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Is it too much like Walmart?

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3976.html

Is it too much like Walmart?

">Neal Stephenson on culture

• short (because people don't read much online);
• rich in information scent, clearly summarizing the target article;
• front-loaded with the most important keywords (because users often scan only the beginning of list items);
• understandable out of context (because headlines often appear without articles, as in search engine results); and
• predictable, so users know whether they'll like the full article before they click (because people don't return to sites that promise more than they deliver).

" * Bulleted list * Occasional use of bold to prevent skimming * Short sentence fragments * Explanatory subheads * No puns * Did I mention lists? What Is This Article About? For the past month, I've been away from the computer screen. Now I'm back reading on it many hours a day. Which got me thinking: How do we read online?"

"While page design is getting more standardized, there's no agreement on CMS or technology platforms for good intranet design. "

"I don’t care what field you’re a ‘world leader’ in, I guarantee you, a lot of people out there want to hear your small, hastily written thoughts on whatever topic you might find interesting at any given moment. A hell of a lot more so, than they want to read your deeply serious, hoity toity, graph-ridden ‘article’, which while surely very interesting in its own right, is not where the connection between you and your audience will thrive."

"Summary: To demonstrate world-class expertise, avoid quickly written, shallow postings. Instead, invest your time in thorough, value-added content that attracts paying customers."