Just some articles that I have (or my work has) been mentioned in:
- Extra Touch Florist Functionality (full text below)
- OurHouse.com
From the Extra Touch Magazine
Addition of Online Features, Functions Follows Systematic Process
Have you ever wondered how organizations, such as Extra Touch Florists, decide to add different features and functions to their Web sites? In the case of Extra Touch, the decision to add new features, such as the ability to upload product images and information or set variable delivery fees, follows a systematic process.
Officials at Extra Touch work closely with representatives from XOR Inc., Extra Touch’s technology partner, to decide which features and functions bring the most value to Extra Touch member florists and to consumers using the online florist-finder at http://www.extratouchflorists.com. Each suggestion is evaluated based on its return on investment–that is, what will the feature or function bring in terms of value to Extra Touch members or consumers such as ease of use or flexibility vs. the cost.
The Extra Touch/XOR team uses a decision-making process known as a feature/function matrix to systematically consider new features. “We evaluate [each functionality suggestion] as to return on investment,” explains John Telford, a technical architect at XOR. “We look at what benefit a piece of functionality will have, such as florist retention or customer satisfaction.”
Suggestions are evaluated weekly, although the rating of any given suggestion may change if another suggestion gets a stronger weight using the matrix. “We weigh the pros and cons of everything we do,” Telford explains.
Feedback from Extra Touch members and Extra Touch regional marketing representatives plays a key role in determining which new features will actually be added to the site. The Extra Touch Marketing and Technology Committee also plays a critical role by reviewing and approving major changes to the site’s functionality.
Adds Don Putro, Extra Touch group director of member services: “There are over 100 items in the feature/function matrix right now, so you can see that no stone is left unturned.”
John Telford 