CrapHammer

iPad - Stemming the Flow of Complaints

I'm quite amazed at the whiplash from the tech-heads and geeks around the iPad.

Is the name unfortunate?  Yes.

Does it do everything under the sun?  Hell no and thank god!

Will it be a game changer?  Yes.  No question.

But, Sean, "It's just a large iTouch!!!" 

I hear this over and over.  In fact, I predicted it would be a large iTouch.

So here's what I say back to all the geeks.

"Boo Hoo."

Because what people are really saying when they complain about this is "I wanted something new that was alien and inconceivable."

"I wanted to be surprised more!"

The iPhone was not alien and inconceivable.  We all knew it would be a phone and iPod with applications.

What made the iPhone so wonderful was the focus on design and the experience of using it.

I believe and predict that the iPad will be a game changer and here is why.

It is what we all needed and the industry was waiting for.

But no one had ever produced it.

Amazon came close with the Kindle.  But it failed to allow for further innovation by third parties out of the box.

Amazon also failed miserably with rolling out their device internationally.

Let's also keep in mind that the publishing industry is in need of some serious innovation here.

The content industry is still reeling from the financial shocks they have had to endure. 

And to date there has been no easy way for traditional publishers to reach a global audience while also adding unique value.

With the kindle, every publisher is the same.

This is assuming publishers don't make the same mistake as NBC and publicly state they will never be on iTunes (which NBC then had to take back many years and lots of missed dollars later).

The iPad will see a global increase in purchased consumption of eBooks and rich publishing content.

Will publishers make as much per title as they want?  no.  But it will drive revenue.

And yet the savviest amongst us are shouting out the perceived faults of this device as loud as they can.

So let's look at these complaints.

One of the biggest complaints is the lack of multi-tasking.  You can only run one application at a time.

Geeks are aghast.

"Boo Hoo," is all I can say back.

The average person won't care.  Nor will they care that the bevel is "large" or that there is no camera on their media reader.

Now... no flash sucks... but that's not a deal breaker.  That's just Apple being stubborn.  Again.

Here's the kicker.

The geeks clearly have their pocket protectors in a wad over this.  But mark my words, almost all of them will have one of these.  

They will all own an iPad.

Or they will go and buy a Sony Reader and we can all sympathize with their sad, poor little ebook content.

So let's assume it's just a fanatical few who are up in arms.

What will people care about?

That's easy.  The battery life, the responsiveness of the unit, and the experience of using it.  The experience being tied to the content available.

Design is a hard game.  It is a game of constant restrictions and constraints.

You can't have everything.  You have to make intelligent compromises.

Note:  you can have everything with bad design.  Tried to use an alarm clock recently with 325 functions but only 3 control buttons?  It's three years later and I still can't operate my alarm clock reliably.

Apple made the right choices.  10 hours of batter life together with a form, size and weight that is f'ing amazing.

So I believe quite strongly that the iPad will be a game changer. 

I have long stated my belief that piracy will not go away.  In fact, it will get worse.

The only solution for the publishing industry is to make their content ubiquitous to the user (digitally) and easy to purchase.  Easy, easy, easy!!

I spend quite a bit of money a month through my Apple TV because it's the highest quality HD content and it's one easy click with millions of titles at my fingertips.

But when something isn't there... hello torrent.

Remember this presentation from Sports Illustrated?

We all thought of it as science fiction.  Who in their right mind in the publishing industry would pump this kind of money into something this risky?  Only a moron looking to do a Kliavkoff. [edit: correction to name made]

Only now, the hardware exists to exactly enable this vision.

The iPad.

Sport Illustrated just has to write an app.  No hardware risks.  No crazy licensing deals.

Anyone can take their publishing vision and move it onto a platform that will have a global rollout and support.

I would like to applaud Jobs and Apple.

This larger than life iTouch may just change publishing.

Something has to.

Image source: yaunus

Every Website Should be Social

Found this presentation over on the Frith'sters rantbase.  ;)

View more documents from shivsingh.

To date, most Facebook Connect sites make very limited us of the Social Graph information available.  So in the presentation above, the authors ask if the real value of something like FB Connect is in its being the window into things like collaborative commerce.

What if we logged into a retailer and reviews from our friends or our friends' friends were listed at the top?  It's one of the reasons I love services like GigPark because I'm able to get reviews from people I trust.  I'm quite fed up with reading highly emotional reviews that turn out to be bogus or misleading. Something tells me I'm not alone.

We are all building trusted networks online.  The question is how to tap into these.  Perhaps its less about how many clicks a person takes to get to a product and rather how many clicks it takes them to find out from THEIR network just how good or bad a product is.

I've long been interested in social shopping and while there have been a few attempts by some retailers to move into this area, they were hindered by the fact that your friends were likely not participating in the site.  So adoption became a significant barrier to entry.

As we move down the road of Facebook Connect microsites and promotions, it would do us all good to start thinking of this as a new opportunity for connecting everyday tasks with the uniqueness of our social connections.  In other words, to make the sites we visit far more relevant, helpful and of use.

Semantic Clustering for Nomenclature Purposes

Sometimes I need help.

Like when I stay up all night on a weekend writing a deck on "Semantic Clustering for Nomenclature Purposes."

All I can say is that it is Matthew Milan's fault. 

Enjoy.

Semantic Clustering for Nomenclature Purposes

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: userexperience ux)

Semantic Clustering for Nomenclature Purposes by Sean Howard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Canada License.

Wayne knows what many Word of Mouth experts don't

I was asked [for] a LinkedIn answer on how to build Word of Mouth for a new Montessori school (www.montessorinl.ca) that Steve Bannister and his wife  are starting in St John's Newfoundland.  Here is a reprint of my answer.  There's a cool story about an amazing man Wayne buried towards the end...

  A lot of what I recommend can generally be equated to common sense.  This is because I believe that people are social beings and we desire connections, comfort and to feel valued.  The idea being that it takes a community to make an individual.  So if we behave in ways that are socially relevant and bring value to the individual, then I believe word of mouth will prosper.

  At the risk of being flamed by WOMers, I feel it takes anything but an expert on Word of Mouth campaigns to get Word of Mouth.  Rather, it takes a hard fought for awareness and commitment to caring and forging connections.  You need to align your passions with your values and create the most valuable and humane service possible while recognizing and being honest about your limitations and failings. ie: being open to input and conversation.

  I'm adding some links to services that could be very useful but they assume you are starting your centre here in Toronto.  Whether they are working/adopted where you are is a critical factor to be determined. 

  Namely: Gigpark, LinkedIn, Facebook

  Certainly no shocks in the above list.  These services can foster increased activity, but what creates the desire for people to share your service with friends and family?  I'd post some additional questions.

  How do people make recommendations now?
  Who are people in your community listening to today about schooling/education for their kids?
  What makes you stand out in a sea of noise?
  What values are at the centre of what you are doing?  The "What and the "How" are weak cousins to the "Why".

  I'm going to tell you a story about one of the greatest word of mouth examples in the city of Toronto.  A story very few people know about, but those who do will jump up and down in support.  And this individual has most likely never hired a WOM consultant, nor has he focused on WOM.

  Wayne runs a laundromat.  My google maps search leads me to estimate that there are potentially more than 1900 dry cleaners in the city of Toronto.  So how do you make one outfit stand out?

  Historically, I have always chosen my laundromat by location.  Then when a piece of clothing gets ruined or improperly cleaned, I often select the next best candidate that is slightly less convenient to where I live/work/travel.  This continues infinitum as I never run out of laundromats. 

  Only this all changed when I bought my first Hugo Boss suit and a couple of $200 dress shirts. I suddenly realized that it's one thing for an $80 shirt to get improperly pressed and glossy, but I didn't want this to happen with my much more expensive items.  So I walked into the agency where I was working and asked if anyone knew of a decent laundromat in the area.  I use the word "decent" here because in my brain I had no idea that excellence could occur in the realm of the sweaty, disinterested dry cleaning world I have witnessed every week of my adult life. (I believe an analogy with education could be made here.  ;-)

  I was accosted by a good friend at the agency who literally shook me until I agreed to save my soul and visit Wayne at King West Village Cleaners (1000 King West, 416-596-0559).  I thought it a bit strange that my friend knew the guy's name let alone that he was so emphatic and excited about me visiting him. This makes me chuckle because I now find myself doing the shaking and empathic gestures when asked about dry cleaners.

  It should be noted that I now live over 10 miles away from this laundromat.  I no longer work nearby, I don't have a car and I rarely travel to that end of town anymore.  I'm an East-ender and he is far on the west end.  (For my NY readers, this is like my living and working in SoHo but visiting an laundromat in the high 40's.)

  But every two weeks I rent my Zipcar and "fly" across town to meet Wayne.  And every two weeks he greets me by name, discusses any issues I have and personally picks out the shirts to be hand finished.

  And every two weeks I watch in amazement as someone else walks in before or after me and receives a level of service I've never witnessed elsewhere.  On my last visit, I watched as a woman bashfully handed Wayne the most destroyed pair of jeans on the planet and explained that they were her "special jeans".  She was in front of me and he apologized once to me and then turned his full attention to her.  It took close to 5 minutes for her to explain which rips were not to be repaired, how she wanted other things done.  This pair of jeans must have been 10 years old and he treated it with extreme care, listened to every point and ensured he understood what to do.  He treated this horrible pair of jeans as she intended - as her most prized possession.

  The last time I was in the shop, I asked Wayne what he does.  I wanted to know how he creates something so unusual in a space so crowded.  He told me a very simple thing.  "I just treat every piece of clothing as if it is mine."  I think there is more to it than that.  He acts with respect and integrity.  He fully shows up every day and as a result, his entire staff follow his lead to a level of service I am privileged to receive.

  He told me they were just selected by NOW magazine as the best dry cleaner in the city.  Rightfully so. 

(reprinted from my LinkedIn Response)

Image Source: pbo31

What is the experience of reading?

Would you read a paper every morning where the print was blurry and difficult to read?  Or what about a paper where the article refused to be read if you didn't watch an ad first?

I was perusing the feed of my favorite brain site - mindhacks - and came across a reference to an article in Salon that sounded very interesting.

I can't tell you if it was as interesting as it sounded because I was unable to read it.

Above is the page with the article on it.  Or at least I think there was an article somewhere under the ads. Ads that wouldn't go away I might ad.

Maybe this was a glitch - a bunch of rogue ads gone haywire and breaking free of their restraints to run unimpeded across my screen.  It's certainly not an unusual experience with more and more media sites becoming an insane asylum housed by disturbed ads that refuse to take their medications.

With online readership up to 20% of a paper's readership, at least up here in Canada, I had naively hoped that the online experience would quickly start to improve.  I expected to see organizations breaking new ground in how to leverage and engage with me using digital channels.

Instead I appear to be seeing the opposite on so very many sites.  I think there are two reasons.

First, online advertising brings in less than 20 cents on the dollar of what a traditional reader would generate.  So we are finding ourselves suddenly bombarded with wave after wave of larger and flashier advertisements - floating ads that block the page, explode, blink and even trigger epileptic fits.

Second, there is a lack of imagination in the industry.  Everyone is focused on how to leverage or extend print into the digital space.  What drives me insane is that even the digital-only zines, LIKE SALON, are doing anything but innovate in this space.

Can we help the media industry?  Set your critic hat aside and join in the conversation.  Imagine a different media space or share a site that you feel is doing just that.

What if digital media served a basic human need that traditional media missed?  What would this need be?

What kind of online media would be more trusted than print?  Where do we not trust traditional media?

What if digital media could create change in the world?

Creating Experiences that Bring About Change - Part 1

When Experiences Must Do Something

I feel it is important to start with a simple hypothesis - that what we are able to think of is constrained directly by what we are able to imagine.  So if we can't imagine different futures beyond the present situation, then we can't effectively explore new ideas, cover new ground or innovate.

Now imagine we are on a project with a large team and our role as a planner or as a UX person is to help the group frame the challenges and opportunities facing the client/organization. Some would say this is our only role.  Here I turn to a much needed conversation going on between Matthew Milan and Adrian about the overlap and state of affairs within planning and UX.

"As a planner I saw my job as creating new possibilities. I wanted to always be on the side of providing an opening for my brands and my colleagues to explore and play within a completely different and unexpected context."  Adrian

I agree and feel quite strongly that we have to "change" the audience so that they have the ability to "see" different realities in a world where few people spend time imagining things differently.  How we accomplish this is the "black art" of our field.  Do we draw a picture, create a powerpoint or tell a story?I

I propose that we must do what they are asking us to do - create an experience that has the potential to involve the viewer and enable the change to occur.

A Model For Creating Change
Hillis spoke some time back (2004) at the Long Now Foundation about the "Progress on the 10,000-year Clock".  Hillis is attempting the impossible by many accounts.  He is looking to change how we see the world, the future and - by extension - what is possible.

37 minutes into his presentation, he stops presenting what has been built to date and begins talking about how the clock is more than a thing - how it is an experience designed to change the viewer/visitor. 

He presents a model for the stages of an experience that can change the participant. (I was surprised to find out that he had spent time at Disney focused on creating experiences.)

• Picture:  we require a picture in our mind of what it is we are going to accomplish. 
• Commit:  the moment where we choose to engage - to commit.
• Glimpse:  a glimpse of something that pulls us forward - the "weenie in front of the dog."
• Trial:  a period of confusion where we leave behind our old ways of thinking - where we are unsure and even frightened enough to look for something different or new.
• Arrive:  we achieve what we set out to accomplish.
• Payoff:  the "high". A moment of reflection.
• Secrete Payoff: secret and personal payoff that only the people who have the experience can realize.
• Return:  start over at the beginning.

((Rituals appear to share many of these.  Future article?))

7 simple stages to think about in crafting an experience (or series of experiences) with a loop back to the beginning.  For this article, I want to call our attention to the very first step.  To have a picture.  A step so very often overlooked and yet so critically important.

It seems simple enough.  We paint a "picture" of what the experience is going to be like and use our media people to get this picture in front of everyone that matters.  If only it was that simple.  Going back to the opening hypothesis, our audience has to believe something is possible and be able to imagine it before they can even have a hope of "seeing it" let alone believing it.  So what do we do when we are trying to invent something "out of the box" or "new/different"?

Role of Comics
I've spoken about comics a few times now and I've been using them as a prototyping tool in a variety of situations.  This has been great, but it is becoming clear that comics are applicable for far more than just prototyping. 

They excel at the first step in the Hillis model.  They not only present a picture, they give the user the tools to imagine a different world and slowly change their perception to the point they can consider an idea.

There's been some high profile and really amazing uses of comics recently in just this context.

Google Chrome: Google wanted to introduce a new browser into the market that redefined a whole slew of protocols, technologies and methods used to build a browser.  They needed to generate awareness and buy-in on the concepts and why a new browser is needed - topics generally beyond most people's interest or ability to comprehend.   Yet critical if one were to imagine a new standard for browsers.  Their initial launch idea?  A brilliant comic by Scott McCloud.

Akoha: Akoha is attempting to bring "pay it forward" into a social networking environment.  This requires that people be engaged in learning what "pay it forward" is and then to be interested and willing to explore how Akoha works.  A lot of work when the goal is to create sign-ups and growth in the usage of the site.

 

I'm interested in what others in the field have to say about experiences that can bring about change, the Hillis model and/or the role of comics in this context.  Join in!

Digital Storytelling

I concur that this is a wonderful example of digital storytelling by a brand.  I enjoyed the flow, pace, and the fact that it treated me as a person.  Funny how many sites forget the last part.

http://www.truthaboutsmart.co.uk/

Pros:

• Great use of the medium.  I love the opening while it's loading the flash.  One of the best wait screens ever.
• The interactive parts were integral to the experience and I found it sort of fun.  Something I didn't expect from a selling-a-car website
• Simple and consistent progression of the story, allowing me to dig deeper should I so choose.

Cons:

• I could have done without is the flying cursors of previous visitors.  It looks like a "cool gadget" that someone wanted to try but it really doesn't play into the experience at all.  Sort of distracts from it.
• I'll save you from my "yet another micro-site" rant and just leave it at that.
• It would be nice to see some elements I could have used to spread the word about this campaign.  A short youtube video teaser?  A small interactive guess the right answer widget?

P.S.  Let it sit idle for a minute.  LOL.  Nice.

Many thanks to swissmiss for this find.

The Role of Serious Play in the Boardroom

I recently penned an article on my consulting blog that I thought might be of interest to readers here.

I remember my first real experimentation with play to solve a serious business problem and it occurred way back in 2001.  I was a Senior Strategist with ICE and we were working on the second largest e-commerce initiative in Canada for a packaged travel company (packaged vacations).  We had recently wrapped up a 2 months planning phase that culminated in a dangerously heavy set of bound documentation.

continue reading

I look at one of the first times I used a "Serious Play" exercise in a boardroom with "suits" and how it led to a major insight on the project.

AppleTV: Be Wary...

WARNING:  Geeks everywhere should be very wary before embarking on the path of Apple TV.  Normal people should avoid like the plague.

Everything was roses until a movie downloaded and would not play.  It refused to authorize.  I called Apple support but was informed that my 90 days of complementary support had passed.  If I wanted to speak to someone I would have to buy a $60 extended applecare warranty.  Frustrating, but hey.  I shelled out the cash. My apple tv was worth it, no?

Cut to the chase, tech support had me reset my device to factory defaults. This is after spending a total of 15 hours and 4 days downloading this movie 4 times.  But no worries.  This would fix it and while it would wipe the hard drive, I was informed that I would be able to download anything I had "rented" but not played yet.

Not the case. Anything but.

Reality is that if you have a problem with something you've purchased, you have to visit the iTunes store support website and fill out a service request form at which point you will be emailed back within 48 hours.

But wait, I paid for phone service.  Yup.  But this doesn't cover anything touching the iTunes store.  And everything you buy or rent on your apple TV comes from guess where?  Yup.  The iTunes store.  So I paid $60 to end up in an email scenario and all my rented (and paid for) movies gone.

(NOTE: If you are VERY lucky and get the Canadian Call Centre, they seem to have god-like powers and will contact iTunes on your behalf. Austin: nope. India: nope.)  My last call, however, ended me at the US call centre.  Which it turns out is bad news but also where the majority of calls go.

Here's the best part.  They still weren't sure if my movies would play assuming the iTunes store agrees to allow me to re-download them.  They want me to wait 2 days for the iTunes store to respond and then call them back if it doesn't play this time.

Let's look at the process.

• DRM is nasty in even the best scenario.
• If it fails, you have to re-download (2-4 hours for an HD movie and pray this time it will work)
• Email is fine if you bought an album and it won't play.
• Email sucks tiddle shit when you are waiting to watch a movie.

Imagine having your friends gathered to watch a geeky HD movie.  And you can't.  Furthermore, you have to wait 48 hours for a response from the iTunes store.

TAKEAWAY:

Avoid AppleTV.  Great idea, but a SNAFU from start to finish when it comes to service and support.  A product way in advance of it's time and way in advance of Apple's ability to adequately support at this time.

NOTE:  If you push and pull your way through 2 separate escalations, you can achieve a level 2 support technician who can contact someone from the iTunes store.  But it took me an hour on the phone (fourth call), refusing a free shuffle and then demanding escalation four times.  The path is: general AppleTV call centre, then Level 1 Product Specialist, then Level 2 Customer Care or some such named group (who can actually do something.)

Image Source: Midnight-digital

UPDATE:  Wait a minute.  The iTunes store got back to me in only 24 hours.  But wait.  They reset my account, disabling my AppleTV AND gave me next steps for re-downloading on my computer using iTunes.  But I didn't buy it on my computer.  I bought it on Apple TV.   There is no "Authorize Computer" button on my Apple TV.  Gah!!!

Dear Sean ,

I understand you were requesting assistance by phone to resolve the movie rental error you received. I'm sorry, but the iTunes Store normally doesn't provide assistance by telephone. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have via email and I will do my best to resolve this issue for you.

I apologize that you received an error message 5103 when trying to download the movies you rented. New copies of the movies you described have already been posted to your account. You should be able to resolve it by following these steps:

1) Quit iTunes.

2) Follow the instructions in the "Remove the SC Info folder" section of this article:
http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n306424

3) After removing the SC Info folder, reopen iTunes.

4) Choose Check for Purchases from the Store menu.

5) If prompted, enter your account name and password, then click the Check button.

6) After the movies finishes downloading, choose Authorize Computer from the Store menu.

7) Enter your account name and password, then click the Authorize button.

You should now be able to play the movies you rented.

To make sure these steps would resolve your issue, I reset the number of authorized computers for your iTunes Store account to zero. Therefore, if you use other computers to play the items you purchase or rent with this account, you may be prompted to reauthorize those computers to play the items.

If you follow these steps and still receive error messages when trying to download the movies you rent, please reply to let me know. I will be happy to provide additional assistance.

I hope the information was helpful and that you continue to enjoy the iTunes Store.
Movies, TV Shows, iTunes U, Music, iPod Games, Music Videos, Audiobooks, Pixar Short Films, and Podcasts all available at the iTunes Store.

Sincerely,

Morgana
iTunes Store Customer Support
 

Can't buy me love.

I've been thinking about loyalty and loyalty programs of late due to some conversations I've been having.

David Armano called this a "must watch video for marketers" and he was right.  It's a presentation by Brandon Schauer and David Verba from Adaptive Path about their new book titled "Subject to Change:".  The video is long:  An hour, basically.

I don't expect many of us to find the time to watch it.  So let me break down some of my takeaways from the last twenty minutes that were specifically addressed to loyalty programs.

• Over 75% of all customers have at least one loyalty card
• CMO of Orbitz said "If you want loyalty, get a dog."
• Loyalty has to be earned with great experiences across channels
  • Delight, anticipate needs, and provide pleasant surprises
  • Experience never lines up with how organization is built to deliver.  So it requires work.
• Peak-end rule applies
  • Basically, it's those high ("wow moments") we take a customer to that are remembered over consistency of delivery
• Critical that we have a better strategy and operational excellence at managing touch points
  • Draw from un-met needs
  • Create repeatable processes
  • Create spikes ("wow moments") at multiple points along a customer lifecycle

Brandon and David summarize their entire approach pretty early on by saying that the "Experience is the Product."  It think this is worth repeating.

"The Experience is the Product."

Shouldn't this apply to loyalty programs as well?

I'm assuming most people would agree that improving the experience and providing moments of surprise and delight would do more to engender loyalty than any card based incentive program. But this is a daunting task to implement.  A process that will impact disparate systems, groups, divisions and partners.  Something that requires a rethinking of the business from the perspective of the customer experience (inward facing) and not as it is currently structured and built to deliver (outward facing).

It is much easier to design a loyalty program around cash-back and redeemable rewards that are dangled in front of customers with the hope of influencing the desired behavior - ie: continued sales/consumption. But are the rewards used the REWARDS that really matter?  What we've learned in social networking circles is that there are many types of REWARDS that influence people to participate - status, ego, social status, good will, fulfilling experience, and more.

And so, in constructing a loyalty program I would hope to question what REWARDS are of true value to the customers/audience?

I believe quite strongly that people want more than cash rewards. Sure, I'd love a free airline ticket.  Who wouldn't. But I laugh every time I compute how much I have to purchase to get a free $500 flight somewhere.  On one of my cards, I have to purchase over $30,000 to get a $500 ticket.  I'm much more likely to wash things through this card that generate no or limited interest (business expenses) and game the system for the flight.

Shouldn't our loyalty program be a cornerstone of our evangelist program?  And by so doing, be a part of influencing and REWARDING our customers for being our customers?

Amex was running a campaign where semi-famous people were featured on ads with their dreams and desires around money and life spelled out (click on the above image to see the full size version).  Bingo.  Brilliant.  I imagine this applied to everyday card members and I get shivers.

I look forward to your thoughts.

And for anyone like Tim who came for the music.  Here ya go.

Image Source:  http://www.abouttheimage.com/