Gearing up for Web stories

Wow, where did the summer go? After a brief hiatus, I have officially blocked time for blogging again and bringing back the focus on creative uses of the Web in corporate, government and educational environments. One of the best sources to hear from a variety of Open Text customers, across regions and industries, is at the annual Open Text Content World event. This year, it will be held in Washington D.C. in November and I am anxious to hear how many of our customers are taking the Web to the next level. I have been visiting a few customers recently and am amazed at how they are embracing the Customer Experience, placing value on the use of social tools and for some, incorporating mobility into the picture of their online strategy. All hot topics for our Content World user event.

I always get excited when I see organizations progressing along the maturity model of Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 trajectory(though the definition of Web 3.0 is still debated). Some industries have such potential to embrace the Web more for their communication medium, and other groups are pushing the envelope to truly monetize the value of their information in new ways. The online channel is not only about traditional e-commerce applications, but rather using the browser, the mobile and smart phones, even print or mashups to provide valuable and relevant content / information to those who request it in a format that they want it and listen to their feedback to make the next experience even better. The real gem lies in the ability for the organization to be nimble and take a risk - get that new Web app or next generation Web site live. The online channel is not the easiest thing to measure a true ROI, but without participating there is no hope of capitalizing on the technological advances that make harnessing the intelligence inside organizations or out in the social network of the World Wide Web a reality.