A Thought on The Creative Process

By On January 10, 2012 In Uncategorized With No Comments Permanent Link to A Thought on The Creative ProcessPermalink

Creating, or being part of a creative process is rarely a seamless activity. There are a number of factors that can make or break a project – particularly when there are numerous people involved in the process. Web Design and Development is one of the areas I have gained reasonable experience in, especially working with others to deliver a product. Throughout this experience I have worked with designers of all skill levels, different people liasing with clients, adapted existing sites into content management systems and designed for other developers. Each new project brings a new set of problems to solve in order to deliver the best result; however, here are my thoughts on what can help a project to run well when working with others.

Esentially, it all comes down to one point: every project has constraints

Each person involved in a project gets involved for different reasons. Maybe you are a designer with a keen eye for detail. Maybe you are a developer who values optimisation and clean code, or maybe you are a project manager who, at the end of the day, just wants the client to be happy. Not that all of these approaches are mutually exclusive, but generally everyone has a different focus. The key thing that determines which of these is dominant are the project constraints. Maybe its time, maybe its the budget – but theres always factors that determine how a project gets done, what gets cut and what makes it.

When working in a team during this process its crucial that everyone understands the constraints of a project, and understands the limitations and perspective of the other people in the team. Without this mutual understanding, projects can fall over or people leave disatisfied with the end result – something that no creative person likes.

Acute Radiation Syndrome – Educational Video with AfterEffects

By On January 7, 2012 In Uncategorized With No Comments Permanent Link to Acute Radiation Syndrome – Educational Video with AfterEffectsPermalink

Late last year some group members and I (see credits) put together this educational video on what happens to the body during Acute Radiation Syndrome.

This is the first time I have used Adobe AfterEffects. I was very impressed by its usability and features which made creating this video a lot simpler than in a program like Flash.

I don’t think ‘enjoy’ is the right word, but I hope you appreciate this video.

2011 Websites Wrapup

WETM Website
By On December 28, 2011 In Joomla With No Comments Permanent Link to 2011 Websites WrapupPermalink

2011 has been a big year of developing a wide range of websites for various people.

The year started with the release of the Joomla 1.6 content management system which was the first release on the new Joomla release cycle. I was keen to get into learning about the new features and started developing sites with it straight away. Another great new release was the Seblod component for Joomla which allows for customising databse storage of content. This enables people to create powerful web applications and databases with ease.

2012 is looking to be a great year with the upcoming release of Joomla 2.5 and some big sites of mine to be launched in February.

2011 Sites

Upcoming 2012 sites (Currently under development)

  • Ecolife Solutions
  • Children by Choice
  • Speakers Ink (featuring a full customised content system with Seblod)

For more information about my website development, please see http://www.loudboxmedia.com

Science Communication

By On September 2, 2011 In Social media With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Science CommunicationPermalink

Test tubesAs someone who loves TED and communicating complex messages in easy to undestand terms, I’m baffled by the lack of communication that goes on in the scientific community.

In my opinion, the ‘Ivory Tower’ metaphor for research institutions like universities more than adequately describes the current state of science in our society. However, as we have seen with the Climate Change debate in Australia, theres a crucial need for the communication of complex scientific facts in simple terms.

Scientists face the up-hill battle of having to explain highly technical ideas in easy-to-understand language; while denying politicians are able to present rhetorical arguments to undermine the credibility of their findings and research

A recent article in The Australian featured one scientist who had taken up the opportunity provided by social media to promote his research. University of Sydney’s Simon Chapman hit the nail on the head when he said:

”I just can’t see the point of doing research if no one is going to read it”.

Not only did this effectively communicate his work directly with those who were affected by it, but it also increased sales of his publications.

Dr. Chapman was able to tap into the appreciation that most people have for learning more about scientific discoveries. A recent survey of university students showed that a majority of people (an average of 56%) value scientific understanding, and appreciate that having it is empowering. Similarly, an average of 61% agreed that good science was highly valued in Australia.

In my opinion, the appreciation for scientific knowledge and understanding is present in society. However, the channels of communication that the public pay attention to are under-utilised by scientists.

The simplest and most effective way to increase communuation is to engage and utilize the social media channels that the public uses frequently such as online blogs, videos and podcasts. While new initiatives such as TED have helped to increase interest and understanding of scientific ideas, there is still a long way to go.

Creative commons image

Courier Fail

By On August 30, 2011 In Public Relations With No Comments Permanent Link to Courier FailPermalink

To satisfy an item of assessment for a course I’m doing at university I had to submit a comment on a popular news website in response to one of their news articles. I chose issues relating to the Carbon Tax in Australia since some other pieces that I had written also revolved around that topic. I posted three responses to articles on The Australian and The Courier-Mail. The news items and the comments I posted are listed below:

Item 1

http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/xstrata-buys-up-40000ha-farmland-at-wandoan-for-coal-mine/story-e6freqmx-1226119826096

Comment 1: “This isn’t exactly a “new story”. Sure the specifics are new, but “large company buys agriculture / grazing land” definitely seems like déjà vu. We can’t blame the government or mining companies for the shortcomings in preserving this farming land, but then be outraged at the budget deficit. The extractive sector brings heaps of economic growth and stability to this country’s economy and “budget surplus” is definitely prominent on the agenda. I agree that we need to value the prime farming land in this country, but In order for that to happen, the government should drop its arbitrary deadline for bringing the budget back to surplus. Let’s value farming land and make it more of a priority.”

Item 2

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/steel-push-to-secure-local-jobs-as-julia-gillard-resists-protectionism/story-fn59niix-1226120243132

Comment 2: “Old industries close down and new ones open up; it’s just the way it is. Moving ahead to a cleaner economy is crucial for the future of Australia. We can’t protect everyone’s jobs, address the problems of a changing climate and ensure the longevity of our economic growth at the same time. There will need to be some change with some costs. There is greater long term benefits and viability in transitioning to a cleaner, information economy now. The government should be clearer about those benefits and honest about the costs. They should also play a strong part in helping to re-train people from transitioning industries.”

Item 3

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/carbon-tax-wont-affect-queensland-growth-treasury-modelling-finds/comments-e6freoof-1226120318368

Comment 3: “Why does the government keep shooting themselves in the foot by trying to highlight all the benefits that this tax will have? I don’t have a problem with being short a few extra dollars if it means I live in a country where we are trying to address the problems of a changing climate. Why can’t the government just be realistic and honest about the costs and benefits and move on?  They should make their decision about what they are going to do, and accept that some decisions aren’t going to make them friends!”

I would say that Item 1 and 2 are much more pro-government / not anti-government, while item 3 is distinctly more critical. After failing with my first 2 attempts (Item 1 and 2) I tailored my next response to be more similar to the whingy tone of every other comment that was published on the site. Unsurprisingly Item 3 was the only one of mine that got accepted.

<sarcasm>Good to see that theres room for opposing voices in today’s media, even on a relatively small insignificantly level</sarcasm>

Best Joomla Extensions

By On August 10, 2011 In Joomla With No Comments Permanent Link to Best Joomla ExtensionsPermalink

There are a few extensions that I think no Joomla site can be without. I’ve spent the past few years trawling the Joomla Extensions Directory and these are the best extensions I think for their specific purposes:

Security

There is a fair amount of debate and concern over the security issues of Joomla. Personally, I’ve never encountered any real security problems with my Joomla sites – and there are a few things that you can do to give yourself some added protection:

1. Backup, Backup, Backup

Akeeba Backup is an unparralelled extension in allowing web administrators to make full site backups of their site in seconds.

2. Firewall Protection

I’m not taking any chances when it comes to security so I don’t mind paying the money for a premium extension. When it comes to forking out money for Joomla components, I always feel like I get great value from RSJoomla! – their Firewall component is no exception.

3. Hide the Administrator login section

Brute force attacks can deterred by hiding the Joomla administration login section. Without this component anyone who knows what to look for will be able to append “/administrator” to your site URL and try to log in to your back end. The JSecure component allows you to add an extra layer of security by making this login section slightly more complex.

Site features

Drop-down menus

I’ve spent hours playing with heaps of Joomla modules for drop down menus. This one is by far the best in my opinion for menus that have dynamic width on the submenu items (the longer the text, the longer the menu is): ARI EXT menu

Forms

There are two options for making forms for your website. The first is a premium component from RSJoomla! called RSForm Pro! – this is great for a beginner who just wants an easy form creation wizard to make any type of form for their website. It also has a bunch of neat plugins like adding paypal functionality. Their support is also fantastic.

Another component that I have written elsewhere about is Seblod. Seblod is a little bit more complex than RSForm and the support is kept to a forum / community responses – However, the control it gives you is amazing. If you have the patience and time to figure it out, its definately worthwhile.

So there are a few of my favourite Joomla! extensions. If you can recommend any others that a webmaster can’t be without please leave a comment!

DO something – Soften the Fck Up

By On July 25, 2011 In Good Causes With No Comments Permanent Link to DO something – Soften the Fck UpPermalink

Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to attended the launch of a public health awareness campaign launched by a bunch of guys aimed at preventing men’s suicide rates in Australia.

Lead by a young man named Ehon, the founder of Spur projects, the team has put together a few video’s promoting awareness, built a website and started a campaign called “Soften the Fuck Up“.

The thing that struck me about this is that it’s incredbly high quality work, and is just done by a regular bunch of guys who thought they could make a difference in what they saw to be an extremely unsettling issue.

After leaving the launch I was inspired by the passion and effort that these young men had gone to, and re-inspired me for some projects that I’m working on, namely dowhatyoucan and the West End Twilight Markets.

Find out more about Soften the Fuck Up here: http://www.softenthefckup.com.au

Seblod – Custom Content and Search Types

By On June 19, 2011 In Joomla, Seblod With 6 Comments Permanent Link to Seblod – Custom Content and Search TypesPermalink

This is my first attempt at a screencast. This is what I have learned about how to use Seblod over the past few days of playing with it.

The video will take you through how to create a custom content type with a few different fields, and then create a search based on your content type. This should help you get on your feet with Seblod without all the trial and error!

If you have any questions or need anything else explained, please don’t hesitate to ask. :)

Custom Content for Joomla with SEBLOD

By On June 15, 2011 In Joomla With No Comments Permanent Link to Custom Content for Joomla with SEBLODPermalink

As a web developer / social media type guy I spend a lot of time on the internet. Most of that time is in constant amazement at the skill of other developers and being overwhelmed with the possibilities that are out there. Today however, I stumbled on a particularly noteworthy find – A custom content extension for Joomla: SEBLOD.

I rushed to install the component on a Joomla 1.5 testing site and gave up on it almost as quickly. as far as intuitive software goes, this fails miserably. HOWEVER, a bit more digging resulted in finding the latest version (2.0) built for Joomla 1.6 – and it kicks ass.

I’ve struggled through a 1 hour presentations that the devs gave at the jandbeyond conference (I’m bad with understanding accents, and these guys are French) – but the language barriers didn’t stop me getting the idea that this thing is raw power. I hope to post more about it when I’ve had more of a play but for now check out the presentation here

 

If you’ve had any experience with SEBLOD I’d love to hear from you

Public Relations: Spinning the Web?

By On June 9, 2011 In Public Relations With No Comments Permanent Link to Public Relations: Spinning the Web?Permalink

I’m often asked the question when I tell people what I do, so I thought I’d settle it once and for all: What do PR people do?

Essentially, Public Relations (PR) is about starting and maintaining “the conversation”. It’s about talking, engaging, listening and responding to your audience (or as the business calls them: “stakeholders”).

Depending on your industry, your audience will vary and so will your message. For example: The Australian Defence Force’s PR people provide local media engagement, provide information to defence families and facilitate media visits.

For others, like those in fashion PR, it’s about networking, product placement, event management, starting at the bottom and definitely not about the money!

For those not in the industry however, Public Relations seems to have a mixed reputation. An Engineer I recently interviewed saw it as a waste of time and suggested that if you do good work, you’ll get good publicity.

On the other hand, a high school teacher saw PR as “spin” which is associated with half-truths and deception.

While I’d be lying if I said PR isn’t about trying to influence public opinion to favour your cause, that’s only a small part of the role. In any case, there are others who are much more influential in that regard anyway!

Despite the mixed views, I think that Public Relations is not just about spin, but is the art of maintaining and interesting and engaging conversation.

In my opinion, we live in an age where connectivity and interactivity is paramount in almost any field, so the opportunities in PR are limitless – and that’s exciting!

…but then again, who am I to say? What do you think about Public Relations?

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