@baekdal on Twitter: Social recipe: 2 cups people, 1/2 cup sharing, 1 cup channels, 1/4 pinch of you. Bake until you get a feeling. Serve hot! »»

 

management
Where's the Money, Bob?

The social web is starting to sound more and more like the dot.com days. We are in the middle of a transition. The ways we do things are radically different. What works and doesn't work seems new. And many people are getting very excited about numbers, but not the right ones. »

management
How Newspapers Can Charge for Content

Several blogs and media outlets reports that the NY Times will start to charge money for reading their newspaper online. »

Management
7 Myths of Social Media ROI

The buzz around social media return of investment (ROI) is just staggering. It is a good sign that this social media thing is moving away from being an experiment, to actually be part of a business strategy. And every business strategy and business plan must be focused around making money. »

Management
What You Should Plan, Do, and Support

Almost all my articles are about two things. How to understand the change that is happened all around us, and where I think you should focus your energy. But, every time I write an article, a number of people always comment that the old world is still important, that the world doesn't change that fast, or that you should probably do both. »

Management
The Power and Value of a Fan

Everyone who works with social media will tell you that you should create a Twitter profile or a Facebook page and start to build up fans and followers. And the same people (myself included) will tell you that you only need a few fans, compared to regular exposure, because a fan is worth much more than an ordinary person. But the question no one has answered is "how much is ‘much more' than ordinary?" »

Management
How Many Channels Do You Need?

These days it is all about Twitter profiles, Facebook pages, life streams, and real-time feeds, but how many do you really need? »

Management
What the Heck is Twitter?

There is a bazillion articles and videos, trying to explain what Twitter is all about. There is also a ton of surveys, most noticeable a recent one telling you that only 10% of all Twitter users actually post tweets on their own. But here is the thing... They are all giving people the wrong ideas! »

Management
How to Create an Interactive Music Video

Music videos are traditionally something you either see or listen to - or both. But is that really the only way? What if you could touch it? Interact with it? »

Branding
Truth in 24 is amazing - but what a shame

Audi has created a movie about the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans, from Audi's perspective. It is a thrilling story, about what it takes to be a part of this amazing event. Definitely worth a look, if you are into this sort of thing. »

Management
Sorry, We Lost Our Common Sense (comic)

One of the most disturbing trends on the internet are ‘geo-targeting'. It is a way for you to identify where people are from. It can improve the experience if used right, but it can also destroy your business if done wrong. Sadly, many companies don't get it and use it to add restrictions. »

Management
Why Facebook, Why?

You know, I have never really liked Facebook. I use it, and a like the interaction between people, but I absolutely hate the ‘usability'. They just don't get it. »

Management
How to Really Stop Piracy

I am very much against any form of piracy. Whether it is people from Somalia capturing a ship, or ordinary people downloading content over the internet. But there are two kinds of pirates. One is the real pirate, who plunders and rapes our society because they want to. The other, which accounts for nearly 95%, is people who turn to piracy out of necessity. »

Branding
There's Probably No God

You might have heard about the "Atheist Bus Campaign" by the British Humanist Association. They have placed banners on 800 buses and subway stations in England, saying "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life". »

Management
Web Trends 2009

Every year I try to predict what will happen in the year to come, and this year is no different. So without further ado, here is the Web Trends to look out for in 2009. »

Technology
The MacBook Hybrid

My new MacBook Pro arrived a few days ago, and while I have always had a Mac, my work is centered on Microsoft technologies. So my main computer, for the last 8 years, has been a Dell computer (at home), and an IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad at work... But now I can do everything on the Mac thanks to virtualization, and it is so cool! »

Management
Success - part 2

One of the main reasons why I don't like open-source is that it tries to compete in an already saturated market. It is like trying to make "an alternative to wine" in the wine districts of southern France. It is not going to work. »

This Site
Baekdal.com on Facebook

I finally finished setting up Baekdal.com on Facebook, and it is now the official channel in the social networking sphere. »

Usability
Multi-touch Goes Mainstream

I have been talking a lot about multi-touch, and I am very excited about how you can use it to directly manipulate something - as opposed to having a detached interaction. But the time for most of the wild experiments are over. We have indentified which areas that don't work very well and now multi-touch is moving into mainstream use. It has matured. »

Management
The Mobile Internet Revolution is here

People have been talking about the mobile internet revolution for many years. And even though almost anyone owns a mobile phone, mobile internet has not been that spectacular. That is until now. The mobile internet revolution has begun, and very little stands in its way. »

Usability
That Darn User Experience is Wrecking My Usability

Back in 2006 I wrote the article "The Battle between Usability and User-Experience", where I illustrated that usability and user experience are two different things. Since then, I think, the problem has grown in proportion. »

Management
Simplicity Rarely Means Less

There has always been a lot of talk about simplicity. "Make it simple" is a very common approach to creating better products. But, unfortunately a lot of people think that you can achieve simplicity by removing features and creating less. This is rarely the case. »

fantastic
The Climate Project

As you might have noticed this site has gone green - at least for the duration of this month. The purpose is to raise awareness to the "planet crisis", more specifically that we need to do something to prevent global warming. »

Branding
Ugly Websites Stink

Gerry McGovern recently wrote that the best websites are the ugly ones - he is wrong. Only cheap companies can have ugly websites. »

Management
The Secret to Understanding Design

We often discuss design. Should it be simple or complex? Should it be colorful or grayish? Do you make it low-tech or media rich? The answer can be found by looking at how design breathe. »

Management
Multitasking is not good for anyone

Carmine Coyote has written an excellent article on multitasking and how ineffective it makes us. »

Usability
How to design for Browser Sizes

A while ago I looked into what browser sizes people use to... well... browse the internet. I have received a good amount of feedback both as comments on the website, but more so in form of emails. With this article I will try to make sense of it all, and explain why the whole discussion about fluid vs. fixed layout is irrelevant. »

branding
7 tricks to Viral Web Marketing

Viral marketing (word-of-mouth marketing) is a really cool thing. Just think about it... instead of spending an insane amount of money on newspapers ads, TV commercials or banner ads, you spent nothing - and let your fans do all the work for you. »

Fun
Actual Browser Sizes - the Movie

Update: The final report is ready. »

Usability
Security is the Biggest Threat to Security

Security are ruining our life. It is terrorizing user experience making "computing" less and less desirable. I think that instead of waging a "war on terror", we should wage a "war on security". »

Management
Web Applications is not relevant for Enterprises

There has been a lot of buzz lately about "Google Apps for your domain". It is said this will move Google into the enterprise world, and Microsoft will soon lose its dominance. »

Management
Search Engine Optimization - Just forget it

Also available in Spanish »

 

 

management
Security in a Social World

Not a day goes by without someone talking about security issues on Facebook and Twitter - and how scary that world is for companies. Recently, we heard about a phishing attack on Twitter, and Sophos posted a graph showing Facebook to be a really scary place. »

interaction
The Apple iPad - Amazing - First Impressions

Today, Apple announced their latest product - the iPad. Yes, it's a tablet. Yes, it looks like a really big iPhone. Yes, it's slim. Yes, it's super light. Yes, it has 10 hours of battery life. And yes it can be used as an ereader. It even comes with a new iBook store »

Management
I.D. Magazine Shuts Down, Blames Change

One of the most influential design magazines, I.D. Magazine, closed down earlier this week. It's kind of sad, because most people in the design community have been touched by their articles. »

Management
How the Social Web Destroys Traditional Marketing

There is a whole generation of people who need to change how they communicate with the world. Just this week, Michelin hired TBWA to create a Facebook campaign around their slogan "The right rite changes everything," in an attempt to rebrand the Michelin Man. »

Technology
iTunes 9, these are not the droids you are looking for

It has to be hard being Apple. A few days ago Apple held its annual music press event, and the amount of rumors before it were intense. It was impossible for them to even satisfy the skeptics. »

Management
You Have a Split Second To Make a Choice!

I always find myself in need to explain why the social web is so powerful. Most people, even many who already use them, do not really understand it. »

Technology
Google Chrome OS is 7 years too late

Yesterday Google announced that it was going to make their browser based operating system. And within seconds there was a million tweets from people all saying that Google Chrome OS is going to kill Windows. But you know, I do not think that is going to happen at all. Here is why. »

Management
What the Heck is Social News?

In my article about the change in consumer focus, "Where is Everyone", I talked about the concept of Social News. And people are asking: What is that all about and why is it going to destroy the newspapers? »

Usability
Speed Matters - a lot!

If there is one thing I have learned over, and over, and over again, is that speed matters a lot. I have also learned (usually the hard way), that speed matters more today, than it did 10 years ago - even-though we now have broadband connections. »

Technology
Socializing Baekdal.com

Baekdal.com now features a completely redesigned commenting system that tabs into the power of social networks. Instead of manually typing in your name, you simply press a button. How amazing is that... »

Management
The Blog is Only Partly Dead

The big news during the last several months is that the blogs are dead. Now it's all about micro-blogging, and social networking. But is the blog really dead? Or is the death of blogs greatly exaggerated? »

Management
Change on WhiteHouse.gov too

A lot of internet professionals see President Barack Obama as a person that can show the world the importance of the internet. That the internet is not just a secondary way to communicate, but has to be treated as an essential, and all important way to connect to the people. »

Usability
Palm Pre is beating the iPhone at its own game

The last thing I expected to happen this January was to see a product from Palm that would be really impressive. But the unexpected sometimes happens, and the new Palm Pre is very cool - especially from an interactive design perspective. »

Management
Add the little things

To make a great product, you need to pay attention to the little things. You should stay away from "things" that get in the way, but at the same time, embrace those that help you progress. »

Management
A Disconnected President

Over the last few days a story has floated around the internet, that Obama will have to be disconnected from the internet when he moves into the White House. I find that idea to be revolting. »

Branding
The iPhone Experience

It is rare that I get to show you some of the things I do for a living, but today is an exception. I recently finished a project for 5 fashion companies. It is a special web experience for the iPhone. And it is something that I am quite excited about. »

Management
The Remarkable Experience

Unless you have been living under a rock (or don't care about Apple), you probably already know about the new MacBook lineup. »

Technology
Finally a Useful Online Backup Solution

Online backup has, so far, been a joke. Most online backup solutions either limit your space to a couple of gigabytes, and if you need more (like everyone does) it costs a gazillion dollars. But, now HP has released Upline. »

Management
Web Trends 2008 for Web Developers

It is 2008 and time for my annual look into the foggy future of the thing we call "the web" »

Technology
Is the Web ready for HD video?

Adobe has pre-released a new version of the Flash 9 Player which includes support for HD quality video including hardware acceleration. This is big news for video on the Web but how close are we really to HD in our browsers? The short answer is... not that close. »

Usability
Design Makes a Difference

Bloomberg is undoubtedly one of the biggest players in the financial industry offering a wide range of products for people in and around Wall Street. One of their products is the Bloomberg Terminal. It is a 17" dual screen setup that displays the financial information from Bloomberg Profession Services - all in one tightly packed system. »

Usability
Usable Graphs are Inaccurate Graphs

Making usable graphs is not as simple as it sounds because usable graphs are highly rich on detail, while showing a general trend. But, adding too much detail will make it hard to read, and you see the wrong trends if you don't. »

Usability
Stop making it look like a System

One of the worst things you can do is to not design for real people and real content. It is obvious in the same way that you will freeze if you sit in a freezer. That, however, doesn't seem to stop people from making a mess of everything. »

Branding
Doing Business in Second Life

Second life is undoubtedly a big phenomenon, and it is an interesting example of social interaction mixed with massive capitalism - which is by no account a bad thing. But it is not the next web. It is not going to change how we interact in general. It is simply a brilliant example of wasting time on a massive scale. »

Management
4 Tricks to Making Great Products

How do you create great products? Those kinds of products people really like to use, that they want other people to use and that has long-term potential? »

Technology
The Digg of Death

Digg.com is a fantastic site, it has an amazing influence on making stuff popular. But, it is also a constant burden on website owners. If you get "dugged" you got to have a very good hosting plan in order to stay online. »

Usability
Tip for self-editors: Use a Narrator

Many write and publish on a daily basis - like the journalists at newspapers. But, whereas the journalists have an editorial staff, we have to do it all by ourselves. »

Usability
Actual Browser Sizes - Preview

Update: The final report is ready. »

 

 

technology
I Don't Want a Freaking Computer

It has been a couple of weeks since Apple announced the iPad. The dust has settled down (somewhat), and the world is once again spinning in the right direction. We have all seen a million articles about what people think. And surveys have been made, pointing out that the hype was indeed over-hyped (as always). »

branding
Google Nexus One and Peopletising

A lot can be said about the Google Nexus One. It's beautiful, very fast, open, works quite well, and terrible when you need customer support. It is also very annoying because of the limited coverage of T-mobile. »

Management
The Future of News, Tablets, and Business Models

There is much talk these days about tablets and ereaders. Not only do we have the constant rumor that Apple is making one, but it seems like every newspaper on the planet see them as the "prophet" that will save them from their doom. »

Management
Change for the Sake of Change

The absolute worst expression I know is "you shouldn't change for the sake of change". Every time I hear that, my blood begins to boil and I get really annoyed. If you shouldn't change for the sake of change, then when should you? »

Management
Web Strategy in 2010

2010 is now only a few months away, and that means that many companies are now in the process of planning next years strategy and budget. So what should your web strategy be for 2010? »

Management
Associated Press is Insane

Yesterday, Mashable got us up to speed on the latest strange move by Associated Press. Instead of doing sensible things, like embracing the modern world, focusing on creating better value, getting more people to use them and enhancing news by turning it into a social phenomenon... They decided to do the exact opposite. »

Usability
Twitter for 'Really' Busy People

A number of people have pointed me towards "Twitter for busy people", to which I responded "Twitter for busy people is crap. How are mouse-over images an efficient way to read text? What where they thinking?" »

Management
Is Social Taking over Google?

Every person who creates content on the internet wants to know 2 things about their visitors; how many are there (traffic) and where do they come from (referrers). And the way this works is currently changing at an incredible rate. »

Management
Where is Everyone?

These days, everyone is trying to figure out how to connect with other people. It used to be simple, you just placed some ads in whatever newspaper that was most suited to your product, but now that world is becoming ever more irrelevant. So how do you connect with other people today? And more importantly, how do you do it tomorrow? »

Management
Designing Future Websites

Life was simple in the old days and designing for the internet was pretty straight forward. But today, or more importantly, tomorrow, things have change quite a bit. »

standards
Do we need more domains?

Every single year, ICANN have a meeting, and on the agenda is ‘what new top level domains should we introduce'. And every single year a number of groups propose their own top-level domains. For instance, Al Gore, along with some Hollywood celebrities, are proposing .eco. But do we really need new domains? »

Management
A Massive Amount of Choices

What is the most important change when it comes to understanding the new web? The answer to that is rather simple. The most important change is "choice". Or more specifically the number of choices you can make. »

Management
Ad-Blockers Affects You Too

Aren't ad-blockers great? If you got one your internet experience is almost ad free. No annoying blinking windows, no in-page pup-ups that obscures part of the page, and no videos suddenly playing without you asking for it. But there is a flip side to all of this, and it affects you too. »

Management
The A-second-or-so Problem

One of the most important lessons I have learned from making web experiences, is that the little things are much more important than the big stuff. It is the little things that kill you. »

Management
Measuring Success

One of the big "issues" for a lot of people on the internet is how do I become a success? How do I become the best? How do I beat the competition? But, you know, it is not that hard, unless your definition of success is to be "bigger than Google". »

Technology
Google Andriod

Yesterday was a day full of exciting new announcements. First we got Adobe CS 4, and later in the day, T-Mobile also announced the first Google Android phone. »

Technology
Implementing the Future

It is amazing that what used to be science fiction is now pretty much reality. The inventions have already been made, the innovative ideas have been put forward, the technology is more than capable, and the cost is not a problem either. So what is the problem? Why don't we yet live in the sci-fi future we dream of? »

Management
Know what you are doing!

If you give me two glasses of good red wine, I will probably be able to tell them apart - and I will certainly be able to tell which one I like the most. But that doesn't make me a wine connoisseur. While I can tell which one I personally like, I cannot tell you which one is actually the best one. To do that, I need experience. »

Usability
The Right Kind of Efficiency

I often write about efficiency because it is the most important element in creating a great user experience. But efficiency is not just about getting things done, or doing something as fast as possible. Efficiency is really about optimizing the user experience. »

Usability
Three Pillars of Usability

Creating a usable product is one of the most important things you can do. Where would Apple's iPhone be if it wasn't because it was so damn usable? But many products have a kind of hit-and-miss approach. There is no overall plan; usability is done in areas that seem right at any given moment. »

Management
A Question of Privacy

The question of online privacy is a very hot topic. Many people have an opinion, many companies talk about it - but few really protect your privacy. »

Usability
The Usability of Passwords

Security companies and IT people constantly tells us that we should use complex and difficult passwords. This is bad advice, because you can actually make usable, easy to remember and highly secure passwords. In fact, usable passwords are often far better than complex ones. »

Management
Blue is Dead, Hail the Red

Imagine if we lived in a world where Blue was the only color. All our houses would be painted Blue, we would have Blue cars, Blue shoes, (Blue-ray), Blue refrigerators, and Blue sidewalks. Many people even have Blue hair and makeup. Blue is how the world works. »

Technology
How to Defeat Comment Spam

Comment spam is undoubtedly one of the most annoying aspects of running a website. It literally sucks the joy out of it. The spam is everywhere, and everyone has problems with it. But, there is actually a way to solve the problem. »

Management
Is it time to upgrade your skills?

Having the right tools for a job is just as important having a great idea - especially on the web. We see something new all the time and in many cases it is made with technology we know nothing about. »

Technology
Web Trends 2007 for Web Developers

2007 is here, and so it is time to look ahead and provide some wild guesses as to what will come. »

Usability
Making it Hard is Sometimes Better

Within the usability community we constantly hear the mantra "make it easy", but lately more and more products are made too easy for their own good. Take something like Apple's Remote. It is incredible easy to use, but at the cost of essential functionality. Just a few more buttons, and a few tweaks to the interaction would make it much better. »

This Site
Pink is for Breast Cancer

As you might have noticed this site has gone pink, and it is not because I have suddenly developed feministic tendencies - it is about something much more serious. Breast Cancer Awareness Month. »

Branding
Car, Bus and Airplane Wraps - continued

As you might know, I got strange hobby. I design full-cover advertisements to put on cars, buses and even planes. Most of it never makes it out of the computer, but occasionally my designs becomes real. »

Management
Publication Schedule vs. When You Feel Like It?

Should you publish at regular intervals, or does it really matter? In my opinion it doesn't. But, you shouldn't make your publication plan too irregular either. »