MILLENNIAL WORKER

Is the web browser really dying?

2010-08-19T11:20:00.010+01:00

There has been a lot of buzz in the blogosphere in the past couple of days in response to a provocative article written by Chris Anderson in this month's edition of WIRED magazine. Chris argues that we are using the web browser a lot less in favor of apps on devices like smartphones and tablets and that this will eventually lead to the death of the web browser. The arguments are provocative and the data used is far from perfect. However, you know that you have read a good article when it is on your mind for three days. The article really got me thinking about the future of the internet and the way the "app trend" is one that is somewhat strange as apps often give users a low level experience with less functionality. As the web has grown and people have adjusted it might be that we have reached a status quo where we have lost interest in exploring the entirety of the internet and instead we just want our favorite services delivered fast and simple. The increased introduction of tablets will surely continue to fuel this trend and the user experience will be taken to a whole new level.

I have noticed this myself since I hardly ever open my laptop on weekends. It is big and clunky and takes 30 seconds to load and in a world where we are increasingly impatient in relation to technology that is inconvenient compared to the speed of accessing apps on a smartphone or a tablet. I check my email, read my RSS feed, check my Facebook, Tweet and even watch live football games through apps on my smartphone. There is simply no doubt that since I got my smartphone I have used the web browser considerably less. When I talk to my friends who have Ipads they simply don't use their laptops anymore when they step out of the office. This is of course great news to Steve Jobs and Apple as their undisputed role as technological trendsetters continue to shape the way we use technology.

The most interesting thing about internet usage moving from the web browser to apps is that it provides a lot of opportunities for companies seeking to become the next big thing and it looks like Facebook are mounting a real challenge to knock Google of their throne. With its 500 million members Facebook recently became the most visited website ahead of Google in the US and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is attempting to replace Google's search with Facebook's content sharing model. The idea is that we will prefer content recommendations from friends on Facebook rather than the anonymous search results that Google provides us with. The fact that many of us use apps instead of a web browser is another threat to Google's business model as these apps do not rely on HTML to display content, which means that the content cannot be crawled. Another problem for Google is that Facebook doesn't permit Google's bot to index any content on its site and as more people produce content on the Facebook platform, this problem might grow bigger. On the other hand Facebook are far away from finding a revenue model that is as effective as Google's, and at the end of the day business is primarily about generating money. Google's android platform will also be of strategic importance in the mobile and tablet space and if its popularity continues to grow Google will be in a very strong position for the future.

It will also be interesting to see what this means for computer hardware manufacturers and the media industry as they will be forced to replace their cash cow products and seek new revenue sources.

Even if this "app trend" turns out to be another fad we can be sure that, as the internet continues to evolve there will be many changes that shake up the status quo now and then. I have a strong feeling that a big change is just around the corner, and I think it has the potential to write a new chapter in the history of the internet.

The World Cup, and South Africa, evolve with the web

2010-07-04T21:45:00.006+01:00

With a full month of incredible drama nearing an end it’s all too easy to feel a sense of anticlimax. In a way, some things never seem to change. England fans remain disappointed, the German team seem unable to ever have a bad tournament and you're left wondering if that HD subscription fee was really worth it. Yet for many there was something decidedly different about this year’s world cup. From a human point of view it was hard not to be humbled by the way South Africa embraced the tournament. Some 15 years on from that Rugby World Cup which promised the world a new South Africa free from the ghosts of the past, the country stands as a model of how reasoning and compromise can deliver magnificent results. One TV report before the opening game of this world cup showed poor, black fans in Soweto and affluent Afrikaans in Pretoria unified over one 90 minute match – who ever said it was just a game?

For us in the UK and many millions around the world, perhaps the thing that changed at this world cup was how we viewed and interacted with the drama. Just 4 years ago in Germany, the world cup could not reach people in the way it does now through Facebook and Twitter. Facebook was still closed to colleges and universities at the time and with Twitter still years away, MySpace provided the only ‘social’ online space for the world cup; which from my memory took the shape of some fairly mediocre mass advertising campaigns and little more.

In 2010, the world cup seems to have taken a step further towards becoming the truly global event it should be. Live streaming of the games set new records for bandwidth usage in Europe and North America, even causing some alarmists to suggest the wreaking of the web. Social media played an expectedly massive role. It continued to break down the traditional routes for delivering news, with as unlikelier source as Stan Collymore being in a position to announce to the nation via Twitter each England starting XI hours before any major media outlet. The savvier journalists have embraced these technologies, with many canvassing opinion before grilling Capello and co in news conferences, or leaking video filmed on their iPhones well before the 6 o’clock news.

Twitter itself groaned under massive demand. On June 14 a new record for tweets per minute was set as Japan beat Cameroon, only to be broken again 3 days later. Twitter’s engineers were accurately predicting problems, as the social network crashed more times in a one month period than ever before. On one occasion Holland’s victory over favourites Brazil brought the site down across the planet. 800,000 people watched England scrape through against Slovenia on the BBC website as offices and classrooms ground to a halt.

Yet beyond the bandwidth thirsty technology of the west, it was the BBC report from an orphanage outside of Johannesburg that will be my overriding memory of this tournament. As

someone who grew up watching sport on TV it’s not hard to explain why I love it so much. Yet

imagine having never seen a TV screen as a child even when you know millions can. If ever there was an argument for the need for digital information for all it is South Africa. After all, the

country’s past is a brutal illustration of what a lack of understanding can mean. Whilst some internet infrastructure will be left behind after this world cup, it is clearly not good enough that an event belonging to the people of South Africa

cannot be enjoyed by them in the same way as us. The young kids featured in that report clearly loved their first match, just think what a simple broadband connection would mean to them.

So as the stars fly off on their holidays and the media go their separate ways, South Africa remains a country with huge social and technological challenges ahead, but also as an example of how enthusiasm and unity over something a silly as a game of football can mean so, so much more. It remains the responsibility of us all to make sure that no one misses out.

All done!

2010-06-19T16:19:00.000+01:00

First of all, I hold my hand up, my attempt at maintaing this blog has been somewhat lacklustre and fair weather, but I hope to contribute more from now on. Rob, Robin and myself hope to add interesting glimpses as to what we are doing in our professional lives, but also to continue writing about the things that we feel passionate about.

The next post will probably be filled with glorious graduation photos, and further details as to what we are planning with this blog for the future as we go our separate professional ways...BUT for now, lets enjoy the football. COME ON ENGLAND! :-)

The Digital Election – Is it engaging young people?

2010-04-21T19:23:00.005+01:00

So we’re three weeks away from the big day now, the event we’ve been excitedly anticipating for longer than I care to remember. No it’s not the start of the World Cup, nor is it the Britains Got Talent Final; it’s the 2010 General Election. OK, so maybe it’s not keeping you awake at night with uncontrollable enthusiasm, but following the deepest and most damaging recession for more than a generation the outcome of the election on 6th May will have a long lasting impact.

I was excited to hear politicians suggest this would be the first ‘digital election’, an opportunity to engage a generation supposedly more interested in the latest TV talent show than policies on economic recovery or Afghanistan.

Whilst we still have some way to go, it does seem we really are witnessing a shift in the way political issues are discussed and shared. The first of three TV leaders’ debates last week saw an estimated 2,500 tweets every minute; discussing everything from the colour of the leader’s ties to serious policy analysis. Ingenious web techies across the country have developed a range of online tools to encourage people to take notice. From the rather satisfying ‘Slapometer’ to using twitter to create real time opinion polls, the internet is proving that whilst the major parties still seem to be missing the point when it comes to digital engagement there are plenty of people showing just how powerful it can be.

For years I’ve been angered by reference to the so called ASBO generation. “Young people don’t care!” “Teenage society is broken!” We’ve heard it all. The reason this type of rhetoric has gone unchallenged is the unwillingness of the political classes to engage with, and attempt to listen to, the millions of brilliant young people working hard to make their small part of our world a little better. Maybe the internet has finally given everyone a voice.

I’ve been staggered by the passion many of my peers have shown in this election, but I don’t believe this is entirely down to the fad of social networking. Young people care about what the government does. Students graduating this year are doing so into the most competitive job market imaginable, and they may well be footing the bill of the budget deficient for the better part of their working lives. Millennials care about issues of equality and freedom of speech; and the response to the steamrollering of the Digital Economy Bill onto the statue books illustrates brilliantly how young people understand and care about the decisions that shape our society.

The internet has not caused this passion, but is has given a voice to young people where they may have otherwise been ignored. Whoever walks up to number 10 on 7th May will do well to remember that a politically engaged young generation demand and expect so much more. Deals made in darkened Westminster offices about issues that really affect young people will not be tolerated if this trend continues.

ePetitions – the latest political bargaining chip or a real opportunity for engagement?

2010-03-05T22:18:00.006Z

If you’ve not already switched off from the party ‘tit-for-tat’ that is the run up to the spring election, you may have noticed that last month saw a new political football thrown onto the field. A government motion was approved to research into an e-petition system that could force parliament to debate any issue that attracts enough support online. David Cameron responded immediately with a suggestion that any petition that attracted a million signatures should become an issue serious enough for debate. “It’s absurd that a tiny percentage of the population craft legislation that will apply to the entire population. Instead of locking people out of the process, we need to invite them in.”

It remains unclear how many of us would use such a tool. However, does the possibility of an e-petition site open the door to real political inclusion for an otherwise disengaged millennial generation, or is it just the latest fad buzzing around the Blackberrys of Westminster Village? The Number 10 e-petition site, setup to give anyone the ability to deliver a petition directly to the PM, has already had plenty of success. A campaign last year saw the government formally apologise to the late Alan Turing for his prosecution as a homosexual in 1952, whilst a petition signed by 1.8 million people forced a u-turn over road tax proposals. However, notable successes apart it does not seem likely that we will see a discussion in parliament any time soon, as one popular petition demands, on the issue of whether Jeremy Clarkson should be prime minister. So does a large number of responses always indicate it’s a good thing to look at?

Once again, and quite frustratingly, this would appear to be an attempt by baby-boomer led political parties to win over the important Facebook vote; but the policy makers have again missed the point. Petitions, be them online or on paper, are one way tools which offer no forum for discussion or collaboration. eDemocracy promises much more than this, doesn’t it? The council in Melbourne, Australia have successfully used a wiki site where citizens can read, review and edit the ‘city vision’ for the future of the city. This is precisely the type of initiative that brings the wisdom of crowds fully into the process of governing. Governments can avoid single issue groups by taking the discussion to other parts of the web where issues are already being keenly debated, such as social networks. Engagement is not about waiting for people to talk to you, it’s about finding out where the discussion is already happening.

As for e-petitions, its seems we are yet again destined to spend money on something that we already have, just in a digital form. My suggestion: a petition to force a complete rethink over eDemocracy. Who’s with me?

UPDATE - 11/03/2010

The Conservatives today announced a new ‘Technology Manifesto’ that suggested a government under their control would “throw open the doors of Parliament”. The manifesto proudly uses the phrase ‘wisdom of crowds’ but with no indication as to how they will actually harness the opinions of the electorate in policy decisions.

On balance most would welcome the announcements in the same document that alludes to, without firm commitments or time scales, 100Mbps broadband for the UK. However, less than 100 words describing the Tory’s use of technology is really not enough to convince any of us that they really understand what they are talking about when it comes to eDemocracy. There are plenty of us ready to offer advice, so it’s time to listen Cameron and Co – let’s not waste this opportunity.

Buzzword of the decade

2010-02-08T08:51:00.008Z

Innovation, one of the most used buzzwords over the past 10 years is quickly becoming a word used by everyone to describe things that are new and supposedly groundbreaking. However I think that our expectations have outgrown the meaning of this word in the past decade. The definition of Innovation is the introduction of new ideas, methods or things. The problem with this word is that we are so used to big leap innovations that we don't care too much for smaller leaps of innovation any longer.

The best example to use is the newly announced Apple IPad. "A larger IPhone" was the verdict from many critics as they concluded that Apple had failed to live up to the high expectations associated with Steve Jobs famous keynote. I don't think the IPad will be a flop but I don't think it will be a game changer like the IPod or the IPhone. The announcement of the IPad clearly demonstrates what we have come to expect from organisations and technology in general. We are no longer satisfied with small leaps, improvements and upgrades. We want big groundbreaking innovations that truly change the way we live and enjoy our lives.

Over the past 100 years we have seen the introduction of cars, TV's, Mobile Phones, computers and the Internet. These inventions have truly changed the way we human beings live our lives. Most of these innovations came along, ripped up the status quo and created a new way of doing something. Small leap innovations are simply less exiting, but are they less effective in moving us forward? The trend on the Internet seems to be similar at the moment as we impatiently wait for the next Google or Facebook.

But what if the upcoming decade or two don't bring any big leap innovations, but instead smaller and more linear innovations? Does it actually make any difference?

A question to universities, what skills do you think IT grads should have?

2010-02-03T12:01:00.003Z

This week, Jon and I finished what I think we would both agree was one of the most compelling and important courses we have experienced. Looking into the wide variety of social, political and economic issues facing a modern ‘Network Society’, this unit was delivered with passion and insight whilst facilitating something I feel is all too lacking in higher education – the ability to debate and reason your own opinions.

If ever there was a good indication of how important these issues really are, the investment and publicity the BBC have put into their current documentary series ‘The Virtual Revolution’ is it. Both this series and our unique final year unit tackle the ever changing issues of the web’s impact on our lives, its effects on globalisation and the nation state, the implications of privacy to online communities, and asks challenging questions as to how technology both promises and threatens so much.

After considerable reflection it simply disappoints me to see so many of my higher education colleagues being given a limited range of technical expertise, with no consideration as to the wider impacts of technology. I do not foresee an IT industry where highly specific technical disciplines are redundant, but surely in a globalised world that is impacted so significantly by far more than just ‘how stuff works,’ isn’t it time we really stared to ask ourselves where people come into our new technologies. Bafflingly, multi-disciplinary courses such as the one we are currently enjoying are under threat at many institutions, including mine. Higher education, like most public services, has even more responsibility to deliver value for money in difficult economic times. Yet in my opinion, and far more importantly in the eyes of most employers, graduates that can understand the immense implications of technology as well as just how to create it, stand a far better chance of tackling the most important issues.

I would urge any young person to consider a degree that incorporates the technical, business and social implications of technology. The level of engagement and debate encouraged by the academic running my most recent course is, I fear, all too unique. Any university looking to remove such courses need to deeply consider the role they think their graduates will have in a modern, Network Society.

A Surprise

2010-01-28T09:06:00.003Z

I just came back from a 4-week adventure in Central America where I had a fantastic time. During my time there I visited Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Al these countries are unique and truly marvelous in their own special way. The picture on your right shows me sitting next to lava on the summit of the Pacaya Volcano, one of many great experiences.

However, apart from having a wonderful time I also learnt a few lessons. Firstly, I was really surprised about the way the Internet has been adapted in Central America. My naïve assumption was that it would be almost impossible to connect whilst I was away. However, on my first day I was surprised to find free Wi-Fi available at my rather tiny hotel. And interestingly enough, free Wi-Fi is standard in most places in Central America including hotels, parks, pubs, restaurants and other public areas. As I got back to the UK I was surprised to see that McDonald’s decision to make Wi-Fi available for free in their restaurants made the headlines and is the main theme on their website. In Central America, I am sure you would make the headlines if you were not providing free Wi-Fi.

In addition I was surprised about the way people in this region of the world use the Internet. They all use social media, most of them connect on their phones as well. Even in remote villages there is still Internet connection and most people have mobile phones.

The mobile networks are also brilliant, I hardly have reception in my flat whereas in Guetemala I had full reception everywhere, including on the top of the volcano. I think the governments of these countries deserve a lot of credit for making connectivity affordable and accessible at all times.

But somehow I assumed that they had none of this, I expected that they would be miles behind us. But the way they use the internet and other technologies are not very different from the way it’s used in the west. I don't know why I thought the opposite, maybe it was arrogance? Ignorance? Or simply lack of knowledge.

Coming back from this region I have learnt that it’s not only us in the west that are technologically advanced when it comes to the Internet. I just didn't realize that the rest of the world is developing at such a fast pace. These guys also Tweet, use Facebook and carry lots of apps on their iphone.

The Virtual Revolution

2010-01-22T23:37:00.009Z

BBC: The Virtual Revolution

I’ve been following the creation of this documentary for a few months now. What makes this TV series so special is that they democratised all of their material, interviews, documents and other resources free of charge. The series has theoretically been made by ‘the people’ for ‘the people’.

It starts next Saturday on BBC2, and should be a thoroughly reinvigorating watch.

Check out www.bbc.com/digitalrevolution for the unedited rushes interviews.

Tweeting for Haiti – social media proves its worth in response to the devastating humanitarian crisis.

2010-01-17T00:29:00.005Z

A few weeks ago I blogged here, describing the power of social media to influence and change the world around us for the better. At the time citing the trivial example of the fight for the UK Christmas number one, I suggested that the same principles applied elsewhere could make a real difference. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti we saw, on a truly humbling scale, the real power of online social communication.

On the morning on Wednesday 13th, The Red Cross tweeted to its 50,000 followers asking for funds to be donated via a simple text message. By Friday morning the message had been ‘re-tweeted’ to the extent that the appeal had raised over $35 million in donations, with $8 million coming directly from texts. Aided by celebrities and businesses also using the service, the crisis has been the most talked about subject on most social networks throughout the week.

As governments and non-government organisations around the globe scramble to the aid of the impoverished Caribbean island, it has been the online community that have responded with the speed and generosity not even matched in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina or the Asian tsunami. The ability for people to express their compassion in the digital age is both exciting and proving to be more effective than anything seen before. Aid agencies are largely ignoring the slow and ineffective mediums of TV and radio advertising, turning to services like Twitter for fast and efficient communication.

The world now looks on as a combined military and aid agency response of unprecedented scale roles into action. We all hope that the people of Haiti get the help they need as soon as possible; aid that online communities across the globe are significantly responsible for. The first humanitarian crisis of the new decade has shown many doubters that the power of social media cannot and should not be ignored.

Facebook’s ‘Rage against' X-Factor chart monopoly

2009-12-20T19:56:00.006Z

As an advocate of new technology, I find myself regularly having to justify and explain the point of social networking. We regularly hear the likes of Facebook described as futile, temporary fads that take online procrastination to a whole new level.

Yet there are examples all the time that challenge this rather cynically view. The campaign that saw US band Rage Against The Machine topple the X-Factor’s monopoly of Christmas number ones is a beautiful, expletive ridden, case in point. In a few weeks, with nothing but a laptop and a broadband connection, couple Jon and Tracy Morter caused one of the biggest chart upsets of all time.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself!” I hear you say. I won’t pretend that this particular story isn’t anything more than some rather hairy young people getting one over on a middle aged music tycoon. But apply the same scenario to something much more important, and the connotations cannot fail to excite. What could the same principles of social networking do for democracy in a suppressed nation, or for the voice of the minority in any society? The fallout from this year’s election in Iran showed a more powerful example of social networking challenging the status quo.

Simon Cowell will, I’m sure, get over this rather embarrassing incident. Rage fans will continue shouting, and homeless charity Shelter will raise a few extra smiles this Christmas. However, the internet will stay and continue to force us to think about the way we live. It will continue to give users the ability to shape the news and media they consume, to express the views they hold and to adapt their communication techniques as they see fit.

Internet users can say, if they are so inclined, “F*** Y**, I won't do what you tell me!” Which is, my lawyers have asked me to say, a Rage Against the Machine lyric!

Microsoft believes in the Millennials

2009-12-17T19:15:00.003Z

Recently a Microsoft evangelist covered a story on his blog regarding millennials, which he took influence from a podcast we recorded for The Envisioners (www.theenvisioners.com).

Great exposure, and it goes to show that even the big transnational organisations are taking notice of what is a very pertinent subject to the times!

Check out James Senior's blog here!

Rise of the Pro-Ams

2009-12-17T16:29:00.006Z

Experience and tenure are at stake, we are starting to see an army of amateurs falling out of the clouds (pun intended), and the new heroes are the underdogs, the unknowns and the every day Jo’s. We see it everywhere, from television atrocities such as X-Factor, where you can become a hero just as quick as becoming a loser. But there are important success stories to consider, such as the Cuban blogger, Yoani Sanchez who through political persecution spread the words around the world of the real experiences of those living in Cuba, to which she was awarded the prestigious ‘Maria Moors Cabot’ journalism award

Leadbeater and Miller describe professional amateurs, or ‘Pro-Ams’ as “Innovative, committed and networked amateurs working to professional standard. This emerging group, the ‘Pro-Ams’ could have a huge influence on the shape of society in the next two decades”. I certainly wouldn’t disagree…But it’s also not a new thing, take Richard Branson and Bill Gates as examples, Pro-Ams in their own right back in the hay day, but I think what Leadbeater and Miller are getting at is the opportunity that the Internet, and more importantly the Web has created. In the past 15 years we have seen a proliferation of more multi-million dollar organizations than ever before, just to name-check a few: Google, Twitter, eBay, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, PayPal (etc) and these are not just fads, each organization in their own right has changed intricate details of society, and out of nowhere they were sprung by Pro-Ams. So what does this all mean? It means opportunity for those less fortunate, innovation enthusiasts and entrepreneurs.

Looking back over the past decade, the Internet and the Web have advanced and become pervasive commodities, and looking five years ahead it’s possible to see it becoming a mere service that we WILL take for granted, like many of our developed world pleasures. However, unlike the ‘real-world’ in the cyber-world your voice can be heard if you shout loud enough. Fede Alverez, a keen amateur film maker uploaded a video project that he’d been working on, it was a 4 minute sci-fi spectacle depicting giant robots destroying the capital city of Uruguay…not too dissimilar to Michael Bay’s blockbuster hit Transformers 2, but unlike Bay’s $50million flop, Alvarez’s powerful short film was made for free, instead opting to use his own skills behind the camera, creating his own CGI robots and getting his friends involved. Within a few days, Alvarez was contacted by many Hollywood studios and has now signed a $30million deal to shoot a film for Sam Raimi (Famed for his Spider-Man remake, and Evil Dead trilogy).

These are stories of glory, and maybe your next-door neighbour isn’t going to become the next James Cameron, but one thing is for certain, there are millions of people around the world being discovered for their fresh and new ideas. Talent is easier to spot than ever before, don’t be blind-sided by experience and tenure, because originality and passion will never become passé.

2009: A Review and Millennial hopes for the future

2009-12-17T12:54:00.007Z

If it were possible to sum up 2009 in one word, what would it be? My suggestion: ‘Change.’

The past twelfth months have been a time of significant change across many areas of our lives. The year was rung in by a resounding speech from the newly elected US President. Obama’s ‘Change we can believe in’ slogan marked what many hoped would be a new era of progress. As the year draws to a close, it would seem like a good time to reflect on the changes that have, for whatever reason, affected the life of a millennial.

Proliferation of Twitter
2009 has been a great year for the micro blogging service. Recent research from eMarketer shows the number of ‘active’ twitter users at 18 million as the year comes to an end, up from 6 million last Christmas, and that is just the users who regularly update across multiple platforms. So what is behind this success? The truth is it’s hard to say. The ability for people to access the news they want, when they want? The increase in celebs using the site? For me, it’s the new found ability for self-broadcast that has helped the meteoric rise of social networking. The unrestricted ability for an individual to share what they feel people will want to know has created the most profound change in media of our generation: giving each of us our own broadcasting network. For our organisations, the tricky yet powerful ability to open up the marketing message to any employee who uses the service has already brought great success for many. In a year dogged by recession, companies have looked increasingly toward easier, cheaper and more efficient ways to reach their customers.

So what next for Twitter in 2010? The site is not without its challenges, with a reported 60% of new users leaving within the first month, and a less than certain business model, it will be interesting to see its progress. The change in the way we communicate and consume our media, brought about by such sites, will surely last much longer than this year’s mince pies.

Debate over Web 2.0 use
Even with the success of sites like Twitter in 2009, the role social media is to play within the enterprise remains unclear. Many see common sites as time wasting fads that will pass as quickly as they arrived. By recording the time their employees spend on Facebook, with a very real throwback to twentieth century Taylorism, some organisations have taken a very defensive approach to these new tools. Yet 2009 has seen a huge cultural shift for many companies, with many examples of employees being given the trust and responsibility of communicating with stakeholders using to powerful collaborative tools of Web 2.0.

2010 will, I predict, be a tipping point for the use of these technologies within organisations. Managers will be faced with a choice to tighten their firewalls or give the people they employ the responsibility to innovate and collaborate using techniques that are entirely new to traditional industries.

Digital Britain
With the release of the most comprehensive review of government policy on the internet and computing for a decade, 2009 has been a year of great debate as to how we should be approaching technology as a society. Many would welcome the announcement of a taskforce to tackle the issues of digital exclusion. Plans to deliver broadband speeds of 2Mbps to all homes in the UK by 2012 are also welcome, but are some way behind the likes of South Korea, Sweden and Finland; the latter of which this year made fast broadband a legal right. First Secretary of State Lord Mandleson’s recommendations in the Digital Economy Bill to remove internet access to serial illegal downloaders was met with great anger by industry and bloggers alike. A joint response from the online giants urged restraint from the government over the issues of copyright, suggesting that banning users from the internet risked “stifling innovation and damaging the government’s vision for a digital Britain.” It does seem somewhat contradictory to encourage universal broadband access on the one hand, recognising the dangers of digital exclusion, whilst threatening cutting people off on the other. It would seem that a choice is emerging between criminalising online file sharers, or encouraging the music industry to modernise their business models to compete in the digital age

There have been many issues which have pushed the Digital Britain debate down the agenda in 2009. National debt, Afghanistan or climate change, it would seem, will shape the key debates for the 2010 election. Yet for the millennial worker a frank an open debate is needed over a whole raft of digital issues; many would hope that 2010 brings with it exciting ideas that continue to challenge the way we work and play.

So as we ring in the new decade its worth reflecting on the innovations and issues that have shaped 2009. We will look forward to the new year with excitement and anticipation. Merry Christmas.

Digital Inclusion – government hype or socially vital?

2009-12-09T01:05:00.006Z

We are all used to new buzz words popping up from both media and government. New Government Enterprise Tsar; Champion for Healthy Living; National Deck Chair Regeneration Task Force. Okay, I exaggerate, but it seems endless doesn’t it?

So with the announcement this summer of the UK’s first Digital Inclusion Task Force, the naturally sceptical among us would have sighed and got on with enjoying that rainy July. But is this another PR exercise, or an acceptance that digital exclusion is a serious issue facing our internet driven world? A quick glance over the stats paints quite a picture:

* Over 10 million adults have never accessed the internet, 4 million of which are socially excluded.

* Those earning over £40k per annum are twice as likely to be digitally included as those earning £12.5k

* An Internet Savvy worker will earn, on average, £8000 more than someone who is digital excluded.

The financial facts alone don’t tell us the full story. A recent study by UK Online Centres, who do a great job bringing internet drop in centres to some of the UK’s most deprived communities, set up 40 families from Tower Hamlets, East London with home broadband and support for 6 months, and monitored their progress. A fairly conclusive 97% of those who took part said that broadband had made a difference to their lives. Rubi, a 25-year-old mother of two, is now e-mailing friends in India rather than sending hand-written letters, is banking online and has drawn up a new CV.

Stories of courageous bloggers from places like Iran or Cuba trying to break down their digital divide are inspiring. But we don’t have to look so far from home to find examples of social barriers holding millennials back.

I’m sure we’ll see some trivial issues debated in the run up to next year’s election; with a decent helping of spin. But surely the debate as to the how we tackle to issues of digital exclusion isn’t one of them. There are, of course, benefits to universal broadband access for the country's bean counters. Millions saved here, Billions there. Yet the opportunities for a digitally included society run far deeper.

The UK’s Digital Inclusion Champion believes "there is both a moral and economic imperative for the wider community to take the issue of digital inclusion much more seriously." Fluffy job title maybe... but massively important work!

A simple experiment you can do: cut yourself off from the net for a week. No Smartphone, No Netbook, No PC! A minor irritation or genuinely debilitating? As someone always online, living and working with others exactly the same, it’s easy to forget how much it matters.

Listening

2009-07-24T17:09:00.008+01:00

I just read an awesome blog post and I just had to mention it here. The guy on this blog was writing about social media and ROI and explaining the (close to) impossible task of measuring social media marketing in financial ROI. It is of course incredibly hard to measure the amount of tweets, links, blog mentions, comments and then put a financial value against them.

I think the problem with many businesses is that they prefer to have a monologue with customers as that is much easier to measure and control. The problem is that there are millions of dialogues taking place every day on the web and they are impossible to control. However it is possible to get involved and if you are afraid of talking to your customers at least make sure you are listening to them.

Too many companies view social media as a way to touch more customers but very few see it as a way to listen more. Think about the millions of dollars marketers have been spending to find out what their customers want and need. Social media is changing the game and businesses need to make sure they don't miss to many conversations.

So my advise is that you start listening more to your customers. There are many ways to monitor the conversations online. Here are a few suggestions:

Whostalkin - WhosTalkin.com is a social media search tool that allows users to search for conversations surrounding the topics that they care about most.

Twitter search - search Twitter to see what people are saying about your brand.

Radian6 - is a great "listening platform" that enables you to keep up with online conversations.

Techrigy - SM2 is a software solution designed specifically for PR and Marketing Agencies to monitor and measure social media.

Trackur - Trackur is an online reputation monitoring tool designed to assist you in tracking what is said about you on the internet.

REVIEW: The Unwritten Laws of Business

2009-07-17T12:41:00.005+01:00

On the last day of my internship, I received a gift from a colleague, that gift was 'The Unwritten laws of Business'. Originally titled 'The Unwritten Laws of Engineers' by W J King in 1944, the 'pamphlet' was a hidden gem and was recognised by others outside of the engineering profession. Due to the extensive fondness by so many varied types of businessman, James G Skakoon took up the challenge of rewriting the original with additions and creating a book that teaches fundamental lessons for personal development in business to everyone that gives it a shot.

In 99 pages, James G Sakoon/ W J King underline the fundamentals to individual professional success from freshly graduated to running a business as a CEO. After reading this book I felt motivated and freshly educated, I mean that because although some of the content is fairly obvious, the definitions by both Sakoon and King are consistently refreshing, insightful and witty – making for a comfortable and enjoyable read.

The millennial in me may consider some of the content to be conservative (i.e. Personal Appearance), but as a millennial I respect and understand the concepts behind the 65 years of history of this book. The first law of the book is ‘However menial and trivial your early assignments may appear, give them your best efforts’ – now this seems fairly obvious and maybe a little patronising, but Sakoon and King define the concept very well, “...it is fundamentally true that if you take care of your present job well, the future will take care of itself”, simple wording that can provoke many argumentative theories, but I guess that’s why I like it so much. There is so much thought leadership behind the content of this book, it resonates with me as someone who enjoys provoking discussion and collectively finding individual answers – this book provides no right or wrong answer, it puts you on the track, which route you take is entirely up to you...

This book is necessary and fundamental to anyone working in an organisation, or for those that are doing business related degrees. It teaches the reader essential 'Laws', that you just don't learn at School, College or University. Some may think it is a book on professional etiquette, but really 'etiquette' is just a funny word for 'Fitting In' – This defines how to achieve personal success, and the learning’s are pertinent to anyone in any profession.

Do you know the Millennial consumer?

2009-07-08T10:32:00.003+01:00

Many businesses are finding it hard to attract and retain Millennial workers as they enter the workforce, sadly this will become a bigger problem as there are about 9 million Millennials still in education. But attracting and retaining these guys as employees won’t be the only problem we face. What about attracting and retaining the Millennial consumer?

Knowing how to get the most out of these guys as employees is giving most managers a headache, what about getting them to buy your products and liking your brand? In a decade or so we will have about 16-17 million Millennials in the workforce. We haven’t seen a generation of that size for about 100 years. Their disposable income will of course grow and their purchasing power will increase. Therefore, understanding how to communicate and connect with this generation will be paramount for brands that wish to have a place in their hearts and minds.

The Economist surveyed executives worldwide to see if they had a specific strategy in place for approaching Millennial consumers. 50 % did, 50 % didn’t. These statistics pose risks and opportunities for companies, depending on what they decide to do. Most consumers make their brand choices in their 20s and they don’t change much beyond their 30s. This presents a great opportunity for companies that want to target this generation and they have to make sure that they understand how to connect with Millennials or risk losing out.

As I am a Millennial myself, I thought it might be good to tell you a bit about what my generation value.

Walk the talk – Millennials love brands that are socially responsible. Find ways to involve this generation in your contributions, in that way you will truly connect with them. And remember if you’re not planning on walking the talk, it will do more damage than good. Check this blog post out to get more insight.

Connect to their phones – Mobile marketing has not been mastered yet and as phones get more powerful this provides a great opportunity. Think of new ways of engaging Millennials on their mobiles. TripAdvisor did a great job with this by asking consumers (via SMS and online) how it should allocate a $1 million in donations between five nonprofits. They got more than 1 million votes.

Listen to social media – Social media isn’t just another way for marketers to force their message on more people. Instead, listening becomes more important, by monitoring the “social media conversation” you can learn what the Millennial consumer actually wants and then join the conversation.

Contribution is key – Don’t just start a blog, set up a Facebook page or Tweet instead think about how it supports your objectives and adds value to users. Whatever you are doing online, make sure that you’re brand is contributing, otherwise you’re brand will be neglected by this generation and everyone else.

There a probably another 10 things to write about but the above 4 are crucial and I think they will be imperative to any brand that want to connect with this generation. However, I think the first question you need to answer is do you really understand today’s online environment? if you don’t, you need to get started.

Change

2009-05-29T11:27:00.003+01:00

Over the past 12 months myself and Jonathan Peach have done so many presentations to different people that I struggle to remember them all. As people this is what we do, we do things and then forget about them. Very rarely do we get the chance to reflect upon what actually happens. Blogging is good for this purpose, because you can go back and read about what you had forgotten. When we present our research around the Workforce Evolution we tell people that things are changing and that it would be wise for them to understand that change so they can prepare for it. The change we talk about is a difficult one. The workforce is already evolving, but it might take more than a decade to see the full effects, and as anyone can imagine it is difficult to tell people to change today in order to prepare for ten years ahead. Although, I would argue that if you cannot respond to the way your workforce will change then you will probably not be in business in ten years time anyway.

I think many business leaders find what we say interesting, but they do as we all do, they forget. Buzz words like strategy, innovation and future are widely used by business leaders, but do they act upon it? Some people argue that short term thinking brought us the recession; business leaders talked the “long term language” then but clearly did not walk the talk.

Over the past couple of months I’ve met with many decision makers and its incredibly tough for them to make strategic decisions as the whole economy seems to be in survival mode. If your ideas do not show quick ROI or saves money then it’s not interesting. To me it seems we have gone from one extreme to another. Looking to the past to determine the future can sometimes work really well and when it comes to recession behaviour this is definitely true. Companies like Proctor & Gamble, Walt Disney, Microsoft and Google were all recession era start ups. Also, let’s not forget that transformational innovations such as the PC and the IPod were invented during tough economic times.

These companies believed in innovation and the long term but still managed to survive tough times. Maybe focusing all efforts on driving down costs will work for some, but the real winners will be those who can do what’s right now and act upon what they predict will happen in the future. Too often innovation is associated with technology and inventions, but it’s much more than that. Innovation is “a new way of doing something”, so how about behavioural innovation? Businesses will have to change their culture and behaviour to suit the most diverse workforce ever witnessed, and the way in which they respond will have a massive impact on their future success.

"The Zombie quote"

2009-05-15T09:42:00.000+01:00

I just discovered this quote by Rob Paterson on the FASTforward blog, I love it.

"Most institutions are like zombies.......they have thoughts. Superficially, they look human. They can move around, talk and eat but they are not alive. They have no feedback mechanisms. They are closed systems. They have exceptionally limited ability to sense what is going on inside and outside. Like all closed systems, they tend towards entropy. They are not human. They are a chimera."

The word Chimera is an interesting one, I had never heard of it, I'm going to keep you guessing.....

web logging

2009-05-14T23:17:00.001+01:00

I think blogging is brilliant. When I first started blogging I was trying to figure out exactly what I was meant to write about. This was my problem, because true blogging isn’t supposed to involve too much thinking, because it’s just a “weblog” about something you feel the need to express, rather spontaneously. But I did have a real problem when I started blogging for my company, as this is very different from having a personal blog.

When you are writing a blog for your company everything changes. All of a sudden you start to question your thoughts and opinions to make sure that they are aligned to the company. This is necessary to some extent, especially when customers are reading your stuff, but it still takes away the beauty of blogging.

Many corporate blogs aren’t really blogs but just newsletters, emails, adverts in a different format. But on the flip side there are some brilliant corporate blogs out there as well. The best ones are honest and open but more importantly the blogger has passion and enthusiasm for what he is talking about.

Millennial Marketing

2009-04-29T22:37:00.000+01:00

I remember my first lecture at university, having enrolled on a marketing course I was sitting in a massive room with around 70 other nervous wrecks and my tutor was attempting to explain how important it is to understand the traditional communication model. One of the few things I can remember from that day is how much he kept repeating that this model was fundamental to marketers. If I was sat in that room today, I would still have been too scared to even move, but my thoughts would have been very different. The internet has changed so much, it has changed the way we buy things, the way we communicate, collaborate, find information, the list goes on and I am sure it will get bigger.

Marketers are not embracing web 2.0 communications. Many might be using them but that doesn’t mean much.

Frankly many marketers read about blogs, Twitter and social networks and then they attempt to jump on a massive bandwagon before they understand what it is and how it works. This is so evident, I have around 5 companies a day attempting to join me on Twitter, they then broadcast stuff that I don’t care about, which then annoys me and gives me a negative view of that company. However, there are many that are leading the way and using Twitter in the right way and oh boy are they receiving kudos from the people above. Free marketing is always appreciated.

The problem is that many marketers have never used any web 2.0 tools in their private lives and then their boss tells them to suddenly start using it to communicate with customers. Writing a blog or creating a group on Facebook that aims to catch people’s attention is extremely hard without any experience. If you think of Facebook (or indeed social networks) as a country, it has a specific culture and a different language and Facebook happens to have a population (users) above the 200 million mark, which would make it the world’s 5^th biggest country. My point is that it would be pretty daunting to be chucked into a country of that size and be told to start engaging with the people that live there.

It’s interesting to see Millennials coming in to marketing roles and applying their communication techniques. Because to Millennials all the stuff happening on the net is pervasive, its sometihng they have grown up with, its not something they learn, its just there. This might be the case for many other generations but as digital natives Millennials have already embraced web 2.0 technology and applying it at work is no big deal. If you are thinking about a social media strategy then get the younger workers involved and let them lead the way, because within this area they really have got the experience.

Twitter...should we be fussing?

2009-04-24T12:31:00.000+01:00

I've been using Twitter for a few weeks now, and I have to say there is potential there and the concept is GOOD, but there seems to be something missing...

What I'd like to see is 'daily summaries' as well as optional real-time mini blogs - I have 20 people/companies that I am currently following, now the problem is when I log into my profile it takes ten minutes to find something actually interesting/funny/worthwhile in reading!

If Twitter could intelligently collate information into kind of daily summary reports of what people have been tweeting about, it could have the potential of becoming a very ingenious blogging system...

...Now saying that, I really believe there is some kind of 'Enterprise Potential' with this concept. For obvious reasons it’s a one-to-many method of communication that is easily digested and simple to initiate and distribute. Some people haven't got the time to "blog and monitor", and the Twitter system is a great alternative for those that want to share best practise and stay in the loop, whether it be in work, social or both!

Is Twitter a short term annoyance, or could it be a blessing in disguise?

Millennial 101 and where we are

2009-04-21T11:34:00.000+01:00

So what is a millennial? A millennial is someone who was born between 1980-2000 - there are currently 8 million in the UK workforce, but by 2020, they will be 17 million strong, over populating the previous generation (the Gen Xers) by over 6 million.

Will this make a huge technological impact on the direction of how and what we use in the workplace in the future? Well if you look at the trends, the expectations and the general attitudes of this generation, then "Yes"!!

There is a possibility that a lot of things will change on the road to 2020, some of these changes are already taking place, and this is likely to aggressively continue until these guys retire.

HOWEVER, it's not just the influence of the millennials that are changing the way we look at the use of technology, its every generation, because now information technology is not a fad, a complication (well...sometimes) or optional...its pervasive, part of our nature and not just second nature, we use it instinctively, without questioning it or taking the time to understand it, its throw away...and that’s not a millennial influence, that’s a sign of the times...