The days of having to build a website “brick by brick” (i.e., code it line by line) are long behind us. For small organizations and “single shingle” professionals in particular, who don’t have in-house resources and can’t afford the time or money for complex development projects, there is a wide range of website builder and hostingRead… Read more »
The Internet has facilitated advancements in the way we communicate, conduct business, and create marketplaces for innovation. For decades, sovereign nations have worked collaboratively, and data has flowed across nations borders. But in recent years, this model has been in jeopardy. The Internet is quickly risking becoming a “balkanized” platform – or one where nationsRead… Read more »
Whether you’re interviewing for an internship or for a job in the Senior Executive Service, your interviewer may ask you that old “What are your weaknesses?” question. But even interviewers who still ask that widely reviled question recognize its limitations. “No one realistically expects to receive brutally honest answers like, ‘I’m below-average intelligence and difficultRead… Read more »
A Practitioner’s Guide to Usability Testing, Information Design and Content Strategy for Web Site and Web Application Development Developing Web products (sites or applications) is a challenge because you must satisfy many masters. Senior management wants it done yesterday. Developers want to add as much cool stuff as possible. Security wants blood samples for yourRead… Read more »
The web is an integral part of our daily lives. We seek out topics of interest on our favorite web sites because it is presented in a user-friendly, readable format. However, when we are charged with developing engaging web content, sometimes we get “writer’s block” which will prevent great ideas from gaining traction. Another majorRead… Read more »
When was the last time you managed the redesign of your web content? It is an endeavor that may strike fear in the heart of even the most ardent web content manager. Yet is a necessary evil. The need to update web content occurs for two reasons: some of the web content has become obsoleteRead… Read more »
“High-quality web content that’s useful, usable, and enjoyable is one of the greatest competitive advantages you can create for yourself online.” ― Kristina Halvorson, Content Strategy for the Web Government agencies rely on websites and other online tools with the view of informing, educating and engaging citizens. But how do we know if we’re actuallyRead… Read more »
For many of us in the public sector, being a content strategist is another hat we’re supposed to wear as jack-of-all-trades web specialists. If you haven’t done much research on how to develop a content strategy or why, this post will help you get started. What’s in a content strategy? To define content strategy, RachelRead… Read more »
The new, device flexible, user-centric nyc.gov. Image courtesy of Huge. Our governments – local, state and federal – are very good at doing a lot of things. National defense. Waste and sewage. Collecting taxes. So why can’t they consistently create decent websites? Today, websites and mobile applications are often the first and only direct linkRead… Read more »
Even though we all use the World Wide Web every single day for both work and pleasure, most of us would be hard pressed to define exactly what it is, describe much about its history, and/or articulate details of its impact. This primer offers a quick introduction to all those things. Distinguishing the Web fromRead… Read more »