The Future Will Not Be Televised – But it will be shared!

According to many of the speakers at this year’s Web Directions South, the ability to create content and share it is one of the biggest developments on the web in the last few years. Social media, mobile internet and collaboration are 3 of the main topics of discussion.

And the discussion is happening amongst 600 people who fall mainly into the categories of government (wow there’s a lot of web people in government), large organisations and web designers/developers.  But where are the small/medium businesses?  Only 600 people is a small number seeing that the direction of the web effects every business.  I’m surprised that there are more corporates in attendance.  But again, where are the business owners and their technology advisors???

Future developments will have strong effect on the way that small business interacts with their clients online.  Soooooo many small businesses models are now built on an online platform and rely heavily
on the internet for generating or supporting their client base.  So why aren’t they (I really mean you, the small business owner that is reading this article) at this conference, or ones like them?

These conferences are not just for geeks and designers.  This year the Web Directions crew, John Allsthop and Maxine Sherrin have specifically designed a “management/strategy” track and are to be commended on doing so.  But if these tracks are to stay those of us who are interested in the future of the web and how our business needs to change or grow to keep touch need to get along.

Next year I would love to see more none-developer small business owners at Web Directions.  Come on …. I know you can handle a couple of days surrounded by us geek.

[tags]wds07, Web Directions,  future of the internet, small business[/tags]

Opportunities for Learning

I love learning!! (There you have it).

But in the life of a self-employed technologist, designer, wife, step-mother, friend, pet owner ….. the time to engage in some formal learning can be a little tight. In my case most of my learning tends to be informal and falls into one of two categories – 1) learn-as-you-go, also known as the “school of hard knocks” or 2) learning through others, or what I also call borrowed wisdom.

These days most of the borrowed wisdom comes to me via the wonderful people I invite into my Google Reader. (Thank you to each and everyone of you for contributing many thoughts, ideas, tips and challenges into my life).

So the time has come to MAKE THE TIME for some formal learning, and my preference is conferences/workshops where I can get information from the presentations and inspiration from the people. There are a number of opportunities over the next few months for conferences – one I will definitely be attending, some I wish I was and some I definitely won’t be attending.

DEFINITELY ATTENDING

Next Thursday and Friday (September 27 & 28) I will be heading off to Web Directions South and I’m very excited. Those of you that are a little geeky will understand that after many years of not attending a technology conference I am really looking forward to surrounding myself with creative, cleaver people who are talking about trends and developments in the online world. I also know that even thought my clients don’t understand the excitement I’m feeling they will be looking forward to all the information that I come back with.

If you are also heading off to Web Directions South let me know and the first coffee can be my shout.

WISH I WAS ATTENDING

It is a shame that the organisers of the Australian Blogging Conference, happening in Brisbane on Friday 28th September, hadn’t consulted the schedule of other technology conferences happening next week. Although the Blogging Conference may not be targeted as a pure technology conference as such, but there would be a number of people that are attending Web Directions South that might have also attended the Blogging Conference if there wasn’t a conflict. I know that my colleague Des Walsh is going to this conference so there will be at least one clever, creative person there.

I would love an opportunity to head over to what is now being called Sillicon Welly and there is a conference that might just get me there. Webstock is one conference that I might get to but at this point in time it is still in the “wish to” pile. It would be a good chance to catch up with friends and clients in Wellington and the outstanding feedback from the last Webstock is very tempting …. So maybe I should just go.

NOT GOING

Even though I have a strong history within the Australasian professional coaching industry my move back into technology and design is complete (and has been a very good decision) I won’t be attending the International Coach Federation Australasia’s conference in Melbourne next week (October 2-5). Now I will admit that it is a good policy to attend your client’s industry events, and I have many coaches as clients, but even my clients have decided that this conference isn’t for them. I also understand that even though the industry has grown since the last conference 2 years ago the numbers are still down on previous conferences. Curious.

5 Reasons I’m Not Playing re Priscilla’s Personal Development List

Des Walsh  is a cluey guy and one that I often agree with, and when it comes to the recent Personal Development List that Priscilla Palmer compiled then we are completely on the same page.

Much like Des, I was both surprised and honoured to be included on the Personal Development list -  although I am a little baffled how Working Solo’s technology and business ramblings fall into personal development.  I would have thought I was a little more professional development rather than traditional personal development.

I will acknowledge Priscilla for the work that she put into the list and will say that there are a number of blogs listed that I personally read (some a even clients of mine) but you won’t be seeing me “joining in” by reproducing the list here.

1. I’ve stopped playing tag – even though the list is a wonderful resource and Priscilla must have put considerable work into compiling the initial version, it struck me a little like the games of tag that have become popular on blogs.  I have participated in some of these in the past but this one strikes me as a little to much like the dreaded chain letter (you know the one where you need to add you rname to the bottom and pass it on to 5 friends – yuk!)
2. Duplication for the sake of it – this list can be found on many, many, many sites so there is little or no value in duplicating it here.  It might be nice for the “link-love” but I find lists of links without context are generally a short-lived exercise.
3. Should, must or have-to - ever since I was a kid whenever someone said that I “must” or “should” it was code for me to do the exact opposite.  There are some people on the personal development list that have been leaving comments for some who hadn’t joined in, trying to goad or guilt us into playing along by phrasing it in the form of a challenge.  For me it came in the guise of a comment from Mel.  Quite frankly I don’t find it “a challenge that you add additional sites that fit the theme and post the entire list” (many people that I am lucky enough to call a friend are wonderful personal development practitioners) and in fact such a “challenge” to do like everybody else is doing makes me want to stand-alone from the crowd.
4. Recognition where recognition is due – when I come across a site that deserves a mention, a comment or a recommendation I will do so and in doing so I will provide some further commentary and comment about what you the reader might expect by following that link.
5. Last but not least, my readers may not be interested in a long-winded list of names and sites.  The purpose of this site is to help demystify some aspects of technology for small business and to provide commentary on life as a “working solo” entrepreneur.  I am happy for you, my readers, to correct me on this one but I don’t believe that reproducing such as list provides much benefit to you.

Call me a grumpy old woman if you like but I’m happy with my decision.