Google Fast Flip makes its debut

Published | 11.46, 15th of September 2009, by Chris van Aurich | Random

Google has launched a great new service called Fast Flip.  This lets users find news quicker. Google has teamed up with over 30 channels to create this new experience.

Why not take a look for yourself: http://fastflip.googlelabs.com/

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So here it begins! | 10k run for Cancer Research

Published | 10.56, 11th of September 2009, by Chris van Aurich | Random

Well after a sudden impulse to get fit, I started jogging, please note jogging not running. So after 3 weeks of this I wanted something to focus on and thought a 10k run to raise some money would be a good idea. So here I am, running 10k for charity and to be honest I actually cannot wait, although a little nervous. Please dig deep, as colleages are already doubting that I have any friends.

Please sponsor me: http://www.run10ksponsorme.org/christophervanaurich

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User centred design increases competitiveness

Published | 14.05, 7th of September 2009, by Chris van Aurich | Design

Company reputations and customer loyalty are built by positive user experiences. In web-based services, in particular, it is very easy for people to 'click' to an alternative website if a service seems difficult to use or doesn't meet their needs.

A user-centred approach broadens the scope of inputs to designers' thinking. Design teams are often physically and culturally removed from the people they design for. Over the course of product and service development, designers, planners and marketeers can grow so close to the concepts and technologies they are developing that their expectations don't match those of everyday end-users.

Those who take pains to understand the context they are designing for and who include users' perspectives in the evaluation of their work have a greater chance of business success.

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E-commerce: To bespoke, or not to bespoke?

Published | 14.04, 7th of September 2009, by Jay Vincent | Business

If you are serious about setting up shop on the world wide interweb, this is a question which you will need to ponder with considerable trepidation: will your online shop be powered by an off-the-shelf solution, or will you design and develop a bespoke e-commerce system? Both options have their pro's and con's. Let's discuss.

Off-the-shelf Systems

There are a great deal of pre-built solutions out there, ranging from small open-source systems to massive enterprise-level solutions designed for multi-million pound turnover websites. The features they offer vary as much as their prices, but at the core of every solutionis a database of products, shopping basket functionality and a payment gateway, whether it be third-party (such as Paypal) or integrated.

Advantages of an off-shelf system are:

• If they are commercially available then (assumably) they have been fully tested and are bug-free. However, anybody who has used a Microsoft operating system in the past knows that unfortunately, this ethos is not a guarantee.
• They can be cheaper to implement.

Disadvantages:

• For anybody other than the team who developed the product, they can be a right pain to customize.
• Lower-end solutions produce out-dated and invalid code, with no SEO strategy in mind.
• If the solution doesn't offer a desired feature then... tough. More often than not, the time and cost involved in developing a custom feature to fit within an off-the-shelf solution is false economy, and your shop will be forced to constrain within the capabilities of the solution.

Bespoke Systems

A bespoke e-commerce solution is created to exact specifications, with custom-features and management tools all custom-made for the client. As a bespoke systems developer, it could be argued that I am perhaps a little biased, but I shall try to cover both advantages and disadvantages in a neutral manner:

Advantages:

• The solution can do anything you want, and is only limited by time, budget and imagination.
• The client is involved with the development of the solution and its logic, ensuring it performs exactly as expected.
• If you intend on working long-term with a development agency, the team of developers will be a lot more familiar with their own system as opposed to someone elses, and tweaks and updates become easier and less time-consuming.
• It is easier to create new features and functionality with a thorough working knowledge of the solution.

Disadvantages:

• Statistically speaking, you are more likely to encounter bugs, especially in early development. However, maintenance agreements ensure any bugs that occur get fixed at no extra charge.
• Time, and therefore cost, can add up.

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No matter what path you take, there will invariably be a large time and cost commitment. That is why at Artlines, we offer frank and honest advice on which path to walk - and no matter what you choose, we can help turn an online shop into a successful commercial venture.

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How do I look? | Websites on your mobile device

Published | 16.08, 4th of August 2009, by Chris van Aurich | Design

With over 61 million mobile handsets, 300,000 more than the current population in use, it might be worth checking your site via your phone. I know I have.

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