Business failure is hard to swallow. I once founded a small software business that initially achieved some success but failed after we hooked-up with another software business whose products we introduced to our market. We failed because there were no synergies, their technology sucked (Intersolv - formerly Sage Software) and we simply did not change course.
The Couture Catalog site was developed using #Drupal, an open source content management system. It took me about 2.5 weeks to complete the first phase. To fully appreciate the site, click through the "options" page or visit the "home page". Each option, Cover Pages, Vendor Pages, etc, has a different jquery display method which makes the site visually appealing as well as stimulating.
The second phase will start soon and involve a lot of user interaction and possible e-comm.
"The best recommendation tools perform a balancing act: They connect to consumers' sense of individuality as well as their group identification. Similarly, the tools must come up with recommendations that stretch horizons with suggestions that are new and a bit surprising, yet not off-putting. Recommendation approaches vary in how much access to the "long tail" of niche or obscure products they provide. Most recommendation engines offer a balance of the familiar and the unexplored."
''Nearly two-thirds of respondents [CIO's] say their organizations are at risk from information- and technology-based disruption. Ranking highest among disruptive forces are potential shifts in customer expectations for better products or differentiated services enabled by information- and technology-based capabilities. Pressures may be arising from widespread use and acceptance of emerging products and services.
Thanks to David Weinberger for his post on the enterprise 2.0 conference.
Dave... "At the Enterprise 2.0 conference (which I didn't attend), Don Burke and Sean Dennehey from the CIA gave a talk on Intellipedia, the CIA's internal wikipedia. As part of their talk, they cited a manual, including, I'm told, this from page 28:
The ability for members to freely exchange information. Most CMO's and business managers rely on web analytics - they look at quantitative data - to make decisions. CMO's should be changing their thinking about value. Rarely do they have a feel for the qualitative information. You know, the kind you would get from actively participating in a community or talking to customers. Ohhhhhhhh messy. Too time consuming.
