Widgets and what to consider

WHAT’S A WIDGET? IT DEPENDS ON WHOM YOU ASK
Some great insight from Forrester Research-


One frustrating aspect of Web 2.0 is that it’s difficult for developers to define which emerging
technologies are most applicable to enterprise development. Widgets are a case in point:


As programming models have become Web-centric, widgets have evolved from simple, reusable user interface (UI) controls into a diverse collection of gadgets, desklets, blidgets, badges, MySpace “furniture,” modules, minis, and flakes. While classifying this widget zoo may seem daunting, all of these Web 2.0 widgets share common traits:
They make it easy for nontechnical users to add dynamic content or functionality, such as search tools or maps, to locations where they can customize it to their own needs. Widgets sport optimized form factors that are graphically pleasing to users and deliver a maximum amount of data in a minimum amount of space. And users are often willing to try new widgets they find interesting because, unlike with email, users control widget communication links and can sever them any time.

Deciding which species of widget works for a Web 2.0 enterprise starts with shifting the focus from widgets’ similarities to their differences (see Figure 2). Some widgets are portable, while others are tied to a single Web site. MySpace “furniture” makes it easy for users to put rich media on their Web pages;

still other widgets deliver information right to users’ desktops or mobile devices. Finding examples of different types of consumer-focused widgets is easy, but sightings of business-to-business and internal widgets are rarer. Nonetheless, enterprise development shops find that some widget types fit their needs better than others.

Some recomendations:

USE WIDGETS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE USER ENGAGEMENT

Widgets create significant opportunities for application development professionals to improve

user engagement because they are highly adaptable and don’t demand much from the user. To

capitalize on that potential, you should:

· Use Web widgets for broadcasting and desktop widgets for constant contact. It’s

important to consider the time sensitivity and desired frequency of contact when deciding

which type of widget to use. If you’re looking to cast a broad net, then the easy installation

and viral nature of portable Web widgets will make distribution less of a challenge. If you’re

regularly pushing time-sensitive information that your users need to see right away, then

desktop widgets are the best approach.

Some Stats-

· Few US online adults use desktop and Web widgets. Only 12% of US online adults use desktop

widgets at least monthly and 17% use Web widgets (see Figure 1). But of the 23% of US online adults who use social networking sites at least once a month, 59% of them also use Web widgets regularly.

· Almost one-third of all US online youth use Web widgets. Only 8% of US online youth use

desktop widgets at least monthly. In contrast, Web widgets are used by 31% of US online youth

regularly, reflecting their high use of social networking sites. Among US online youth social

networking site users, 64% of them use Web widgets, a slightly higher penetration rate than among their adult counterparts.

· US adult widget users represent an attractive audience. Adult widget users have high average

household incomes — $79,024 and $66,198 for desktop and Web widget users, respectively —

compared with $68,344 for the average US online adult.4 Web widget users have a slightly lower

household income primarily because of their lower age. But they exhibit specific psychographics

such as “I often tell my friends about products that interest me” that indicate greater brand loyalty, as well as a propensity to tell others what they like and don’t like.

Stewart Severino
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sseverino@gmail.com