Scenes from Technology in the Arts - Canada: Day Two
Web Usability Notes from TitA: Canada
Josh Futrell and I are sitting in a Web usability workshop at Technology in the Arts: Canada at the moment, and I thought I'd share some notes from the session. The workshop is being led by Robert Barlow-Busch, director of product design at Primal Fusion, a semantic web startup in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Robert's overriding thought about usability testing is quite simple but very important: "Observe people using your Web site."
Josh looks please to be learning about usability.
Why conduct usability testing?
- More useful
- Easier to use
- More desirable (more positive emotional responses)
Aside from basic usability testing, Robert also just talked about projective exercises, which determine what type of emotions people attach to your organization. In the session's particular projective exercise, we were asked to imagine that a group of car manufacturer logos were members of a family. Who in the family would each of the logos represent? Robert's point was that this type of activity is more engaging than simply asking, "What do you think about Ford, Chrysler or Volvo?"
By the way, the entire group agreed that Ford was the drunk uncle. Sorry, Ford.
How does this translate to the arts field? An example that Robert presented was for an arts organization to use this type of activity to test how people view the organization's logo in comparison to the logos of other available activities (cinema, zoo, arcade, video games, Netflix, etc.).
Other resources:
The full set of slides from Robert's workshop will be available soon at TechnologyInTheArts.ca.
Scenes from TiTA-Canada 2008: Day One
Stage is set for Technology in the Arts - Canada
Everything is ready for tomorrow's conference. Brad starts off the conference with his podcasting workshop in the morning; Josh teaches an afternoon session on content management systems; and I bounce around throughout the day to make sure session leaders have everything they need.
If you are not able to join us in person, perhaps you can attend a virtual panel session in Second Life.
The image above shows the set for Saturday's panel being held in Second Life on "Virtual Concerts in the Park" which you can attend in Second Life on Saturday at 8:00AM SLT (Second Life Time = Pacific Time) by going to this SLURL - http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sea%20Turtle%20Island/46/26/22/ - which will take you to the telehub behind the amphitheatre. Hope to see you there!
Going North
Technology in the Arts bloggers David Dombrosky, Brad Stephenson, and I are packing up to go to our sister conference, Technology in the Arts: Canada, hosted by the Centre for Cultural Management at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. We're flying out tomorrow for the Friday-Saturday conference. I'll be giving a presentation on navigating the murky waters of CMS selection in a session called Content Management Systems: Would You? Could You? Should You? The simile in my presentation that I'm most proud of myself for writing? "Open Source Software (OSS) is free like a piano listed in the classifieds is free: Free grand piano. Needs tuned and refinished. You haul."
Brad's delivering his hands-on session Attack of the Pod People: Engaging Your Audience with Audio Podcasts. He's currently trying to figure out how to get 50 pairs of headphones into Canada without breaking them or causing him to be pulled aside at any security checkpoints.
If you're going to be at the conference, be sure to stop us and say hello. If you're not, no worries. We'll be posting thoughts and musings about what we learn from our friendly neighbors to the north during and after the conference. Plus, there's the U.S. conference coming up on October 9-11, 2008, in Pittsburgh.
Master of Your Domain
Seinfeld jokes aside... It is very important for arts organizations to remain masters of their domains. We were recently contacted by a relatively large arts organization that was having trouble accessing their Web site. Each time they tried to access the site, they encountered a message explaining that their domain name registration had expired and that they would have to bid to regain control of the domain.
I thought it would be helpful to explain what a domain name is and why you should never let yours expire.
What is a domain name?
Every site has an Internet Protocol (IP) address that looks like this: 206.187.23.211. However, it would be very cumbersome to always have to say: "Hey, check out my Web site! It's http://206.187.23.211." That's where a domain name comes into play.
A domain name is the memorable name used by most people to identify your Web site. For instance, if you go to http://204.194.30.217, you will get the Artsnet Web site. But it's much easier to ask people to visit "Artsnet.org" than "204.194.30.217."
To register a new domain name, you must use an officially licensed registrar, such as Network Solutions.
What happens when a domain name expires?
When a domain name expires, it is officially up for grabs. If someone were to buy your domain name upon expiration, they would have complete control of that Web address. Basically, three bad things could happen:
- They could keep it and never return control to you.
- They could charge you an exorbitant amount of money for the domain name.
- They could redirect your old Web address to any site or use the address to host a malicious site. Your Web visitors would no longer see your schedule of upcoming performances; rather, they might see pornography - or worse - a George W. Bush fan site!
In fact, there are individuals who earn a living snatching up expired domain names and charging extreme prices for the original owners to regain control.
How does one remain master of his/her domain?
- ALL arts organizations should know the name and contact information of their site's domain name registrar. If you don't know this information, you can use a lookup service. For instance, go to the Network Solutions WhoIs page and enter a Web address in the search field. To see the registrar information, click the link labeled "Show underlying registry data for this record."
- Set some type of automated reminder for yourself in advance of the domain name expiration date. Many registrars offer this feature, but it's always good to set up your own reminders so you don't miss an alert that has fallen prey to your spam folder.
- Create a technology binder for your organization that contains all important information about your organization's internal and external tech operations. This binder should contain information about your Web site (domain registrar, hosting provider, administrative access, etc.), as well as all software and hardware license and maintenance details. TechSoup provides a bit more information on this subject.
If you need assistance obtaining your domain name registrar information, please feel free to contact us.
(Please Note: The 'Seinfeld' image above was used without the permission of Sony Pictures. If they send me a cease and desist order, I will gladly comply. I will also brag about my first official cease and desist order.)
Yelp for Business Owners
A few months ago, I yelped about Yelp, an online community of business reviews written by John and Jane Public. At that time, Yelp had provided some advice for business owners on how to manage their image on Yelp. The information was simple and didn't really provide much in the way of control or features. That advice is still there, but Yelp has just added a Yelp for Business Owners service. It allows organizations to claim their business page and then access some extra features: tracking the number of visitors who view your business information on Yelp, private customer messaging, and immediately business information updates, to name a few.
If your organization is aware of its presence on Yelp, and is looking for ways to get more involved, these are some fine features. If anyone out there uses the Yelp for Business Owners service or has Yelp stories, please feel free to share them in the comments.
Sponsor Technology in the Arts 2008 and be the envy of all your friends...
Want to be one of the cool kids? Sure you do. Who doesn't? The Center for Arts Management and Technology is currently offering sponsorship opportunities for its 2008 Technology in the Arts Conference, scheduled for Oct. 9-11 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Be almost as cool as this guy.
Some additional sponsorship notes:
- Any sponsorship of $1,000 or greater secures a spot in our Tech Expo.
- We have built into our three-day schedule more than four hours dedicated exclusively to the Tech Expo. We will also be promoting the Expo as a primary feature of the conference.
- The Tech Expo will be located near registration in a very prominent location in the hotel.
- All coffee breaks will be held in the Tech Expo area to provide additional exposure.
- We will be providing a 15-minute recognition announcement and demo/speaker opportunity for the sponsor of our Keynote/VIP Luncheon.
Want more info about the conference? Follow this page for regular updates.
Want more info about sponsorship opportunities? Get it here.
Come on... everyone's doing it.
(Image in this post licensed under Creative Commons, courtesy of ninjapoodles' Flickr photostream.)
OPEN NOW! - The Power of the Subject Line
Recently, I attended a webinar from Patron Technology on how to effectively use the subject line in e-mail marketing messages. And they should know! Patron Technology, a sponsor of the 2008 Technology in the Arts Conference, has been on e-mail marketing with arts organizations for years with its PatronMail service. Why does the subject line matter?
According to Christine Blodgett at Patron Technology, "The subject line IS the marketing message. It is your first point of contact with an e-mail recipient. If they don't like it, then they won't open it. If they don't open it, then it won't produce the desired effect."
A recent survey conducted by Return Path reveals the subject line to be the third most important factor for determining whether or not someone will open an e-mail marketing message.
So how do can we best harness the power of the subject line?
Make every word matter - When you look at your inbox list, how many words do you typically see in the subject line? Not very many, right? So:
- Keep it concise - Under 50 characters (approximately 7 to 10 words)
- Pay attention to word placement - Place incentivizing phrases ("Free tickets for.."), time-based phrases ("Last chance to..."), and informative labels ("______ Monthly Bulletin") toward the beginning of the subject line.
- Be clear - Tell them what's inside. Make sure the content promised in the subject line is easy to find in the e-mail.
- Be honest - DON'T oversell it!
- Be consistent - If you have a type of message that you send out on a regular basis (like an e-newsletter), make sure to label them in a consistent way so that recipients will easily recognize them in their Inboxes.
Who wants to be a curator?
Many arts organization Web sites offer users the opportunity to contribute to their online programming in some way, but it's typically an artificial engagement practice. Rarely do users ever offer up anything truly artistic, and it's even rarer still for the organization to showcase the work in a meaningful way. However, the Brooklyn Museum is taking the idea of "you" as the online curator to a new level and letting Web visitors select the pieces for an upcoming exhibit in its physical space. Its upcoming photography show Click! A Crowd-Curated Exhibit lets users register and adjudicate work that was accepted as part of a March 2008 open call. The submitting photographers were asked to "consider Brooklyn's transformation over the years, its past and its present, and submit a photograph that captured the 'changing face(s) of Brooklyn.'"
Now that the call for submissions has closed, the Museum has launched a Web interface that walks users through the registration and evaluation process. Rather than just showing images and asking users to vote for their favorites, though, the Brooklyn Museum offers evaluation guidelines. This is a real exhibit, and the Museum wants thoughtful consideration from its curators.
The Click! curator interface presents the image, its title and a description. Clicking the "Viewing Size" functions will increase or decrease the image size for those who wish to adjust for their screen resolutions or who wish to scrutinize the photo's detail. Users can also see thumbnails of the next images to be evaluated.
When the "curator" is ready to evaluate an image, he or she needs only to adjust the evaluation slider between "Most Effective" and "Least Effective" based on two questions presented by the Museum:
- How well does the image illustrate or express the theme "The Changing Faces of Brooklyn"?
- Do you consider this an exceptional image, given the technique and aesthetics?
"Curators" have until May 23, 2008, to submit their evaluations, and the exhibit will run from June 27-August 10, 2008, at the Brooklyn Museum.
While it's true that the crowd-curated approach doesn't work for all types of exhibits, the Brooklyn Museum has chosen a medium and theme that works well with an audience evaluation process. They ask about "technique and aesthetic," but the primary question is about Brooklyn's transformation.
So I guess my questions are:
- Though it certainly isn't necessary to be an art expert to be qualified to evaluate the Click! submissions, should one at least be fairly familiar with Brooklyn?
- Is this type of non-expert evaluation - as one recent blog reader mentioned - contributing to the dumbing down of art?
- If enough people evaluate the work, does the group consensus validate that piece for a public show?
I'd be most interested to hear what formally educated curators have to say about the crowd-curated concept.
Notice something new?
Those of you who actually visit TechnologyInTheArts.org rather than simply subscribing to our RSS feeds may have noticed a change to the site earlier today. We just completed the first phase of a graphics and content overhaul to bring the Center for Arts Management and Technology’s various services together in one convenient location. We welcome you to explore the site and provide us with feedback by clicking here or using the Contact Us button on the main menu at any time.
Next week, I'll describe in detail the changes we've made and how we've tapped into the full potential of WordPress.
By the way, subscribing to our blog and/or podcast feeds is a good thing and not at all vile like I made it seem earlier in this post. Find out how to subscribe and have all of our content sent directly to you!
Some Wednesday morning humor...
Box.net, providers of free online file storage and collaboration services, recently released this humorous image that sums up the shift in perception many in the tech world have had toward Google. The piece of "art" is called Googolopoly. (Be sure to click the image for a full-size version, because reading the game board is the best part.)
Splog... Sounds Fun, Is Evil
You arts bloggers out there should be on the lookout for a sinister Web prowler known as the "splog," or spam blog.
Splogs automatically lift the content from real blogs to increase their own search engine rankings and generate advertising opportunities.
Wired.com recently release a How-To Wiki for fighting splogs: Read it now.
And Lorelle on WordPress, a blog about blogging, has a post about identifying splogs: Check it out.
Be sure your blog isn't being ripped off by a splog, as it could be detrimental to your site traffic and Google ranking.
"Guitar Hero" for Orchestral Music
Have you ever wondered, "Wouldn't it be great if someone created a 'Guitar Hero'-styled game for other forms of music?" Well, Immersion Music, Inc., a nonprofit arts organization located in the Boston area, has done just that with the game Virtual Maestro.
According to an April 13th article on PittsburghTrib.com, "Two 'Virtual Maestro' exhibits have been appearing in concert-hall lobbies across the [United States] since November as part of a project created by Swiss banking giant UBS, which often sponsors classical music events and organizations, to increase interest in classical music..."
Bravo!
1...2...3...Upgrade!
We just upgraded the Technology in the Arts blog to WordPress 2.5 and I'm jazzed. The new version has so many new features back here on the administrative side of things: an auto-save feature, a simpler interface, and access to great plug-ins (or widgets). The process was quick, painless, and transparent to our loyal readers. But, we didn't just trust to luck that it would be so. When performing major system upgrades, here are some rules of thumb I like to follow:
- Learn as much as you can beforehand. Does the product have a blog or a press release that will walk you through what's new? Are there any forums or discussions with additional insight about upgrading? Investigating before you upgrade will give you a jump start on the inevitable re-learning you'll need to do and it will also help you to decide whether or not the upgrade is worth doing in the first place.
- Backup everything. Is there a chance something could go wrong? Absolutely. So backup everything (or as much as is practical). Before upgrading our blog, we backed up our files and database, just in case.
- Put your foot in the water. If you have the ability or the luxury, perform the upgrade in a safe, test environment before applying it to any live or working systems.
- Have an escape route. Even if you've tested the upgrade and it worked perfectly, always expect the worst. Have contingency/restore plans in place and the necessary tools and staff at hand should something, Spock forbid, go wrong.
- Don't forget about the learning curve. Any upgrade is going to require at least some sort of re-learning on the part of the user. If the upgrade is significant, or if you have many people who are affected by the upgrade, don't forget to spend time developing a training plan before you move forward.
Wikipedia's Credibility
A documentary by Dutch filmmaker IJsbrand van Veelenhat premiered recently at the Next Web conference has been posted on YouTube. Clocking in at about 45 minutes, it's not a quick clip, but it's definitely worth your time.
Managing Email
I have recently become interested in - nay, obsessed with - tracking down the most effective way(s) to manage my email inbox, and I wanted to share a couple things that really work for me.
- Inbox Zero. Instead of letting my inbox fill up, I process everything at self-established intervals using Merlin Mann's Inbox Zero steps: Delete, Delegate, Respond, Defer and Do. Following these five rules at a regularly scheduled time will ensure a clean inbox. Keep in mind, though... When you choose to defer, you must move that email out of the inbox and create a task for yourself.
- Three Folders. I have set up three main email folders: Follow Up, Hold and Archive. When I choose to defer (see above), I simply place the email in the Follow Up folder and create a new task list entry. If I'm waiting on a response before I can complete an item, I place it in the Hold folder. And if I simply need to save the email for future reference, it goes in the Archive folder.
- Five Sentences. I try my best to keep email responses to five sentences or less, based on a Web site I discovered a few months ago. Thought I might occasionally run longer, this concept has helped me focus on the structure and purpose of my message: Who am I? What do I want? Why should I get it? When do I want it? I even put a little message about the five sentence philosophy into my email signature so people know I'm being efficient and not rude.
I also noticed recently that Getting Things Done guru David Allen offers a free document, Getting Email Under Control, on his Web site. It isn't groundbreaking, but there are several good ideas and reminders.
How do you keep your email under control?
ASCII Stars Wars
In honor of the late Sir Alec Guinness, born 94 years ago today on April 2, 1914, I'm posting a link to a blog on LifeHacker.com that tells you how to view an ASCII (text-only) version of the first Star Wars movie - Episode IV. By the way, for those who need to know how to get to the command line that the instructions mention:� for Windows, go to Start -> Run and type "cmd" and hit enter; for Mac OS X, open "Terminal" located in the /Applications/Utilities folder.
Now if we can just convince the guy who did this (Simon Jansen) to turn other classic films in to ASCII art.� Blade Runner, perhaps?
To watch the ASCII Star Wars without having to use your command line or to learn more about Simon Jansen's other projects (like a life-size, beer brewing version of Futurama's Bender) visit http://www.asciimation.co.nz.
Photoshop Express: Browser-Based Photo Manipulation
Adobe recently released a slimmed down, browser-based version of its king-of-all-photo-editing software Photoshop, so I decided to take it for a test drive. Photoshop Express features a very simple interface, and upon signing in, the user is immediately presented with a clear set of options.
PS Express also provides a nice photo library so you can easily edit uploaded photos, create albums and email your best shots to friends.
A very nice feature of the library (see the left column of the above screenshot) is the ability to add photos from PS Express directly to your Facebook, Photobucket and/or Picasa account(s). You can also instantly create HTML links to the images so they can be easily embedded into Web pages.
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Hovering over an image displays a list of options for that photo. For instance, you can edit, rotate, email, link and download images directly from this list.One of the better aspects of PS Express is the fact that there are multiple ways to accomplish a particular task. For example, if I simply want to rotate an image, I can simply select "Rotate" from the initial drop down list of choices, and I don't have to navigate all the way into the editing area. |
But the editing area is, of course, the best part of PS Express. Though the options are definitely not as robust as those in the desktop version of Photoshop, there are more than enough editing tools for novice photographers or anyone wanting to make quick touch-ups. Some of the tools include cropping, exposure adjustment, red-eye removal, saturation settings, white balance and color manipulation.
Yes, that is me standing beside a toilet in a prison cell. No, I did not get arrested. I was visiting the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA.
Editing an image is incredible easy, and any changes you make are reversible. When you select an editing tool, you're presented with a menu of possible results. In the image below, I've selected "Saturation," and PS Express has shown me all of the variations I can achieve.
Photoshop Express is currently in beta (public testing), and the service is completely free. I strongly recommend this online tool for both its basic photo editing and image management tools.
Check it out and let us know what you think.
Deadline Approaching for the 2008 Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration
An announcement from the Mellon Foundation: The deadline for nominations for the 2008 Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration (MATC Awards) is April 14, 2008. The MATC Awards consist of up to ten $50,000 or $100,000 prizes, which a receiving institution can use in a variety of ways to continue its technology leadership. The awards honor not-for-profit institutions that have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the development of open source software for one or more of the constituencies served by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation: the arts and humanities in higher education; research libraries, museums; performing arts organizations; and conservation biology.
An online nomination form and more information may be found at http://matc.mellon.org. The nominations are public: the community is invited to visit the site and comment.