The new tools are pretty exciting. Podcasting, blogs, vcasting, and so on. And they aren't too hard to create for someone who is dedicated. But, are they easy to consume?

Online applications are now ubiquitous. They're cheap and easy-to-use. But, are they a good idea?

For the last couple of years, podcasting has been steadily gaining in popularity. And the buzz is exceeding even that. As this medium emerges, what role can it play in business?

It's easy to turn to Google for help, whether with reference information or a phone number. Indeed, the increasing use of Google to learn anything has led to the verb *googling*. But, is this a good thing?

It seems clear that Google rankings depend on inbound links to your site. But it also seems clear that the rankings depend on actual clicks. And one of the biggest click sources is Google itself. It's certainly true that being higher in the search rankings means more clicks.

The traditional agency often gets a bad reputation. From difficult to work with to expensive, many clients dread hiring a marketing, design, or technology agency to help them. Why is this?

OK, it's an awkward term. The goal is to replace the concept of usability. Or, rather, to supersede it. Audience Experience Optimization is a discipline that seeks to make certain that a viewer/participant of a Web site has a satisfying experience.

Traditional usability studies are effective, but limited in scope. They focus strictly on how "functional" an application is. Specifically, they determine whether a user can complete a strict series of tasks. I think this model is outdated and doesn't apply well to the Web.