What's Replacing Websites?

Want to think like Tom Peters? Here's a simple first step: Replace your home page with a weblog. That's what Mr. Peters has done. Thanks to Strategize for pointing to Tom Peters new approach.

There are several benefits to this approach: Fresh content, ability to interact with your customers, easy-to-use software...

Easy-to-use software reduces the amount of time you spend in front of the computer. So people naturally flow to blogging software.

Several months ago, I was using a desktop blogging app called iBlog. iBlog's developers had decided that command-s would do more than save a file; it also closed the current window. I politely sent an e-mail to the company and gave several reasons (including human factors) why this wasn't the best design.

Despite my rational e-mail, this company decided to stick with their new-age, command-s abilities. Instead of rewiring my brain for flakey results, I simply picked up my text and moved to another blogging client -- ecto.

Ecto is a snap. Their command-s obeys Apple's user guidelines and works like every other application on my Mac.

Easy-to-use developer tools also play a role in the success of enterprise projects. In fact, if an application developer isn't productive using a given set of tools within 2 - 4 weeks, the project is a train wreck waiting to happen.

Four years ago, a large telecom company in Dallas decided to use a middleware vendor for an integration project. The development tools were clumsy, and in some cases, developers were required to write at the OS level. A complete mismatch with the skills of employees and consultants. Six million dollars later, the project was cancelled. Easy money for the consulting company, a hard lesson for the telecom company.

Comments

[cliff]

Thanks for pointing this out, Steve. People are looking for other people with the smarts to help them solve their organization's problems. Most websites hide their people's smarts under a veil of mind-numbing marketingspeak. Blogs reveal the intelligence, or not, behind the curtain. For those with the real smarts, a blog can only help you make your ideas more transparent, and accessible to your current and potential customers.