Category Archives: Articles

  • Nov 13

    Why Startup Weekend Is Almost Essential – #swmelb

    Last Friday, the 4th of November I attended Startup Weekend Melbourne (Hosted at York Butter Factory). The day before we had just pushed Barkles live to the public. Now why would any entrepreneur go to an intensive 54 hour weekend event the day after launching his own startup? Well, since you asked:

    • Passion
    • Commitment
    • Trust
    • Experience
    • Networking

    Passion

    I have a passion with the entrepreneurial world. Anyone who can create something from a random idea, get others involved and inspire them to build a business is nothing short of amazing. It is that passion that inspires my mind to keep creating and building everyday. If I have the chance to be around 100+ people doing the exact same thing, I’m going to jump all over it. Startup Weekend brings out the best in entrepreneurs. It forces them to look at their strengths, challenge their weaknesses and work as part of a team. When stress, anxiety, deadlines and pitching plagues the mind, it demands a certain level of focus, something that many of the entrepreneurs were facing for the first time.

    To be around other experienced entrepreneurs in that time of need is essential. On the other side they need to be able to see that there is a force of people who want to change things for the better. Who want to challenge the status-quo. Who continually ask why and why not.

    Commitment

    A month before Startup Weekend I made a commitment to Tyson Lundbech (a good friend and one of the organisers) that I would be attending. I had no idea Barkles would be launched the day before (or that it would be even be ready by then!). When the time came, we launched Barkles – then it hit me. That whole weekend I would be out of action for most of the day and night. Even so, I wanted to stick to my commitment because I truly believed in the experience that Startup Weekend would bring.

    Trust

    I also knew I could trust Jay Whiting (Barkles Co-Founder and Developer) to hold the fort while I was away. It was a big responsibility, and in hindsight was a brilliant decision. We had very few issues over that weekend, yet we had a lot of activity and an overall great response to the lanch.

    Experience

    The Melbourne Entrepreneur scene is literally growing before my eyes. There are hubs popping up all around, multiple incubators being launched and many more startups are being built every day. Startup Weekend brings all of those together – A hub of activity over the weekend, 100+ entrepreneurs working together in smaller teams, $5000 winning pitch prize and an opportunity to travel to the JFDI–Innov8 2012 Bootcamp in Singapore including $15,000 SGD in seed funding. Startup Weekend truly is an incredible experience that you should do at least once if you are passionate about entrepreneurship.

    Networking

    In addition, the mentors, organisers, judges and other workers in the space bring a great level of experience to the table. If I were to give one piece of advice to any entrepreneur it would be “Be seen and heard, constantly”. This doesn’t mean you should bug everyone you can while they are eating lunch – it’s more about paying attention to the advice they choose to share. Ask all the questions you need answered and get to know them. If you meet some amazing people at these events, get their details and arrange a time (yes, on the spot) to catch up in the future for a casual chat. It’s these moments when you are in the same environment that will be the easiest to connect, just by pure proximity and similar interests.

    The next time Startup Weekend rolls around I strongly recommend you get on the list. It will be an experience like no other, where you will understand a lot about yourself in a quick timeframe. You will meet many other inspiring people, and the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

    Like Startups? You should follow me on Twitter.

  • Nov 11

    The UX Behind Barkles UI

    For as long as I can remember I have questioned why things have been done a certain way and what other approach they could take. In its simplest form UX is just that – questioning why things are done a certain way and making them more fluid for the user.

    What Is UX?

    User experience as it stands is not just a great UI (User interface) or functionality. It’s about the experience for the user as they click-through, try on, purchase, run between and more (Wikipedia – User experience (UX) is about how a person feels about using a product, system or service). It’s how they connect. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to ignore or overlook a great UX due to:

    • Designer/Developer is too close to the product and can’t see it from a new users point of view
    • UX is hard to do correctly based on the many viewpoints
    • There is no manual – it’s often just what you feel by using the product
    • User feedback is ignored
    • The developers, designers and general team aren’t using their own product

    By taking into account the importance of a great UX early on, you can start baking core principles into your design, functionality and concepts. This will help build the foundation of your platform just in the same way Apple represents brilliant design simplicity. At the start of development the UX will be directed to how you feel using your own product.

    A Live Example

    EDIT: Barkles.com has been updated – check it out now!

    I always find it important to give a working example to provide clarity to the visual readers. So I will dive into my recently launched startup Barkles and point out a few things I did early on that fed into functionality, marketing and the end result.

    Barkles is a side by side platform for debates. The premise is simple – show side by side debating with commenting sections. Based on the simplicity, I wanted the design and functionality to stand out – to be harder to instantly replicate. In that, we also had to build the functionality to the same professional level.

    A Barkles Dogfight

    As you can see above, the Barkles Dogfight interface is simple. Yet, there is enough functionality to get involved and share your opinion, view Dogtags (profiles) & throw Bones. The design gets out-of-the-way of the user and allows them to get involved in the discussion.

    Scrolling Context

    The experience with functionality replicates this. The Dogfight Starter that stretches the full width of the centered area follows the discussion. When you scroll down the page it comes with you – constantly keeping the debate in context. This in itself is a powerful UX addition as it keeps the user focused on the point of the debate further they go down the page.

    The Dogfight Starter fixes to the top of the browser window

    The Quick Scan

    The page width also helps out in creating a simpler and more enjoyable UX. We could have easily let the width spread the full side of the page so the responses had more room, but this would have required much more involved left-right scanning of the debates themselves. By keeping it center aligned and focusing on a smaller width it allows the user to follow the debate easily by scanning each side with minimal eye movement. Below is a wider mockup which is uncomfortable to read in comparison (click to view the larger image).

    A quick mockup of a larger width area Dogfight

    Simplicity With Colour

    Other elements that enhance the user experience are the simple coloured lines next to the avatars. These lines reinforce the different sides of the debate. This simple, yet effective addition is noticeable when taken out:

    Different coloured lines taken away from each side

    As you can see, even with the Agree and Disagree buttons labeling each side the lack of coloured lines blurs the lines between the sides. It’s only a subtle difference, but enough to ‘feel’ confusing or messy as the user scrolls down the page. The colours also break up the grey/blue themed page and add some character.

    Try The Functionality

    Now, while this article focuses mainly on design aspects, it’s important to note the underlying functionality that supports the UI/UX. The quick loading and simple interface functions well, and great care has been taken to enhance the experience of adding an opinion. From text-shadow, input box drop down to hover box-shadow, everything has been put in place for a stronger (and easier) experience for the user.

    While I could talk about the functionality for a while, it’s better for you to get a hands on feel of how it works. View this Dogfight and get a feel for the experience we have crafted – http://barkl.es/tdSLU8.

    I hope that these insights have given you a few ideas or at least an in-depth look at a Barkles Dogfight and the UX behind it. In future articles I will go into more detail about other pages of the Barkles platform.

    If you have any questions just give me a shout me on Twitter.

  • Aug 15

    Dan Shipper – Founder Of DomainPolish.com – Inspiring Entrepreneurs Interview

    In this Inspiring Entrepreneurs Interview I spoke with Dan Shipper, the founder of DomainPolish. As a programmer for 10 years and a Freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, this young entrepreneur is making a big impact in the online technology scene.

    Diesel Laws: Hi Dan, it’s great to be able to chat with you. For those who aren’t familiar with DomainPolish.com please explain what it is.

    Dan Shipper: Hey Diesel, thanks it’s great to be here! So DomainPolish.com is a really simple way for anyone to get instant feedback on their website from average end users. Basically it’s like an on-demand focus group for your site. It’s a really simple way for you to know whether people understand what your value proposition is, what your branding is, and find out how they feel about the service you’re offering e.g. Whether they would use it, if they would recommend it to their friends etc.

    DL: Great! I first noticed DomainPolish through HackerNews. How did HackerNews help in getting Domain Polish off the ground?

    DS: I’ve been something of a Hacker News addict for a really long time now, so the process that I went through in developing DomainPolish was heavily influenced by everything that’s written there in terms of the lean startup model and the customer development process. I literally conceived of, built and released the first version in less than a week. But beyond that, Hacker News has been an integral part of the DomainPolish user base from launch. When I first finished the project I posted it to HN and got a good amount of feedback but no sales. Then after about two days where no one had bought anything I got two sales back to back. The second person who bought it, Iain McQueen, decided to write a blog post that became very popular on HN, and the sales started rolling in. From there I’ve written a few blog posts which the community has found interesting, and I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback, and met a lot of people over the last week or so from there.

    DL: I have been following along and watching you literally document the progress through HackerNews/Blog Posts – it’s a very impressive and honest marketing campaign – did you plan that from the outset?

    DS: No not at all. It’s been a habit for me to submit projects that I’ve completed to HN for a while. I’ve also done a few other blog posts in the past documenting other experiences I’ve had with successful projects that the community has seemed to like. But after Iain’s post became popular and I started seeing some success I realized that I probably had a story that people would be interested in and could learn from. So I wrote a few posts about it and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s been a clear decision for me to just be open and transparent about the whole process because a. I think it’s really interesting and I wish there were more people doing it and b. I have nothing to lose by doing it, in fact I think it’s been a huge help to my business both from a marketing perspective and just because I get to talk to a lot of really smart people who give great feedback.

    DL: It’s incredibly inspiring to learn from someone being right in the trenches. And you’re quite young too, do you find it hard to juggle between college and business?

    DS: Striking a balance is definitely something that I’ve had to think about in the past. I’ve been coding for about 10 years, and have done a number of software businesses starting in high school so I’ve been pretty good at managing it in the past. It definitely got a little tougher over the past few months as I started seeing more success, especially last semester interviewing at Y Combinator. But I think overall it’s been very doable.

    DL: Yes, the entrepreneurial mind never switches off! When did you know you wanted to become an entrepreneur?

    DS: I get that question a lot and to be honest, I don’t remember. It was very early on which is why I started programming. Knowing how to code is the only way that a 10-year-old programmer can produce something people want in a scalable way for free.

    DL: Do you think a good education is important for entrepreneurs?

    DS: Well I think in order to answer that question you would have to define what a good education is. Certainly you don’t need a college degree to be a good entrepreneur – a good education as it applies to entrepreneurship can easily just consist of practical experience. Beyond just practical experience though, if you want to define a good education as coming from college, I think college provides a lot of room for an entrepreneur to meet new people, explore new fields of interest and invest time in learning about things that have nothing to do with business. I think it’s really important to be well-rounded and well-educated. But the question is, at what cost? For some people, the college experience may not be worth the debt it incurs. So is it a necessary requirement? Absolutely not. Do I feel like I’m getting a lot out of school as an entrepreneur, but more importantly, as a person? Absolutely yes.

    DL: Very true. You do have to work out what is right for you as an individual. What do you have planned next for DomainPolish?

    DS: Well I have a new release which was supposed to come out tonight, but I’ve been getting bogged down taking it from 95% done to ready-to-ship. There’s just a lot of little things that need to be taken care of. The new release has a ton of new features, including complete start-to-finish order automation, awesome visualizations of the feedback you get, and the ability to send the usability surveys out to friends and family so you can get quantifiable feedback from people you know in addition to feedback from the cloud.

    DL: It is definitely worth taking the time to get it just right. Once the new version comes out where do you think you’ll take it?

    DS: Yes, I’m sort of taking this one step at a time, so if this release is well received I’ll look into continuing to expand the brand and turning it into a real company. I know there’s a need out there for something like this. It really depends on whether or not I can cost-effectively target the sales channels that reach the target customer for this service. Its biggest problem is that many people look at the feedback as a one and done type of thing. So I’ll either have to continually find new users which is extraordinarily difficult and expensive to do, or figure out a way to provide enough value and change consumer mindset enough to make it into a subscription model.

    DL: That’s an incredible insight into where you are taking DomainPolish. I really look forward to following your progress with it. What’s your one tip for entrepreneurs just starting out?

    I've boiled down my methodology for doing projects like this to just three words: Build. Release. Iterate. - Dan Shipper

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    DL: Thanks so much for taking some time out of your hectic schedule to chat with me Dan. I’m really keen to see where DomainPolish takes you.

    DS: Hey, no problem! It was a pleasure talking to you. Thanks for thinking of me for the interview.

    Connect with Dan Shipper via Twitter @danshipper and make sure you check out DomainPolish.com. You can also follow @diesellaws.

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  • Aug 13

    Pablo Villalba – Founder Of Teambox.com – Inspiring Entrepreneurs Interview

    In this Inspiring Entrepreneurs Interview I spoke with Pablo Villalba, the founder of Teambox. Moving into CEO position, Pablo now handles Product Design, Marketing, Programming and Sales in his 15-person-strong company.

    Diesel Laws: Hi Pablo, I really appreciate being able to talk with you today. For those who aren’t familiar with Teambox, can you please shed some light on what it is.

    Pablo Villalba: Thanks Diesel, great to chat. Teambox.com is a Project Management Software that allows users to collaborate online. You can create your own projects and share tasks and files with your group in a centralized way.

    D: Teambox is a fantastic tool (we use it for Barkles). Where did the idea come from to start building Project Management Software?

    P: Well, I felt the need for it myself when working with some friends. We worked remotely, and one night a VIP client asked for an urgent delivery, so he emailed all of us. That night we all worked long hours, and only in the morning we realized we’d all been doing the same piece of work!

    D: Oh wow, ouch!

    P: So I thought, we all have the internet so there has to be a way to coordinate ourselves better. I looked around for tools, but they were either too complex (for the enterprise) or too limited, targeting only parts of the job. So, being a developer, I decided to write my own. A few months later I launched it publicly and started working on it professionally.

    D: Did you run into any heavy learning curves, or were you already pretty efficient with the code base?

    P: Definitely, quite a lot, it was a pain to get started. I hired a couple of freelancers to help me with it since I wasn’t good with Ruby or web apps back then. Over time I realised I needed to master my own tools and spent 2 full months learning Ruby on Rails and JavaScript. For the first few months I developed most of the product myself.

    D: Smart move, I can see those 2 months learning paid off!

    P: Haha yes, it definitely helps setting the right direction with our coders! Today we are a 15 person team, and although I don’t code as much as I’d like to, I can still estimate very well how hard something is or find better solutions to our problems.

    D: Some entrepreneurs recommend to bring in a great team instead of trying to build the whole product yourself. Did you consider getting others to build it?

    P: It’s a valid approach too. I think that you should focus on what you’re great at and find people who are smarter than you to do the parts that you don’t do so well. In my case, my strength was product design and understanding the user. I did the programming in the early days but today our developers are more advanced than I am. You’d be a fool to think you can’t find somebody who’s better than you at something. And if that person is out there, why shouldn’t you hire him/her to help you out?

    D: Great viewpoint. It really speaks volume about the strength of your team. How did you secure the name Teambox?

    P: Having the right name is something very important. It helps you search for yourself, track your mentions, and it helps people remember you. You don’t want to build a site with a name impossible to write down or remember – I know some people have to spell their product names over the phone every single time! So I looked around to find good names. Teambox.com was free and we all loved it, so I bought the domain name for it from its original owner and launched it.

    D: It was a great choice – descriptive and simple to remember. I can sense you mentor your team well with your understanding of the user. Do you work closely with mentors who have built businesses before?

    P: Yes, I do. I like to hear both the success stories and the failure stories – there’s always things you can learn. Other founders and developers have inspired me greatly with their work and stories.

    D: It is very inspiring to connect with others doing a similar thing to yourself – especially all over the world.

    P: Thanks! I also enjoy to follow projects like yours and watching them grow.

    D: So from this point on, where do you plan on taking Teambox?

    P: Today we’re 15 people strong and have a nice number of customers. We’d like to grow our user base up to 5 million users during the following years and keep the product ahead in features and usability. We really want Teambox to be the place where you go to get things done, and help people like you work better every day.

    D: Do you have any exclusive features planned you can tell us about?

    P: Next month we’ll start shipping our iPhone and iPad versions. The iPad one is really amazing, I’d recommend you to keep an eye on that! And one more thing… our next release is loaded with JavaScript goodness and it’s very fast. It’s coming out in September, can’t wait for it to be ready!

    D: From someone who uses Teambox almost daily I’m really looking forward to it! I’ve also had a sneak peek at your redesign, can you share your thoughts on your visual direction for the next release?

    P: We’re shifting the focus from a project view to a user view. Most tools today are focused on “what’s going on in this project”, but what you really want to know is “what do I have to know about this project”. By showing you just what you need, you can be a lot more productive. And that’s something you’ll find all over the new design.

    D: Any chance you can show the readers a sneak peek?

    P: Sure, you’ve twisted my arm!

    D: Thank you so much for sharing the screenshots. Your choice to take Teambox to a user-centric system sounds like a much more streamlined and focused platform. Now I’m sure you have many, but what’s your one tip for Entrepreneurs?

    Don't just assume what your users want. Get out there and learn their deepest pains, and then build exactly what they need. - Pablo Villalba

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    D: Pablo, thank you so much for this great interview for Inspiring Entrepreneurs. It’s incredible to be able to get the inside scoop on Teambox and also be inspired by you.

    P: You’re welcome. I’m looking forward to your next steps with Barkles!

    Connect with Pablo Villalba via Twitter @micho and make sure you check out Teambox.com. You can also follow @diesellaws.

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  • Aug 11

    Tyson Lundbech – Founder Of RentWant.com – Inspiring Entrepreneurs Interview

    For the first Inspiring Entrepreneurs Interview I chatted with Tyson Lundbech, the founder of RentWant. Being a facilitator of Startup Weekend Australia and launching RentWant.com only yesterday, we had a lot to discuss in the way of entrepreneurship.

    Diesel Laws: Hi Tyson, thank you for taking the time to chat with me today, I know things must be pretty busy! So to kick start this interview, tell us all a bit about RentWant.

    Tyson Lundbech: Hi Diesel, thanks. RentWant is a location-based peer-to-peer renting service. We focus on location through the use of mobile devices to create real interactions within your community.

    D: So you are fresh off yesterdays launch, congratulations! How long did it take to get a minimal viable product?

    T: Thank you! It took us about a month – actually probably a bit longer than a month. It was a sideways step from another project. Do you like it?

    D: Love it. It’s a great concept and execution and I really like the domain. Did you pivot quite a lot to get to that idea?

    T: Yeah, it was more of a complete sidestep than a pivot. But it’s something I’m really into so I love it.

    D: Great! When you had the idea for RentWant, did you plan it out before acting on it, or did you quickly create a working version?

    T: I guess I acted immediately. I received instant validation and support through peers and my network so I started building a basic model, with the plan of just shipping some product just get something out there. We have actually had a really good response in the two days we’ve been live. We have customers in San Francisco, New York, Australia, New Zealand and even Paris.

    D: Fantastic to see you already have a worldwide customer base. Were you always planning on worldwide attention?

    T: You know, I figure the internet is global so there’s no reason why we can’t work anywhere. As long as someone wants to rent something from someone else – RentWant will be there.

    D: Some entrepreneurs believe it’s better to focus on a local market before branching out. Did you consider this avenue?

    T: Yes, I have thought about it in great depth; channelling your energy on a targeted market – almost like a focus group to bring the product to life. I think it depends on the DNA of the product. RentWant has organically grown to be where the people want it.

    D: Organic growth is good. What helped you with getting RentWant off the ground?

    T: Blood, sweat and tears – sometimes all at once. Also Charlie the squirrel @rentwant helped – He’s a legend!

    D: Is it just you, or do you have a team of people working on RentWant?

    T: Yeah, there’s Frosty (he likes to surf) and also some silent support who wish to stay unnamed.

    D: Lol, no worries. Your secret is safe with everyone who reads this interview. So quite simply, how can customers use RentWant?

    T: At the moment the MVP is about creating the basics of the RentWant services. Users can visit RentWant.com on their computer to upload items they want to rent. They can visit RentWant.com on their portable device to see the listings of what is being rented around them.

    D: Is there a percentage that RentWant takes off the rental price?

    T: Yes we take %15 to keep things going.

    D: That makes sense. With all the startups and crazy valuations lately, Do you think we are in a tech bubble?

    T: Yeah, the valuations are crazy but the world is in a pretty crazy place right now. The internet offers us the ability to trade and communicate in innovative ways and disrupt the archaic methods. We are pushing new boundaries every day and it’s just the start.

    D: Definitely. There is quite a lot of disruption happening everywhere. It’s actually very inspiring.

    T: It’s so awesome. Being a facilitator for Startup Weekend in Australia and seeing the real grass root passion is amazing. I want to bet on Australia as the underdog in the tech scene.

    D: Agreed. A lot of tech buzz is happening from Australia right now. Tell me more about your experiences with Startup Weekend.

    T: So I decided to go to San Francisco to follow the startup passion. I went to all the big conferences and presented an earlier startup I was working on. Then I found Startup Weekend and ended up winning 2 events in SF and NYC. I headed to Israel to participate in an event there and then thought “Australia needs this!”. So I facilitated the New Zealand event and then moved onto the Melbourne event.

    D: That’s pretty incredible, congratulations on winning two events! Do you have any tips for entrepreneurs wanting to start their own company?

    Do it. Keep doing it. Don't listen to the people who say you can't do it. Keep doing it again and again. - Tyson Lundbech

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    D: Thanks so much for chatting with me today Tyson, I really appreciate it. I wish you all the best for RentWant.com.

    T: Thanks Diesel!

    Connect with Tyson Lundbech via Twitter @tysonlundbech and make sure you check out RentWant.com. You can also follow @diesellaws.

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  • Aug 10

    10 Critical Steps To Naming Your App

    So you’ve just come up with the greatest app idea and now you need a name. Do you take the old pen and paper route or do you look for what’s available in the digital world? Let’s walk-through the 10 critical steps to naming your app.

    The Simple Idea:
    Side by side discussion platform.

    1. Know The Idea Inside Out

    Take the time to get to know the idea in detail. Bounce off the people in your team, the path the business is travelling on and who you are planning on marketing to. This will help you formulate the brand in a much better light for the target audience.

    The Detailed Idea:
    A side by side discussion and debating platform similar to a commenting system. Marketing will be directed to corporate and general users. The team will be focusing on early iteration, organic growth and rapid feedback development.

    2. Keywords Are King

    Once you know the business idea inside and out formulate a list of keywords that simply describe the app. For this I use the notes on my iPhone, but it really could be any piece of software that allows typing. You could use a pen and paper, but it’s not that easy to copy and paste from a physical notepad.

    Keywords:
    Discussion, Debate, Conversation, Agree, Disagree, Like & Dislike.

    3. The Digital Brainstorm

    Now that we have our descriptive keywords, work with them one by one in a tool like nxdom.com and browse the Thesaurus. I used nxdom to string together keywords with random beginnings or endings and often find something I like. While this tool is supposed to find available domains occasionally a claimed one surfaces – just make sure you check for available names with a domain service like Hostmonster.

    During Brainstorm:
    “Dogfight” was found during research (similar to debate). This lead me down the path to a dog themed name.
    Winner: barkles.com

    4. Add On The Non-Descriptive

    Having no luck with the descriptive keywords or wanting something non-descriptive? Add in some random words (or even just some letters) to get some interesting results. Try with ending letters such as ‘ly’, ‘es’, ‘ing’, ‘on’ and ‘le’.

    5. Check The Social

    Once you’ve found an available domain name celebrate a little, then quickly move on to checking the social platforms to see how available it is. As long as you have the domain name, it won’t matter too much if you slightly change it up for your social networks. Use a service like namechk.com to see which services have your name available.

    Twitter: @barklesapp
    (All other social services have been aligned with barklesapp)

    6. Does It Fit?

    Now just before you get too fixated on the app name, take a step back and work out if it’s right for your idea. Pay attention to the readability, the memorability and also how easy it is to spell/say.

    Back To The Detailed Idea:
    A side by side discussion and debating platform = 9/10.
    Readability and Memorability = 9/10.
    Spelling & Saying = 8/10.  [pronounced: Bark-ools]

    7. Talk To Your Team

    Take a moment to share the proposed name to the team. They will often give you unexpected feedback that can help your decision going forward (i.e. Companies that already have a similar name, words that rhyme and connotations that you weren’t aware of).

    8. Secure It

    Secure the domain and all the social services you need in one swoop.

    9. The Logo

    While many may point out that a logo isn’t part of naming your app, I beg to differ. 9 times out of 10 your clients will see your app name in logo form before anything else. If your logo is hard to read or confusing your well-chosen name will be lost.

    10. Putting It All Together

    These 10 steps are usually completed within a couple of hours to a few days depending on your team. Take the time to get a great name, domain and logo so your app has a stronger chance at surviving amongst the million and one other companies (even with just a coming soon page).

    How Did You Name Your App?

    Share your feedback in the comments below.

  • Aug 09

    Why I Can’t Stop Redesigning My Website

    As designers we are constantly taught (subconsciously) to pick apart what doesn’t work, what looks wrong, what problems are apparent and then go about fixing them to the best of our ability. In many aspects, we all chase that impossible goal of perfection. What seems beautiful one week will be outdated the next in the ever vicious cycle.

    That’s the good news. The bad news is that we have a ridiculous amount of tools at our disposal to chase this goal in an incredible time frame. What used to take designers years to accomplish now takes hours (or even minutes) in the quest for the most beautiful thing ever seen.

    It’s with these tools that I find myself connected to the code day in and day out, constantly changing sides of the viewing glass. Now years after my first encounter with a PC it only takes one stumble around the web to uncover a new website design or feature – which lures me deep into coding until the early hours of the morning. One day my website will look like a well fed tech-thoughts blog; The next, a minimal chasm of hidden lines and heavy white space.

    This deep obsession with redesigning and reinventing has gone on for years and as each skill develops, so too does my passion to recreate.

    My curse is my gift and I know I’m not alone. There are millions like me chasing that eye-popping and inspiring landing page or the perfectly laid out gallery. My blurry vision reminds me of the designs that were wiped away and the white-noise silence of the morning hovers around me like a late project deadline.

    Even though I know the impossibilities of reaching that perfect redesign, I secretly enjoy feeding the beast within.

    The Matrix has me and it’s not letting go. I welcome it’s grasp.

  • Aug 01

    Open Letter To An Entrepreneur

    I like to think that I’m ready to tackle the big challenges of building a startup like funding, marketing, team building and more. But I’m not. I’m happy to fight in the trenches (and change the design every week), but when it comes to running across the battlefield, I’m shit scared.

    Hey Diesel, get over it.

    I’ve been reading recently about the entrepreneurs who build successful companies better after failures. In fact, my whole life I have been preparing for big challenges and have changed my mindset to accept failure as a positive form of growth. I actually enjoy the challenge of failure and get excited by change.

    But even still, there’s that niggling feeling pulling me back into the trenches, telling me to focus on defeating the enemy with long-range tactics.

    Hey Diesel, get out of the house.

    While I do feel that in many cases building the product is more important than talking about the product, I know now is the time to step up. Now is the time to take to the battlefield, meet other entrepreneurs, build connections with Angels and VC’s, inspire others to join our team and get the Barkles name out there.

    Hey Diesel, stop waiting for them to come to you.

    I know. It’s imperative I change my ways and jump into this head on. And it’s not like I haven’t been pushing for this day to come.

    Hey Diesel, just do it.

    You’re right. I have been striving for this day ever since I knew I wanted to build a business. But-

    Hey Diesel, no more excuses.

  • Jul 16

    Googletron – Mastering The Universe One Product At A Time [PIC]

    Over the years, Google has been advancing on many fronts with some basic, advanced and incredible products. So what happens when you bring them all together with the help of Google+? Enter Googletron – The Google + Voltron mix that is mastering the universe (and we’re letting it).

    Voltron is the titular super robot of an anime series that features a team of young pilots, known as the Voltron Force. The team’s individual vehicles join together to form the giant super robot, with which they defend the galaxy from evil.

    While not every product will be connected to Google+, Google is working on creating a central system (complete with their own browser) which will allow access to every one of their products under the sun with one click/one profile entry.

    Are you sure?

    1. Just have a look around at the Google products. Most of them are getting updated, small to large redesigns, some are getting merged and re-branded into the Google+ system and more.
    2. I would. If I were at the helm of Google this is exactly what I would be aiming for. One central place to have everything connected. It just makes sense.

    Let’s just hope Google Apps users get profiles before 2020.

    And just for fun, here is Voltron’s original opening titles:


    What do you think?

    Are Google about to Master the Universe?

  • Jul 08

  • Jul 06

    Not Bad vs Good Thanks – The Power Of Positive Response

    When someone says Hello, how are you?, which response is the first to mind, Not Bad or Good Thanks?

    If your first response is “Not Bad“, don’t worry, you’re not alone. More people often than not reply with the exact same response. But have you ever stopped to consider the negative impact you may be bringing to the exchange?

    NOT

    The definition of Not is: Used to express negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition (adverb). In short, it’s a word used to describe a blocking or negative situation. Leading your conversation with ‘Not‘ may be commonplace, but often it’s detrimental  in generating a flow on discussion.

    BAD

    The definition of Bad is: Not good in any manner or degree (adjective). Bad is just one of those words that sounds bad no matter how you may try to spin it. By preceding this word with Not, we get a double negative cancellation, and start our discussion with a flat response.

    But things get interesting when we our first response is “Good, thanks“. If said in the right tone, with a slight hint of excitement it can open up the discussion by intrigue, often leading to a more beneficial exchange.

    GOOD

    The definition of Good is: Morally excellent; virtuous; righteous (adjective). In essence, the word Good describes a positive emotion, thought or feeling, which extends into our discussion. By leading with Good we openly encourage positivity and motivate the discussion to advance.

    THANKS

    The definition of Thanks is: To express gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment (verb). Ending your response with Thanks has double the value. First, it acknowledges the person asking for their question and second, it solidifies the first positive response allowing the discussion to start on a strong, open ground.

    By switching your response from “Not Bad” to “Good Thanks” you will find yourself becoming enlightened allowing the conversation to flow easier. If you are feeling down, try responding with “Good Thanks” to the caring question to coach your mind back to a more positive place.

    TRY THIS: Go one week without saying “Not Bad”, then move on to 2 weeks and so on until it is completely removed from your conversations. Let me know how you go in the comments.

  • Jun 13

    Rip It, Rebuild It & Release It

    Heraclitus was an ancient Greek philosopher who lived about 100 years before Plato. Although only fragments of his book remain, one of his most famous quotes, “The only thing that is constant is change” lives on strong.

    The true nature of this quote is to embrace change, of all kinds. By embracing change, we can learn to accept the world we live in and in doing so, allow our minds to flow creatively without fear or interruption.

    While it may sound simple to some, accepting a world where change is constant can scare so many. Below, I have broken it down to the 3 R’s of how the cycle of change occurs within all aspects of life.

    You are welcome to save and share this image

    RIP

    We rip apart everything we see, touch and feel.

    We rip into a new phone, the design of a website and the way someone responds to what we say.

    We can’t expect to move forward without first ripping into the current system and revealing what works and what doesn’t.

    REBUILD

    We rebuild after ripping apart the system.

    We rebuild the product, rebuild the structure and rebuild the core.

    We inspire to rebuild historic elements, desire to rebuild current directions and aspire to rebuild the pathways to our future.

    RELEASE

    We release after we rebuild the elements.

    We release the latest version of the product, release the greatest update and release the rebuilt mental direction.

    It is only after we release that we can start the cycle all over again.

    It is with this simplistic overview that we can truly structure our lives to accept change and understand how others view the world. Society has always, and will forever rip apart something new, work to rebuild the elements and release it again to continue the cycle.

  • Jun 02

    Bootstrap Your Startup With Teambox

    With any startup, there is a 99% chance you will need a co-editing platform to add tasks, documents and files on the go. The great thing for anyone bootstrapping is that an account with Teambox handles all that! Here is a rough breakdown on how Rhys (Lead Developer) and I (Founder/CEO) use Teambox for our startup, Barkles.com.

    The Task List

    The Task List is where Teambox shines. With ours, we have broken up what we need to do in Alpha, Beta and Live timeframes and can create tasks by simply adding a title and some information about what we need to do. We can also add images/documents into the task if needed. The biggest benefit from using this setup is that every time we update a task or add a new one and assign it, the other person gets notified via email (and can reply via email!).

    To the left is a view of one of our tasks expanded. As I come from a design background (CSS) and Rhys comes from a developer background (PHP) we are able to handle different sections of each task simultaneously. By using Teambox we can communicate when the next section is ready to go. Quick but structured communication.

     

    Pages

    Another really useful thing about Teambox is the pages area. We can add pages of information/images/attachments with ease. While we could have gone with Google Docs exclusively we decided the layout (and overview) was far better in Teambox. As you can see, we have quite a bit of information evenly laid out so we can document from the early days onwards. Many startups have very little documentation from the early stages (we wanted it for Barkles).

    Being design orientated I really wanted a history of the website design evolution. Using a page within Teambox we added the first mockups, wrote a small piece about the design and included the date. We can already see the dramatic difference between our more recent designs and the first Photoshop concepts created in Nov 2010. Keeping things like this documented is important so you don’t repeat the same mistakes with the design/UI and also so you can keep a track on how far your website has evolved. Plus, in the future you have no idea how important these designs may become (e.g. Early Apple and Google designs give great insight).

    Conversations

    When we need to discuss things that aren’t really a task (but are related to Barkles), we open up the conversation tab and start typing. This is either an update, advice, praise or any issues we have encountered. If we find that during the discussion it starts to become something ideal for a task, we simply Convert to Task. We often use Skype for quick discussions, but if there is anything that relates to the website in terms of errors, thoughts and updates we post it through Teambox.

    Remember that if you plan to grow your company you will have more than 2 people in the future, so it’s helpful if they have all the past discussions about the current tasks they are working on.

    Teambox has a lot more features (especially for Pro) but hopefully that gives you an idea of how we use Teambox for our startup and how you can too.

    By the way, make sure you get on the list for our startup Barkles.com – The Place for Short Debates

  • May 31

    10 Timesaving Gmail Labs Addons

    Are you using Gmail? Then you definitely need to check out some of these incredible time-saving addons from the Labs that will enhance your email experience. For those that don’t know, “Gmail Labs is a testing ground for experimental features that aren’t quite ready for primetime.” Google goes on to say that they may change, break or disappear at any time, but so far they have all been very stable addons.

    To Enable any of these addons head to the Mail Settings Icon in Gmail (Top right ‘Cog’) and then click on Labs.

    Background Send

    Background Send does exactly what it sets out to do, and no more. It’s an important addon that can speed up your time and actions. Simply write or reply to an email, click send and you will be sent straight back to your inbox while your message sends in the background. As long as you don’t log out your message will send in the background while you continue checking other emails.

    Google Calendar Gadget

    If you use Google Calendar, this little addon will be very convenient. When Enabled, a small Google Calendar Gadget will appear to the left hand side of your Gmail, sitting under your chat box. Default view will show your upcoming appointments with the ability to add more directly in the sidebar. You can also enable a mini calendar which will give you a great overview of how your month is looking.

    Google Docs Previews in Mail

    Google Docs are handy, but clicking away from your mailbox just to view them is an extra step I’d rather cut out. Google Docs Previews shows previews of documents, spreadsheets and presentations directly in the email when you receive any link to a Google Doc. If you choose, you can also go directly to the Google Doc with the link provided. Brilliant.

    Mark As Read Button

    Although Mark As Read is already in the drop down More Actions, it’s a time saver having it as a solo button. Just quickly select all those annoying newsletters you don’t have time to read and Mark As Read. Simple. You could also use Unsubscribe.com.

    Message Sneak Peek

    Message Sneak Peek is a brilliant timesaver, when you remember to use it. Just enable this addon and right-click any message in your inbox to peek into the message (in a popup overlay). Perfect for skimming a list of emails without marking them as read.

    Move Icon Column

    The Move Icon Column addon moves all the attachments and other icons to the left hand side, so it’s easier to find items. This also adds a nice bit of white space in front of your From column which just breaks everything up nicely. Simple addon, but very effective.

    Navbar Drag and Drop

    You know that Google Calendar Gadget we added earlier? Well now you have a way to move that around and place it on top of the chat box. If you have other items in your Navbar, now you can move them all up or down depending on what suits you. Another simple, but effective addon that keeps your inbox clean and organised.

    Title Tweaks

    This little addon is the cream of the crop. This will tweak your title from Your Mail – Inbox (20) to Inbox (20)… showing you straight away when you have new email without even switching the tab. If you like to keep your Gmail open while you browse around the net this is definitely the addon for you.

    Unread Message Icon

    If you would prefer not to tweak your title you can always add this little nifty addon, a small message favicon that changes when you receive email. It’s a very simple change but overall an important timesaver.

    Custom Keyboard Shortcuts

    Personally, I prefer to mouse my way through everything – but if you love your keyboard and are used to shortcuts then this will help you speed up your processes. Simply map a key to an action and away you go. Couldn’t be simpler.

    —

    Although I have only listed 10, there are many more great addons in Gmail Labs.

    What Gmail Labs addons do you use?

  • May 30

    ROI Is Not Spelt M.O.N.E.Y.

    Money, money, money.

    When I hear about ROI it’s connected and described as money. But that’s not what ROI is all about. Return On Investment (ROI) is “A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiency of a number of different investments.” – according to Investopedia.

    When a person connects ROI and Social Media, they often refer to the amount of sales they will receive from their latest campaign. They are focusing only on the Return and ignoring the Investment. Strong investments are not get rich quick schemes; they are constantly maintained and monitored investments that hone in on the best present and future gains.

    Think of a simple rental investment. Once you purchase the house, you spend time making it look nice and finding the right tenants for the place. Over the years you continually maintain it and keep it in good shape and every so often update it to fit the current standards. By the time you sell it, there is a good chance (based on the previous years care) that you will get a bigger return than what you initially invested.

    Your Return On Investment in Social Media if done correctly, can continue to provide you with great results on a continuous basis. But it will only work if you really care for your investment (fans) by providing advice, maintenance and updates for the months that follow. Remember, Youtube video’s can stay around for years!

    Moving money to the side, here are the most powerful ROI’s that you can gain from Social Media:

    • Continuous communication with fans
    • Customer written blog posts about great experiences
    • Photos and Videos of incredible customer service
    • Positive brand recommendations
    • Modern understanding of what the clients want
    • Thankyou’s from clients in the public eye
    • Respect for allowing fans to communicate with you
    • A general sense that company cares about the customer voice
    • Honest and raw feedback

    In many cases, these returns will provide for you longer than financial avenues. They will build the stories that craft your brand into a household name and give you a great public image to boot. Brown fizzy soft drink is not exactly something that gets me excited. But seeing Coke continually push the boundaries of social engagement, connection and human development is. By focusing your honest attention to your customers you can build revenue streams far bigger than those with only traditional push marketing.

    Channels of sale are important, but they pale in comparison to an investment into your customers.