Balmain

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:26:00 UT

James Balmain is the founder of Webtogs, a new outdoor equipment and clothing retailer that�s set to launch a shop and very professional looking site in the autumn.

We asked James, who has little previous retail experience, how the Webtogs team is coping with the�various challenges of launching an e-commerce start-up, especially in a sector that�s not as web-savvy as others.

For any budding etail entrepreneurs,�it's well worth a read...

CNN.com to revamp news site

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:58:00 UT

CNN is planning to relaunch its main news site in July with a major redesign and a number of Web 2.0 features,�extending the site's�choice of�video and�user-generated content.

Navigation tips for websites

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 09:00:00 UT

Any decision on a website's navigation�is critical to usability, findability, accessibility and SEO.�It�can be�difficult to undo if you select a poor design. So usable navigation is�best established early on in a web project.

There are many different examples of main navigation systems, (i.e. the main method for accessing content in different site sections) but the 'three Cs' of convention, consistency and context are important whatever the design.

Web project management guidelines released

Fri, 18 May 2007 11:18:00 UT

We�ve just published a new report on E-consultancy dedicated to Web Project Management, which turns out to be less of a fine art and more of a social science.

This new research is based on feedback from more than 600 project managers, who we surveyed and interviewed to find out some of the common factors found in successful web projects.

After the jump there's a glimpse of some of the key findings�

Another year, another World Usability Day 2006 (14th November)

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 12:10:00 UT

Last November, I sounded off about two things � one was that I did not like the tag line for World Usability Day 2005 � Making IT easy - and the other was that I didn�t think we had much good usability to celebrate.

The revenue model of user generated content?

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 11:58:00 UT

Let�s face it shall we - no one creates something and then gives it away for free, expecting no return...

I mean, as much as we�d like to do stuff and give it away for free, in the interests of making the world a better place, the unfortunate reality is that we all have to earn our crust somehow, and if we throw our eggs into the user generated content basket, then you have to ask what the hell your revenue model is going to be?