Advice & inspiration

10 must-read blog posts to catch up from the holidays

This post is also available in Spanish

Happy New Year everyone! If you are like me, you came back from the holidays five pounds heavier and well rested. However, after glimpsing at your overflowing RSS reader, you might also be a bit overwhelmed. When Google Reader says “1000+” new items (which was my case), you know you’re in trouble! Thus, while cleaning out my reader, I decided to share my favorite posts with you over the last three weeks that you may have missed (listed in the order I came across them). Furthermore, please share any great finds that I may have missed so I can start 2010 all caught up!

10 new years resolutions to make you a better multimedia journalist | Adam Westbrook
01. Learn a new web skill
02. Read up on business
03. Make audio slideshows
04. Learn a new design skill
05. Pick up a microphone
06. Have personal projects
07. Aim to double your blog readership or website hit rate
08. Devote time to storytelling
09. Collaborate and hookup
10. Be audacious

Web Design Trends and Resolutions for 2010 | Design Reviver
“I can’t make a prediction about what web design will be like in 2010, but, that’s not to say its impossible to predict. In today’s news round-up we have collected some brave and honest articles that outline ‘possible’ trends for this year and also added some great articles with resolutions for designers, something we should all be doing!”

5 Best Data Visualization Projects of the Year – 2009 | FlowingData
“With all the new projects this year, it was hard to filter down to the best, but here they are: two honorable mentions and the five best data visualization projects of 2009. Visualizations were chosen based on analysis, aesthetics, and most importantly, how well they told their story (or how well they let you tell yours).”

Looking back at the state of newspaper multimedia in 2009 | Mastering Multimedia
“It’s been a challenging year on the multimedia front. Many newspapers retrenched by refocusing their limited resources back on traditional print products and away from online innovation. This is in sharp contrast to the rush to develop online products so prevalent in 2008. Disturbing as it’s been, this trend is not wholly unexpected. Business model disruptions are historically messy. As publishers resisted the unfathomable idea that the era of the printing press is fading, precious time was wasted in preparing for their inevitable digital future. For the employees of these publications, the stress has been excruciating. Mass newspaper layoffs have hit visual and online staffs hard this year. Word people still control the tempo of most newsrooms. Seeing Washington Post master video storyteller Travis Fox shown the door is an example of this shortsighted trend.”

Things We Love: Projects Worth Watching | MediaStorm
“All of us here at MediaStorm spend a lot of time looking for and talking about new stories, websites, and products that inspire us and help us to make better multimedia. We thought it would be fun to share some of our picks with you, with a little bit about why we liked the pieces, and get some ideas from everyone out there as well. We’re starting off today with some projects we’ve been watching over the last couple of weeks. They aren’t all new, it’s by no means a comprehensive list, but hopefully it will get a dialogue going. Happy New Year all!”

Ten things every journalist should know in 2010 | Journalism.co.uk Editor’s Blog
1. How to monitor Twitter
2. You are in control
3. You are a curator
4. Your beat will be online
5. Core journalistic skills are still crucial
6. Journalism needs a business model
7. You are your own brand
8. You need to collaborate!
9. Stories do not have to end once they are published online
10. Technology is unavoidable

Looking back, looking forward | Alex Gamela
“This is the time of the year where we look back and see how much we have accomplished, and where we are headed, or, at least, when we try to set a route for the next times. I always do that, but nowadays i’m basically going with the flow. Less talking, more doing, that has been my mantra.”

Getting Started with jQuery | Six Revisions
“In this article, I’ll be introducing and laying the groundwork for advanced JavaScript development with one of the most popular JavaScript libraries available: jQuery.”

A Designer’s List of New Year’s Resolutions | Six Revisions
1. Keep your workspace clean
2. Get some exercise
3. Live beyond your workspace
4. Don’t be scared of the dark side, take more risks
5. Work on stuff outside your comfort zone
6. Read more
7. Make time for personal design projects
8. Network and connect with people (it’s part of the job)
9. Get some business cards made
10. Work smarter

25 User Experience Videos That Are Worth Your Time | Smashing Magazine
“We’re all mostly accustomed to educating ourselves by reading articles. Rare are the opportunities to attend conferences or watch live shows on subjects that we’re interested in. That’s why we are presenting here phenomenal videos and related resources on the topic of user experience (UX) by different presenters at different events. We have focused on current content but have included some older videos that are still relevant. It will take you more than 16 hours to watch all of these videos. So, make some popcorn, turn off the lights and enjoy.”

Other posts that might interest you:

• 15 April multimedia must-reads
• Transitioning from photography to multimedia
• 10 March multimedia must-reads

© 2010 Innovative Interactivity (II).
Download II's Security Policy (PDF)