User central on IBBT Brokerage Event

User-centricity is thé buzz word today in the ICT sector. But what does it mean in practice and how can innovative companies stand up to the user needs? Toon Coppens from Netlog and Nick Leon from Design London have lifted a corner of the veil already at the past IBBT Brokerage Event.

Netlog and the importance of local users

Toon Coppens is CTO and one of the founders of Netlog, which can call itself, with more than 35 million members, one of the largest European social communities. The main reason for this success?: Netlog responds to local needs of users and can therefore stronger profile in comparison with U.S. alternatives like MySpace or Facebook.

Today Netlog has, in almost every European country, a variant in that countryŽs own language. The company developed a translation system so that new applications can very quickly live in different countries. Local community managers get the last word and determine whether everything is adapted to the local culture. That way Netlog finetunes both technology and organizational structure to fit the user.

www.netlog.com

From technology to overall experience

Nick Leon, Director of Design London, is convinced that the user and not the technology should receive central attention, the Apple iPod serves as a perfect example. The portable music player, with an impeccable user interface, became a design icon. The newest models integrate advanced touch-screen technology for a unique user experience.

But Apple went even one step further. Consumers can use the free iTunes software to manage their music files on the PC. At the same time the company signed agreements with the music industry, allowing users to download their favorite music via the iTunes store. Result? Apple created an overall experience that has radically changed the way we listen to music.

www.designlondon.net