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• Short Introductions on Web Pages

  March 31st, 2008 | Tags: audience, web content, web site, writer, writers
  

  Jakob Nielsen’s Blah-Blah Text makes an important point that web site visitors want to cut to the chase. They don’t want to waste time with a welcome message or any of that. We writers have learned that we need to have an opening, body, and conclusion. But we also know that writing for the web breaks [...]

• 7 Steps to Catch up Quickly after a Break

  March 25th, 2008 | Tags: e-mail, freelance, organization, time management, work life balance
  

  I took my first break in ages — that didn’t include an illness or a holiday — for a few days last week for spring break. We went to San Marcos and San Antonio and visited Wonderworld, Sea World, and the Riverwalk. Wonderworld contains a dry cave created by an earthquak on the Balcones Fault [...]

• Freelance Tip: Reliability, Follow up, and Fear

  March 10th, 2008 | Tags: freelance
  

  Freelance Folder writes that a successful freelance career requires reliability. Based on my own experience and others, it’s true. Sometimes I want to stop recommending freelancers to clients. I do this as a favor to the client and the freelancer, but I rarely see positive results. Often, the freelancer stops responding or responds when the [...]

• PC Game Review Magic Match Adventures

  March 7th, 2008 | Tags: casual games, Cradle of Persia, Magic Match Adventures, PC Games
  

  The adorable (c’mon admit it!) imps return for their third game, Magic Match Adventures. You might know ‘em from Magic Match and Magic Match: The Genie’s Journey. Peak into the imps’ lives in the land of Arcania where they enjoy working and playing until something evil trips them up. They need our help in restoring [...]

• Audience Matters

  March 4th, 2008 | Tags: audience, podcasting, target market
  

  Here’s a great example I ran into that proves audience matters when writing content and designing Web sites. Audio expert Penny Haynes asked: Is the term “Technically Challenged” a positive, negative or neutral marketing term? I’d really like to hear from people who are NOT comfortable with technology to ascertain if using that term to reach them [...]

• Client Evaluations: Improve your work and client relationships

  February 18th, 2008 | Tags: evaluations, performance reviews
  

  Do you ask your client for feedback on your work? Some freelancers and contractors don’t have annual or formal reviews. Large contracts usually make reviews a part of the process, but that’s not always the case with individual freelancers. Sending a client a separate e-mail asking for a project check up signals a few things to [...]

• Gas Station Usability Problems

  February 11th, 2008 | Tags: usability, user testing
  

  I go to various gas stations to fill up a thirsy car. The one in my neighborhood takes longer to use because of its strange set up. Most gas stations have the screen and buttons next to each other. Not this one. The buttons appear near the nozzle and the credit card slot. The screen sits [...]

• Usability Testing Cheap and Fast Part II

  January 31st, 2008 | Tags: usability testing, user testing, web design, web site
  

  Dennison asked excellent questions in response to How to Do Usability Testing Cheap and Fast: Tell me if I follow correctly: Do you do the test only on users that have their own PC with them? So if you happen to be in a store where nobody has a machine or is willing to take the [...]

• How to Do Usability Testing Cheap and Fast

  January 23rd, 2008 | Tags: RadioTime, usability testing, user testing
  

  Bill Moore of RadioTime shared his experience of gathering feedback from users in a sandwich shop. It’s amazing how easy it is to get user feedback with zero overhead, that’s cheap, and leads to actionable results. I asked him why didn’t he go to the (in)famous coffee shop since their wi-fi usually works well (wi-fi in [...]

• When Good Newsletters Go Bad

  January 15th, 2008 | Tags: e-mail, newsletters
  

  The wizard in The Wizard of Oz and the guy behind the curtain pretending to be him have different personalities. Which one would you rather listen to? The wizard who comes across as larger than life and unreachable, or the guy hiding behind the giant green face, a person like us? Companies that publish newsletters without [...]

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