Weber, T. (2010). “Why Companies Watch Your Every Facebook, YouTube, Twitter Move.” BBC News. Visited on October 4, 2010: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11450923

This article focuses on how effective everyday social networking can impact their product name, reputation and sales. By using social networking consumers get a chance to voice their opinions and experience by using social media tools such as Facebook, Tweeter, and YouTube.

Conceptual Design

What does the product do?

In this article the product is the social media tools such as Facebook, Tweeter and YouTube. A couple of scenarios were examples that identified how people use social networking to convey a message on a brand or product.

A Canadian singer, Dave Carroll complained about his bad experience with United Airlines baggage handlers for damaging his guitar. He then made a music video complaining about his experience and posted it on YouTube. The conceptual design was that he used a social media tool to post his video in order to have his voice heard about United Airlines. The interaction design part was that Dave used a powerful media tool that the general public had access to viewing and commenting on. People started viewing the video, interacting and commented about his frustration.

The interface design was that the product was user friendly enough to generate half a million people within three days. The effectiveness of generating a viral of social networking just from a tweet or update status can be very powerful for brand or product.

Thousands of customers related to Dave’s situation and United Airlines had to deal with frustrated customers just from one video made from an unhappy customer’s experience. The concept design of social media can be a powerful viral social effect that generates either good or bad attention depending on consumers. The article then discusses how companies can use social media as an advantage.

Interaction Design

How does the product do it?

This gets into how the good use of social media can reduce complaints from consumers.  In the article, Jorn Lyseggen, chief executive of Meltwater Group, says that “social media is like a toddler, but nobody yet knows what promise that toddler holds.” Social media is unpredictable and and no one knows what future it may hold. It is rapidly growing and many companies want to take advantage of these tools to help promote their business. When Ford introduced the new Fiesta cars, they offered 100 people the chance to test drive the new cars if they reviewed them on their social media.  Today if people want to find about news they go to their computer and the Internet. Social media find people who are interested in the topic they want to interact and have a voice. Creating fan pages and group on Facebook is a common trend that companies are adapting to interact with their audience.

Interface Design

How does the product feel and look like?

The social media product can be clumsy or good depending on the user’s experience. BP experienced a meltdown during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill when they company ignored the social media news. Companies that learn, pay attention and take action when their consumers tweet or comment about their experience can reduce complaints.