Business Value Blog

IE8 improves customer service, and sells more products…

2009-05-01T11:05:00Z

IE8 Web Accelerators and Web Slices add another mechanism for your customers to interact with you in the way they choose, from where they are. This video describes how ASOS have achieved this: ";" galleryimg="no" mce_src="http://blogs.msdn.com/blogfiles/businessvalue/WindowsLiveWriter/095aa3f80137_6E96/video861c9c876575.jpg"> They have made it easy for their customers to search for products from where they currently are, they can easily store their favourites and be notified of any changes,...(read more)

Expose your business through services...

2009-03-11T00:20:00Z

A while ago I posted about the value of exposing your business capabilities as services in order that others could use them, and in effect sell your products for you. Well Tesco.com have done it. Take a look at how to use them https://www.lansleytech.com/tescoapiweb/...(read more)

The Pendulum Swings to Software + Services

2009-03-02T17:32:56Z

Here's a big picture that I created a while ago to describe our Software + Services strategy:...(read more)

Surface Scenarios

2009-02-27T18:18:00Z

I often hear of scenarios targeting the Surface unit that I think are actually appropriate for any multi-touch device. My view of Surface is that its optimum scenarios include object recognition and collaboration . So, if an object such as a mobile phone or an identity card is dropped on a Surface unit, the software on Surface can interact with it. For example, using an identity card to identify and authenticate me before being allowed to use an application. Another scenario is the support for multiple...(read more)

It's not how you do it, it's what you do.

2008-10-02T14:57:00Z

Or, ' Delivering Software plus Services (S+S) ' A while ago a small group of people in Microsoft started an incubation project code named ‘Motion’. Principally Motion is a methodology that establishes *what* a business does, and not how it does it. It does this by following a well defined methodology. It so happens that these capabilities, things that describe what the business does, map quite nicely on to what services a company might need to run its business. The project has moved on. Now Microsoft...(read more)

Web, meet the Real World

2008-09-12T16:22:00Z

Have you spotted what some toys now include? They have a tag that has a Web address and a secret code. Once at the Web site you can register your toy by entering the code, you then gain access into previously secret content. If the toy is a doll then that secret content might be a virtual world, in which your actual doll exists. This delivers a very captivating experience whether you’re a child or an adult. A number of years ago Microsoft did something similar with Barney. Having bought a physical...(read more)

What's your Web site for?

2008-07-31T17:57:00Z

Simply put, Web sites probably support two functions: one as a content provider, and the other as a channel that allows your users to interact with you or each other. Arguably the first describes the original Web; a collection of sites that publish content for users to consume. The second type is probably most concerned with taking 'bricks and mortar' business to the Web. This could be for a number of reasons including reaching a new market that the original business could not. Of course most sites...(read more)

Transforming Customers into Advocates

2008-07-09T12:06:00Z

What are notifications? My definition is small, timely, useful and usually actionable pieces of information that interest or enrich a receiver’s experience. Because my definition centres on the person receiving them, there are other attributes of notifications that are important. For example the recipient needs to have full control. They need to be able to customise where the information is sent and to turn it on or off as required. How would you feel towards the company that you'd booked a flight...(read more)

Here's a piece of my desktop

2008-06-17T17:14:00Z

The interesting discussion about Gadgets for me is not a technical one, but a business one. My view is simply: If someone chooses to install a Gadget on the Vista Sidebar, they are dedicating a piece of their desktop to you. That can be valuable. Therefore the perception of a Gadget is that it 'belongs' to the person whose desktop it resides on, as opposed to the company that it represents or is connected to. Meaning that what that Gadget does has to be useful to the end user, rather than only serve...(read more)

Grumpy Developers

2008-05-29T10:23:00Z

How many grumpy developers do you know? Some developers continually ask questions in an attempt to understand what's required and to identify what could go wrong. Others seem to ask fewer questions, and don't appear to be as preoccupied with exceptions. The perception is that one 'type' of developer is constantly placing barriers in the way of progress, whereas the other is very positive. Of course each 'type' wants to do the best job they can. What's interesting is the perception that their approach...(read more)

Simplifying the User Experience choice

2008-05-27T11:07:00Z

I've been thinking a lot about User Experience (UX) recently. How it's changed, why it's important, what the technology options are, ... The Microsoft platform offers so much choice, it can be confusing. So here's an attempt to offer some simplification and clarity: Web This is ASP.NET. A very simple, and mature model. Use it for predominantly server based web content. Rich Client There are two technology option here: Windows Forms (WinForms) and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). WinForms offer...(read more)

DeepZoom Scenarios

2008-05-20T14:31:00Z

What business scenarios does the DeepZoom technology support? Here are some I can think of: Showing additional information Showing additional, relevant information in situ without having to link off to another page. A great example of this is a car ad on the front page of a virtual newspaper. Looking at the newspaper page the ad looks like any normal ad that you’d find in a newspaper, maybe positioned at the bottom right hand corner of the page. As you zoom in more information becomes visible, until...(read more)

Less is more

2008-05-06T14:25:00Z

I hosted a micro-presentation session at the Microsoft AIC. If you’re not familiar with this format of presentation, they’re very simple. 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide, the slides to be configured to change automatically. In addition be being good fun, I’m convinced it’s a great format to convey a wealth of information in a short period of time. I believe the benefits are manifold. The format encourages the presenter to distil the content and be really clear on the key messaging. The audience doesn’t...(read more)

Which Version of Silverlight?

2008-02-05T14:24:00Z

I seem to be having more conversations about the different version of Silverlight and their capabilities. My view is quite simple: I have not yet come across a business scenario that Silverlight 1.0 cannot deliver against (excluding those where Digital Rights Management (DRM) is required). Of course the development models and runtimes are a different conversation. But if the question if about delivering against a business requirement, then the chances are Silverlight 1.0 can deliver what’s required......(read more)

Hidden Value of Services

2007-10-22T10:45:00Z

When Web Services as we know them today were in their infancy I started to work with a customer that sold a market leading product. Their product was successful because of the rich supporting data source that helped their clients make intelligent decisions. But another differentiator was the willingness of the product supplier to customise the product to meet their clients specific requirements. Whilst this delivered enhanced value to the client and led to easier integration into existing processes,...(read more)