'Net Features : web development

Working with a Developer, a Balancing Act

Administrator — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:46:00 GMT

The most successful client-customer relationships are built on trust, and it takes finding the right balance of input from both sides to establish that trust. The same is true for successful business-developer relationships.

Typically, before a business begins working with a development partner on a new website or mobile application, the leadership team has a general idea of what it should look like and what functions it should be able to perform. And with little knowledge of the development process, they have probably even already outlined all of the various specs that their users require.

Since most developers have experience in a number of successful and not-so-successful launches, they often know which ideas are realistic and which may be unattainable. This makes it necessary for business leaders and their development partners to find the right creative balance, so that clients get their most important features, and developers are given the freedom to work in the most effective manner.

Here are a few tips to help find that balance:

Become an Expert
No matter the project, it’s always necessary for the primary developer contacts to know the ins and outs of the client’s business model. Getting the developer acquainted with the business should be the main focus of the initial meetings. With that said, it’s the responsibility of the client to clearly present its overarching business objectives, as well as specific goals for the project. This allows the developer to work effectively with the business, while ensuring that the new mobile application or website meets its requirements. This can be a difficult process, but it will keep the project on-track and on-time.

Establish a Two-Way Conversation
Too often, clients go into a project with little understanding of the development process, leading them to believe that their design will be a success, as long as programmers stick to the guidelines they give them; that is not always the case. In order to have a strong business-developer relationship, and a successful launch, businesses need to find a developer (or developers) who views their role to be just as much an adviser as a code writer. This encourages a two-way conversation where the business can feel comfortable asking the developer questions, and the developer feels comfortable using his/her creative freedom to accomplish the project’s goals.

Eliminate Unused Employee Creativity
In order for a partnership to be successful, a “lean philosophy” must be taken. Lean focuses on identifying and removing waste. One of the most important and often overlooked ways to eliminate waste is through “Unused Employee Creativity.” Unused Employee Creativity is when the project leaders don’t ask for feedback from the people doing the actual work. In order to ensure quality, it’s necessary to receive input from the programmers and coders working first-hand with the new website or app. This not only benefits the finished product, but it also helps inspire the programmers by giving them a greater sense of ownership over the project. It’s also important for business leaders and other stakeholders to elicit feedback from every developer working on the project. This allows leaders to always be up-to-date on the status of the new site or app.

In the end, the basis of a good long-term business-developer relationship is proper communication. Once an end goal has been established, communication streamlines the process and eliminates any misunderstandings that might happen along the way, resulting in a more successful product. Those who are able to find the perfect balance of ideas are guaranteed to find the development process enjoyable and mutually beneficial.

About the Author: Patrick Emmons is co-founder of Adage Technologies, and an accomplished technical architect with more than 15 years of programming and Web development experience. Prior to Adage, Patrick was a principle for another Web development firm and also worked as a developer and consultant for Ameritech, Motorola and Baker Robbins.

Use Curtain & Sequence (jQuery) for Design Inspiration

Pete Prestipino — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:30:00 GMT

jQuery can do a lot of things, but it’s really just a development library. A library that can help designers do some tremendously creative things.

If you have the right jQuery plugin and can effectively balance your creative design skills with the technical requirements and usability demands, there is no greater opportunity to inspire and impress users.

But the amount of available jQuery plugins, thanks in part to its open nature and simplified development schemas, can make identifying the “right” jQuery functionality for your own site or the sites you work on as a designer a bit cumbersome.

Have no fear, because Website Magazine is here!

Below you will find two jQuery plugins that have entered into our design radar the past few weeks, and will likely (no, absolutely!) blow your mind. We also believe that these will inspire you to greater design heights, so let's get started:

Start the show with Curtain.JS

This jQuery plug-in allows designers to create Web pages with multiple fixed panels. The panels essentially unroll with an effect similar to that of a curtain rising. Users can navigate through the keyboard, scrollbar or mouse wheel. Designers can also add fixed elements or “steps” inside each panel.

Put Everything in Place with Sequence.JS

There is a seemingly endless number of jQuery sliders – but trust us, this one is different. Sequence.JS features some jaw-dropping transitions using CSS3, supports responsive layouts and modern browsers, and it even works with touch devices and has swiping functionality.

One more thing! Do you know of any jQuery plugins that others should know about? Don’t be shy, share it with other Website Magazine readers by commenting below. We’re currently assembling a list of the top design-focused jQuery plugins and, as always, we could use your help!

Thanks, and please enjoy these jQuery plugins of the day!

Visual App Development Comes to HTML5

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:30:00 GMT

It looks like HTML5 framework Sencha is on the move again, announcing the availability of Sencha Architect 2, a visual application builder that carries the potential to unlock even more possibilities in the new world of HTML5.

The solution, which is an upgrade of Sencha's Ext Designer, offers an application design environment for building both desktop and mobile Web applications. Features of Sencha Architect 2 include a UI that supports drag-and-drop components and connects to back-end data services, provides full code editing capabilities, and includes Model-View-Controller pattern support that allows app development teams to collaborate as they design.

Couple that with one-click packaging features for iOS and Android, and Sencha Architect 2 could be a real winner for serious developers.

“Sencha Architect 2 combines visual development with advanced coding features. This makes it ideal for serious developers who are new to the Sencha HTML5 Platform, as well as user experience designers,” says Aditya Bansod, senior director of product management at Sencha.

“Sencha Architect 2 helps developers get productive quickly with rapid prototypes and mockups. When they’re ready to start creating the final application, the new code editor generates tight, clean code, and well-structured applications.”

Google Chrome Demolishes App Divide

Michael Garrity — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:00:00 GMT

Google's powerful Web browser Chrome has unveiled a release that brings us all a little closer to univseral Web development.

The release came with two new technologies: Web Audio API, a feature that brings some advanced audio capabilities to JavaScript, and Native Client, which allows for execution of C and C++ code within the browser. Oh, and it also seemingly erases the divide between Web and native apps.

Originally, these features had been released on the beta channel back in August, but they are now a prominent part of the Chrome experience.

Web Audio API will help developers add in audio effects to JavaScript programming that will allow them to have a little more fun with "cool" sounds, as opposed to just playing back simple files. These only appear on browsers that support Web Audio API.

It's safe to say that most developers are going to be more interested in the offical release of Native Client, which makes it possible for all Chrome users to run applications that have been written in either C or C++ securely inside their browser. It works through the use of an API Google calls "Pepper" that provides HTML5 bindings for C and C++. When Native Client apps use Pepper, they will be provdied with a set of interfaces that equip them with the necessary bindings, allowing developers to leverage their proficiency and knowledge of the native code and pump out portable, high performance Web apps.

Google says that they have plans to eventually make Native Client available to other browers as a plugin. This could pave the way for cloud-based applications to execute desktop-level codes that could be run on Google Chrome, more or less eradicating the line between Web/cloud and desktop applications.

In addtion to these two major overhauls, Google's update also presents some improvements for Mac OS X Lion users, which, as I'm sure they'll tell you, isn't the most Chrome-friendly OS available. These include fixing crash bugs and adding some "visual polish," like the new Lion scrollbars and support for full-screen mode.

Google+ Reveals API to Developers

Michael Garrity — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:00:00 GMT

It's officially time for Google+ to go to the next level, and they made a big first step by (finally) releasing the first documents of the Google+ API on its new Google+ Platform Blog.

The G+ team claims that this is "just the beginning" of opening up their platform to outside developers.

They clearly lay out their policies for independent developers in their blog, which is best summed up with their three primary principles: put the user first, be transparent and respect user data.

Google+ is now considerably closer to becoming a legitimate challenger for Facebook's social networking crown, although they're clearly taking it slow and practicing caution in choosing what they release at the moment.

As of now, only information on public data has been, well, made public, and because it's based on open, public data, it's really easy for developers to authorize apps.

Despite the limited release of only the public data aspects of the API, this seems to be enough to tide over the hungry developers who have been hotly anticipating the information so that they can start working with Google+.

Who is excited about this big news from Google+?

Hottest Summer Jobs Will Be in Development, Writing

Linc Wonham — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:40:00 GMT

Development positions with in-demand technologies such as Facebook API and Android SDK continue to enjoy the largest growth with no signs of slowing, according to the May Online Employment Report recently released by oDesk.

Also experiencing dramatic increases were a variety of online writing jobs, with technical writing positions up 1,758 percent since last year and blogging jobs up 974 percent. The summer months are an excellent time for employers to leverage on-demand talent online and tap into contractors with needed skills, while also presenting increased opportunities for freelance workers to build and develop relationships with new employers.

Despite the national unemployment rate recently edging up to 9 percent, oDesk experienced a record number of job postings on its site for the month of May. That figure was a 7-percent increase from the previous month, and has grown 81 percent since 2010.

Employers spent over $17 million in May while contractors worked over 1.6 million hours on oDesk.

Four Award-Winning Websites That Inspire Us

Mike Phillips — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:30:00 GMT

The Horizon Interactive Awards have announced the 2010 winners and, as usual, it's an impressive array of websites spanning many industries. This is one of the most interesting contests for Web designers and developers, as it showcases the best combinations of design, technology and function. You can see the full list here, and below are a few select winners we've chosen to show what some of your peers (and competitors) are up to.

E-Commerce: BootBarn.com won for best in category for their new e-commerce site (with help from Acquity Group) and we can see why. The tone of the page is fitting, as the background shows a wide-open field with blue skies above and mountains in the background. The first thing you see is a sale, followed by a kids section, a "style" section ('more than just boots') and women's section. Just before the fold is a selection of "Featured Products" so the consumer can start shopping immediately. A sense of community is also present, with the photographs of recent content winners. Overall, the site covers all the bases – appealing to an array of shoppers while encouraging purchases. Navigation is simple and product pages are clean and descriptive, some even include video showcasing the product.

Self Promotion/Portfolio: CooperGraphicDesign.com won gold for their site showcasing the company's capabilities and portfolio. We love the slider that at once demonstrates their knowledge of the industry and philosophy: good design succeeds - good design interacts - good design is contagious. The site simply states Cooper's mission, offers quick links to news and resources and displays a recent project, with a link to the entire portfolio underneath. The site looks professional and instills confidence while still showing enough flair that a design firm should present.

Integrated Marketing: Critical Mass handled a project for Nissan's all-electric Leaf car, and shows a very impressive campaign that hit several touch points; including social media, microsites, YouTube, email and more. What's most impressive about the campaign is that Nissan knew exactly what they needed to do – educate consumers about electric vehicles and the self-described "lifestyle change." A Twitter Q&A was set up. A map helps consumers plan their commute and offers knowledge about charging stations for electric cars. Another feature explains various government incentives for purchasing an electric car, and the site can even connect people with a local dealer to conduct a "home assessment" to determine where chargers can be placed and set up in the home. It's a campaign that knows the answer to the question on the consumer's mind: Is an electric car right for me? See the campaign in action.

Best in Show: Inside the Haiti Earthquake reaches the zenith of Web design – it's compelling, beautiful, interactive and impossible to look away from. The site tells the story of the horrific Haiti earthquake of 2010 by putting you in the shoes of a survivor, journalist and aid worker. Clicks lead you through the interactive presentation of the challenges and sorrows faced by each, in a choose-your-own-adventure way. Stunning and haunting photography and video creates an engrossing and unforgettable experience. It's an amazing example of how to capture and communicate an important moment in time, and a triumph of the power of the Web – all made possible by some amazing design and development work.

Developing Web Video for Profit

Mike Phillips — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:30:00 GMT

In a recent online study*, Elastic Path found that people are watching large amounts of video online and on an increasing variety of devices – no surprise there. But the study also finds that viewers are also starting to warm up to the idea of paying for online video. That’s very good news. Creating and marketing online video can be a costly and time-consuming endeavor. It’s time to make those videos earn.

YouTube is, as expected, far and away the leader in the online video space with 81 percent of respondents claiming to have used YouTube in the last 12 months. However, 34 percent used Netflix and 19 percent used iTunes/Apple TV – both paid services. Even more encouraging, 43 percent of total viewers in the survey actually paid to watch online video (excluding adult content).

The reasons given for paying for online video content include:

To gain access to videos that I want to watch when I want to watch them (56%)
It was cheaper than alternatives (cable/satellite TV, DVD, etc.) (32%)
I wanted to avoid watching advertisements (31%)
To gain access to exclusive content that is not available on other media like TV or DVD (23%)
The content/service was recommended by a friend, colleague, etc. (16%)

While the first two reasons likely apply to categories such as TV shows or movies, the last few reasons are particularly intriguing. Essentially, it shows that paid online video content is not the exclusive domain of the Hollywood producer community.

Also encouraging is that 35 percent of respondents have already paid or would consider paying for an online short film, while 34 percent said the same about instructional or how-to videos. The clear leader for paid content is, of course, full-length movies (75%) followed by TV show/show segments (39%). But if you consider the broad scope of short films and instructional videos, plenty of opportunity exists for Web professionals to actually charge for some online video content. Think of the example of Kindle Singles; Amazon’s latest paid content offering featuring 5,000-30,000 word e-books priced anywhere from $0.99 to $3.99. Surely, many of those are of the instructional and short story variety. Might the same model work with video?

Leading the way in online video that respondents claim they will never pay for include non-professional or user-generated videos (84%) – a healthy reminder that every video a business produces should be of the absolute highest quality possible. Faring no better, 84 percent said they would never pay for online video of news or current events.

For those who have the resources, audience and creativity to create paid video content, things are looking good. Of course, this does not apply to most Web business owners. But consider this: 71 percent of the survey respondents say they would be willing to watch embedded advertisements if it meant they could watch premium content for free. The key phrase of course is “premium content.” There is no reason a business cannot package video as premium content then freely embed advertising (at a premium, of course) in the video. On the other end, 56 percent of those surveyed said they would likely pay extra to watch video without ads – so, if your content is popular, your “premium content” channel is the one without advertising.

Below are a few more ways to use video to generate revenue:

Create landing pages for your videos. You don’t need to sell anything directly in the video, but create specific landing pages relevant to the videos’ content. This way, you keep the viewer in the same frame of mind from the video to the website, and closer to the goal set forth – whether that’s a sale, a sign-up or a download.

Consider a paid advertisement linked to your video. Sure, this will cost money in the short term. But if you have some really compelling content (perhaps an exclusive how-to) or just need to make a splash announcing your company and services, this is a good option. The market is crowded – getting your video widely seen is imperative to the end goal for which the video was produced.

Include a coupon or special promotion code in the video. Coupons and daily deals are all the rage right now. Take advantage of this. Have you made a video explaining your product’s new features? Get a coupon code in the video so the viewer can act on his impulse. Also, this gives viewers a good reason to subscribe to your video feed.

*The study polled 1,005 U.S. adults over the age of 18 who had downloaded or watched online video at least once in the previous 12 months. More than half (53%) had watched or downloaded online video at least once per week. The most active online video viewers are 18 to 34 year olds, with 63 percent saying they watch weekly or more.

How Will You Monetize the Visual Web?

Mike Phillips — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Google recently predicted that display advertising will be a $5 billion industry by 2015. Yahoo! keeps pushing display advertising (reporting a 17% increase in Q3) and claims to be as dedicated as ever to the medium. Jumping on board with Bing should most certainly help. Social networking and sites such as Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and others have made photo sharing easy, interactive and fun. And then there's online video. It's being watched in record numbers.

According to new data from comScore, 175 million U.S. Internet users watched online video in September 2010, for an average of 14.4 hours per viewer, encompassing a masive 83.9 percent of the total U.S. Internet population. Over the course of the month, more than 5.3 billion viewing sessions were engaged. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released numbers last week showing that between Q2 2009 and Q2 2010, online video advertising grew by 65 percent. Clearly, online video is on the rise and so are advertising efforts - and budgets. But wait ... there's more.

A recent story from NPR highlights two companies that help publishers make money from photographs, in GumGum and Pixazza. Essentially, these systems analyze items in a photograph (clothing, for example) and tie them to products on the Web. So, a user can shop simply by clicking on a person's shoes in a photograph. Google is a believer - they have invested nearly $6 million in the website.

PepsiCo and Brand Affinity Technologies are experimenting turning photographs into apps. When a user mouses-over a photo, apps appear providing additional content - YouTube videos, tweets, news, etc. The content is displayed right in the space where the photo sits, so the user never leaves the site. That's even more opportunity for brand exposure and monetization.

Samsung and others are readying "smart TVs," pre-loaded with apps. They will include YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, photo sharing apps ... and all the advertising that comes along with that content. Suddenly, we're talking about Internet advertising reaching the eyes of everyone in the living room.

The iPad has been a smashing success and a whole army of competing tablet devices is set to march on consumers any day now. All of these tablets (and their smartphone counterparts) have similar qualities. They are on relatively small screens, navigation is accomplished by touch, they are optimized for displaying video and brilliant images ... they are part of the visual Web.

Add everything together and you can see that the Web is becoming brighter, more colorful, full of motion and more entertaining. There's a sort of visual revolution taking place online. How will you prepare? What will your business do to capture the attention of visual consumers?

42 Web Design / Web Development Content Items From 2009

Pete Prestipino — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:29:00 GMT

The following 42 content items are the most popular articles, news items, events, trends, and techniques that were covered in Website Magazine and on the WM Daily weblog throughout 2009 related to Web Design and Web Development. Why 42? Well, everybody knows that 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything - and that of course includes Web Design and Web Development.

On a more serious note, if you are a Website Magazine affiliate, do consider listing to one or more of the articles from your site. For each subscriber that is referred - you'll get paid.

Stay up to date on the latest Internet trends:
Request a professional subscription to Website Magazine,
the most popular print publication on Web success.

Homeshoring Web Development in a Recession

Pete Prestipino — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:07:00 GMT

Perhaps business isn't really that bad after all. U.S. buyers are increasingly homeshoring their software and Web development work, according to oDesk. Work done in the U.S. has grown at a rate of 367% from 2007 to 2008, according to the popular freelance marketplace for online workteams.

"When people in the U.S. think of outsourcing, they typically think of lower-cost countries," said oDesk CEO Gary Swart. "But, we're seeing an interesting trend of U.S. companies increasingly turning to U.S.-based talent for their contracting needs."

Unfortunately, that may be thanks to the rise in layoffs. There is clearly an increase in the number of highly qualified developers available for projects (as seen below) which takes away from growth in other countries such as India and Russia. The influx of skilled developers also drives hourly rates higher.