1. | |February 2016
1CIOReview
T h e N a v i g a t o r f o r E n t e r p r i s e S o l u t i o n s
CIOREVIEW.COM
ENTERPRISE WEB APPLICATION SPECIAL
A10 Networks:A10 Networks:
Accelerated
Web Application
Performance
Accelerated
Web Application
Performance
FEBRUARY 02 - 2016
Lee Chen,
Founder & CEO
Justin Baird,
Director of Application Development,
CubeSmart
Justin Baird,
Director of Application Development,
CubeSmart
IN MY OPINIONIN MY OPINION
CIO INSIGHTSCIO INSIGHTS
Jeff Cann,
Chief Strategist & CIO,
Encore Electric Inc.
Jeff Cann,
Chief Strategist & CIO,
Encore Electric Inc.
WWW –What’s
with theWebBy Shawn Spartz, Director-Creative, Development & IT Operations, Graydient Creative
Why a Website?
A website is the reflection of a brand and with more than
3-billion users worldwide, the internet provides the greatest
reach available to marketers and advertisers today. With access
limited only by connectivity, this is truly the age of global
reach. Since its initial public release in 1991, the internet has
seen a world of changes, while it’s integration with daily life
has become more and more involved.
To gain perspective on the transformations we’ve
experienced thus far, let’s take a look at computing devices,
both then and now. In the same year of the internet’s launch
came Apple’s Powerbook 100, the first laptop of it’s time to
feature a keyboard with the pointing device positioned beneath
it (a trend all laptop makers continue to this day). This piece
of history debuted with internal memory of 2-8MB and a
monochromatic 640x400 pixel display. For comparison, the
latest iPhone 6S boasts internal memory of 2GB (a 1,000
percent increase) with a retina display resolution of 1920x1080.
If there’s one thing that’s constant about technology, it’s
change, and that goes for the web industry as well. Trends in
content, design and development are coming and going, which
is why we have a dedicated web team to keep up with what’s
current.
Respond with Responsive
In the past, websites occasionally had a mobile version that
would display when specific screen dimensions were detected.
These sites were often a condensed version of their desktop
counterparts, with limited navigation and an equal maintenance
required. Given the literal difference between mobile and
desktop websites, information readily available on a desktop
might often be redirected to a mobile version, leaving users
confused and likely to navigate away.
One trend that is not new, but continues to grow as screen
sizes shrink (and expand again) is responsive design. Ranging
from projected screens to mobile devices and everything in
between, having a website that will render beautifully across
any sized screen will ensure a positive brand interaction for
all users. In addition, responsive websites are a hit with recent
Google search updates, as they meet and exceed all mobile
friendly requirements, and require content updates in just one
place. Easier to use for your customers and content managers?
What’s not to love about responsive?
Embrace the Scroll
In the day of newspaper design, the term “above the fold”
was coined to indicate the portion of the paper that was
visible, even while folded in half. Many great minds have
this idea engrained, leading them to believe that all important
information needs to be listed in the initial viewport of a web
page.
A recent analysis of 25 million user sessions by ChartBeat*
notes that with today’s mobile generation, scrolling often
begins even before the page fully loads. Provided you have
quality content, people will seek it or be led there by intentional
placement of the content surrounding it. The only way users
Ranging from projected
screens to mobile devices
and everything in between,
having a website that will
render beautifully across
any sized screen will ensure
a positive brand interaction
for all users
CXO INSIGHTS
will see a fold is if you create one, so
avoid boxing in your content and ensure
you are leading your users to all points
of your page.
Déjà View: Patterns for User
Experience
Given the number of choices
one is surrounded with daily,
it’s no surprise that accommo-
dating for decision fatigue is a
current best practice. The use of
icons and patterns allows users
to easily recognize
functions and form
without any ad-
ditional education
required.
One example
of a commonly
used pattern is full
width imagery
with supporting
copy and information available when
scrolling further. This trend aims to en-
hance emotions, with breathtaking visuals
that allow visitors a more immersive web
experience.
Among the web community, there is
much debate around the mouth-watering
menu icon: the hamburger. Depicted by
three horizontally placed parallel lines, if
you’ve used the internet on a device other
than a desktop computer, you have seen
it at least 100 times. On the other hand,
it may have taken you a moment to envi-
sion it when simply described. The fact
that you may not identify this list-like im-
age with a menu, outside the context of a
mobile website, demonstrates the effective
use of icons.
You are NotYour User
In the past, websites were seen as the
place for personal promotion. Things have
changed, however, as Generations X and
Y demand businesses to instead make it all
about them. To satisfy this, content strat-
egy has emerged.
Definitions of content strategy vary,
but in context of the internet, it can be
summarized in the same objectives as a
website: Achieving business goals, ob-
jectives, and brand awareness by pro-
viding users the information they seek
- whenever and wherever that may be.
In other words, anticipating the needs of
the user and giving them what they’re
looking for, wherever they’re looking
for it (location or platform), will increase
business and buzz. A related trend and
best practice is a content-first approach
to website design. This ensures the user
is put at the forefront and that content,
which includes copy, imagery, and other
elements, is considered from the very
beginning, with graphic design created
to make it flawless and functional.
Sharing is Caring
With new applications being launched
daily, social media platforms are more
popular than platform shoes. Luckily
there are tools out there like AddThis,
which easily integrate with your web-
site, and allow your carefully crafted
content to be populated on any number
of the more than 250 platforms currently
available! The benefit to this type of so-
cial integration aids in the reach of your
brand. When users share your messages
or products with their friends, you can
receive trusted word of mouth advertis-
ing with little extra effort and help iden-
tify brand advocates.
Weaving the Web of Tomorrow
While there is no crystal ball to indicate
what’s next, we predict personalization
will be the next big trend in
web development. With re-
cent reports estimating a
near 2-billion smartphone
users, the possibilities for
a custom mobile web ex-
perience is on the rise, as
are demands from Genera-
tions X and Y. With the use
of beacons and other
proximity sensors,
businesses can offer a
truly customized ex-
perience based on real
world surroundings,
allowing for on-site
guests to receive an
enhanced ex-
perience. As
increased data
is obtained, AB
testing may become obsolete as indi-
vidual versions of perfect from one user
to the next may soon become a reality.
As the leader of a team who creates
award winning websites, augmented re-
ality applications, and so much more, I
look forward to what the future holds.
Shawn Spartz