Digital Production

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Widgets:

Widgets are small interactive components that offer a user value and are used for propagating a brand message or content virally.

They fall into 2 categories:
1) Web based widgets are mini-applications in standard web code that lead traffic back to a web site or provide a function. These are primarily built in HTML, JavaScript and Flash and developed to be embedded in any user generated media i.e.blogs, social networks and other web pages.
Web widgets are used as a hook to catch someone’s interest and are designed so that users can share the widget by copy and pasting the code and thus widget around the internet. Two examples are; this functionality widget; and this amusement widget. You’ll usually see an “embed code” box next to a widget – allowing you to transport that functionality.
2) Desktop widgets are applications that usually have to be downloaded onto your desktop before use but then provide useful features. These are small incidental programs that can be used to promote a brand message or help access online services like news feeds or radio channels. The benefits are that the user does not have to constantly check when new information is available, it can be automatically updated. Examples of desktop widgets are DHL tracker, tweetdecktweetdeck, last fm, zebtab.

Static websites

Static websites refer to sites whose content is “hard coded”. This means that the content you see on the page will not alter unless the code behind it is changed, which can usually only be done by a web developer. This type of site displays the same content to all users. Static sites are normally used for basic information display or microsites where the lifespan of the site is relatively short.
Examples of static sites are www.taxiadvertising.com www.alisonjackson.com www.tonydanger.co.uk

Dynamic websites

Dynamic sites are ones whose content is likely to change or there is a want to show different content to different users. The content is either fed in via external feeds or is held in a database which can be changed by the administrator or set up to respond to certain logic paths. AN administrator can usually change the content by using a “content management system” or CMS.

The CMS can either be custom built for the site or application or built using an existing framework. Open source CMS's provide pre-existing frameworks to use and are free. For more information on the merits of each of these approaches see putITout's white paper “Custom build or Open Source”.

Examples of dynamic sites are www.film24.com, www.denniscommunications.com,
www.greenprocurementcode.co.uk

Mobile websites

Mobile websites are sites which have been optimised for use on mobile devices. These normally end with the suffix .mobi and contain either limited functionality or limited graphics but allow users to easily access the core information and functionality they would otherwise be able to find through the site, through their mobile device. The reason for this, apart from the difference in screen size, is to allow an “acceptable” speed of web browsing as mobile internet connections can be slow.

Mobile applications

Mobile applications, similar to widgets are also stand alone pieces of software that perform a specific function on a mobile device. They need to be created for each type of phone that they will run on as different brands of phone manufacturer use different software platforms. These can be anything from a cinema finder to a game to a radio station.

Social networking applications

These are applications specifically designed to work on existing websites like Bebo, Facebook, MySpace. Applications can be built, within the constraints of the site, to help promote brands or give extra levels of functionality to users. The brand experience is then shared virally through the users’ networks. These applications often allow the creator of the application access to the details of the users of the application and hence are a very popular marketing tool.

Following further development individual Facebook applications can be ported to other OpenSocial networks.

For any more information on the above topics, please call or mail putITout on: charlie@putitout.co.ukor 020 7837 5200

putITout is a web development company that handles digital production for digital communications companies. We have the staff to build all of the above. We can help you architect the application (if needed) and then manage the building of it, so you don’t have to. We keep you informed at every step of the way so you can keep your clients happy and informed.

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