What has really changed is the ethos and the mentality behind what and how things should be done. Previous thinking required that websites were duplicated and fine tuned to work on mobile phones. If a new format came out then you had to create another version of the website. So in reality you could find yourself in charge of 3 or 4 websites all containing pretty much the same information but were adapted to show content in different ways. This was a huge waste of time, energy and effort. But you could not stop there, you then had to consider the potential penalties that you could incur if Google thought that you were trying to push duplicate content.

This is a good explanation for responsive design : http://johnpolacek.github.com/scrolldeck.js/decks/responsive/ , but be warned, this is a single page website that scrolls and scrolls

Right back to our project. The client is Technical Support & Systems Ltd of Watford and their website is www.uk-tss.com

If you have an iPad or iPhone you can simply have a look at the client website and then try flipping the device from vertical to horizontal. You will see how the content stretches to fit the screen width.

These screen shots will help to illustrate what we mean.

Dishing out your cookies: All the little things you need to know about the new cookie law and cookie compliance

With the new ‘cookie law’ in force from the 26th of May, UK websites are now bound by law to obtain consent from their users before dishing out their web cookies. The new regulation aims at protecting the online privacy of web users and helps them block out unwanted marketing – ensuring that web users are informed about the little data files called cookies that are placed on their computers, mobiles, tablets etc. when they visit a website, giving them the choice to accept or refuse the cookies.

Cookies: What exactly are they?

To start right at the beginning, ‘cookies’ are small pieces of data placed by a website on a user’s computer or internet device. The cookies help the user navigate between pages efficiently, remember preferences and help analyse the user’s behaviour, helping in improving the user’s overall experience on the website. They are not harmful to the computers or internet devices in any way, and cannot be used to read any information on the user’s system or spread viruses or spyware. But, the downside is that they can be used to analyse the users surfing behaviour and help draw up their profiles without their knowledge or consent.

What is the new regulation?

The cookie law is a modification of the EU Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive, which was formed in November 2009, and was adopted by all EU countries on May 26, 2011. The regulation requires UK and EU websites to obtain permission from their users before placing cookies on their internet devices. With the UK updating its Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulation, and adopting the regulation into a law, the UK was given a further time period of one year for ensuring compliance (which ended on 26 May 2012).

Why the new regulation?

Before the implementation of the new directive, users were not given any direct information regarding the placement of cookies on their machines. What existed was an opt-out process, where users could disable cookies by changing their settings on the browser, if they wished. However, this was rare as the average web user is unaware of the technicalities and often fails to read or understand the jargon-packed terms of use (displayed in some obscure corner of the website). It is under these circumstances that the new cookie law was introduced by the Information Commissioners Office ICO, changing the ‘opt-out’ process to an ‘opt-in’ process, stipulating that all websites must obtain ‘informed consent’ from the users before placing cookies on their machines – providing them information that is understandable and easy to access.

What should a website owner do to conform to the new cookie regulation?

1. Know your cookies: The first step is to know what kind of cookies is being used on your website. To do this, you can try out tools like Bitstorm View Cookies, Attacat cookie audit or even seek professional help and get a cookie audit done. This will help in identifying the cookies used on your website, and will help you compile the information that is to be presented to the users. Your website developer will be able to help you with this.
2. Decide on whether you will seek ‘explicit consent’ or rely on ‘implied consent’: As per the latest amendment made to the ICO directive (on 24 May 2012, 2 days prior to its deadline for implementation in the UK), ‘implied consent’ can be considered sufficient for UK websites as long as the website operator ensures that ‘the user understands his actions will result in cookies being set’. However, to ensure this, you must provide clear and relevant information that is readily available to the user, explaining:

• What information will be collected and how it will be used
• Will the information be shared with a third party
• Will the information specifically help in identifying user
• How long will the cookies be retained on the users device
• What are the methods for disabling the cookies

Though seeking ‘explicit consent’ would be ideal for ascertaining compliance, the obvious drawback is that it can affect the user experience on your website.

3. Choose the method for drawing the user’s attention to the provided information:  

As the very intent of the regulation is to ensure that the users are ‘informed’ about cookies and any consent derived from them is ‘informed consent’, the focus should be on ensuring that the user sees the information, reads it, understands it and becomes fully aware that his continuing on the website will result in cookies being set on his device.

There is no set form or process for obtaining consent. But, as per the ICO, the ideal method would be to explain briefly what the functions of each type of cookies are and display a message asking for consent for the placement of cookies.

What to say?

Given below are the different types of cookies generally used by websites, and examples of wording for consent as given by the ICO:

Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential to help users navigate smoothly around the website, and use services like shopping baskets, e-billing etc. They help users to access secure areas of the website. As these are strictly essential for providing services, ICO does not insist on obtaining user consent for this category of cookies.

Performance Cookies: These cookies gather information about the users’ browsing habits, such as the pages that they visit most often and if they get error messages from web pages etc., and are used to improve the functioning of the website. They do not collect any information that specifically identifies the user.

Example of wording for consent: “By using our (website) (online service), you agree that we can place these type of cookies on your device”.

Functionality cookies: These cookies enable the website to remember the user, their user name, location, language etc, and provide them with features that are customised to their preferences. For instance, a website setting that provides a user with local weather reports does so by storing the user’s current location in one of these cookies. Along with that information, these cookies also retain the user’s preferences of language, font etc. and helps the user customise subsequent pages according to his preferences. These cookies can be anonymised and these cannot track the user’s activity on other websites.

Example of wording for consent: “By using our (website) (online service), you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.”

Or

Obtain function/setting led consent by displaying the following message at the point where the user selects the function or setting: “When you choose this (option) (setting), you agree that we can place [customisation cookies][icon] on your device.”

Targeting cookies/ Advertising cookies: These cookies help websites deliver advertisements that are relevant to the user and their interests, and are placed on the user’s device by advertisers with permission from the website operator. These cookies remember the user’s visit to a website, and passes on this information to other organisations for advertising purposes. Consent can be obtained for these cookies in the same way as that of functionality cookies.

How to say it?

This can be done in the following ways:

As part of privacy policy or as a separate cookie policy: It is possible to set the information as a separate section on ‘cookie policy’ or as ‘privacy and cookie policy’, as done on the John Lewis website. While using this option, it is best to make sure that the link to the information is placed in such a way as to attract the attention of the user, and not hidden away from view. eg) http://www.johnlewis.com/

As part of terms and conditions while signing up: As in ‘The Times’ website, the information about cookies can be given as part of the terms and conditions while a user signs up. Consent can be obtained with a further tick box which explains that the site will be placing cookies.

A pop-up box: Another option is a pop-up box which is displayed on the home page. This draws immediate attention of the user, and would ideally contain a link to the site’s ‘cookie policy’ which explains the cookies used, in detail. Eg) http://www.allaboutcookies.org/

However, the disadvantage is that it can affect the appearance of the website, and could act as a hindrance to users as they cannot proceed on the website until they have clicked the box off.

A banner displayed on the homepage, with a link to your detailed cookie policy: A banner at the top or bottom of the website is a good way of drawing the user’s attention without hindering then from navigating across your website. We have used on our IMRE website – displaying a banner at the bottom of the homepage, with a link to our ‘cookie audit’ information, listing the cookies we use on our website.

What happens if your website isn’t compliant?

Though a lot of uncertainty does still exist regarding the law, and the industry is still split regarding the adoption of compliance measures, it is best not to seek the course of inaction, as you would be running the risk of facing enforcement action and a fine up to £500,000.

Now, if you are still indecisive, please do review the ICO guidance, and don’t hesitate to give us a call for any assistance.

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this article is not legal advice or information drafted by lawyers. The article is solely intended to provide our clients with a simplified picture of the much debated ‘cookie law’, help them understand its implications and choose the necessary course of action, and has been compiled with references from various sources.

Sources:

http://www.international-chamber.co.uk/components/com_wordpress/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/icc_uk_cookie_guide.pdf
http://fcbusiness.co.uk/blog/?p=375
http://gigaom.com/europe/cookie-law-explainer/
http://www.aboutcookies.org/Default.aspx?page=5
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18194235
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/may/26/cookies-law-changed-implied-consent

Cloud hosted desktops really are the future. When you think about how we have been working with our PCs and what happens when things go wrong…….. in between the expletives the idea of “there must be a better way” resonates throughout the entire office. If you explore the site and you do this before you buy a whole raft of new PC’s then you will see that there is indeed a new way.

We wish to congratulate the Holst Group for the recent launch of the McQuaig.co.uk website to support the McQuaig Psychometric product set in the regional market.

Hat tip to Iain Chalmers for having struck out on a bold new strategy and above all for having followed through on the delivery of some new and great content. The amount of stuff created and the quality that has been achieved is quite astounding. The new material covers training manuals, videos, blogs and naturally, where we come in, the website!

You might be thinking, how can a web designer judge the materials? Well this is not hot air, we have used the McQuaig psychometric testing products and  recently the Holst Group invited us to follow the McQuaig Interpreter training. Paul Imre is now an Accredited Interpreter. Having followed the training course there was an added benefit in that we really understood the purpose of the website and we really hope that this added something extra to the result!

One thing is for sure, we really do see the funny side to this Christmas card that was sent by Iain’s team a couple of years ago!

Add a calendar!

Sounds complicated? Well, not at all.

One of our clients, iXREACH is always out and about, trotting the globe. How they have the stamina to do all this travelling and run a business is beyond me. Anyways, with all this travelling, it was only natural that they wanted a simple tool to keep their clients informed – a simple diary of events indicating the various events planned for each month.

Take a look at the image below:

This is in fact very simple to do:

1. Go to uncle Google
2. Open up a new Gmail account, which will give you a calendar
3. Enter your planned events
4. Click a few buttons to make your calendar public
5. Copy the “code” that Google provides to add to your website
6. Paste the code into a web page

And, Voila! Your job is done. Now, all you need to do is keep updating your calendar, and your website page will display the new events you have lined up for the year.

If you attend exhibitions, conduct training courses, give talks etc. – then this little tool is the perfect solution to help you communicate the news to your current and prospective clients across the globe. After all, your website is your biggest window to the world outside.

Now, do you need a little hand in getting the window nicely glazed and polished? All you need to do is give us a tinkle on the old dog and bone. (Translated for our international clients as – “call us”!)

We were first asked to quote for the NHIC website back in 2005 and finally we got there in 2011. It goes to show that business is not about being a “flash in the pan” and one must have an element in longevity in business.

We wish the NHIC all the best in their major role for pushing sustainability in the home improvement sector.

Paul Imre was invited to the lunch and he was “blown away” by the venue and could not resist taking a few snaps!

On a cold winter morning in 2003, Paul Imre sat in a shed and opened a worn, well that is a lie; he opened an unused copy of the yellow pages and started dialling the numbers of local companies to find out if they had heard of the internet and whether they could see the need for a website for their business. And not surprisingly, the good majority were unfamiliar with the whole idea of the internet and were rather dubious about plunging into new waters. Quite understandable, though we didn’t think so at that point.

However, we persevered and our efforts brought in the dividends when a few farsighted entrepreneurs agreed to find out what the new marketing idea was worth, and entrusted the fledgling IMRE to perch them on to the growing marketplace of the worldwide web.

We worked hard, we surpassed expectations, and before we knew it we had a very happy client base spreading the word, giving referrals and bringing in new clients eager to make their presence known on the web.

The thing with referrals is, unlike other forms of marketing, you can literally end up with clients in any location. For instance, most of our clients are in the Thames Valley region of England. We have some that are a bit further away- in places such as Cornwall and Newcastle. But thanks to the good word put in by our happy customers, we can now boast of an international client base, with a New York based company and a client near Bordeaux in France, figuring among our list of loyal clients.

Now, to our great surprise we were recently contacted by someone in Hamburg who was quite happy to fly over and meet us.

Quite naturally, in the first meeting some questions were asked:

• Why come all this way to see us? There must surely be someone who can help you back in Germany? Would it not be easier to work with the locals?
• The answer was quite simple. We have tried that. But we know you will be able to help us.  (That was on the back of non-equivocal recommendation. “Use IMRE” -they know what they are doing!)

So there you have it, power of recommendations and referrals. We did not need to enter in a long sales process or try to convince anyone of anything. You can’t take these situations for granted, that would be stupid, but you are on another level. In a scenario like this the expectation is that things will happen, and they did.

For us the entire dynamics was very interesting. The client was clearly on top of their game, moving at lightning speed in a fast moving industry. The most impressive thing was that they were operating in English. A few things arose in communication and there were a few minor concepts that needed explanation. But, apart from that we had everything we needed from the client side- attention, responsiveness, and when we asked them to consider options they would and come back with the answers or a pleasant “we don’t mind”, do what you think is best!

Needless to say, the end result was great- branding that the client is getting a very good response on and a website that has lifted them and defined them clearly in the market.

Alles Klar!   (….. and we know when to say this.

We often get asked by clients to design logos, brochures, packaging and all manner of print items. We could do this stuff, but we don’t. Why?

Just ask any graphics person, or print management person or I.T. supplier how they got on with creating websites!  They have all had a go. How hard can it be?

The graphics dudes use the same tools, they love the vector, the layers, the clever fonts etc and then they find problems with browser compatibility, fonts go walkies, the page they designed on their mac suddently can’t be seen on a mobile device …… in short after a couple of projects, the move into web seems far too much like hassle. And guess what? They give up.

The IT chappies approach it from a different angle. HTML is simple code for babies right? They can get databases to sit up and beg and will sell you a VPN in the process. They might handle the techie bits quite well, but will bamboozle the client with terms to the point that the client gives up. In general the graphics come in quite poor and the end result just doesn’t cut the mustard.

What about the expansive marketing dudes? Actually they are pretty good at this stuff. They know how to talk to clients, how to get the right messages, how to position the company and the offer. We like marketers and actually do partner with them.  Their usual weakness is “detail”. Let us build an airship and fly to America. Just a couple of details.  Remember the Hindenberg and Hydrogen ?

So that is why we don’t get into logos and brochures and packaging. Our stuff needs attention to detail, rapidly changing technology, keeping the marketing guys grounded, reminding the graphics guys to keep things “simples” and reminding the IT guys that backups, whilst not sexy, are vital.

What we do requires experience on many levels. These project management cartoons are actually very very relevant.

http://www.projectcartoon.com/create/

So very simply, we do web design and development. We also hook you up and into the that fancy social media stuff because your website is the backbone to your marketing activities.

We felt our logo was getting a bit old. At the time, back in 2007, we felt that the future was “video” and that it would be huge, so during the logo development phase we hit the idea of “play”. Not long after we had launched the new site and the new logo we started to see a lot of logos with the play triangle, especially in Microsoft products. But it was too late. It took us forever to launch and we have had to learn to live with it ever since. At the back of our minds, we were always going to do something about it and then 4 years passed us by in a flash. Must do something, must do something and as usual client projects took priority.

This time, we wanted something more original, something more us. We engaged Trevor Baker and asked him to get on with it. Actually, the new font came quite quickly.

The brand device took a little bit more time. We wanted something that would encapsulate our business and you can see what we tried a few combinations. The devices were clever, but where was the “us” thing we were looking for?

It was a bit like recruiting in terms of putting in a massive effort to end up with 3 candidates that are average. It takes so much energy to arrive at a certain point. You should tell all three to go, but you end up trying to justify which of the “OK”s will do.  Then there are the consequences of having to do it all over again.

Trevor came back in and we had a brain storming session. Questions like these were asked:

• What do we do?
• What are our values?
• What do we want?

As you can image, we help our clients with these types of question, but for ourselves we were stuck. In the end, I think we came up with:

• We help our clients get on the web
• We help them navigate through all of the web related technologies
• We like to make things simple.  (Ah  back to the “hit play button and it happens” concept)

So off went Trevor with the ideas of direction, arrows and some sort of compass. As he was working on a compass graphic, he realised that he had drawn “www” in a circle . A bit more tweaking and he had an arrow. And that was it.  The w, w, and w were all leading back the the  ”play” arrow. At that point we knew the journey was over.

http://www.xtranormal.com/