tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20058992010-02-26T21:15:04.641ZThis blog provides advice and commentary on the disciplines of website management from author, Shane Diffily.shanenoreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-21622919401085242952010-02-26T21:10:00.003Z2010-02-26T21:15:04.648Z

Since Xmas I have been on the radio 4 times about the website - LikePlace.ie - that myself & my brother Ronan created last year. That is quite some traction! 4FM Breakfast Show with Garreth O'Callaghan (Listen to MP3: 5-mins duration. 3.6MB © 4FM)The Right Hook on News Talk 106 (Listen to MP3: 5-mins duration. 9.2MB © News Talk)Bearrscéalta ar Raidió na Gaeltachta (Eist leis an MP3: 5-bom ar

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-90108493720355893542009-12-22T09:15:00.001Z2009-12-22T09:15:24.392Z

In 2009 LikePlace.ie collected over 1630 ratings about life in Ireland. We have now gathered the BEST & WORST of what we discovered into a Zeitgeist. http://www.likeplace.ie/zeitgeist/ The Zeitgeist highlights winners, losers & key trends from '09. It shows what you really think of Ireland as a place to live.The best place to live during 2009 was Galway City with a score of 4.4-out-of-5.Bray (

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-76112609361157147092009-09-02T11:07:00.009+01:002009-09-04T12:40:47.977+01:00

Over the past few years many of the long-standing issues of website development have been solved (or are at least being far better handled). This includes technology, design and content. However, one area continues to be both little understood and extremely poorly implemented - Website Governance. Website governance is a means for supervising the activities of website management in a controlled

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-84113589200619906632009-08-14T11:33:00.004+01:002009-08-14T11:39:01.321+01:00

Looking for a good night out in Dublin with a good welcome, pleasant staff, a nice atmosphere and general nice vibe? DON'T go to the Laughter Lounge in Dublin. It is awful. The arrival is an ordeal - a list of rules from 3 meaty bouncers about what you cannot do. Smiles? No. Welcome? No. Their business model seems to be ... shovel them in, get them drunk and turf them out. The comedy was pretty

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-12060947456398347442009-07-15T17:41:00.002+01:002009-07-15T17:55:02.762+01:00

I spend a lot of time telling organisations they need to be on the web. But, you know what? I should spend more time telling them NOT to develop a website. Am I CrAzY? For a long time getting the web into a communications budget was hard work. Oh boy. We had to "sell the internet" to so many people. Eventually some of them got it and started to fund useful sites. But success has its drawbacks.

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-74870522073529594402009-06-23T12:07:00.005+01:002009-06-23T12:16:04.782+01:00

Thought experiment. How long does it take to create a new website? You’re right. It’s a stupid question. Like the proverbial ‘piece of string’.OK, let’s define it a bit better. Suppose you first have to clarify the website’s strategy and identify its target audience. Suppose that the output of that process is a plan for a brochureware-type site of about 250 pages. Imagine each page contains 500

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-73901011297366964712009-06-02T20:53:00.003+01:002009-06-02T21:09:19.590+01:00

Myself and my brother have launched a website, www.likeplace.ie.  Find and rate the best (and worst) places to live in Ireland on LikePlace.ie The purpose of the site is to help people find a great place to live in Ireland - based on ratings and comments from the people who live there (or know it well). It has been live now for about 1 month and gone thru various refinements from user testing (!)

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-55347558186677107222009-05-17T18:20:00.005+01:002009-05-17T18:37:23.848+01:00

I first visited Uaigh na gCat (Cave of the Cats) about 15 years ago, but was ill equipped at the time. Having done a lot of caving in Fermanagh and Clare recently I decided to return.  In ancient times it was considered an entrance to the underworld of the Sí - the fairy people.  Rathcroghan is a very ancient landscape with many barrows, ring forts and other structures. It is also the reputed

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-36089290956162491822009-04-28T12:12:00.004+01:002009-04-28T12:26:32.537+01:00

Dublin, 9th - 11th June.  Discover how to weather the recession and not only survive, but thrive online! At iQ Boot Camp, you'll get the skills you need to improve your website, increase visitor numbers and satisfaction, cut costs and increase revenues. And a whole lot more.  The line up:23 workshops over 3 days (including 9 NEW courses) Future Now seminar Aprés Boot networking event What you'll

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-80454727641040201852009-03-31T15:31:00.004+01:002009-04-02T13:56:35.370+01:00

As mentioned below, the company I work for (iQ Content) is giving away 10,000 Euro to Ireland's most original web startup. This initiative has attracted a LOT of media attention. Last night, we were featured on RTÉ News Two.  Watch the video on the RTÉ website (from 19mins 37secs onwards) or watch a lower quality YouTube grab below. A wonderful station really (ignoring what I wrote in a previous

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-42023442079632620762009-03-28T15:18:00.002Z2009-03-28T15:31:35.436Z

Reactionary nonsense from both RTÉ and government over this caricature.

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-75081730963917918562009-03-26T10:01:00.003Z2009-03-27T11:41:45.555Z

The company I work for - iQ Content - is giving away €10,000 to help grow a good web idea into a great business. No strings attached.  No, seriously. No strings. There are just 2 conditions:The prize will go to the best business plan for an internet start-up. You must be based on the island of Ireland. Find out more at www.iqprize.ie 

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-59923155348742969072009-03-23T10:20:00.004Z2009-03-23T16:48:18.208Z

Some while ago I wrote about RaboDirect and how they are putting it up to conservative Irish banks through their innovative use of the web. NewsTalk 106FM provides another example of adventurous web content. Since last Friday the Right Hook show has been streamed live on the web. Nothing new there you say. However, they are not just streaming audio - but video as well. That means you can watch

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-17291875173294564772009-03-08T13:15:00.003Z2009-03-08T13:23:08.815Z

Who would have thought it would be so effing hard to find a cafe with wireless web access in Dublin city centre.  An don't get me started about Malahide. I went into every single cafe there 3 weeks ago looking for wifi. None. Nada. Zip. While innumerable pubs and restaurants have free wifi, almost no cafes do. What's that about?! Am I more likely to want to use my computer over a cup of coffee,

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-65398880833111823632009-02-27T16:12:00.007Z2009-02-28T18:45:29.357Z

D’íoslodáil mé feidhm-oideas téacs nua do mhobiles ó Vodafone le deanaí. Seolaim corr-téacs trí Ghaeilge ach ní dóigh liom go bhfuil siad ar fad litríu i gceart. Sé an scéal ná go bhfuil sé deacair síneadh fada a chur isteach. Chomh maith le sin, ní aithníonn an fon an teanga í fein. Mar fhreagra ar an scéal, tá BnaG agus Vodafone tagtha le chéile leis an bogearraí nua seo a scaipeadh. An

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-10266843219558157122009-02-07T16:37:00.003Z2009-02-07T16:43:55.625Z

iQ Content - the company I work for - is moving office. After 8 years, yesterday was our last day on East Wall Road. From Monday our new ’hood will be Clarendon Street in Dublin’s city centre, just off Grafton St. (Full address below.)  People often describe moving house as one of the most stressful things you can ever do. In contrast, our office move has gone very smoothly. Planning and

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-12836587277838065442009-01-17T13:20:00.002Z2009-01-17T13:25:58.949Z

Some invest in usability to earn more money. Some to reduce cost. Some to improve communication. A bit of investment in this area from An Garda Síochána could help reduce crime.  "While the Garda’s computer database, Pulse, was full of information, the data was often difficult to access and the system was not 'user-friendly'.  ...[A] police force should not need to wait for crime trends,

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-21201912601647507602009-01-15T21:34:00.003Z2009-01-15T21:44:39.994Z

Thar Nollaig, chaitheas tamaill i dTír Chonaill ag stopadh i dteach mo shinsearach. Aimsir gheal, fhuar, chiúin, tirim a bhí ann. Buíochas le Dia ní raibh an t-aigean ró-gharbh.  Mar sin, chuas amach lá amhain - ar bhád uncail liom -  go hOileán Uaigh. Tá an t-oilean sin gar linn le h- uaigheanna iontacha móra deasa. Thogais cupla mir fiseain le mo mhobile (thios).  

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-23199261044004428202009-01-06T18:54:00.002Z2009-01-06T18:56:48.963Z

Speaking in reaction to the launch, blogger Shane Diffily commented:  "Irish banks tend to be very conservative, introverted and secretive. In contrast, Rabo seems to understand that openness works. People trust an organisation that trusts itself to talk openly on the Web - and to take criticism." Read me on the RTE website

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-4820109888207644412008-12-10T16:10:00.002Z2008-12-10T16:14:56.686Z

At iQ BootCamp 2008, friend of iQ Des Traynor gave a presentation about what makes a great mobile website. He explained that a mobile site is not simply a 'small-screen' version of your normal website. Due to device and other constraints it often cannot be used in the same way. As such, it should aim to provide just enough information for someone to digest while sitting in the back of taxi on the

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-69812707780715787052008-12-05T12:44:00.006Z2008-12-05T12:48:34.940Z

You're chatting on the way out of an office building. You come to a door. It's locked. Someone shouts over that you need to "press the button" to open it. To your right 3 boxes are lined up on the wall, coloured kinda like traffic lights. 1 is bright red.1 is dull silver.1 is bright green.You don't stop to read them. You just make a snap decision and stab a button. But which one? Well, many

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-2454970997787450412008-12-02T17:35:00.004Z2008-12-02T17:44:57.046Z

Since entering the Irish market a few years ago, RaboBank have done a lot to shake up the financial industry. Irish banks tend to be very conservative, introverted and secretive. They are wrapped up in the notion of "we know best". In contrast, Rabo seems to understand that openness works. People trust an organisation that trusts itself to talk openly on the web - and to take criticism. This is

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-87741007689244070172008-11-28T16:35:00.008Z2008-11-29T12:24:41.353Z

On my way into a client meeting recently, I noticed that a rally was being held outside.  My client is a major agricultural organisation and the rally comprised farmers from all around Ireland. In order to get media attention, they had taken some sheep with them into the city. The animals there corralled into pens outside the offices. The rally was good-natured and so I decided to talk to the

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-32030766852943316652008-11-14T09:18:00.003Z2008-11-14T20:50:06.095Z

We well surpassed our target yesterday. We set ourselves a provisional figure of 60 users. I think we got 90-odd in total. As yesterday was Guinness World Records Day (as well as World Usability Day), I wonder if we could apply for an entry?Our findingsIt will take a while to collate everything we have learned. However, some things stand out loud and clear: Aer Lingus: Very few people saw the '

shanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2005899.post-89846195249276932222008-11-07T15:57:00.011Z2008-11-14T20:52:03.022Z

Next week myself and my colleagues in iQ Content will be running Ireland's biggest ever user test. This is us doing 'our bit' to support World Usability Day. From 9am next Thursday 13th November we will be pulling in people off the street to test some of the country's top transport websites. This includes such chestnuts as: Dublin Bus Irish Rail Ryanair The aim is to guage just how easy

shanenoreply@blogger.com