Friday 5 — 3.13.2015

By Friday Five

Google Maps: Empire State Building

  1. Google Maps is an app many use daily — after all, not everyone can live in a CityMapper zone — but have barely scratched the surface in terms of functionality. Here are some useful tips, including offline access and one-handed use.
  2. New digital projects often start with an existential crisis of organizational identity. Land the plane with some content strategy mad libs. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it — I found it a useful exercise to lead stakeholders away from high level mission statement debates toward concrete areas to hammer out agreement.
  3. When designing a mobile app, it’s tempting to start by turning a feature list into a series of pages or views. For better usability, shift your emphasis from function to focus on user flow mapping instead.
  4. Google is entering the wireless industry — and its entrance might change the fundamental business of the access market. Through analogy (“like Uber for wireless”), this piece explains why there is a huge opportunity in wireless — even if Google never owns the last mile of delivery.
  5. Is Buzzfeed is the most important news organization in the world? Here’s a compelling argument, pointing to Buzzfeed’s wholesale adoption of of internet assumptions of constant iteration and learning, and its corresponding robust business model.

mobile hellWeekend fun: Enjoy this painfully accurate comic about mobile browsing in 2015. And in absurd but adorable news, SXSW this year will have dogs to bring you mobile device chargers. Try not to use that device like an idiot on social.

Every Friday, find five, highly subjective pointers to compelling technologies, emerging trends, and interesting ideas that affect how we live and work digitally. Try out the Friday 5 archive, or sign up for a weekly email.

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