Have you ever seen one of those property shows on TV where the amateur developers decide to forgo the services of an architect and go directly to the builders? At worst, the build ends in disaster. At best, they experience unnecessary and expensive delays, backtracks and panic-stricken compromises…

The analogy of the architect, builder and amateur developer is apt for the relationship between an internet strategist, web designer and business client. The role of internet strategist is a relatively recent one, brought about by the rapidly changing and complex development of the internet. Many businesses are unaware of the myriad choices they face and the pitfalls which await them in setting out to go online.

In this age of Web 2.0, a basic transmission style website that simply sits on the internet as a sort of brochure is no longer enough — especially when your competition is embracing this new world of interaction and dynamism. Aside from branding and visual design, there are blogs, shopping carts, hosting options, image galleries, social media, online communities and many other internet tools for communicating, marketing and selling to contend with. How do you know what is right for your business?

Your needs

Do you trust your own knowledge enough to plan your business’s internet presence on your own? Even if you spend a lot of time surfing the web and keeping an eye on what your rivals are doing, your expertise lies elsewhere in what your own company does or sells. It just makes sense to consult an internet strategist, whose business is keeping up on internet trends from the inside and the outside, and who knows the full range of options available to you whatever your budget.

Independence and impartiality

Do you trust a web design and development firm to help you find all the options available to you? Even the best firms that employ their own internet strategists are in the business of building you a website and will naturally steer you to their own services. This means that some options have already been closed off the moment you walk through their door.

The benefit of an independent internet strategist is that you get impartial advice and support not limited by self-interest. If the best solution for your small start-up with a tiny budget is to go for a free DIY site, an independent strategist will be able to tell you this and guide you to quality providers.

A little first saves a lot later

You may be surprised how inexpensively you can get a good professional result, but it all depends on know-how. We’re all aware that spending a little on planning can save a bundle on mistakes, but sometimes it takes some convincing that there really are dangers down the road if you skimp on the crucial early stages of a project. The looming trainwreck may be obvious to us watching the hapless and stubborn couple chopping and changing about where to put the bathroom when the plumber is already on site, but this is exactly what happens time and time again on web projects. Shouldn’t you get that architect in first thing?

Architela offers an independent internet strategy service to help you along at any stage of a web project – but calling us at the beginning can save you the most. Consider a Quick Consultation today.

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Nancy Weitz

Nancy is Director at Architela and specialises in internet strategy, collaborative learning and user-centred design

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We hear a lot of complaints about bloated government IT projects being doomed to failure, but what if it’s not the IT project that’s the problem? Could the NHS’s well-meaning attempt to allow us online access to our own medical records fail for other more mundane reasons?

Case in point…

I recently received a letter from my local NHS primary care trust telling me that my county is piloting the new HealthSpace online access to health information and summary care records.  Thinking this a big step forward in personalising what is (after all) an intensely personal part of life, I jumped at the chance to register and start taking control of my own medical care.

If only it were that easy….

Registration

This is the process for registration:

1. Register for a new healthspace account.  This is a fairly straight-forward process, involving collecting relevant information and then activating by email.  The basic account gets you access to a personal health planner and calendar but no personal data. Small Obstacle 1. In the instructions, there is a link for a new account but also reference further down the list to a Basic account without a link. This seems to be the same thing, but it’s not clear.

2. Register for an Advanced Account Part 1. Once activated, you need to fill in a more substantial form with additional information to get an Advanced Account. This is OK in itself, as you want to feel your personal data is secure. Once the form is complete, you receive an Application Number. You either need to print the form or be able to produce the Number, which at least means lack of printer isn’t a blocker. Small Obstacle 2: Only some NHS trusts are currently taking part in the NHS Care Records Service and it appears you’ll only know if yours is one of them if you receive a letter beforehand or if you are told by email after you register for the Basic Account. A list of participating trusts would be helpful.

3. Register for an Advanced Account Part 2. Now comes the dysfunctional part. (Massive) obstacle 3. Why do you need to print the form or be able to quote the Application Number? Because you have to email the trust to find out where your local Registration Office is and then physically take it and a variety of proofs of ID and address there or to an occasional informational session at some other locale.

Now this may be marginally acceptable in a large population centre with good transport links, but it’s a complete blocker in my rural county. This is an anonymised email exchange I had with my local NHS in December:

________________________________________
From: Nancy
Sent: 01 December 2009 13:37
To: Healthspace
Subject: HealthSpace registration

Hi.

I’ve printed off my form and need to take it to my local Registration office to be checked and activated. Please tell me where this is. I live just outside [local town].

Thanks very much.

Nancy

_______________________________________
From: [person] [mailto:person@county-pct.nhs.uk] On Behalf Of Healthspace
Sent: 07 December 2009 14:50
To: Nancy
Subject: RE: HealthSpace registration

The Drop in Sessions double up as Healthspace Registration Office. Alternatively you can take along your printed application form and relevant ID to Healthpoint in Boots, [distant town] (Healthpoint is open 9.30am-5pm, Monday-Friday and 9am-1pm, Saturday).

[Attachment listing two sessions on next day in a distant part of the county]
________________________________________
From: Nancy
Sent: 14 December 2009 09:57
To: Healthspace,
Subject: RE: HealthSpace registration

Hi there. Please clarify: it seems like if I can’t make it to [distant town 1] or [distant town 2] tomorrow morning (which I can’t), this means I have to make my way all the way across the county to Boots in [distant town 40 miles away on bad roads] just to get registered on the website. Can’t I do this at my local surgery?

Regards,

Nancy

_______________________________________
From: [person] [mailto:person@county-pct.nhs.uk] On Behalf Of Healthspace,
Sent: 22 December 2009 13:02
To: Nancy
Subject: RE: HealthSpace registration

Unfortunately most surgeries are not offering this service at the moment. There will be some drop in sessions in the [wrong part of county]  next year, but these won’t be until March.

Conclusion

So there you have it. The website could be absolutely brilliant. It could potentially give fast, seamless access from home to everything you want to know about your health and medical records. But the whole thing fails at the start with ill-considered registration processes that create huge blockers to getting started.

Moral: usability extends well beyond the bounds of the webpage and interaction design.

Any comments or similar usability failures you want to share? I’d love to hear them!

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Nancy Weitz

Nancy is Director at Architela and specialises in internet strategy, collaborative learning and user-centred design

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