Disability Friendly

Our class discussion on internet access and usability for people with disabilities really struck a cord for me, so-to-speak. My mother is a hypotherapist, meaning that she gives horse back riding lessons to people with disabilities as a form of therapy. Growing up in her non-profit program, I volunteered for hours on end. Though at the time I did not understand the value of working with people who have disabilities, those experiences have helped me to understand disabilities on a greater level then most Americans.

In general, people with disabilities, if they need help, will ask for it. All too often, people just assume they want it. The goal of a disability friendly web site should be to enable the viewer to use the web site without much trouble. However, a web site that aims to be as disability friendly as possible should also devote space and time to developing venues for feed back, testing, and immediate help response.

NOTE TO PONDER: Why are web sites not more disability friendly? Are companies and campaign liable if their web sites are not disability friendly?

What the hell does Paris Hilton know about politics?

In our last class, we talk in length with Carol Darr about influentials. During this discussion we centered mostly on political influentials. However, it was made clear that these influentials are not just political, but social as well.

When it comes to influentials outside the Beltway I cannot help but think about people like Paris Hilton and other individuals that set the trends for the rest of us. Many of the social influentials, however, have little if any political experience. It was at this point in my thinking that I began to realize that influentials do not go through a screening process. In effect, these are people who are opinionated and share those opinions with others. But just because they are opinionated does not mean that their opinions are accurate or even justified.

NOTES TO PONDER: Do most influentials have political experience? Do they need it? Should we be weary of wrongly informed influentials?

Influentials as the Mediums

Influentials are crucial to any campaign, whether it be for political office or an issue oriented campaign. They are the mediums for delivering a campaigns message. They are the people who start and spread word-of-mouth strategies. They are the individuals often responsible for many grassroots efforts.

However, over zealous influentials can be a danger to a campaign as well. These individuals are not only probably involved in PACs and interest groups, but can also have their own messages that may get mixed up or unintentionally coupled with the campaign message.

NOTES TO PONDER: What is the most effective way to manage influentials? How can a campaign give them enough freedom to spread the campaign message the way the campaign wants to?

Online Invidious Distinction

In our class readings, Jacob Nielsen talks about how almost half of Americans have low literacy rate. Because of this, a website must cater to people with low literacy if they intend to have a large, public-in-general type of audience. I contend that though this is true, the diction chosen for a website can target a particular audience as well as or in addition to an effective marketing strategy.

Thorstein Veblen is a famous institutional economist who formalized the idea of invidious distinction. What this means is that there are certain ways that the upper class demarcates itself from the lower classes. It upper class does this on purpose in order to show their status and their superiority.

The word choice on a website can create an invidious distinction. If you want your user to feel as if they are part of an elite group or chose individuals, then catering to the low literacy rate in America is contrary to your interests. A good website may have separate appeals to both classes or simply a strong appeal to one.

NOTES TO PONDER: Are their other reflections of invidious distinction in online strategy? Are website better served as targeted as possible or to a public-in-general type of audience?