diff --git a/content/communities/video.md b/content/communities/video.md index 3b167249c6..947559b05d 100644 --- a/content/communities/video.md +++ b/content/communities/video.md @@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ slug: video-production date: 2016-07-08 1:19:06 -0400 title: 'Video Production Pros' -summary: 'Video Production Pros brings together passionate storytellers, artists, social gurus, strategists, and video production experts from across the U.S. government.' +summary: 'Video Production Pros brings together passionate storytellers, artists, social media experts, strategists, and video production experts from across the U.S. government.' # Redirects: enter the path of the URL that you want redirected to this page aliases: @@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ community_list: --- ## Who We Are -Video Production Pros brings together passionate storytellers, artists, social gurus, strategists, and video production experts from across the U.S. government. We share leading trends, best practices, latest projects, feedback, techniques, and strategies to help our respective agencies connect with people through the power of video. +Video Production Pros brings together passionate storytellers, artists, social media experts, strategists, and video production experts from across the U.S. government. We share leading trends, best practices, latest projects, feedback, techniques, and strategies to help our respective agencies connect with people through the power of video. ## What We Do diff --git a/content/guides/mobile-principles/principles-configuration.md b/content/guides/mobile-principles/principles-configuration.md index baf913f922..e90eceb973 100644 --- a/content/guides/mobile-principles/principles-configuration.md +++ b/content/guides/mobile-principles/principles-configuration.md @@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ The following are some (not all; there are _many_ more) key impacts to server pe 2) **Web Server Software**
Changing your web server software or configuration may improve server response time (again, consult your network and server administrators). There are many types of web server software, including: Apache, Nginx, and Litespeed. No matter what web server software you are using, it should be optimized for your own needs. However, server optimization and tuning can be a challenge— in [How to Optimize and Speed Up Your Server by More Than 20%](https://bobcares.com/blog/how-to-increase-your-server-speed/), Hamish Oscar Lawrence recommends that one starts by tuning the following nine areas:

- Enable caching
- Setup a fast reverse proxy
- Choose the right application server
- Fine tune your web server once a month
- Turn on HTTP/2
- Defragment your database tables & optimize server settings
- Fix your DNS query speed
- Trim down your site’s critical rendering path
- Disable resource intensive services

Also, if you are using a [Content Delivery Network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_delivery_network) (CDN), check to make sure it is configured properly. If it is configured to store your files in different locations around the world, a CDN will allow users all over the world to see your pages faster because they are receiving files closer to their physical location. -3) **Website Traffic**
The more traffic a website gets, the more server resources are required. A website that is quick on initial deployment may become slow over time as traffic increases. This is why continuing monitoring is required.

Each situation and configuration is unique, so you may need to bring your network guys in to help. +3) **Website Traffic**
The more traffic a website gets, the more server resources are required. A website that is quick on initial deployment may become slow over time as traffic increases. This is why continuing monitoring is required.

Each situation and configuration is unique, so you may need to bring your network people in to help. ## References diff --git a/content/news/2012/08/2012-08-06-how-kids-search.md b/content/news/2012/08/2012-08-06-how-kids-search.md index e0a6974e14..defdeb0cbe 100644 --- a/content/news/2012/08/2012-08-06-how-kids-search.md +++ b/content/news/2012/08/2012-08-06-how-kids-search.md @@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ To help kids use your directory: Young children are literal. They are learning to tell fact from fiction, and are on the lookout for what they think are tricks. For example: * Do not use sarcasm. Kids can’t judge beyond the words because they don’t have enough experience evaluating tone or meaning, and they’ll interpret as fact. - * Do not use silly or dumb characters to convey true facts. Kids are alert to tricks and will not trust your silly characters. Consider “Sesame Street” as an example of what works: on this show, the human adult characters tell the silly monsters the right way to do things. + * Do not use silly characters to convey true facts. Kids are alert to tricks and will not trust your silly characters. Consider “Sesame Street” as an example of what works: on this show, the human adult characters tell the silly monsters the right way to do things. * Use icons that match the ideas you’re trying to convey. Kids are put off by wrong icons and won’t trust your page. ## References and Additional Resources diff --git a/content/news/2012/10/2012-10-02-taking-cancer-gov-mobile.md b/content/news/2012/10/2012-10-02-taking-cancer-gov-mobile.md index 7e01b0b26e..512223e241 100644 --- a/content/news/2012/10/2012-10-02-taking-cancer-gov-mobile.md +++ b/content/news/2012/10/2012-10-02-taking-cancer-gov-mobile.md @@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ We are also thrilled that m.cancer.gov was named among the top 10 government mob * If your content is structured (either XML or XHTML), it is much easier to port to mobile * Tables in content are really difficult to deal with on mobile * Be mindful of how users may be using their devices – we added the ability to directly call our contact center, but did not anticipate that on some devices, users are given an option to call or text. And our contact center was not prepared to respond to text messages. - * A cross-functional team of content experts, user research and web analytics experts, information architect and designer, and technology gurus are critical to success. + * A cross-functional team of content experts, user research and web analytics experts, information architect and designer, and technology experts are critical to success. ## What’s Next diff --git a/content/news/2013/08/2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-crazy-about-mobile.md b/content/news/2013/08/2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-excited-about-mobile.md similarity index 98% rename from content/news/2013/08/2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-crazy-about-mobile.md rename to content/news/2013/08/2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-excited-about-mobile.md index ea676ba161..809ab4145d 100644 --- a/content/news/2013/08/2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-crazy-about-mobile.md +++ b/content/news/2013/08/2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-excited-about-mobile.md @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ --- -slug: trends-on-tuesday-people-are-crazy-about-mobile +slug: trends-on-tuesday-people-are-excited-about-mobile date: 2013-08-13 10:02:46 -0400 -title: 'Trends on Tuesday: People Are Crazy about Mobile!' +title: 'Trends on Tuesday: People Are Excited about Mobile!' summary: 'The way people are using mobile is changing—we are socializing in new ways; performing tasks in new ways, often multi-tasking between activities; and sharing and gathering information in new ways.' authors: - lisa-wilcox diff --git a/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-10-how-to-be-a-fly-on-the-wall-the-dos-and-donts-of-sharing-executive-discussions.md b/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-10-how-to-be-a-fly-on-the-wall-the-dos-and-donts-of-sharing-executive-discussions.md index 6e2bc3f61b..da28a28ba9 100644 --- a/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-10-how-to-be-a-fly-on-the-wall-the-dos-and-donts-of-sharing-executive-discussions.md +++ b/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-10-how-to-be-a-fly-on-the-wall-the-dos-and-donts-of-sharing-executive-discussions.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ slug: how-to-be-a-fly-on-the-wall-the-dos-and-donts-of-sharing-executive-discussions date: 2013-09-10 10:05:05 -0400 title: 'How to Be a Fly on the Wall: The Dos and Don’ts of Sharing Executive Discussions' -summary: 'A sure way to drive employees crazy is to never share what executives discuss or decide until a new mandate lands on the organization’s collective head. While senior leaders should expect some privacy in decision-making and debate, they should also expect to openly hold themselves accountable and to make sure their employees know where the' +summary: 'A sure way to annoy employees is to never share what executives discuss or decide until a new mandate lands on the organization’s collective head. While senior leaders should expect some privacy in decision-making and debate, they should also expect to openly hold themselves accountable and to make sure their employees know where the' authors: - david-hebert topics: @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ topics: - social-media --- -A sure way to drive employees crazy is to never share what executives discuss or decide until a new mandate lands on the organization’s collective head. While senior leaders should expect some privacy in decision-making and debate, they should also expect to openly hold themselves accountable and to make sure their employees know where the organization is headed. +A sure way to annoy employees is to never share what executives discuss or decide until a new mandate lands on the organization’s collective head. While senior leaders should expect some privacy in decision-making and debate, they should also expect to openly hold themselves accountable and to make sure their employees know where the organization is headed. One way to offer that clear accountability and communication is by keeping people apprised of what happens in important executive meetings, even as those meetings are happening. Here are a few things you should and shouldn’t do. diff --git a/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-26-plain-language-ninja.md b/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-26-plain-language-ninja.md index 8950bf9fff..9dc921524f 100644 --- a/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-26-plain-language-ninja.md +++ b/content/news/2013/09/2013-09-26-plain-language-ninja.md @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ --- -slug: plain-language-ninja +slug: plain-language-expert date: 2013-09-26 8:24:42 -0400 -title: Plain Language Ninja +title: Plain Language Expert summary: 'A few days ago a coworker asked me to look at a paragraph. He said it was on the top customer service priorities in our division. So I scooted my chair over and looked at it. Then I looked at him and asked, “But what' authors: - katherine-spivey @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ He wanted to tell me about the pilot study; I didn’t want to hear about the pi I wanted the results. -So I took the mouse and went through my ninja routine, honed by about 20 years of plain language editing.. +So I took the mouse and went through my routine, honed by about 20 years of plain language editing.. So my first step was to separate all the sentences so I could see them distinctly. @@ -36,15 +36,13 @@ Then I deleted the pilot study sentences. Then I moved the last two sentences to the top. -[{{< legacy-img src="2013/09/600-x-202-Plain-Language-Ninja-example.jpg" alt="Highlighted text is not essential content." >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2013/09/932-x-314-Plain-Language-Ninja-example.jpg) - Then I connected two sentences, took out three prepositional phrases, and changed all “Divisions” to “We.” I moved the screen over to my coworker. “How’s that?” I asked. His eyes were bugged out in surprise. “How did you do that so quickly?” he said. -> You too can be a plain language ninja. +> You too can be a plain language expert. Here’s what you do: diff --git a/content/news/2013/12/2013-12-23-trends-on-tuesday-when-was-your-mobile-phone-not-within-ear-shot.md b/content/news/2013/12/2013-12-23-trends-on-tuesday-when-was-your-mobile-phone-not-within-ear-shot.md index b9b3f882b5..ead7aa9a86 100644 --- a/content/news/2013/12/2013-12-23-trends-on-tuesday-when-was-your-mobile-phone-not-within-ear-shot.md +++ b/content/news/2013/12/2013-12-23-trends-on-tuesday-when-was-your-mobile-phone-not-within-ear-shot.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ slug: trends-on-tuesday-when-was-your-mobile-phone-not-within-ear-shot date: 2013-12-23 13:19:53 -0400 title: 'Trends on Tuesday: When Was Your Mobile Phone Not Within Ear Shot?' -summary: 'Here’s the latest news from the people are “crazy about mobile” beat. Do you remember the last time your phone was not within earshot? Well, according to this infographic from Fast Company, 25% of smartphone owners ages 18-44 surveyed said they couldn’t remember the last time their smartphone was not' +summary: 'Here’s the latest news from the people are “excited about mobile” beat. Do you remember the last time your phone was not within earshot? Well, according to this infographic from Fast Company, 25% of smartphone owners ages 18-44 surveyed said they couldn’t remember the last time their smartphone was not' authors: - lisa-wilcox topics: @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ topics: - emerging-tech --- -[{{< legacy-img src="2014/01/3021749-inline-i-3-10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-rethink-your-social-strategy.png" alt="Pew Graph" >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/3021749-inline-i-3-10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-rethink-your-social-strategy.png)Here’s the latest news from the [people are “crazy about mobile”](https://howtomobile.apps.gov/2013/08/13/trends-on-tuesday-people-are-crazy-about-mobile/) beat. Do you remember the last time your phone was not within earshot? Well, according to this [infographic from Fast Company](http://www.fastcompany.com/3021749/work-smart/10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-your-social-stra), 25% of smartphone owners ages 18-44 surveyed said they couldn’t remember the last time their smartphone was not within ear shot. +[{{< legacy-img src="2014/01/3021749-inline-i-3-10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-rethink-your-social-strategy.png" alt="Pew Graph" >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/3021749-inline-i-3-10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-rethink-your-social-strategy.png)Here’s the latest news from the [people are “excited about mobile”](https://howtomobile.apps.gov/2013/08/13/trends-on-tuesday-people-are-excited-about-mobile/) beat. Do you remember the last time your phone was not within earshot? Well, according to this [infographic from Fast Company](http://www.fastcompany.com/3021749/work-smart/10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-your-social-stra), 25% of smartphone owners ages 18-44 surveyed said they couldn’t remember the last time their smartphone was not within ear shot. There are a couple of significant facts from those who CAN remember; diff --git a/content/news/2014/01/2014-01-27-how-to-win-digital-like-a-grammy.md b/content/news/2014/01/2014-01-27-how-to-win-digital-like-a-grammy.md index bc5623502b..a9a9c9027e 100644 --- a/content/news/2014/01/2014-01-27-how-to-win-digital-like-a-grammy.md +++ b/content/news/2014/01/2014-01-27-how-to-win-digital-like-a-grammy.md @@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ slug: how-to-win-digital-like-a-grammy date: 2014-01-27 15:32:08 -0400 title: How to Win Digital Like a Grammy -summary: 'Digital Marketing Evangelist and analytics guru Avinash Kaushik recently published a fascinating article on Six Visual Solutions To Complex Digital Marketing/Analytics Challenges. The article is especially relevant to government organizations, because it talks about the importance of dynamic vs. static content. Government agencies tend' +summary: 'Digital Marketing Evangelist and analytics expert Avinash Kaushik recently published a fascinating article on Six Visual Solutions To Complex Digital Marketing/Analytics Challenges. The article is especially relevant to government organizations, because it talks about the importance of dynamic vs. static content. Government agencies tend' authors: - rflagg topics: - product-and-project-management --- -[{{< legacy-img src="2014/02/Digital-Content-Venn-Diagram.jpg" alt="Venn diagram highlighting what your digital content should include." >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/02/Digital-Content-Venn-Diagram.jpg)Digital Marketing Evangelist and analytics guru Avinash Kaushik recently published a fascinating article on [Six Visual Solutions To Complex Digital Marketing/Analytics Challenges](http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/six-visual-digital-marketing-analytics-strategic-solutions/). The article is especially relevant to government organizations, because it talks about the importance of dynamic vs. static content. Government agencies tend to have a LOT of static content on our websites… but once someone has read an article on your site, will they ever come back? How can we draw in new readers, and re-engage past visitors to return? How can we bring new life to older, evergreen content? +[{{< legacy-img src="2014/02/Digital-Content-Venn-Diagram.jpg" alt="Venn diagram highlighting what your digital content should include." >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/02/Digital-Content-Venn-Diagram.jpg)Digital Marketing Evangelist and analytics expert Avinash Kaushik recently published a fascinating article on [Six Visual Solutions To Complex Digital Marketing/Analytics Challenges](http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/six-visual-digital-marketing-analytics-strategic-solutions/). The article is especially relevant to government organizations, because it talks about the importance of dynamic vs. static content. Government agencies tend to have a LOT of static content on our websites… but once someone has read an article on your site, will they ever come back? How can we draw in new readers, and re-engage past visitors to return? How can we bring new life to older, evergreen content? Dynamic content, such as blog posts, how-to videos, or case studies, can help. It gives you opportunities to reach new readers, highlight relevant older content in new ways, and engage with your audience to bring them back to your site again and again. Another huge bonus is that search engines tend to favor new content — so even if your evergreen content is great, it can lose its search ranking if you don’t update and refresh it over time. diff --git a/content/news/2014/02/2014-02-18-trends-on-tuesday-distracted-walking.md b/content/news/2014/02/2014-02-18-trends-on-tuesday-distracted-walking.md index d700d73b3c..5e22de926f 100644 --- a/content/news/2014/02/2014-02-18-trends-on-tuesday-distracted-walking.md +++ b/content/news/2014/02/2014-02-18-trends-on-tuesday-distracted-walking.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ slug: trends-on-tuesday-distracted-walking date: 2014-02-18 9:50:07 -0400 title: 'Trends on Tuesday: Distracted Walking' -summary: 'Piggybacking on one of my earlier posts, People are Crazy about Mobile, I’m going to talk about “Distracted Walking.” Who among us hasn’t walked and texted or checked Facebook or Twitter on our smartphones, but have bumped into someone or something while texting on your smartphone? I' +summary: 'Piggybacking on one of my earlier posts, People are Excited about Mobile, I’m going to talk about “Distracted Walking.” Who among us hasn’t walked and texted or checked Facebook or Twitter on our smartphones, but have bumped into someone or something while texting on your smartphone? I' authors: - lisa-wilcox topics: @@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ topics: - emerging-tech --- -[{{< legacy-img src="2013/06/hands-holding-smartphone-450x300.jpg" alt="Hands holding and using a smartphone" >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2013/06/hands-holding-smartphone.jpg)Piggybacking on one of my earlier posts, [People are Crazy about Mobile]({{< ref "2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-crazy-about-mobile.md" >}} "Trends on Tuesday: People Are Crazy about Mobile!"), I’m going to talk about “Distracted Walking.” Who among us hasn’t walked and texted or checked Facebook or Twitter on our smartphones, but have bumped into someone or something while texting on your smartphone? I know I am guilty of that. +[{{< legacy-img src="2013/06/hands-holding-smartphone-450x300.jpg" alt="Hands holding and using a smartphone" >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2013/06/hands-holding-smartphone.jpg)Piggybacking on one of my earlier posts, [People are Excited about Mobile]({{< ref "2013-08-13-trends-on-tuesday-people-are-excited-about-mobile.md" >}} "Trends on Tuesday: People Are Excited about Mobile!"), I’m going to talk about “Distracted Walking.” Who among us hasn’t walked and texted or checked Facebook or Twitter on our smartphones, but have bumped into someone or something while texting on your smartphone? I know I am guilty of that. Maybe you’ve seen this [viral video of a woman who, distracted by Facebook on her phone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGpVpsaItpU), fell into a fountain. Pew Research recently published an article on ‘[Distracted Walking](http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/02/more-than-half-of-cell-owners-affected-by-distracted-walking/).’ In the article, they stated 53% of all adult cellphone owners have been on the giving or receiving end of a distracted walking encounter. Check out the [Twitter replies to Pew’s article](https://twitter.com/pewinternet/status/418775359690375168). diff --git a/content/news/2014/03/2014-03-27-what-to-do-with-big-data.md b/content/news/2014/03/2014-03-27-what-to-do-with-big-data.md index 51e240e47c..aa9b52e668 100644 --- a/content/news/2014/03/2014-03-27-what-to-do-with-big-data.md +++ b/content/news/2014/03/2014-03-27-what-to-do-with-big-data.md @@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ topics: [{{< legacy-img src="2014/03/innovate\_tint\_med-1.jpg" alt="image of the word innovation in a dictionary" >}}](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/03/innovate_tint_med-1.jpg) -Shortly after taking office in 2009, President Obama launched the [Open Government Initiative](http://www.whitehouse.gov/open), an effort to increase transparency, participation, and collaboration in the federal government. The initiative introduced a number of websites and strategies to offer raw government data, including research grant information on data.gov. For energy gurus, [data.gov/energy](http://www.data.gov/energy) offers downloads of energy-related data such as energy use and consumption in the U.S. +Shortly after taking office in 2009, President Obama launched the [Open Government Initiative](http://www.whitehouse.gov/open), an effort to increase transparency, participation, and collaboration in the federal government. The initiative introduced a number of websites and strategies to offer raw government data, including research grant information on data.gov. For energy experts, [data.gov/energy](http://www.data.gov/energy) offers downloads of energy-related data such as energy use and consumption in the U.S. Yet the mere provision of big data is not enough; a key component of making big data accessible is providing context and meaning to that data to enable the public to solve problems, identify patterns, and draw conclusions. This is where private sector innovation enters the equation. Many government agencies have been using data jams, datapaloozas, or hackathons to highlight the datasets available, while bringing together interdisciplinary groups of experts from both the private and public sectors to explore the data and brainstorm new creations. diff --git a/content/news/2014/05/2014-05-20-introductory-call-for-the-disaster-apps-challenge.md b/content/news/2014/05/2014-05-20-introductory-call-for-the-disaster-apps-challenge.md index 9465486c79..e2093d3d08 100644 --- a/content/news/2014/05/2014-05-20-introductory-call-for-the-disaster-apps-challenge.md +++ b/content/news/2014/05/2014-05-20-introductory-call-for-the-disaster-apps-challenge.md @@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ This call is open to the public, specifically the people who are interested in l * Explain the basis for meeting the challenge * Answer your questions -NDU will also be joined by “socialpreneur,” Nelson Jacobsen, CEO, Random Hacks of Kindness and the chief architect and guru who guides and grows Altavoz, the entertainment distribution company he co-founded in 2011. +NDU will also be joined by “socialpreneur,” Nelson Jacobsen, CEO, Random Hacks of Kindness and the chief architect and expert who guides and grows Altavoz, the entertainment distribution company he co-founded in 2011. DETAILS: diff --git a/content/news/2014/08/2014-08-08-design-sketching-the-easiest-prototype-method-ever.md b/content/news/2014/08/2014-08-08-design-sketching-the-easiest-prototype-method-ever.md index 8c6347149f..2baf111d18 100644 --- a/content/news/2014/08/2014-08-08-design-sketching-the-easiest-prototype-method-ever.md +++ b/content/news/2014/08/2014-08-08-design-sketching-the-easiest-prototype-method-ever.md @@ -40,4 +40,4 @@ Sketching is faster and more efficient than using a computer. Really! Technology Your ability to create fast design ideas means you can create LOTS and move away from the bad ideas early. Each generation of designs will get better and stronger as they are tested in reality, and improved via conversations with your colleagues. -So get out your 16th-century writing implements and start using them to create fantastic 21st century experiences. Those seemingly lame doodles can result in some very beautiful results. +So get out your 16th-century writing implements and start using them to create fantastic 21st century experiences. Those seemingly unskilled doodles can result in some very beautiful results. diff --git a/content/news/2014/10/2014-10-31-whats-happening-with-the-internet-of-things.md b/content/news/2014/10/2014-10-31-whats-happening-with-the-internet-of-things.md index 78a31e085d..83c79a1332 100644 --- a/content/news/2014/10/2014-10-31-whats-happening-with-the-internet-of-things.md +++ b/content/news/2014/10/2014-10-31-whats-happening-with-the-internet-of-things.md @@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ San Francisco found that average parking rates were lower, it was easier to find Smart Rome won’t be built in a day—Internet of Things implementations will be iterative. As one panelist at the Internet of Things Global Summit noted, it’s like we are back in 1900 talking about the impact of the automobile. We know we are dealing with a game-changing technology, but we’re not sure how it’s going to affect us and how it will play out. -The best way to stay connected is to discuss these challenges and work together. Join the [SocialGov Commmunity]({{< ref "communities/social-media.md" >}} "Social Media"). Get involved with discussions around [competitions and prizes]({{< ref "challenges-prizes.md" >}} "Challenges & Prizes Community"). Become a [data guru](https://opendata.stackexchange.com/questions/ask?tags=data.gov). Stay involved in the [User Experience community]({{< ref "communities/user-experience.md" >}} "Federal User Experience Community") and, of course, join my [MobileGov Community of Practice]({{< ref "/communities" >}} "Mobile"). +The best way to stay connected is to discuss these challenges and work together. Join the [SocialGov Commmunity]({{< ref "communities/social-media.md" >}} "Social Media"). Get involved with discussions around [competitions and prizes]({{< ref "challenges-prizes.md" >}} "Challenges & Prizes Community"). Become a [data expert](https://opendata.stackexchange.com/questions/ask?tags=data.gov). Stay involved in the [User Experience community]({{< ref "communities/user-experience.md" >}} "Federal User Experience Community") and, of course, join my [MobileGov Community of Practice]({{< ref "/communities" >}} "Mobile"). It’ll take a village to build a smart village. Let’s do this! diff --git a/content/news/2014/12/2014-12-24-santa-is-16-centuries-old-things-ive-learned-from-norad-tracks-santa-app.md b/content/news/2014/12/2014-12-24-santa-is-16-centuries-old-things-ive-learned-from-norad-tracks-santa-app.md index 935dc18a59..d56162a9b9 100644 --- a/content/news/2014/12/2014-12-24-santa-is-16-centuries-old-things-ive-learned-from-norad-tracks-santa-app.md +++ b/content/news/2014/12/2014-12-24-santa-is-16-centuries-old-things-ive-learned-from-norad-tracks-santa-app.md @@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ You can download the app for your [iPhone](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/norad {{< legacy-img src="2014/12/600-x-375-NORAD-Santa-Tracker-Thin-Ice-game.jpg" alt="NORAD Santa Tracker's Thin Ice game on an Android smartphone" >}} -**Bonus**: Play the app’s addictive “Thin Ice” game to help Santa’s elves deliver presents. The first few levels are easy enough as you get the hang of it, but remember the spirit of the holidays and watch your language as you continuously and helplessly let all the presents fall into the ice holes in later rounds. Or at least that’s my experience, you may fare better. +**Bonus**: Play the app’s fun “Thin Ice” game to help Santa’s elves deliver presents. The first few levels are easy enough as you get the hang of it, but remember the spirit of the holidays and watch your language as you continuously and helplessly let all the presents fall into the ice holes in later rounds. Or at least that’s my experience, you may fare better. Happy Holidays! diff --git a/content/news/2015/03/2015-03-24-usability-design-for-kids-things-federal-workers-should-know.md b/content/news/2015/03/2015-03-24-usability-design-for-kids-things-federal-workers-should-know.md index a1cd1e68f0..04826d615e 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/03/2015-03-24-usability-design-for-kids-things-federal-workers-should-know.md +++ b/content/news/2015/03/2015-03-24-usability-design-for-kids-things-federal-workers-should-know.md @@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ I wanted to add my take to some of the good material out there about usability t ## 1. Who are you REALLY designing for? -While it may be convenient to group things as “K-12,” think about the differences in maturity levels for a second. What is “cool” to one group is going to be “really lame little kid stuff” to another. If you are designing a site like a library, it can be tough: look at this kids’ [library site](http://www.startsquad.org/) vs. this [gov site](http://www.si.edu) vs. this [educational site](http://www.exploratorium.edu/.). +While it may be convenient to group things as “K-12,” think about the differences in maturity levels for a second. What is “cool” to one group is going to be “really boring little kid stuff” to another. If you are designing a site like a library, it can be tough: look at this kids’ [library site](http://www.startsquad.org/) vs. this [gov site](http://www.si.edu) vs. this [educational site](http://www.exploratorium.edu/.). So, remember, WHO are you designing for? Think about the content and message you are trying to put out there, who you are trying to reach, and what you want them to do with it when they find it. Remember: kids are different. Well, duh, right? Well, I mean really different. Depending on what you are designing, it will be seen by many unique points of view. “Know thy user,” right? Well, who are you designing for? Students? Parents? Teachers? @@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ The best way to set up design and evaluation opportunities is to involve the peo And of course –actively involve educators in the process. They will give you their impressions, and may help you get access and testers (kids). They will also be able to validate your task list and usability evaluation metrics. -As far as compensation, books,movie vouchers, and iStore gift cards may work. Just make sure it’s not “lame.” Again, ask the teachers what the kids are interested in – they will probably know better than the parents. +As far as compensation, books,movie vouchers, and iStore gift cards may work. Just make sure it’s not "boring.” Again, ask the teachers what the kids are interested in – they will probably know better than the parents. {{< legacy-img src="2015/03/600-x-400-kids.gov-usability-test-kids-and-adults.jpg" alt="Adults help chidlren at kids.gov usability test" >}} diff --git a/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-14-live-blogging-the-analytics-dashboard-on-tax-day.md b/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-14-live-blogging-the-analytics-dashboard-on-tax-day.md index 3e5fd4eece..0eb0976a3f 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-14-live-blogging-the-analytics-dashboard-on-tax-day.md +++ b/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-14-live-blogging-the-analytics-dashboard-on-tax-day.md @@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Number of IRS pages that are in the Top 20 pages: **10** ### Fun Facts: * We’re starting to see less traffic per hour than we did yesterday at this same time. - * Let us know other events that you’d like to follow in the future. Remember that [analytics.usa.gov](https://analytics.usa.gov) always displays the pulse of federal public web users. It’s addicting. + * Let us know other events that you’d like to follow in the future. Remember that [analytics.usa.gov](https://analytics.usa.gov) always displays the pulse of federal public web users. _-gk, Digital Government, GSA_ diff --git a/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-17-focus-groups-are-they-right-for-you.md b/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-17-focus-groups-are-they-right-for-you.md index 9dcf2eb09a..a4cff1d745 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-17-focus-groups-are-they-right-for-you.md +++ b/content/news/2015/04/2015-04-17-focus-groups-are-they-right-for-you.md @@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ Conducting a focus group early in a project is a way to get a sample of opinions Once you have completed your focus group, validate and explore results with users one-on-one by conducting user research interviews and usability studies. Focus groups are considered a good start to triangulation, which is the practice of combining different methods of research to develop a complete picture of your user and the challenges they have using your product. -If you have decided that conducting a focus group is a good idea for your project, the following resources will make you a focus group ninja: +If you have decided that conducting a focus group is a good idea for your project, the following resources will make you a focus group expert: * [Focus Group Manual](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2015/04/ManualFocusGroupHowtoGetStarted.pdf) (PDF, 4.8 MB, 35 pages): A step-by-step guide to conducting a focus group. * [Screener](https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2015/04/ScreenerTemplate.pdf) (PDF, 64.6 KB, 2 pages): A template designed to aid you through the recruitment process. diff --git a/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-11-the-content-corner-ranking-six-common-content-types.md b/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-11-the-content-corner-ranking-six-common-content-types.md index e795a0b614..9066f94290 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-11-the-content-corner-ranking-six-common-content-types.md +++ b/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-11-the-content-corner-ranking-six-common-content-types.md @@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Videos remain a popular method for reaching customers and providing coverage for {{< legacy-img src="2015/05/550-x-290-NeoMam-Studios-blog-comparison-times-for-visual-content-understanding.jpg" alt="Source: NeoMam.com" >}} -Visualized information has increased by more than 9,000 percent across all types of media, including digital, and despite that crazy number, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. One of the many reasons that content such as infographics have become so popular is due to the way humans consume and process information. As the image shows, we can process visuals in 1/10th of a second compared to 60 seconds to read 200-250 words. Survey data also shows that infographics are the third most effective marketing content with only 34% of respondents finding it difficult to create. +Visualized information has increased by more than 9,000 percent across all types of media, including digital, and despite that large number, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. One of the many reasons that content such as infographics have become so popular is due to the way humans consume and process information. As the image shows, we can process visuals in 1/10th of a second compared to 60 seconds to read 200-250 words. Survey data also shows that infographics are the third most effective marketing content with only 34% of respondents finding it difficult to create. One concern that should always be considered when creating visual content, such as infographics, is ensuring [accessibility for customers](http://simplyaccessible.com/article/text-is-text/) with visual impairments. Strong alt text and including a brief description of the infographic for screen readers (and also for search engines) is recommended. diff --git a/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-29-getting-to-know-your-users-tips-and-tricks-from-veterans-affairs.md b/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-29-getting-to-know-your-users-tips-and-tricks-from-veterans-affairs.md index dc50241c21..1eb4852059 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-29-getting-to-know-your-users-tips-and-tricks-from-veterans-affairs.md +++ b/content/news/2015/05/2015-05-29-getting-to-know-your-users-tips-and-tricks-from-veterans-affairs.md @@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ topics: Design research isn’t rocket science. But for many of us in the federal government, it can seem daunting and unfamiliar. We’re here to to help demystify the process of design research for those of you ready to wade into the waters. -We’ve both done our fair share of design researching at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) over the past year. It hasn’t been easy—we’ve worked under itty bitty budgets and crazy timelines. Many doubted the value of the work or hadn’t been exposed to the design research approach before. Many equated research with [focus groups]({{< ref "2015-04-17-focus-groups-are-they-right-for-you.md" >}}), or demographic breakdowns of user data. But the need to bring rich insight into veterans’ experiences with VA was strong—so getting through the hurdles was worthwhile. +We’ve both done our fair share of design researching at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) over the past year. It hasn’t been easy—we’ve worked under itty bitty budgets and frantic timelines. Many doubted the value of the work or hadn’t been exposed to the design research approach before. Many equated research with [focus groups]({{< ref "2015-04-17-focus-groups-are-they-right-for-you.md" >}}), or demographic breakdowns of user data. But the need to bring rich insight into veterans’ experiences with VA was strong—so getting through the hurdles was worthwhile. ## 1. Getting ready: Figure out what you’re trying to figure out. diff --git a/content/news/2015/06/2015-06-09-the-emulator-dilemma-can-mobile-device-testing-be-completed-without-mobile-devices.md b/content/news/2015/06/2015-06-09-the-emulator-dilemma-can-mobile-device-testing-be-completed-without-mobile-devices.md index 5bbed796e4..fd90720c63 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/06/2015-06-09-the-emulator-dilemma-can-mobile-device-testing-be-completed-without-mobile-devices.md +++ b/content/news/2015/06/2015-06-09-the-emulator-dilemma-can-mobile-device-testing-be-completed-without-mobile-devices.md @@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ Is this surprising to you? Which category do you fit into? Generally speaking, using emulators and simulators is a great, low cost way to increase your breadth of testing. -These emulators and simulators are most valuable for developer testing: early stage testing, high level sanity and smoke testing. It is preferable to bring in a subset of “real” devices for testing in the final stages of development. +These emulators and simulators are most valuable for developer testing: early stage testing, high level verification and smoke testing. It is preferable to bring in a subset of “real” devices for testing in the final stages of development. The following are 5 categories of test classes that are much better tested using physical devices rather than emulators. diff --git a/content/news/2015/08/2015-08-21-agile-strategy-implementation.md b/content/news/2015/08/2015-08-21-agile-strategy-implementation.md index b0945670cb..a896584931 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/08/2015-08-21-agile-strategy-implementation.md +++ b/content/news/2015/08/2015-08-21-agile-strategy-implementation.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ slug: agile-strategy-implementation date: 2015-08-21 11:17:27 -0400 title: Agile Strategy Implementation -summary: 'The Challenge Much like GSA experienced three years ago, the Management Information Systems Office (MISO) organization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had a vision, a crazy deadline, and the need to change and change fast. MISO is responsible for developing, maintaining, and managing a variety of enterprise business systems across the CDC.' +summary: 'The Challenge Much like GSA experienced three years ago, the Management Information Systems Office (MISO) organization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had a vision, a short deadline, and the need to change and change fast. MISO is responsible for developing, maintaining, and managing a variety of enterprise business systems across the CDC.' authors: - suzi-connor topics: @@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ topics: ## The Challenge -Much like [GSA experienced three years ago]({{< ref "2012-08-12-agile-sprinting-to-digital-governance-recommendations.md" >}}), the Management Information Systems Office (MISO) organization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had a vision, a crazy deadline, and the need to change and change fast. MISO is responsible for developing, maintaining, and managing a variety of enterprise business systems across the CDC. A strategic planning process launched last year laid out a vision called MISO 2020 that would transform the organization into a Center for Excellence for enterprise business solutions. After what could best be described as a bumpy year of supporting internal customers, the MISO leadership team committed to the MISO 2020 vision. More significantly, the team committed to address some of the long-standing management and technology issues that would prevent MISO from being successful for fiscal year 2015 in the nine months left in the fiscal year. +Much like [GSA experienced three years ago]({{< ref "2012-08-12-agile-sprinting-to-digital-governance-recommendations.md" >}}), the Management Information Systems Office (MISO) organization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had a vision, a short deadline, and the need to change and change fast. MISO is responsible for developing, maintaining, and managing a variety of enterprise business systems across the CDC. A strategic planning process launched last year laid out a vision called MISO 2020 that would transform the organization into a Center for Excellence for enterprise business solutions. After what could best be described as a bumpy year of supporting internal customers, the MISO leadership team committed to the MISO 2020 vision. More significantly, the team committed to address some of the long-standing management and technology issues that would prevent MISO from being successful for fiscal year 2015 in the nine months left in the fiscal year. ## The Solution {{< legacy-img src="2015/08/250-x-353-Agile-Scrum-collage-concepts-MacXever-iStock-Thinkstock-176675927.jpg" alt="A word cloud highlighting Agile- and Scrum-related software development terms" caption="" >}} diff --git a/content/news/2015/10/2015-10-23-technical-writing-need-not-be-abstruse-use-plain-language-for-maximum-impact.md b/content/news/2015/10/2015-10-23-technical-writing-need-not-be-abstruse-use-plain-language-for-maximum-impact.md index 512e04a808..e103416f93 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/10/2015-10-23-technical-writing-need-not-be-abstruse-use-plain-language-for-maximum-impact.md +++ b/content/news/2015/10/2015-10-23-technical-writing-need-not-be-abstruse-use-plain-language-for-maximum-impact.md @@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ As an editor of technical, statistical reports, I see authors making a number of 2. **I was taught to vary my word choice and to make paragraphs at least three sentences long.** Yes, you were. In 10th grade English. Don’t feel compelled to vary your word usage, especially for words with specific meanings. If you say consumption in one sentence, don’t say usage in the next sentence and then demand in the third. Readers will wonder if these terms all mean the same thing. Don’t make readers wonder. And, one-sentence paragraphs can be very instructive and powerful. Shorter paragraphs are easier to skim and easier to read. 3. **I was told to include an introduction, body and conclusion in my writing.** That’s OK for the SAT writing sample, but that format leads to repetitive content. Just tell the reader the main point first, then include some supporting facts or analysis. Don’t write in conclusion or to summarize. If your writing is clear and direct, you won’t need a conclusion. 4. **I know my readers—and I know they will understand these terms.** When writing Web content, unless you really know all one million or so of your potential readers, don’t assume they will be familiar with your technical terms. What may be common knowledge to you might be new to your readers. There are two simple solutions to fix this mistake, using either parentheses or pairs of [em dashes](http://grammarist.com/grammar/emdash/) to clarify technical terms: … technical term (definition or plain English meaning), or … simple term (technical term). Do not force your readers to crack open Merriam Webster’s Dictionary or their chemistry book or to search Google. Clarify your terms in context. - 5. **I won’t look like a subject expert if I write in plain language.** No one was ever offended by content that was too clear. Technical-minded readers will certainly understand and possibly even appreciate your clarity. And a lot of nontechnical readers will also be able to understand and use your information. Plain language isn’t dumbing down content. It’s making your information more accessible to more people. + 5. **I won’t look like a subject expert if I write in plain language.** No one was ever offended by content that was too clear. Technical-minded readers will certainly understand and possibly even appreciate your clarity. And a lot of nontechnical readers will also be able to understand and use your information. Plain language is making your information more accessible to more people. ## Know Your Readers and Write to Them {{< legacy-img src="2015/10/600-x-400-Marketing-segmentation-Jirsak-iStock-Thinkstock-483426432.jpg" alt="Marketing segmentation" caption="" >}} diff --git a/content/news/2015/12/2015-12-18-twitter-town-hall-tips-from-the-va.md b/content/news/2015/12/2015-12-18-twitter-town-hall-tips-from-the-va.md index 639c90c20f..be33129948 100644 --- a/content/news/2015/12/2015-12-18-twitter-town-hall-tips-from-the-va.md +++ b/content/news/2015/12/2015-12-18-twitter-town-hall-tips-from-the-va.md @@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ If you’ve advertised well and picked a topic that matters to your audience, an ## What about Follow-up? -Our tech gurus do a great Storify recap that can stay on our website or be sent out through social media for people to view the Q&A. This gives you a chance to reach out to other audiences with the same information. +Our tech experts do a great Storify recap that can stay on our website or be sent out through social media for people to view the Q&A. This gives you a chance to reach out to other audiences with the same information. I was surprised to find little information online about the how-tos of Twitter Town Halls, so please feel free to comment here with your own lessons learned. diff --git a/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-01-the-content-corner-four-ways-to-help-your-content-stand-out.md b/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-01-the-content-corner-four-ways-to-help-your-content-stand-out.md index 47c2cacfba..609d749eb5 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-01-the-content-corner-four-ways-to-help-your-content-stand-out.md +++ b/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-01-the-content-corner-four-ways-to-help-your-content-stand-out.md @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ Again, it is a way to get users to interact with your content and possibly alter ## Interactive Videos -If you think you are beginning to sense a theme, you are not mistaken. Yes, I have stumbled upon the crazy idea that one of the best ways to engage users with your content is to make it more interactive. But, interactive videos were something new to me when I found them while researching this post. A great example is the [Guardian’s Seven Digital Deadly Sins](http://digital-deadly-sins.theguardian.com/) that tackles the topic of our growing digital addictions through the lens of the original seven deadly sins. +If you think you are beginning to sense a theme, you are not mistaken. Yes, I have stumbled upon the novel idea that one of the best ways to engage users with your content is to make it more interactive. But, interactive videos were something new to me when I found them while researching this post. A great example is the [Guardian’s Seven Digital Deadly Sins](http://digital-deadly-sins.theguardian.com/) that tackles the topic of our growing time spent in the digital world through the lens of the original seven deadly sins. They developed a fully immersive and interactive experience by combining video segments with articles and statistics that all provided a deeper analysis of the topic and sin such as greed, envy, or sloth. diff --git a/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-19-designing-user-friendly-educational-and-engaging-mobile-gaming-apps.md b/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-19-designing-user-friendly-educational-and-engaging-mobile-gaming-apps.md index 1ff7fcf04e..70bf9d6a60 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-19-designing-user-friendly-educational-and-engaging-mobile-gaming-apps.md +++ b/content/news/2016/02/2016-02-19-designing-user-friendly-educational-and-engaging-mobile-gaming-apps.md @@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ _Solve the Outbreak_ and _Health IQ_ were both developed on the philosophy of ma 4. **Rewarding points systems**: Each app includes a unique points system with different rewards. The _Solve the Outbreak_ app allows users to earn badges from Trainee to Disease Detective as well as bonuses for good work. In developing the _Health IQ_ app, the team used a similar model but incorporated Google Play to provide leaderboards where users can compete against each other to earn the highest score, complete with achievements, ribbons and trophies. 5. **Interesting content**: Most importantly, each app provides interesting, engaging content in a new format. The _Solve the Outbreak_ app includes original content encouraging players to solve the mystery to save lives. In developing the _Health IQ_ app, the team chose to re-use existing content on CDC’s website to develop quick trivia questions and categorized the questions into three levels of difficulty, easy, medium or hard, effectively allowing users to customize their experience by answering questions based on their own skill level and rewards more points for harder questions. -By utilizing gaming principles coupled with interesting content, both of these apps aim to provide users with an educational experience that makes learning about health fun, interesting and hopefully addicting. +By utilizing gaming principles coupled with interesting content, both of these apps aim to provide users with an educational experience that makes learning about health fun and interesting. Download the apps and try them for yourself! diff --git a/content/news/2016/04/2016-04-25-gif-meme-embeds-oh-my.md b/content/news/2016/04/2016-04-25-gif-meme-embeds-oh-my.md index 6ee4b0e7f2..75e4ec6c30 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/04/2016-04-25-gif-meme-embeds-oh-my.md +++ b/content/news/2016/04/2016-04-25-gif-meme-embeds-oh-my.md @@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ Event though it’s 2016, there still are some out there (especially in governme ## Memes -[A term allegedly coined in 1976](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCPIt9lrohE&feature=youtu.be), catchy, fun, memorable—these are terms used to describe memes. It’s basically an image or GIF with text over it. Generally the most popular memes are comedic in nature, and can help you establish or put on display your agency’s personality. This can be dangerous territory for agency accounts. Some memes aren’t appropriate, some aren’t relevant, and sometimes it just makes the brand look quite lame. As I said in a previous post, [stick to your agency’s message]({{< ref "2016-04-18-the-content-corner-branches-stick-to-the-vine.md" >}})—try not to stray from your brand message or demographic for the sake of trends. +[A term allegedly coined in 1976](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCPIt9lrohE&feature=youtu.be), catchy, fun, memorable—these are terms used to describe memes. It’s basically an image or GIF with text over it. Generally the most popular memes are comedic in nature, and can help you establish or put on display your agency’s personality. This can be dangerous territory for agency accounts. Some memes aren’t appropriate, some aren’t relevant, and sometimes it just makes the brand look quite outdated. As I said in a previous post, [stick to your agency’s message]({{< ref "2016-04-18-the-content-corner-branches-stick-to-the-vine.md" >}})—try not to stray from your brand message or demographic for the sake of trends. ## Podcasts diff --git a/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-goes-crazy.md b/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-surges.md similarity index 81% rename from content/news/2016/07/2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-goes-crazy.md rename to content/news/2016/07/2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-surges.md index 67538ff3b3..e6ab030b26 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-goes-crazy.md +++ b/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-surges.md @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ --- -slug: trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-goes-crazy +slug: trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-surges date: 2016-07-12 10:00:37 -0400 -title: 'Trends on Tuesday: Adoption for Pokémon Go Mobile App Goes Crazy' +title: 'Trends on Tuesday: Adoption for Pokémon Go Mobile App Surges' summary: 'Augmented Reality games have existed for years, but have mostly failed to catch a mainstream audience; Pokémon Go just changed all that this weekend. The game that launched early this month has exploded in popularity and is close to surpassing Twitter in daily active' authors: - wsullivan @@ -26,6 +26,6 @@ The mobile game available on Android and IOS allows you to capture collectable P In fact, the game isn’t really anything new; Pokémon Go’s app development company, Niantic, is the creator of the sci-fi-based mobile AR game called [Ingress](https://www.ingress.com/), which has very similar game play and goals as Pokémon Go, and while it has an active audience among some of the sci-fi crowd, it never achieved the runaway success that the new Pokémon app has. With Nintendo’s more kid- and family-friendly Pokémon characters, Niantic created a huge mobile hit and [added $7.5 billion to Nintendo’s market value](http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/11/12147600/nintendos-stock-pokemon-go). -Anecdotal stories of [players accidentally finding dead bodies](http://thenextweb.com/insider/2016/07/08/was-it-a-ghost-pokemon/) to [3 a.m. random rendezvous with strangers and police](http://imgur.com/KAwwxFp) are flooding social media, along with cautionary tales of [bad guys using the platform to rob people](http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2016/07/10/four-suspects-arrested-string-pokemon-go-related-armed-robberies/86922474/), [hackers creating malicious versions to create backdoors into people’s phones](http://motherboard.vice.com/read/pokmon-go-hack) and [a security risk due to app permissions for iOS users signing in with Google accounts](http://fortune.com/2016/07/11/pokemon-go-security/), and [trespassing stories around collecting the characters](https://www.reddit.com/r/washingtondc/comments/4ruvln/pokemon_go_theres_a_gym_in_the_center_of_the/) in hard to get to places. +Anecdotal stories of [players accidentally finding dead bodies](http://thenextweb.com/insider/2016/07/08/was-it-a-ghost-pokemon/) to [3 a.m. random rendezvous with strangers and police](http://imgur.com/KAwwxFp) are flooding social media, along with cautionary tales of [bad actors using the platform to rob people](http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2016/07/10/four-suspects-arrested-string-pokemon-go-related-armed-robberies/86922474/), [hackers creating malicious versions to create backdoors into people’s phones](http://motherboard.vice.com/read/pokmon-go-hack) and [a security risk due to app permissions for iOS users signing in with Google accounts](http://fortune.com/2016/07/11/pokemon-go-security/), and [trespassing stories around collecting the characters](https://www.reddit.com/r/washingtondc/comments/4ruvln/pokemon_go_theres_a_gym_in_the_center_of_the/) in hard to get to places. While this kind of mobile-app driven augmented reality experience would be a challenge to build and maintain for government agencies, it’s a fascinating look into how it’s spreading and how communities are forming and interacting around it. It raises a lot of interesting questions around security and privacy, but also is an interesting way to see people bonding across cultures, ages and backgrounds over a mystical child’s game. It’s also an interesting case to consider the [‘Pirate Metrics’ around acquisition, growth and retention]({{< ref "2016-05-12-using-pirate-metrics-to-analyze-your-mobile-applications-audience.md" >}}) as the app grows out of its first week of blockbuster success. diff --git a/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-13-the-data-briefing-mobile-apps-responsive-web-sites-and-the-mobile-moment.md b/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-13-the-data-briefing-mobile-apps-responsive-web-sites-and-the-mobile-moment.md index 6685a1ce8c..a6cd72c36c 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-13-the-data-briefing-mobile-apps-responsive-web-sites-and-the-mobile-moment.md +++ b/content/news/2016/07/2016-07-13-the-data-briefing-mobile-apps-responsive-web-sites-and-the-mobile-moment.md @@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ These are similar arguments I repeated in my March 2016 column on [mobile apps v {{< legacy-img src="2016/03/600-x-450-IRS2Go-Check-Refund-Status-screen-Amazon-Kindle.jpg" alt="The IRS2Go app’s “Check Refund Status” screen on an Amazon Kindle." >}} -What is interesting is that Terrett’s decision to ban mobile apps is also based on improving the customer experience. According to Terrett, UK government agencies cannot create a responsive website without first detailing how the proposed site will serve the UK citizen. Terrett’s maxim sounds similar to Parcell’s mobile moment. Mobile app downloads are decreasing while bandwidth and wireless speeds are increasing. Responsive website technologies are becoming more sophisticated, so there may not be much difference between mobile apps and responsive websites. _(As I write this, Pokemon Go was released. Within 24 hours, [it has become the most downloaded mobile app in the world]({{< ref "2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-goes-crazy.md" >}}) and is [quickly changing people’s perceptions of augmented reality apps]({{< ref "2016-07-12-catch-the-mall-with-pokemon-and-public-services.md" >}}). Maybe it is time to revisit [Federal government mobile apps that use augmented reality interfaces]({{< ref "2015-01-28-the-api-briefing-nasa-and-usps-explore-the-holographic-computing-frontier.md" >}})?)_ +What is interesting is that Terrett’s decision to ban mobile apps is also based on improving the customer experience. According to Terrett, UK government agencies cannot create a responsive website without first detailing how the proposed site will serve the UK citizen. Terrett’s maxim sounds similar to Parcell’s mobile moment. Mobile app downloads are decreasing while bandwidth and wireless speeds are increasing. Responsive website technologies are becoming more sophisticated, so there may not be much difference between mobile apps and responsive websites. _(As I write this, Pokemon Go was released. Within 24 hours, [it has become the most downloaded mobile app in the world]({{< ref "2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-surges.md" >}}) and is [quickly changing people’s perceptions of augmented reality apps]({{< ref "2016-07-12-catch-the-mall-with-pokemon-and-public-services.md" >}}). Maybe it is time to revisit [Federal government mobile apps that use augmented reality interfaces]({{< ref "2015-01-28-the-api-briefing-nasa-and-usps-explore-the-holographic-computing-frontier.md" >}})?)_ I also wonder if [chatbots]({{< ref "2016-07-06-the-data-briefing-i-for-one-welcome-our-new-chatbot-blockchain-digital-autonomous-organizations.md" >}}) will make the entire mobile app vs. responsive website debate moot. As I have written about before, many of the major digital companies are preparing for a “[post-app world]({{< ref "2015-06-24-the-api-briefing-government-apis-in-a-post-apps-world.md" >}}).” Will agencies be compelled to create the chatbots or will this also be left to third-party chatbot developers? diff --git a/content/news/2016/08/2016-08-30-trends-on-tuesday-pokemon-go-es-away-slowly.md b/content/news/2016/08/2016-08-30-trends-on-tuesday-pokemon-go-es-away-slowly.md index ed33d86e13..d0872c0585 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/08/2016-08-30-trends-on-tuesday-pokemon-go-es-away-slowly.md +++ b/content/news/2016/08/2016-08-30-trends-on-tuesday-pokemon-go-es-away-slowly.md @@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ topics: - multimedia --- -According to a recent report in Bloomberg, the [wildly popular, augmented reality game]({{< ref "2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-goes-crazy.md" >}}) we reported on for [Trends on Tuesday]({{< ref "/topics/emerging-tech" >}}) a few weeks ago—and the focus of a piece [about government agencies using it to engage citizens]({{< ref "2016-07-12-catch-the-mall-with-pokemon-and-public-services.md" >}})—appears to have hit a ceiling and is [slowly losing active fans in August](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-22/these-charts-show-that-pokemon-go-is-already-in-decline). +According to a recent report in Bloomberg, the [wildly popular, augmented reality game]({{< ref "2016-07-12-trends-on-tuesday-adoption-for-pokemon-go-mobile-app-surges.md" >}}) we reported on for [Trends on Tuesday]({{< ref "/topics/emerging-tech" >}}) a few weeks ago—and the focus of a piece [about government agencies using it to engage citizens]({{< ref "2016-07-12-catch-the-mall-with-pokemon-and-public-services.md" >}})—appears to have hit a ceiling and is [slowly losing active fans in August](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-22/these-charts-show-that-pokemon-go-is-already-in-decline). While the mobile game may be losing audience, from a brand perspective Nintendo’s Pokemon franchise was reinvigorated for a new generation of fans which will pay dividends in the future. {{< legacy-img src="2016/08/600-x-400-Female-hands-with-mobile-smartphone-stevanovicigor-iStock-Thinksock-500780944.jpg" alt="Female hands with mobile smartphone." caption="stevanovicigor/iStock/Thinksock" >}} -The app also provided the first mainstream mobile augmented reality experience for many people, so in the future the space can grow with new applications and eventually enter the virtual reality space, which is even more advanced. Pokemon Go also may have changed lives for the better by [getting people more healthy through chasing fake animals](http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-07-11/pokemon-go-has-everyone-exercising) or maybe for worse by [growing an insatiable addiction](http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/gaming/2016/08/i_am_a_hardcore_pokemon_go_player_and_i_might_not_be_ok.html). +The app also provided the first mainstream mobile augmented reality experience for many people, so in the future the space can grow with new applications and eventually enter the virtual reality space, which is even more advanced. Pokemon Go also may have changed lives for the better by [getting people more healthy through chasing fake animals](http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-07-11/pokemon-go-has-everyone-exercising) or maybe for worse by [growing an insatiable need to play](http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/gaming/2016/08/i_am_a_hardcore_pokemon_go_player_and_i_might_not_be_ok.html). Chasing trends can be a dangerous and costly game for government agencies, but paying attention to them and finding [low-cost ways to creatively ride the wave]({{< ref "2016-07-12-catch-the-mall-with-pokemon-and-public-services.md" >}}) like the National Parks Service did can serve as low-hanging fruit for engaging with citizens where they are spending their time and interest. diff --git a/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-09-data-act-prototype-simplicity-is-key.md b/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-09-data-act-prototype-simplicity-is-key.md index f0cc8300fb..77ae87b089 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-09-data-act-prototype-simplicity-is-key.md +++ b/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-09-data-act-prototype-simplicity-is-key.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ slug: data-act-prototype-simplicity-is-key date: 2016-09-09 11:00:54 -0400 title: 'DATA Act Prototype: Simplicity Is Key' -summary: 'Last week we wrote about how we diffuse knowledge through shared interests and sharing best practices on the Micro-purchase Platform. This week, we’ll focus on some of the lessons learned during the (completed) DATA Act prototype. Importantly, though that project has finished, this post is not meant to be a full retrospective or post-mortem; we’ll' +summary: 'Last week we wrote about how we diffuse knowledge through shared interests and sharing best practices on the Micro-purchase Platform. This week, we’ll focus on some of the lessons learned during the (completed) DATA Act prototype. Importantly, though that project has finished, this post is not meant to be a full retrospective' authors: - cm-lubinski - becky-sweger @@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ topics: - budgeting-and-performance --- -Last week we wrote about [how we diffuse knowledge through shared interests and sharing best practices on the Micro-purchase Platform](https://18f.gsa.gov/2016/08/25/micro-purchase-design-philosophy-do-one-thing-well/). This week, we’ll focus on some of the lessons learned during the (completed) DATA Act prototype. Importantly, though that project has finished, this post is _not_ meant to be a full retrospective or post-mortem; we’ll be focusing on technical decisions. We should also delineate this from the more long term DATA Act broker, which is under active development. +Last week we wrote about [how we diffuse knowledge through shared interests and sharing best practices on the Micro-purchase Platform](https://18f.gsa.gov/2016/08/25/micro-purchase-design-philosophy-do-one-thing-well/). This week, we’ll focus on some of the lessons learned during the (completed) DATA Act prototype. Importantly, though that project has finished, this post is _not_ meant to be a full retrospective; we’ll be focusing on technical decisions. We should also delineate this from the more long term DATA Act broker, which is under active development. {{< legacy-img src="2016/09/600-x-184-DATA-Act-logo.jpg" alt="DATA Act logo" >}} diff --git a/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-12-dnssec-vs-elastic-load-balancers-the-zone-apex-problem.md b/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-12-dnssec-vs-elastic-load-balancers-the-zone-apex-problem.md index 4217fc9745..56d1ac8ff7 100644 --- a/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-12-dnssec-vs-elastic-load-balancers-the-zone-apex-problem.md +++ b/content/news/2016/09/2016-09-12-dnssec-vs-elastic-load-balancers-the-zone-apex-problem.md @@ -64,13 +64,13 @@ So we had to rummage around the Internet for help. A lot. [We learned](https://w Peter then suggested a very [simple improvement to the PowerDNS software](https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/pull/3733) that could solve our problem: adding the ability for a DNS server to expand ALIAS records (which it already supported) into A records during a zone transfer, or [AXFR](https://cr.yp.to/djbdns/axfr-notes.html). -This small change, called [outgoing-axfr-expand-alias](https://doc.powerdns.com/md/authoritative/howtos/#using-alias-records) and available beginning in [PowerDNS Authoritative Server 4.0.0](https://www.powerdns.com/downloads.html), allows one server (the so-called “DNS master”) to be the only one that knew about our ALIAS records. Then, every minute, “DNS slaves” acting as the authoritative nameservers for `search.usa.gov` would initiate an AXFR of the zone from the DNS master, and would receive a copy of the zone file containing the most up-to-date values for those ALIAS records, expressed as A records. The result of this AXFR would then be compared with the current contents of the zone on the slave server. If the contents had not changed — almost always the case — then no action would be taken. If the contents had changed, then the zone would be reloaded entirely and re-signed using existing DNSSEC signing features, with notification sent to sysadmins. +This small change, called [outgoing-axfr-expand-alias](https://doc.powerdns.com/md/authoritative/howtos/#using-alias-records) and available beginning in [PowerDNS Authoritative Server 4.0.0](https://www.powerdns.com/downloads.html), allows one server (the so-called “DNS master”) to be the only one that knew about our ALIAS records. Then, every minute, “DNS secondaries" acting as the authoritative nameservers for `search.usa.gov` would initiate an AXFR of the zone from the DNS primary, and would receive a copy of the zone file containing the most up-to-date values for those ALIAS records, expressed as A records. The result of this AXFR would then be compared with the current contents of the zone on the secondary server. If the contents had not changed — almost always the case — then no action would be taken. If the contents had changed, then the zone would be reloaded entirely and re-signed using existing DNSSEC signing features, with notification sent to sysadmins. Overall, the process looks like this: {{< legacy-img src="2016/09/600-x-400-multi-tier-alias-and-dnssec-architecture.jpg" alt="A multi-tier alias and DNSSEC architecture flowchart." >}} -Side note: You can see the script that we wrote to request the AXFR from the master server and compare its contents to the current slave server zone file on [Github](https://gist.github.com/nickmarden/9092c99cf3e201510ca83455fc2d2dab). It’s quite simple, and relies on straightforward zone management features already built into the PowerDNS software. This script is no longer necessary, but was developed as a precaution against the possibility of a failed AXFR “emptying” the zone on the slave server. In the released version of PowerDNS 4.0.0, a standard zone slaving configuration has this protection enabled automatically. +Side note: You can see the script that we wrote to request the AXFR from the master server and compare its contents to the current secondary server zone file on [Github](https://gist.github.com/nickmarden/9092c99cf3e201510ca83455fc2d2dab). It’s quite simple, and relies on straightforward zone management features already built into the PowerDNS software. This script is no longer necessary, but was developed as a precaution against the possibility of a failed AXFR “emptying” the zone on the secondary server. In the released version of PowerDNS 4.0.0, a standard zone slaving configuration has this protection enabled automatically. ## But What About Wildcards? diff --git a/content/news/2017/07/2017-07-05-making-world-war-i-relevant-today-are-wwi-propaganda-posters-the-original-meme.md b/content/news/2017/07/2017-07-05-making-world-war-i-relevant-today-are-wwi-propaganda-posters-the-original-meme.md index 0b67f850bf..0fa91ac46c 100644 --- a/content/news/2017/07/2017-07-05-making-world-war-i-relevant-today-are-wwi-propaganda-posters-the-original-meme.md +++ b/content/news/2017/07/2017-07-05-making-world-war-i-relevant-today-are-wwi-propaganda-posters-the-original-meme.md @@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Merriam-Webster officially defines a meme as “an idea, behavior, style, or usa {{< img src="WWI-Back-our-Girls-Over-There" alt="A World War I poster shows an illustration of a woman working at a switchboard with the the text, Back our girls over there below her. The YMCA logo is on the right, and the text, United War Work Campaign, is along the bottom." >}} -Maybe this argument sounds crazy to you, or maybe it makes perfect sense. Either way, it gives us a starting place for a conversation. It allows me to take a historic element from World War I and make it relevant today. +Maybe this argument sounds odd to you, or maybe it makes perfect sense. Either way, it gives us a starting place for a conversation. It allows me to take a historic element from World War I and make it relevant today. To get the general American public interested in historic topics, we need to think about creative ways we can make connections to our agency missions and the world we live in today. We, the [American Battle Monuments Commission](http://www.abmc.gov), recently hosted a Facebook Live chat where we examined WWI posters that helped shape public opinion on the war. diff --git a/content/news/2019/09/2019-09-17-findings-from-10xs-recent-round-submissions.md b/content/news/2019/09/2019-09-17-findings-from-10xs-recent-round-submissions.md index aaa7bb6a4e..2937a25da0 100644 --- a/content/news/2019/09/2019-09-17-findings-from-10xs-recent-round-submissions.md +++ b/content/news/2019/09/2019-09-17-findings-from-10xs-recent-round-submissions.md @@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Earlier this summer, [we asked people across the federal government to submit th In this recent round, we selected 32 projects to start at the Phase 1: Investigation level for FY19 Round 2 funding. In an effort to increase transparency, we’ve conducted a metrics analysis of the submissions process and wanted to share our findings with you. -**Evaluation Process:** We assigned each submission an ID number and evaluated them blindly based on this ID number. Our evaluation panel consisted of five federal employees that specialize in IT program management, IT policy, engineering, and user-centered design. Each idea was scored in three areas: clarity, alignment, and impact. +**Evaluation Process:** We assigned each submission an ID number and evaluated them impartially based on this ID number. Our evaluation panel consisted of five federal employees that specialize in IT program management, IT policy, engineering, and user-centered design. Each idea was scored in three areas: clarity, alignment, and impact. **Number of Submitters vs. Submissions:** We received 237 submissions from 129 individuals, meaning many people submitted multiple ideas. Of the 32 selected ideas, 28 (or 87.5 percent) were from distinct individuals. This shows that 10x chose projects from a variety of submitters, rather than selecting multiple ideas from just a few submitters. diff --git a/content/news/2020/12/2020-12-21-deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md b/content/news/2020/12/2020-12-21-deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md index 06ed6f0523..3cf338c7b0 100644 --- a/content/news/2020/12/2020-12-21-deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md +++ b/content/news/2020/12/2020-12-21-deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md @@ -6,9 +6,7 @@ date: 2020-12-01 09:08:00 -0500 kicker: Design title: "Deceptive Design: How to Identify and Combat Consequence Design" deck: "**Deceptive Design: How to Identify and Combat Consequence - Design**—Consequence design is part of everyday life. Deceptive - techniques like “dark patterns” and “hostile design” trick people into taking - unintended actions—learn how to prevent them from sneaking into our design + Design**—Consequence design is part of everyday life. Techniques like “deceptive patterns” and “hostile design” trick people into taking unintended actions—learn how to prevent them from sneaking into our design work." # Controls how this page appears across the site # 0 -- hidden diff --git a/content/news/2023/10/2023-10-31-who-is-controlling-your-control-system.md b/content/news/2023/10/2023-10-31-who-is-controlling-your-control-system.md index 27f14bc8a1..ce0de114c7 100644 --- a/content/news/2023/10/2023-10-31-who-is-controlling-your-control-system.md +++ b/content/news/2023/10/2023-10-31-who-is-controlling-your-control-system.md @@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Discovering what is on your network versus knowing what belongs on your network Network discovery tools can assist in cataloging assets in your control system network. Open-source tools like Wireshark and Nmap can be run at the server or switch-level to discover devices within your control system Local Area Network(s). Wireshark is a specialized tool to aid in the baseline discovery of communicating devices and the protocols that are occurring. Running Wireshark on your dedicated ICS switches should result in similar numbers of communicating devices as what is included in your system inventory. If there are discrepancies between your Wireshark output and your inventory, you should aim to resolve this and then update your inventory with the current device count. Because of the predictability of ICS, network discovery and analysis results should be reasonably consistent, so long as the analyses occur during similar times of day and for similar periods of time. Likewise, if you are running a network analysis tool and the results show far fewer expected devices, try expanding the duration of the analyses, as some ICS components may be configured to only send an infrequent heartbeat back to their central command. -Similarly, software inventories are easily achieved through system-level processes enumeration, discovery scanning, and consultation with vendor documentation. The standard for our ICS software management is a whitelist-first approach. Through whitelisting, administrators can ensure that only applications and application components that are previously defined as authorized may be installed on ICS machines. Application whitelisting technologies will help achieve constant control and oversight into your software inventory, file integrity, and can even be used to establish a removable media policy. Software upgrades, significant configuration changes, and other impactful adjustments to your system should be made using a proven governance strategy. DevOps approaches —a set of practices, tools, and a cultural philosophy that automate and integrate the processes between software development and IT teams — are useful because they ensure collaboration among teams that may not work side-by-side. This approach is especially important for ICS systems, because operational technology operators are often segmented from IT administrators. Additionally, DevOps approaches include smaller, less disruptive system changes, while incorporating security and operational testing into the deployment schedule.   +Similarly, software inventories are easily achieved through system-level processes enumeration, discovery scanning, and consultation with vendor documentation. The standard for our ICS software management is a allow-first approach. Through allow-first approach, administrators can ensure that only applications and application components that are previously defined as authorized may be installed on ICS machines. Application allow-first technologies will help achieve constant control and oversight into your software inventory, file integrity, and can even be used to establish a removable media policy. Software upgrades, significant configuration changes, and other impactful adjustments to your system should be made using a proven governance strategy. DevOps approaches —a set of practices, tools, and a cultural philosophy that automate and integrate the processes between software development and IT teams — are useful because they ensure collaboration among teams that may not work side-by-side. This approach is especially important for ICS systems, because operational technology operators are often segmented from IT administrators. Additionally, DevOps approaches include smaller, less disruptive system changes, while incorporating security and operational testing into the deployment schedule.   ## Summary diff --git a/content/resources/deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md b/content/resources/deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md index f5d8890c54..032379e9c9 100644 --- a/content/resources/deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md +++ b/content/resources/deceptive-design-how-to-identify-and-combat-consequence-design.md @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ date: 2020-12-01 14:10:00 -0500 source_url: "" title: "Deceptive Design: How to Identify and Combat Consequence Design" deck: "" -summary: Consequence design is part of everyday life. Deceptive techniques like “dark patterns” and “hostile design” trick people into taking unintended actions — learn how to prevent them from sneaking into our design work. +summary: Consequence design is part of everyday life. Techniques like “deceptive patterns” and “hostile design” trick people into taking unintended actions — learn how to prevent them from sneaking into our design work. # See all topics at https://digital.gov/topics topics: - user-experience @@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ weight: 1 {{< note >}} In this training, Ron Bronson, who leads the product design teams for GSA/TTS 18F team, discusses what we all can do to assure that deceptive design patterns stay out of the sites we build. The article below provides an overview of the presentation. {{< /note >}} -We all rely on design to facilitate our user experiences. So, shouldn’t design reflect good intentions and honesty? Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Businesses often employ sneaky techniques to persuade users into buying their product or subscribing to their brand. These techniques are called “dark patterns” or “hostile design.” They are user interface tricks that are designed to influence people into doing things they otherwise might not do. +We all rely on design to facilitate our user experiences. So, shouldn’t design reflect good intentions and honesty? Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Businesses often employ sneaky techniques to persuade users into buying their product or subscribing to their brand. These techniques are called “deceptive patterns” or “hostile design.” They are user interface tricks that are designed to influence people into doing things they otherwise might not do. These tricks come in several forms, such as a popup window that demands a new subscription, or a spot designed to look like dirt on your phone screen, so you try to wipe it off and end up clicking a link instead. Even in the non-digital world, we can identify certain deceptive behaviors as “hostile design,” such as sleight of hand or trick questions. Designers, intentionally or unintentionally, can use psychology to mislead and trap users. @@ -57,4 +57,4 @@ Now, let’s get more specific. - **Friction Auditing** - Developing entire UX research sprints around friction, deception, and mining for hostility where we don’t anticipate it. - **Harm Analysis** - Before launching a new feature, we can speculate potential harm, which gives us the tools to assess where our myopia lies. -It is important for both designers and users to understand the consequences of dark patterns. From the designer side, we need to recognize our own biases and practice ethical design. From the user side, we need to be aware of these manipulative tactics and make more informed decisions. Both sides can easily fall into the trap of hostile design, but if we change just a few things in the design process, we will ensure more honest and transparent interactions. +It is important for both designers and users to understand the consequences of deceptive patterns. From the designer side, we need to recognize our own biases and practice ethical design. From the user side, we need to be aware of these manipulative tactics and make more informed decisions. Both sides can easily fall into the trap of hostile design, but if we change just a few things in the design process, we will ensure more honest and transparent interactions.