Web 2.0? That's SO Web 1.0 ... Tim Berners-Lee explains ...

Amusing piece from the IBM podcast after it's passed through the web's summarisers ... connecting people with Web 2.0 is nothing new, it's what Web 1.0 (such as it is/was) has done all along. Read Alex Barnett's wonderfully entitled piece, "Sir Tim Calm Down 2.0"

'one' Unmitigated Disaster

Finally got back to Ipswich around 22:35, via a two hour wait at Stansted airport amongst a poorly marshalled baying mob of commuters and weekend passengers. The police were there and one guy from one. None of them had megaphones, the crowd were jostling and three coaches came, filled up and went before I could board one. There was no order of priority, just a bun-fight. I filmed the chaos and have uploaded it (QuickTime 3GP and not great quality). A full four and a half hours after I set off, for the second time this week. I thought Wednesday's lack of information was bad but this complete and utter ineptitude and lack of on-the-ground presence from staff was inexcusable.

:: EveningStar have first online reports.

Technorati Tags: one railway + delay + train + customer service

Twice in one week, overhead lines causing chaos...

Can't quite believe it but I'm sat here on a train at Liverpool Street (the 18:00 to Norwich) logged in via someone's open network as the trains are up the proverbial again, latest message from one:

Points Failure & Overhead wire damage.
Due to a points failure at Shenfield & also damage to overhead wires between Ingatestone &
Chelmsford, all services to/from London Liverpool Street to Norwich, Clacton,
Ipswich & Southend Victoria are being severely delayed. Trains are currently
unable to move forward from Shenfield at present. Passengers are advised not to
travel unless absolutely necessary.
Message received: 01/09/2006 at 18:09:15

Which is helpful if you're on the train. Just Skyped home to let m'lady know. We were supposed to be packing for our big move to Chelmsford tomorrow tonight.

Will update with 'one' service messages, last announcement was a full 30 mins ago...

A Smashing Swedish Design Blog

Adam's swedesres blog has not only got a gorgeous header graphic, it's packed with Swedish design resources. In three minutes browsing I saw this great link to the Volvo S80 site which does a nice job of showing off broadband-optimised immersive brochureware.

It also pushed me towards Starring's website where I saw a portfolio link for the AMF Pension campaign, the 'ageing' technique used here is an uncanny echo the the Norwich Union 'Ready For Tomorrow' campain (43 going on 17 and The Future)....

This blog's feeds are now fixed

Kept checking my Technorati listing to see that it was days out of date, the problem is that Technorati pulls the Atom feed from this site and not the RSS 2.0 one. The Atom one had problems with an incorrect character in the post about DENIM which I've now corrected so hopefully anyone using this feed via an Atom reader will be fine. Let me know if you use a feed reader to subscribe to this blog by the way...

:: RSS 2.0 Spec vs. Atom Spec

:: Technorati RSS + Atom + DENIM + Technorati

'one' fail to ease the pain of another major delay

A few days ago I was checking my blog logs and realised that I was still getting a wealth of hits here for people searching for various gumpf about one railway and their preposterous customer care. I hadn’t written for a while and despite seeing incoming links from monerailway I couldn’t really think of much to say. The service has been below average but not disasterous and I’d changed direction (I’m heading to London from Ipswich these days). The trouble is things can be just ‘ok’ with one but when it does go wrong, it goes spectacularly wrong.

My previous delay record was 2 hours 20 minutes, back in November last year on my way back from London, I beat that tonight with a three and a half hour delay sat just east of Chelmsford when power lines came down (BBC News 31.AUG.06) (can anyone explain how this happens?). We were trapped behind two other trains and could only pass one at a time incredibly slowly. The conductor did his best and told us he couldn’t tell us anything, on one occasion going for 1.5hrs without speaking to us. The trolley passed through once and never re-appeared. We sat in silence, punctuated only by the sound of people speaking to friends and relatives to inform them that, yep, we were still waiting to move. I fortunately had my Nano and laptop with me so I could at least keep myself entertained as long as the li-ion batteries would last.

Eventually we did move of course and passed the stricken train which still had passengers on it. The conductor piped-up with news about our revised ETAs and some arrangements for onward connections which everyone must surely have missed. As people picked up their phones and called to let others know their plight I couldn’t help but feel thankful that I wasn’t on the stricken train. Clearly they were in for a long night. I’m not sure what the evacuation arrangements are but surely a train that’s been stationary for over five hours constitutes a total failure and passengers need to be escorted onto road trainsport?

I know these things happen to some extent but I cannot comprehend why one do not react with more care. Announcements should be made every fifteen minutes – even if it’s to say “we don’t know more” and efforts should be re-doubled for every 15 minutes delay to determine exactly what is going on. The only thing worse than the delay itself is not being kept informed. In addition, arrangements should be made in the event of an exceptional delay (anything over two hours) for staff to board the train at the next station and distribute free refreshments – a small biscuit and some water for example – to anyone who wants it. These supplies could be held at stops along the way for this purpose. Announcements should be made to encourage people to stand and walk about the carriage to reduce the risk of blood clotting.

As a customer all I felt on the train was that people in ‘control’ just think it’ll get fixed eventually, customers can sit tight until then. The only concession to passenger comfort was an unscheduled stop at Shenfield for a cigarette break.

Once again I’d invite anyone from one to comment in response to this post but I’m well aware that will never happen. All I can look forward to is a complete refund of my ticket.

UPDATE: When I got home (around 11pm) I saw the following message on the one website ... can anyone translate? "Cuatomers [sic] are advised to use alternative travel where possible. The LUL and First Capital Connect are passing customers reasonable routes on their Network for travel easements." [see pic included]

Technorati Tags: one railway + delay + train + customer service

When I grow up I want to be a user experience architect.

I wonder if future spawn will utter these words? Does any child aspire to develop class-leading interfaces? Do kids play in the sand box at nursery attempting to create the next big thing in interaction? Possibly not yet, but there are plenty of 'adults' around who are looking to hone their skills in an emerging (though surprisingly resilient) job title in the dotcom industry and this week I've been trying to locate courses in the UK to formalise our training.

Before I get round to posting a summary of these courses (and thanks to everyone who's emailed me) I thought I'd post a link to a pertinent article by Dan Saffer (which is also a thinly veiled plug for his book ... which I'd like a copy of please Dan) and builds on an earlier article by Robert Reimann.