Week 6 [12.12-18.12] - Fine feathers make fine birds - Power of the web design

Have you ever judged someone by how they look? Subconsciously we do it every day, not only with people but also food or internet sites. This directly impacts our everyday choices: from a cookie at a bakery to a new car at a car showroom. That is why the look of your website is a key to a good marketing strategy of yours. The user of your website needs only 3 seconds to decide whether he wants to stay there. That is why a site has to be attractive, intuitive, clear and coherent with the company’s image. The results of the largest neuromarketing researches¹ which have ever been conducted, confirm that it is not consciousness that plays the key role in selecting products but the senses, subconscious and neurotransmitters (such as serotonin which regulates appetite). To sell a product one needs to take care of not only its exposition but most primarily of the quality and image of it, including its flagships – websites, applications or an online store.

Along with the increase of client’s expectations, the pressure for providing the highest quality content rises. The site has to be well designed and clear, otherwise we risk losing visitors. 38% of people leave a website if it does not look good or the content is not attractive.² Of course the sole image is not everything, we should add to it its functionality. The loading time should be no longer than 3 seconds and each additional second is a loss in terms of conversion even of 7%. The site has to be well planned so that the visitor does not have any problems with finding the things he is looking for. If he is not able to find them, or the site will take too long to load, then he is going to leave quickly in search of another one, which may be a site of our competitor. If you run an online store, then an ordered, esthetic layout and an intuitive and convenient navigation through the site are your priorities – thanks to them you will make the client visit you again. Nowadays, up to 52.7% of all Internet users in the world are people who use mobile devices. They expect to find contact information, location, products and services in a few seconds.

Example of the responsive web design (Copyrights Adriana Łagowska)

Each of us wants to have a good experience using products and services, and because the technology is changing rapidly, designing a suitable website or store that is responsive and meets the expectations of customers leads to better sales results. If the user experience is positive, it is more likely that he will return or recommend the product to others.

¹ For scanning the brains of the participants a fMRI and an EEG have been used. During the three year project (2004-2007) 2081 people from various countries and continents (for example America, England, China and Japan) have been researched. More than 200 researchers were engaged in the project. The total cost was 7 million dollars. The researches were conducted by Martin Lindstrom who published them in his book titled “Buyology – Truth and Lies About Why We Buy.

² According to researches carried out by Adobe on 2008 users above 18 years old, “The State of Content: Expectations on the Rise” October 2015.

What is User Experience?

If video do not start please use this link

From Introduction to User Experience Course, Free online course from The University of Michigan on the EdX Platform. CC Personal Non-comercial License

Sources:

• Martin Lindstrom, “Buyology – Truth and Lies About Why We Buy
• Adobe, “The State of Content: Expectations on the Rise”, October 2015.
• http://masslomap.org/amazing-websites/
• https://speckyboy.com/designing-3-second-rule/
• https://blog.kissmetrics.com/loading-time/
• https://www.statista.com/topics/779/mobile-internet/

Questions:

1. Have you ever chosen any food product because of prettier packaging?

2. Do you know any examples of bad user experience? What is the most frustrating thing?

3. How often do you buy online via your smartphone or tablet? What kind of online shopping do you prefer – via smartphone/tablet or laptop/pc?

4. Can you present an example of website design that impressed you the most?

Week 6 [12.12-18.12] New Year's Resolutions

New Year’s Resolutions

Each year we say we’ll start doing something or try stop doing something. A New Year's resolution is a tradition most common in the West.  It’s kind of self-improvement.

http://www.marburycreativegroup.com/blog/2016/01/12/our-new-years-resolutions/

At the end of the old year we come to believe it is high time to change. We expect to roll up our sleeves and get down to the nitty-gritty.

The most popular resolutions chosen by people are:

·         Weight loss

·         Quitting smoking

·         Taking up sports or some hobby

·         Spending less time on social media (such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)

·         Taking a trip

·         Helping others

·         Socializing

·         Spending more  time with family members

Why are New Year's resolutions destined to fail?

All year long we are tempted by little sins like eating snacks, gossiping, drinking alcohol, being a couch potato or a lazy master of memes and others.

People make resolutions as a way of motivating themselves – says Timothy Pychyl, a professor of psychology at Carleton University in Canada.[1]

Resolutions are a form of an effort to reinvent oneself. People aren’t ready to change their habits and additions. Although we have a problem, we set up unrealistic objectives.

Another aspect of failed resolutions is the fact that we are afraid to take risk and we get back to old behaviors. Last minute decisions tend to be based on what is on your mind at that time. Instead, we should take some time out and reflect upon what we really want to achieve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqbAsr6wN_I

.

http://jeffmcdanieltraining.com/why-you-will-fail-this-summer/

1.Which promises usually we make ourselves?

2. How many resolutions we keep?

3. What was your the biggest deafeat with promises and why?

Links:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/50-new-years-resolution-ideas-and-how-achieve-each-them.html

http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2013/01/01/just-8-of-people-achieve-their-new-years-resolutions-heres-how-they-did-it/&refURL=https://www.google.pl/&referrer=https://www.google.pl/

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[1] https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2015/12/26/cultural-procrastination-the-psychology-behind-new-years-resolutions.html

Week 6 [12.12-18.12] Is Black Friday making people crazy?

Is Black Friday making people crazy?

Source: http://www.darmoszek.pl/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/black-friday-cyber-monday-2016-1.jpg

Black Friday has been a tradition since 1952. It takes place the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November). While it’s not an official holiday, many employees have a day off, (except those that work in Malls and Shops J ) The term Black Friday was created in the 60s to start the Christmas shopping season. Black refers to stores’ finances moving from “red” to “black,” 

During this time many people go out on shopping sprees. People think it’s the busiest shopping day of the year, but the fact is that from 1993 to 2001 it ranked 5^th-10^th. Usually the last Sunday before Christmas takes the crown.

Source: http://blackfridaydeathcount.com/

There are many controversies connected with the Black Friday.

Since 2006 ten people have died and 105 have been injured. Many people come and wait in front of the stores for hours before opening, many of the injured are people working in the shops or ones in front of the line. You probably have seen all those crazy videos on YouTube; people fight over discounted TVs or DVDs.

Many brands that are on sale during Black Friday are typically unrecognizable and are good if you are looking for a disposable item. If you are looking for a quality items Black Friday isn’t the day for you. Plus stores like Target, Wallmart and Best offer the same deals year after year, as a result there’s very little to look forward when it comes to Black Friday deals.

A few years ago that typical for USA tradition came to Poland and many shops tried to get us to buy their stuff, mostly electronics. But in Poland shops rise prices of the items before Black Friday to offer later discounts.

More and more people participate in Cyber Monday  (better prices than during Black Friday). Best deals are offered in categories like apparel, tech, toys and games.

This year Americans spent more than $3Billion during Cyber Monday, I personally bought a few items (PC Games) myself during Cyber Monday and I can recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good deal on games.

1. Have you bought anything during Black Friday?
2. What’s your favorite holiday and why? 
3. Do you think we should have shopping holidays in Poland? (like Small Business Saturday)

Sources:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/be-in-the-black

http://blackfridaydeathcount.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k1CWWUi7MM

https://blackfriday.com/pages/black-friday-history

http://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-isnt-worth-it-2016-11?IR=T/#you-can-get-deals-shopping-from-home-7

Week 6 [12.12-18.12] Ayrton Senna – The Legend of Racing

Almost everyone of us has got an idol or a favourite musician, an actress or just a sportsman  you support etc. Don’t you?
I have watched F1 races since I was a child. I've got many favourite drivers, but also thanks to the internet I learnt about old great champions like Niki Lauda or James Hunt. Also,  I have watched many of their awesome duels! I recommend watching “Rush” from 2013.
And there is also a place for a driver whose driving style I love and whose history, unfortunately, did not go well. Yes. His story, unfortunately, is the one of the saddest.


Have you heard about Ayrton Senna? He was one of the best Formula One drivers ever.

Ayrton Senna

He was born in 1960 in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and he sat behind the wheel when he was 4 years old.
At the beginning it was naturally only carting, but since his first races at age of 13 he improved quickly and  moved to Europe to win there less important racing competitions.
Finally in 1984 he started his debut season as F1 driver in Toleman team. He made a great impression on the whole racing world driving in the Monaco Grand Prix. It was a really  wet day and he was able to finish in the 2nd place!

„Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose”

As we know today, he was the best wet-weather driver ever. Think about other great Formula 1 drivers, like Damon Hill, Alain Prost or Michael Schumacher. Each of them was overtaken by Senna in probably best first lap ever - in 1993 Europe Grand Prix (at Donington Park in UK):

Damon Hill is the only one who doesn't lost more than a lap to Ayrton in this race!


In next few years Senna continued his F1 career, he became a Champion three times, he won Grand Prix 41 times, 65 times he started from the pole position. He drove in such teams as Toleman, Lotus, McLaren and Williams.

And then it was time for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola circuit. Currently known as the most tragic F1 weekend since 1960. During qualifications another driver - Roland Ratzenberger died due to a crash.
Also, Rubens Barichello and mechanics and viewers were injured.


But the whole world was shocked on Sunday 1st May…

Unfortunately, he didn’t survive this terrible accident…
Since this tragic accident safety improvements were introduced and no driver died in F1 race for 20 years – until Jules Bianchi who had a crash in 2014 Japan Grand Prix (he died a few months later).

To realize how dangerous F1 is, you should just imagine speed – Ayrton hit the wall at the speed of 300km/h…

Watch another video – one of Robert Kubica’s best laps (Check out the distance between the car and the barriers at this speed… Only a few centimeters!):

At the end I would like to recommend you a movie about Ayrton. There is a short trailer from 2010:

1. Have you heard about any similar histories of people who died or have become seriously injured doing things they loved?
2. Which sport is most dangerous in your opinion and why?
3. What kind of driver are you? Calm or rather mad etc.? Describe yourself!

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayrton_Senna
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Formula_One_seasons

Week 6 [12.12-18.12] Core Crimes

Core Crimes

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2016/03/calls_for_service_data_are_the_best_way_to_analyze_crime_why_don_t_cities.html

Genocide, crimes against humanity, aggression, and war crimes. These four core crimes create individual liability under international law. Each of them is prohibited, it is a jus cogens norm under customary international law. Those crimes are mostly committed by state officials, which makes them bigger in scale of atrocities, but jurisdiction of tribunals is not taking into account immunities based on their official status. International criminal law “ICL” developed to deal with crimes of the highest gravity, which means the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole and past unimaginable atrocities that deeply shock the conscience of humanity. The atrocities during the World War II pushed several countries like France, United Kingdom to seek justice against people responsible for genocide, torture etc. They established “International Military Tribunal” in the German city of Nuremberg to try Nazi leaders within jurisdictions: crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The United Nations passed a resolution affirming those principles recognized by IMT (Nuremberg Principles). ICL deals with suppression of crime and it has some international content, it usually emerges from customary international law. Today’s domestic criminal practitioner need to follow international treaty norms and human rights obligations, know how operate and implement international law norms. So what we can say about the Transnational Criminal Law?

World War II it is just an example of people cruelty. After that we have heard about fights in the former Yugoslavia which were aimed even in civilian population. Also genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda can be noticed as a great failure of the civilized world. It is hard to believe but people who took part in this violent acts can’t never take responsibility before courts. We believe that national courts should be impartial, but can we guarantee this? I totally agree that in this kind of extraordinary situations those people should have trials before independent courts composed of independent judges, without any influence of the state officials.

1    What do you think about international courts in general?

2    Do you think that people should be responsible for things that are not prohibited in their home countries?

3    Do you know any international criminal cases or people who were convicted for their crimes?

Sources:

1) R. J. Currie, International and Transnational Criminal Law, Irwin Law 2010
2) http://www.icccpi.int/en_menus/icc/legal%20texts%20and%20tools/official%20journal/Pages/rome%20statute.aspx “Rome Statute”

3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_criminal_law

Week 5 [28.11-04.12] Work or Talent?

Read the presentation Work or talent- which one determines success? at
http://konwersatorium1-ms-pjwstk.blogspot.com/2016/11/week-5-711-1311-work-or-talent-which.html

and discuss it on our blog. 

Week 5 [28.11-04.12] Will technology replace your job?

Read the presentation Will technology replace your job? at 

http://konwersatorium1-ms-pjwstk.blogspot.com/2016/11/week-8-2811-0412-will-technology.html

and discuss it on our blog. 

Week 5 [ 29.11-04.12.2016] How to save money

Source: http://jakoszczedzacpieniadze.pl

6 months ago I did not think about personal finances. I spent what I earned. Some time ago I heard about one guy whose name is Michał Szafrański. Michał worked for an IT department. Then he founded a blog “Jak oszczędzać pieniądze”. On this blog you can find many articles about finances. In 2013 he won the competition - “Blog Roku 2013”. Three years later he wrote a book that I have just read. Interestingly you cannot purchase this book at any store. Michał published it himself. He sold almost 12000 books in the pre-order. Within the first month he earned over 400 thousand PLN.
The book is divided into 10 chapters. Each of these chapters changed something in my life. You can find information about the household budget, loans, financial intermediaries, motivation, investing etc.

Source: http://finansowyninja.pl/

The book gave me an incredible kick into action. After reading the chapter on household spending I could write a small home budget for the next month. The bride asked me to do it long time before :)
I learned the contents of the mortgage. I know that interest rates always changing. I recognized the power of compound interest. And finally I learned how to save money. Unfortunately, it is made up of small steps. Every day you have to be careful what you spend money on.

On the other hand, many people do not think about saving at all. It's terrifying. Michał writes on his blog that about 20 million Poles do not have any savings. What if such a person loses his job or has a car accident? What about savings for retirement? I do not know how such people may think that ZUS will pay them enough money to survive. When I am I would like to get about 3,000 PLN per month. It will let me pay all the bills, go shopping and even I could go on holiday once a year. I cannot imagine living for 800 zł per month, so I try to save money :)
Savings should be invested or deposited in a savings account. You can read about it in one of the chapters. As it turns out this is necessary because of inflation. Unfortunately, the deposits have relatively low interest rates.
You can read more about this book at http://finansowyninja.pl/

Do you save money?
What do you think about compound interest?
How do you see yourself in retirement?

Week 5 [ 28.11-04.12.2016] The pre-Christmas rush

As we all know,  Christmastime is very emotional. People get ready for Christmas days or even weeks before. Most of us go to malls to get perfect gifts for our loved ones to show them our devotion. This phenomenon wasn’t omitted by businessmen who foresee a great opportunity to  enhance their income. Christmas rush started some time ago even though we still have almost a month to the holiday. 

Every single year we see the same scenario. At the beginning of November shops are getting full of Christmas decorations, carols, and Santas. On TV, brands began to start their Christmas advertisement. It seems that every year the Christmas rush arrives earlier.

Source: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/travel/2015/12/16/bronners-revels-christmas-rush/77090440/

In the past we used to watch a white bearded elderly man  in a red suit (who eventually became imprinted into your mind as Santa Claus) driving its truck full of soda drink. There were a bunch of children laughing and playing as they watch their favorite drink pass by.

Source: https://www.tumblr.com/search/coca%20cola%20and%20santa

Nowadays more brands are trying to become icons of Christmas. Either they’re mobile service providers, banks, shopping malls or sweets producers, all of them are looking forward to use our instincts and the atmosphere of Christmas for their own benefit.  

1. What do you think about Christmas commercials in November?

2. Is there any Christmas commercial that you like?

3. Have you already started buying Christmas presents?

Week 5 [ 28.11-04.12] Does our happiness depend on the number of 'likes' below our photo or post?

Nowadays social media portals and blogs are becoming more and more popular. It is a great way to share an opinion about passions, interests with others. Blogs are especially famous among young people;  they are some kind of a diary.

When I was a teenager I wrote a diary. I put my thoughts, memories and everything what happened to me that day in it. I wrote about problems and solutions to them. But I did  everything to keep my diary in secret and I did not want anybody to read it. I kept it in a safe and I did not allow anyone to be interested in reading it,  including my family and friends. When only I thought about a situation when somebody could read it, I felt scared. I remember that all my friends wrote them and they kept them in secret. Why do people share their emotions and thoughts today? Doesn’t it mean that our life is becoming more predictable and available for everyone?

I am sure that you have at least one friend who shares a lot of content on the Facebook wall , including tones of photos of food stuff, places, complaints about politics or just bragging. In my opinion people for ages have been willing to share their lives. Who was not tired after scrolling twenty albums with photos during his/her first visit at the partner’s home. There is a small difference between sharing a physical album that is hidden in a shelve instead of sharing photos on the Internet where everything stays once it was published. Showing others where we are currently, what we wear, what type of cosmetics we use or what film we will watch at the cinema – all these things are is addictive, especially when we want to stay in the center of attention.

There is one question – is this real life of this person? In the virtual world we have a chance to create  a “better” version of ourselves. We brag and share everything, we collect “likes,”  like they were so important and valuable. If  our everyday life is totally average, 200 “likes” below a post are important, don’t you think? We increase our self-esteem. Unfortunately we do not realize that it can have an impact in the future. Nowadays it is something normal that employers check potential candidates on the Internet, before an official interview. How many people did not pass it because of photos from some parties? Do parents think about what their child will tell in the future when he or she sees a photo of himself tagged: “First bath of our daughter”? This daughter can become a famous politician in the future and for sure she will not be happy with this publication.

My message is presented in the short video below:

I encourage you to watch it. :)

And please, answer the questions presented.