Challenges in Scaling & Globalization of a Web Application - The Slideshare Experience

Slide 1: Challenges in Scalability & Globalization of a Web Application Lessons learnt in creating SlideShare

Slide 2: Who am I? • Co-founder & COO, SlideShare • Author of Webyantra, Indian Web 2.0 blog • Active on the Indian tech startup circuit - BarCamps, Proto.in • Techie turned marketer turned entrepreneur

Slide 3: SlideShare • Social sharing of presentations & slideshows • ‘YouTube of PowerPoint’ - TechCrunch • Launched Oct 06, growing very fast • Run by a 12 member Delhi based team • Aim: Global scale social sharing webapp

Slide 4: SlideShare…global footprint • Global user base • Content in >60 languages • Used by – bloggers, consultants, teachers, students, professionals, jokers & pranksters, gardeners, preachers, investors, artists, photographers, conference organizers, advertisers, speakers et al

Slide 5: SlideShare Lessons in Scalability & Globalisation Experience sharing, observations, unanswered questions

Slide 6: What kind of challenges ? • Creating a Global Product – Multicultural, multilingual usage patterns • Operational challenges – office setup, servers, 365X24X7, hiring • Technological challenges – enablers, bottlenecks & obsolescence • Business challenges – revenue, growth, market share, funding

Slide 7: Creating a Global Product

Slide 8: Is your product truly global?

Slide 9: FeedBack email “ Only contestants from USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and India can enter their presentations (sorry, this is due to contest law issues!).\" When I saw this I was very sad. Such discrimination! I am from Nigeria. Why was I born...? Contd from prev slide….

Slide 10: Global norms for content acceptability

Slide 11: Tagged : swimsuite, porn, soft-porn, sexy, awesome, beautiful “…….soft-porn? where is porn in this? i dont see any?........” Contd from prev slide….

Slide 12: Defining the target user ?

Slide 13: Languages : English (42%), Spanish (37%), Portuguese (5%), French (3%) “….demographics & psychographics vary across continents…” Contd from prev slide….

Slide 14: Language barriers separate your users from you

Slide 15: FeedBack emails “ Hola me gustaria saber como puedo hacer para entrar ala pagina ya que es en ingles y no entiendo nada, me gustaría que me ayuden. GRACIAS!!” “ Hello Amit. It pardons my way to write, I do not speak English (single Castilian) and use the translator of Google for writer…….” Contd from prev slide….

Slide 16: Operational Challenges

Slide 17: Internet traffic does not respect your body clock

Slide 18: FeedBack email Hey, (…@msn.com) has contacted us. Below is the message/bug: The problems continue. I solved the username puzzle but now you refuse to send an acknowledgement email this my FOURTH request. My professor is now deducting points and thinks I am a slacker. …….@msn.com Contd from prev slide….

Slide 19: Keeping team engaged

Slide 20: Initial product development is always fun! Indian “services” mentality is a bottleneck Products are never completed…they continuously evolve Contd from prev slide….

Slide 21: Technological Challenges

Slide 22: Risk increases with growth

Slide 23: Incremental features add exponential complexity More time spent testing, less time spent building new functionality System inter-dependencies increase and cause unanticipated problems Contd from prev slide….

Slide 24: Disruptive Nokia v/s Canon Technologies & Technological Telecom v/s Skype Obsolescence

Slide 25: Business Challenges

Slide 26: smaller, faster competitors

Slide 27: David v/s Goliath

Slide 28: Raising money can take time and attention away from product development

Slide 29: Growth V/s Monetization Money opportunities start small Growth opens up bigger opportunities later What adds more value now: money or traffic/mindshare ? You might not have a choice! Contd from prev slide….

Slide 30: Questions? Slides available on www.slideshare.net/AmitRanjan www.amitranjan.com