— On content: It’s fungible. Can appear on any platform. Some types of content work better on certain platforms. On one end of spectrum: smart phones, specifically engineered for headline-munching flies. On another end: high-quality print magazines, ideal for higher mammals that prefer complex diets. Stone tablets still best bet for lifeforms to come. Takeaway: Match platform to preferred species. Flies are easy to feed and easy to attract, but don’t live long.
— On platforms: The more complex the device, the more the user has to think like the device. Takeaway: Train ’em to click and click and click.
— On traffic: A roomful of monkeys and iPads means interactivity! Takeaway (redux): Train ’em to click and click and click.
— On standardization: Technology makes it easier to automate, increasing efficiency, saving costs. Automation, by definition, requires standard production practices. Everything moves through the pipeline the same way, reads the same, looks the same. The designer of tomorrow will look like — and think like — every other designer and subsist on a diet of Ramen noodles. Takeaway: Just kidding. Maybe.
— On social media: Targeting and selling audiences is easier than ever. Content users self-identify interests, preferences and demographics. Everybody’s status is an open book. Takeaway: Selling won’t be much of an art soon.
Roland Klose 