The Problem
Traditional web marketing experiences take too long to implement, are expensive, and have questionable ROI. As a marketer, how long from when your creative team first showed your new web concept was it actually implemented? 3 months? 6 months? More…? What if customers don’t end up engaging your idea? Or they initially engage, but traffic drops after just a few days? How many other cooler ideas have you seen out there while you were waiting for your site to be developed?
If only there was a way to engage customers with new marketing experiences as quickly as your creative team can generate concepts without the use of IT…
The Benefit of the Cloud
Fortunately the cloud is starting to offer an answer. Amazon offers customers the ability to host static websites on AWS, often for mere dollars a month. The site itself is stored in AWS S3 storage buckets. The site can be tied into the CDN service CloudFront to offer ultra-fast download times around the globe. Domain DNS records can even be managed through Route 53 to centralize the whole offering.
The feature is about a year old at this point. Jeff Barr at AWS posted a good starting walk through article if you are interested in looking through some of the implementation details.
What has changed over the last year is the increase of HTML5 expertise, examples and adoption (supported browsers and compatible devices). For many companies the entire creative experience can be managed through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files that can be hosted on AWS.
Not convinced? Try this exercise. List all the tasks involved in building your last web initiative. Would a team using workable prototypes that could be deployed when approved have provided a shortcut to endless review cycles of static wire frames, mock ups, and development?
Offer Cloud Services as a Base IT Offering
Now before we get too far into this, I am not advocating Marketing does not need IT. Instead IT needs to provide Cloud Services as a core offering. This would include managing cloud setup, DNS, billing, any EC2 servers (if needed), and governance.
Once enabled, a properly managed Cloud Service can allow Marketing to create new campaigns without involving IT in day to day business activities and decisions.
Think Hybrid or Feel Limited
Hosting sites on AWS S3 is not a panacea and there are some limitations. The first a team will likely encounter is that any server side functionality (PHP, ASP.NET) is not available. This is again where a properly managed Cloud Service comes into play. IT can serve dynamic server content either through the cloud on EC2 servers or on local infrastructure. Many companies try to lump Marketing and IT services together into a combined solution. Problems arise from this approach usually involving enterprise data and other dynamic functionality. The end outcome is the new marketing experience schedule gets aligned to the implementation timeline and maintenance processes.
An Example AWS Website
I am an independent management consultant running a practice in Seattle called Collistic. Recently I launched my website Collistic.com on AWS. The model allows me and others to quickly update my web experience and see cost savings.
1. Woods - Sun and Shade
2. Bright Eyes - The People’s Key
3. Other Lives - Tamer Animals
4. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
5. Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation
6. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing
7. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
8. Dum Dum Girls - Only In Dreams
9. The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart
10. The Kills - Blood Pressures
Daybreak Hike Around the Schutzhaus Tierser Alpl
The Graduate Leadership Formation Certificate program cohort would like to thank everyone who came to this year’s Red Winged Leadership Award ceremony in May. If you couldn’t make it, or would like to watch portions of the event again, we are posting the videos from the ceremony below.
Award Finalist - Chris Fontana, Global Visionaries
Award Finalist - Shana Greene, Village Volunteers
Award Finalist - Danna Johnston, Danna K Johnston Foundation
Brook in Maui 2011
Red Winged Leadership is a program conceived a year ago by the Graduate Leadership Formation Certificate cohort, a group of Seattle University MBA students specializing in leadership development. The Red Winged Leadership Award ceremony held in the spring intends to honor leaders committed to embracing the unique intersection where leadership, business acumen, and social impact overlap. In its second year, Red Winged Leadership has already changed the perception of what it means to lead for 40+ students directly involved in the program. A growing band of supporters are also emerging from the business community, university faculty, alumni, and other students.
What is Leadership?
Defining leadership beyond a dictionary reference is not a simple task. The ‘10-‘11 GLFC cohort spent several intense hours debating this topic and arrived at the following definition. Leadership is the art of inspiring and empowering others as a catalyst to guide towards a shared vision with integrity and empathy and awareness. One commonality that became clear from the discussion is individuals hold varying aspects of leadership dearer and are inspired by different experiences and types of leaders.
What is Red Winged Leadership?
Red Winged Leadership is unique by focusing on individual leaders making an impact on the community. The award is about bringing extraordinary stories to light to recognize community contribution and inspire others. Red Winged Leadership is the story of last year’s winner Rahwa Habte who created a safe community space at her restaurant Hidmo Eritrean Cuisine in Seattle’s Central District. It is the story of Dylan Higgins who co-founded SaveTogether.org to inspire people to help others achieve their goals through shared savings. It is the story of Linda Ruthruff who runs Street Bean Espresso, a coffee shop that employs youth transitioning from street life. It is the story of our GLFC cohort at Seattle University striving to become better leaders, redefining leadership, and the hope of where future cohorts will take this effort.
What is Your Leadership Story?
In addition to keeping our supporters updated with the happenings of the Red Winged Leadership Award ceremony we have begun posting inspirational stories and quotes to our followers on Facebook and Twitter. Share your leadership story or what leaders inspire you on our Facebook page wall at http://facebook.com/redwinged or send an @reply to our Twitter account at http://twitter.com/redwingedleader. You can read more about Red Winged Leadership on our website at http://seattleu.edu/albers/redwinged and also see our new promotional video!
Today marks a new year, a chance to watch bowl games, and an opportunity to evaluate your own playbook as a project manager. Specifically, is a quarterback sneak in your PM playbook?
Many project managers have the ability to manage scope, schedule, budget, risks, and resources via tracker spreadsheets. However, managing in this fashion creates gaps in your execution. These gaps can manifest as cut scope, increased budget, and more than likely an end product that does not tie together well for users.
In 2011 I challenge project managers to get in the game. This means at times you have to run the football yourself. You can assist your team to make the small gains necessary to deliver a product and reach the end zone. This may mean getting involved to ensure a key piece of functionality is delivered on time, helping the QA team test the product, or answering user training questions. There is a delicate balance here to not assume long term responsibilities that should be handled by existing or new team members. If executed correctly though, the PM quarterback sneak will make you a better manager and help you ship better products.
Brook Buchanan is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Collistic
1. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
This is the album that is on all the lists this year. My clear favorite.
2. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Since you have already heard The Suburbs if there is one album you still need to listen to this year it is the new album from Sufjan Stevens.
3. Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP
Released prior to The Age of Adz, All Delighted People has a more intimate feel than the full album. With the vinyl version shipping as a double-LP, the EP stretches the definition of the format and is crammed with enough great tracks to make listing both Sufjan Stevens releases a necessity.
4. No Joy - Ghost Blonde
No Joy is on my bands about to blow up list. Ghost Blonde is the debut album which should be played no softer than ear bleed.
5. Wolf Parade - Expo 86
Wolf Parade’s third album is as good as the debut release Apologies to the Queen Mary. The band is calling it quits though next year. Sub Pop needs to do something about their “indefinite hiatus” situation with my favorite bands or at least make sure we get a farewell tour.
6. Best Coast - Crazy for You
Part of me wishes Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino had just continued to put out 7” singles forever. Deciding to make a full album though has definitely worked out in Best Coast’s favor.
7. Jonsi - Go
This solo album from the Sigur Rós frontman is as solid as any of the Sigur Rós releases.
8. Damien Jurado - Saint Bartlett
A musically and lyrically beautiful album from the Seattle songwriter.
9. Girls - Broken Dreams Club EP
Girls shows some range on this EP follow up to last year’s debut Album which I can only hope is to tide us over until their next release.
10. Wavves - King of the Beach
There was a ton of much deserved hype around the release of King of the Beach. Wavves are poised to become the kings of rock and roll but could probably care less.