Content Management Matters ™

The future of Web design is coming. In two weeks. Are you ready?

I speak of course about the conference Future of Web Design scheduled for April 17 and 18 in London. The conference features internationally-renowned design experts and alluring workshops such as Creating Sexy Style Sheets and Elastic Thinking: adaptable design in a world of uncertainty.

FOWB boasts the opportunity to learn from the best to become the best. A very tall order, indeed.

On day one, you will be whisked through the day chock-full of dynamic speakers who will extol on such topics as:

• Finding Inspiration For Design
• User Experience vs Brand Experience
• Designing the User Experience Curve
• Getting your designs approved: 12 Simple Rules
• Print is the new web
• From Design to Deployment
• Unconventional ways to promote your site
• Evolving the User Experience

On day two, you will delve into the aforementioned workshops. By the time the after party rolls around, it will be hard to determine the experts from the attendees!

Only full conference passes and the conference-in-a-box, a handy-dandy pack that contains all of the great content that you'd experience from the conference without the hassle of traveling, are still available for registrants so hurry!

More than 88% of Internet users believe they are served poor content on the Web, according to an online poll conducted by Webcopyplus.

Redesign is classic organization-centric thinking. It rarely has much to do with making things better for the customer.

As I return to my day job and start the new year, I will take inventory of my work-related resolutions. Topping the list will be "don't fight change."

You see, as a designer, I often find myself getting too attached to the concepts I produce and while I understand the importance of compromising, I find myself grinding my teeth when making changes. Yet, in any change lies the opportunity for innovation. I can't possibly know how to revolutionize and revitalize all by myself. Working closely with others brings together different, fresh perspectives that will not only help me design a product that meets the client's needs, but also improves the chances that our solution will be found thinking outside the box.

Heads up, San Franciscans--New Riders, Pearson Technology Group’s Web design imprint, is bringing it to the Bay by announcing the launch of a dedicated conference for the Web design community, Voices That Matter: Web Design Conference. The event kicks off today and runs through Thursday the 25th. The venue is San Francisco’s Grand Hyatt.

While we sat about ruminating over how print media is emulating the Web, Newsweek was busy redesigning its magazine to give readers something different.

And instead of inserting snappy sound bytes and intriguing blog-like entries, Newsweek bets that readers want to read more, not less.

Not only am I a content manager and designer; I'm a user, so it's not unusual that I find myself at a user conference.

As someone who works in the education sector, I know that it's hard to find the right balance of support and innovation that allows schools to keep up with Web trends while keeping within budget.

Silverpoint, Inc., based out of Baltimore, specializes in web solutions for schools and caters to those of us in independent schools, where constituencies extend beyond students to include parents, faculty, alumnae, and prospective students.

It can be a delicate balancing act between maintaining a brand and providing useful and effective tools for its users.

Having just launched our Job Board for the Content Management market, we're paying a bit more attention to employment trends lately. Tying right in with this is the announcement of A List Apart's very interesting Web industry survey results -- covering demographics, job titles and yes, salaries for more than 30,000 Web professionals.

Usually I write about how traditional print publications are adapting to the Web. But what about the Web's impact on the design of print publications?

Let's face it, attention spans are short. Web designers and bloggers alike know this. They design in a user-friendly format and write no more than 500 words.

But if you're a print magazine with pages to fill, how to do keep your readers well-informed without overwhelming their hurried, distracted eyes?

Our very own Gerry McGovern will be conducting a masterclass called Creating Customer-Centric Websites.

If you want to catch it -- and we're definitely biased in that direction -- mark your calendars for November 28-29, and prep for a visit to the auditorium at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa.

As a designer seeking to improve my skill-set, I appreciate a conference that realizes that I am a one-woman show: Usability specialist, content manager and information architect all wrapped into one, with a bit of SEO and flash mixed in for good measure.

Which explains why I am excited for the upcoming Voices That Matter: Web Design conference hosted by New Riders, the leading publisher of web design books and resources.

A former exec at Apple has just released a very short, very free ebook on marketing like Apple. It's called Marketing Apple.

Why is this relevant to you? Glad you asked.

Who doesn't love AJAX? It alters a site's content without users having to reload. It's rendered the pageview virtually worthless, inspiring Nielsen/BuzzMetrics to pursue a time-based site tracking model for calculating the popularity of sites. And in many ways, its availability is one manner of gauging the hip-with-it-ness of a site.

As with any snazzy and hype-ridden new technology, there is reason to take caution.

My last ad:tech session of the week was Actions Speak Louder than Clicks: Exploring the Laws of Relationship Marketing.

I don't know if "laws" was an adequate description, as we mainly parsed out a single big one. But if you want a website that converts like a vending machine in a high school quad, it's definitely one you want to learn.

Okay, relationship marketing. I hope you've got a pair of Chuck Taylors on hand.

A simple website charges you less time. A complex website charges you more time. Time is your most precious resource.