Archive for January 2009
Web 2.0 is just so 2008
I've never been one for New Year's resolutions or predictions; I'll leave those to other people.
Suffice to say, I'm increasingly of the opinion that web 2.0, as a phase in the web's development, is over. I'm using almost exactly the same tools now that I was this time last year. It's ages since any new technology (in and of itself) blew me away. And I'm very close to unsubscribing from TechCrunch, the trade journal of web 2.0. I just can't think of the last thing I read in it which really excited me.
So here we are. It really feels like we have our winners in most of the 'web 2.0' categories: WordPress, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, Basecamp, Google in various guises. And it feels like we have all the tools we need, most of them free of charge, to make things happen. Let 2009 be the year where we really start to make use of them.
What excites me?
- Optimised presentation on mobile devices, specifically the iPod Touch / iPhone (for now)... and as I've mentioned before, on games consoles like the Wii. By September last year, there were 3.6m Wiis in UK hands; and it's been another big Christmas for Wiis. That's a lot of internet-ready devices in a lot of UK living rooms.
- High definition video. We're starting to see HD camcorders coming in at affordable prices, and YouTube is starting to deliver very high quality versions of uploaded clips. The quality is at least as good as TV, and sometimes I'd say better. I particularly like the look of the Canon SX1 (stills) camera - digital SLR functionality in a consumer product, with the ability to shoot HD video to SD card. £400's a lot of money, but I'm still tempted.
- RSS. No, seriously. As an industry, we seem to have given up on mass consumer adoption. Instead, attention seems to be heading into how we can use it to create new sites in their own right, like Steph's digitalgovuk catalogue or my own OnePolitics; or connect sites seamlessly across different CMSes. I'm even planning to build one site whose homepage will be powered primarily by its own RSS feed (too boring to explain). We need it more than ever, and it still isn't letting us down.
- JQuery. I've always resisted learning Javascript; it felt like too much of a step towards becoming a full-time developer. But JQuery makes it so ridiculously easy, it's a crime not to use it. So far, most of my work with it has been invisible, behind-the-scenes stuff. But I'm looking for excuses to go JQuery-crazy.
- WordPress. Or more accurately, me using WordPress. I'm thinking up more and more clever ways to use it, and it's almost a case of finding projects where I can squeeze in my new ideas - with or without the client knowing.
More details as things emerge, naturally. - Cost-cutting. Having too much money is almost as bad as not having enough. It's a magnificent opportunity for open source generally, and for people like myself (forgive me) who can whip up impressive solutions with it. The business cases for buying Big Ugly CMSes and hiring Big Ugly Consultancies will need to be very, very good.
- But most of all... good, substantial material going online. We've done enough trials and experiments to see what works and what doesn't. Specifically, we've got enough examples to show that it won't work unless you really make an effort. So let's hope the ascent of Obama, and the prospect (however slim) of a UK general election inspire politicians in government and outside to really get stuck in.
We have all the tools we need, and it's even easier than before. Let's start delivering.
PS: Coincidentally - and yes, not a little ironically given the above - TechCrunch has today posted its list of 'products I can't live without'. Most notable, to my half-awake eye, is the similarity with last year, and the gradual pruning of the more obscure names in favour of the Old Favourites. (Slightly surprised to see FriendFeed making the 2009 list, by the way.)
Change 4 Life: govt's flexible brand
You'll be seeing a lot of the Change 4 Life brand, and the associated bright Morph-esque characters whose aim in life is to tackle the growing problem of obesity. But whatever you do, don't call it a government campaign, though - it's a 'society-wide movement'. Which essentially means, it'll be everywhere: online and offline.
I'm almost becoming blasé about seeing government accounts on Flickr and YouTube. But they've done it particularly well, with the YouTube videos obviously kept short, and the Flickr photos being more than just 'Minister shaking hands with' (although it's a shame they're 'All rights reserved').
The defining characteristic of this campaign - sorry, movement - will be ubiquity, through brand extension. DH is offering the full range of design assets for download from its website; and 'services or products provided or commissioned by the NHS or local authorities' are being encouraged to use the Change4Life name, logo and sub-brands. They're also being encouraged to think up their own sub-brands; and whilst it isn't permitted to just add '4 Life' on the end of an organisation name, the design guidelines imply an open approach. A good few household names are signed up as members of the 'business 4 Life coalition' - although that in itself has attracted some criticism already.
Not for the first time, the campaign's online call to action is to do a search; on the ads I've seen so far, no actual URL is quoted. It's a risky strategy, but I guess there's evidence to show that it worked OK on previous campaigns (?).
The website is a subdirectory of nhs.uk, but there's no hint of NHS branding - in fact, no mention of government at all, other than a Crown copyright reference in the footer. There are reasonable attempts at interactivity. I like the postcode search listing all sorts of active activities near you, with a Microsoft Virtual Earth map, and a link into Transport Direct for directions. But the function to create your own character is a bit of a mess: choose a colour, height, and one of half a dozen poses... hardly much in the way of customisation... then, as far as I can tell, nothing. My customised Morph has yet to make his promised return to greet me.
The main objective of the site, at first glance, is to make me sign up for an information pack. Nothing inherently wrong with that, of course... but it could have been so much more. A personal diet/weight tracker, maybe. Some kind of 'introduce me to a local sports club' function. Even some kind of blogging / discussion forum thing. But as it stands, I don't see any reason for me ever to return for a second visit.
Mind you, if the objective is to get me to go outside and run around, maybe that's deliberate.
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