Over the past few months work has been crazy (in a good way). We’ve been getting lots of fun projects and great opportunities. The downside of all those fun projects is that my sites suffer. What I’ve found is that this lack of time has actually made me appreciate Tumblr even more. It is the one site that I visit the most. It offers me the chance to quickly escape my busy day to get a quick creative recharge. It also allows for me to quickly post photos, videos from whatever device or via email. Better yet I can just reblog what I find as cool.

What I’ve discovered about myself lately is that writing long posts is becoming more and more challenging. However short bursts of creativity and capturing quick thoughts is more my speed right now. The problem is that I still love nights like this one, where I step back from it all and analyze what is going on around me.

Here is the deal:
1. I am going to challenge myself to keep up with this blog more often.
2. Tumblr is still going to be my muse(in an inanimate way).
3. You might see the format of this blog change again

Here are my recommendations for you. Blogging isn’t just about creating great content for others. Sometimes it is just for you. It is a place for you to capture your thoughts, inspirations or whatever else comes to you. Don’t get caught up in always trying to post for others. If you are finding ways to keep yourself entertained there are bound to be other people that like it too.

I also recommend that you give Tumblr or Posterous a try. Both have a ton of great content. I’ve found that Tumblr has a great community, and suites my needs. I’d love to hear what you think about all this.

Like all good platforms this one needs applications that are suited to its strengths and potential. Mobile devices are evolving at an accelerated pace, becoming as powerful as some of the computers from a few years ago. When you reach into your pocket you aren’t retrieving a mere telephone anymore. Modern day mobile devices are location-aware, Internet-connected, portable communications platforms.

Many developers utilize one of two core mobile capabilities: communication and web browsing. It’s the latter, web applications, that are of particular interest. Most of the mobile devices on the market today have built-in browsers and vary in their ability to accurately render the web (with smart phones currently occupying the higher-end end of that spectrum). Because, more and more, people are interacting with the Internet via mobile browsers, there is a growing need for web applications that are specifically designed with this platform in mind.

Some things that should be considered when building a better web application for a mobile device.

1. Users don’t deserve to have a watered down version of a website. They deserve something that will get them to your information or perform actions while they are on the go.
2. Your mobile site should not be an afterthought, it should be a part of your digital strategy
3. Consider how user’s will interface with your site. Keep in mind that they may undoubtedly have a small keyboard, and will be multitasking.
4. Test, test, and test again. Before you release it test it vigorously. Make sure that it works on as many devices as possible and that you are providing a positive experience.
5. If it’s a web application consider its purpose in the mobile space. If they are bored they will play bejeweled on their phone not play with your app. Give them a tool that they need in their life to do something, not to fill time.
6. Think about the context. Think about how they are Interacting and when to create the best, and most effective, mobile experience.

If you consider all of these things when building your mobile web applications you’ll be ahead of the pack. We are living the future right now. Our phones are doing things that we could have only dreamed of a few years back. This isn’t the Zack Morris phone, these are some of the most powerful communications devices available and they will only get better. To ensure the longevity of our applications, we need to continually improve the interactive experience on the mobile platform.

Originally posted to Wearemodule.com

I was also a presenter at the conference. I had the privilege of being a part of a great group of thought leaders in the digital strategy space. We come from all areas of the space, and definitely offer different points of views.

Here was our presenter list:

Ken Burbary on Twitter @kenburbary

Adrian Pittman on Twitter @adrianpittmann

Shannon Paul on Twitter @shannonpaul

Amber Naslund on Twitter @ambercadabra

Marcel Lebrun on Twitter  @lebrun

Oz Sultan on Twitter @ozsultan

Jeremy Tanner on Twitter @penguin

Chris Brogan on Twitter @chrisbrogan

Scott Monty on Twitter @scottmonty

Also have to give a huge shout-out to Terry Bean, who was our MC for the day. With little preparation he was able to come up with some very entertaining introductions for each speaker. This was my first time meeting Terry but man did he leave a great impression!

His partner in crime, Charlie Wollbrg (@CharlieCurve) was also keeping things moving by being an online moderator. He kept the conversation going online on Twitter and Ustream.

Stop trying to build a better mouse trap

My presentation was on why brands need to stop trying to lure their audience into their web properties, and instead try to enrich their lives with it. This means that they need to make their content live beyond the walls of their web site. Customers are no longer just a part of the transaction, they are now part of the company.

This is especially apparent online as customers have a voice, that voice has the ability to reach a much bigger audience than it once did. As Ken Burbary presented “every person online can be an influencer.” Of course there are levels of influence but you have to treat every customer as that influencer.

Giving them the opportunity to own the brand, and build a movement can create astounding results. One example I presented was the Charmin, Sit or Squat application for iPhone. This application has had wild success but really has a weak tie to Charmin’s products. I’d dare say it is not really selling toilet paper, but it is engaging the consumer. The consumer is learning to trust Charmin not only for quality products, but as a reliable source of information. That relationship will surely extend into the transaction.

I then explored what else we can learn from mobile applications, because many websites try to do too much. Mobile on the other hand needs to be a clear, and concise feature-set. Your user doesn’t need access to everything, they only need the information that they will use on the go. Then making it so they can connect with friends/family via the mobile tools allows them to share that information as well. It all boils down to allowing them to own the brand, and putting your brand in their hand.

That was the gist of the presentation, and certainly just the tip of the ice berg. Here were my slides:

Apparently I also have a Barry White presentation voice… Looking at my @replies I saw things like this:

amurphyCount me in!RT @ShaunaN: @bchesnutt Maybe after lunch we can nap and have @drintelmann sing to us #module09

At first I was like… hmm, do I want to be soothing? Then Brandon Chesnutt told me that it really helped with presenting the information in bite sized pieces. I’ll definitely take that as a huge compliment.

The entire experience was excellent, and the relationships that I built during the whole conference will be a great take away. It after all really does come down to building long lasting relationships both online and offline. I’m looking forward to doing this again next year! There are too many people to thank because we had a ton of great people involved in the conference. To all of you, thank you!

Some images of the conference taken by Brandon Chesnutt:

* Update * : @mattroush wrote a fantastic post on the Module conference. Give that a read as well.

I’ll look to add a few more features but I wanted to get this out there first. I’ve been working on a new look for awhile (off and on) and time that it saw the light of day. I don’t like refining something over and over, and never releasing it. I would rather get it to a stage I am happy with and then get it out there.

So here it is. More updates to come. If you have any feedback let me know.

Here was our list :
@laser
@kongslide
@mikedriehorst
@bradzabroski
@allenmireles
@davemurr
@biztube247
@bobbell
@edhunter
@kellyhancock
@gpowelldesign
@bek1826
@jodyzink
@mattbraun
@7son75
@adamhansen
@warrenparsons
@kulpacabana
@kfish29
@toledofreepress

I’m sure this will be the first of many Tweetups in Toledo. I’m sure there were more that made it out that didn’t sign in, so if you want to be added to the list please let me know! Hope to see you out there next time!

If you want you can find us online at hartinc.com (we are launching a new site soon) or add us on Facebook

Moments before President Obama was sworn into office, whitehouse.gov made a change. They are starting off on the right foot, by showing just how transparent they are going to be. This is great right? A presidency that on day one is taking what they said during their campaign and actually doing it on the first day. I don’t care what your job is, there are very few things that get done the very first day. I defintely aplaud him for that feat alone.

What caught me off guard was this; It is great that information is being published in a new way, but how do people that are poor get this information? Of course this was my socially conscience wife asking this question. The digital guy in me was quick to say, no this is great for everyone. Then she said “well think about it this way, people can’t afford news papers. Newspapers aren’t publishing print versions in some cases, they have gone 100% online. They don’t have a computer and if they do they can barely pay for internet/cable, if at all.”

It really does beg the question how can we keep all of our citizens informed? FDR was very concerned about this during the depression. That is when he started his fireside chats. He started this during the Great Depression. Back then it probably still left people out of the loop but he was certainly trying to cast the widest net possible.

President Obama is trying to use new media cast a wide net, and he showed it helped him win the election. I love that he is doing it, and I know it will make me an informed citizen. How can he use technology to reach the less fortunate though?

Maybe he can get the cable/broadband providers to make subsidized cable prices for low income families? Then work with computer manufacturers to get a low cost computer? Maybe pump this through the education system by giving students a laptop, with free internet access? Maybe Obama uses PBS more?

The bottom line here is that even though his new media efforts have the best of intentions, it can’t be another factor in creating a greater divide of the rich from the poor. The more informed we are as a society the better off we all will be.

DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
When you think paperboy, you think kid on a bike right? Sure a bike works, but remember what Paper Boy the game taught you? Delivering papers on a bike was hard. Why, because there are obstacles all over the place and a bike isn’t that nimble.

What did I do? I ditched the bike and was the paper boy on rollerblades. I remember customers on my route were all shocked when they saw me doing it that way. What they didn’t realize was that I was born on skates. Well, not born but started playing hockey when I was 3 and half. For me being a paperboy on skates was natural. I was fast, did the route faster, and I was more accurate. It was so much faster I was able to pick-up two routes in the same time the other kids could do one.

It was that age old lesson of if everyone else is doing it, it is right. Right? WRONG! Shake it up, try something new. Get the funk out of your comfort zone. Or in this case I took something like being on skates, and paired it up with a task. I’m not saying that you should throw on skates and go around the office. Although that sounds like a blast, what I am saying is that you should mix it up and try to approach your tactics in a different way.

A brainstorm can be just a one person party, but I’ve found that the best ideas just don’t come out this way. If you are limited on time how about this approach. Find some good music that will get the juices flowing, and sit there for a minute. Start jotting down ideas as quick as you can. Don’t filter them, just let them flow. Once you’ve spent about 20 minutes coming up with them stop.

Now find someone that you can bounce ideas off of. Tell them the background, and verbalize your ideas. As you tell someone the idea you find out whether they actually have some meat to the idea. If it doesn’t cross it off. 

Power in numbers

Now when you really need to get the juices going you need to pull a group together. That group should be chosen carefully. You don’t want to waste time by having a dud of a brainstorm. Here is how you have a better group brainstorm

How many? 

My recommendation is that you have 5-7 people in there. Really no more than this, because then everyone feels like they are in a bigger forum and might be intimidated to throw an idea out there. Keep the group small enough to overcome this. 

Who?

Pick people that you gel with but you know will bring different views and opinions. You want a group that will throw out ideas different than yours. If you are doing this in a creative agency try bringing people from different groups. LIke one from account services, one from creative, one from technology. They will all bring some great perspectives on the strategy. 

Background info

Send information about the problem before the meeting. Make sure that people have read the info before coming to the meeting. You don’t want to spend the first 15 minutes explaining the problem when they could have read it on their own.

Keeping it on track, and productive

There are a couple of other keys to having a  productive brainstorm session such as keeping it positive. Ask questions like how can we improve, how can we create, how can we grow? Then remember as ideas are thrown out there that no idea is a bad idea. Just get them out as quickly as possible. If something is off track stop it quickly before it stops the momentum of the meeting. Also make sure that you set a time limit to the brainstorm. If it’s a one hour meeting stop it at 1 hour. Make sure you give a warning before the 1 hour is up. It will help have a lighting round at the end of the brainstorm. 

Now that the brainstorm is over put all the ideas into notes. Send them out to the group just in case they have more to add to it. Maybe you didn’t get the best ideas. Conduct a second one, with a second group of people. Afterall you can never know what you can get out of a brainstorm. Do what you can to keep them positive, and the ideas flowing quickly.