In Episode 4 of Discussing Stupid, host Virgil Carroll and co-host Cole Schlotthauer from High Monkey dive into the complex world of search systems and the importance of semantics in delivering relevant results. This episode explores the frustrations users often face when search systems fail to recognize variations in spelling, synonyms, and context, which can drastically impact user experience.Virgil and Cole discuss common issues with search systems, such as treating every search term the same and ignoring common phrases and alternative names. They share real-world examples, like a bank where users searched for one name in numerous ways, illustrating the need for search systems to recognize and account for these variations. The team also emphasizes that improving search functionality requires more than just turning it on—it involves continuous work, testing, and understanding of user behavior.To wrap up, Virgil highlights best practices, including using “push search” technology to guide users to the right results and leveraging search analytics to understand how people are searching. By the end of the episode, listeners will gain practical insights into making search more intuitive and user-friendly. Join us every two weeks for new episodes, and don’t forget to like, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources and updates, visit www.discussingstupid.com. (0:00) - Intro(1:26) - A lot of search systems suck(1:57) - Search needs semantics(3:04) - Search with VS without semantics (4:48) - When AB&T meets AB and T(6:14) - The English language is funny(8:00) - The power of curated results(10:50) - Virgil's biggest piece of advice(12:41) - OutroSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In Episode 3 of Discussing Stupid Season 2, host Virgil Carroll, along with Cole Schlotthauer from High Monkey, dives into the topic of content readability. They focus on how overly complex or technical language can turn users away and make it harder for people to understand.The team discusses common readability mistakes like using too much jargon, confusing sentence structure, and not keeping the audience in mind. Virgil shares examples from government and education where content wasn’t simple enough. They explain why it’s important to know your audience and keep language clear, especially for government websites that need to be at an 8th-grade reading level.The episode also includes a demo using Readable.com, where Virgil and Cole show how to take a sentence and make sure it is clear and easy to read. This example shows why keeping content simple helps people understand and stay engaged.By the end of this episode, you’ll have tips to make your content easy to read and understand, reaching a wider audience.Join us every two weeks for new episodes, and don’t forget to like, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources and updates, visit www.discussingstupid.com. LINKSTools Mentioned:Readable.com: https://www.readable.com/ Readable.com Demo Clip:Watch a clip of Virgil and Cole using Readable.com to enhance content clarity:https://www.discussingstupid.com/p/episode-3-readablecom-demo/Subscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In Episode 2 of Discussing Stupid Season 2, host Virgil Carroll, along with Chad and Cole from High Monkey, dives into the topic of page performance and SEO, specifically focusing on how oversized images can slow down your website.They discuss common mistakes people make with large images—like shrinking images in HTML without optimizing file size—and how these errors can negatively impact both the user experience and SEO rankings. The team shares insights into how to avoid these pitfalls and explores how tools like RIOT (Radical Image Optimization Tool) can help reduce file sizes without sacrificing image quality.You'll also hear about the often overlooked balance between mobile and desktop optimization. The team highlights why simply resizing images for mobile isn’t enough and explains how poor image handling can lead to sluggish performance on mobile devices, frustrating users and hurting your site's overall effectiveness.By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with actionable tips on optimizing images for both performance and SEO, ultimately improving your site’s speed and user experience.Join us every two weeks for new episodes, and don’t forget to like, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources and updates, visit www.discussingstupid.com. LINKSTools mentioned:Riot (Radical Image Optimization Tool): https://riot-optimizer.com/Riot demo clip from this episode: https://www.discussingstupid.com/p/episode-2-image-optimization-demoSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

Welcome to the first episode of Discussing Stupid Season 2, where your host Virgil Carroll, along with Chad and Cole from High Monkey, dive into the importance of inclusive design. In this episode, they focus on the often overlooked but crucial aspect of alt text for images.Virgil, Chad, and Cole discuss the significance of alt text in creating an inclusive digital experience. They emphasize that alt text is not merely about ticking boxes for WCAG or ADA compliance. Instead, it plays a crucial role in enhancing accessibility and inclusivity for individuals who rely on screen readers. The discussion covers the various types of images—decorative, practical, and informative—and offers insights on how to accurately describe them to improve the digital experience for everyone.The episode also explores the limitations of relying solely on AI to generate alt text, underscoring the importance of human-crafted, meaningful descriptions that can profoundly impact users who depend on assistive technologies. Furthermore, the team shares practical tips on integrating inclusive design practices into your content creation process, ensuring that your digital content is accessible and understandable to all users.Throughout the episode, you'll gain valuable knowledge on how to implement best practices for alt text and learn why it's essential to consider inclusivity at every stage of your content lifecycle. By the end of the discussion, you'll be equipped with the tools and insights needed to make your digital content more accessible and inclusive.Join us every two weeks for new episodes, and don’t forget to like, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources and updates, visit www.discussingstupid.com.LINKSTools mentioned:Wave: https://wave.webaim.org/Lighthouse: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/lighthouse/overview/Alt text examples from the episode: https://www.discussingstupid.com/p/episode-1-alt-text-examples/Resources from the Web Accessibility Initiative:Decorative images: https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decorative/Informative images: https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/informative/Tips and TrickSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In this highly anticipated return of the Discussing Stupid podcast, host Virgil Carroll welcomes new co-host Cole Schlotthauer to kick off Season 2. After a five-year hiatus, they're back with a fresh approach, focusing on shorter, more targeted episodes that delve into specific UX and digital practices.Virgil and Cole discuss the shift from long-form interviews to concise, 10-15 minute episodes designed to provide actionable insights. This season will cover a range of topics, from alt text best practices to the pitfalls of relying too heavily on AI for accessibility. The goal is to offer practical advice that listeners can immediately apply in their own work.In addition to audio, the podcast will now include video episodes, allowing for more dynamic content and visual examples. For those who prefer audio-only, detailed show notes will ensure no one misses out on the valuable information shared.Don't miss out on the latest updates and exclusive content—subscribe to Discussing Stupid on their website, and follow them on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud. Get ready for a season packed with insightful discussions on UX and digital best practices! Links:Subscribe for email updates on our website:https://www.discussingstupid.com/Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupidListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials:https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupidhttps://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupidhttps://x.com/DiscussStupidSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In this episode of the Discussing Stupid podcast your host Virgil Carroll has a conversation with Brett Matson, the Managing Director of Funnelback Search Technology, about search, semantic search, knowledge graphs, artificial intelligence in search, and the related leverages and pitfalls. Brett shares that there are several big things coming in the area of search, after reaching a plateau and stagnation for a few years. Some of these are paradigmatic (understanding the search has multiple purposes, not just page rankings,) and some include changing the approach (i.e. modifying queries,) changing presentation of results (modules,) knowledge graphs, semantic search (detecting the intent of the query,) and many more. Brett explores how some of these new technologies are intrinsically more attractive to people. For example, knowledge graphs are (or can be) visual and show relations between entities in them. Thus, they are much more intuitive in contrast to being faced with a wall of data to choose from. The point is, of course, making content a lot more intelligent and hence more useful, by treating it as a product and perfecting its delivery. In Brett’s opinion, during the next decade we will see a real proliferation of smart tools that will help users and companies perform a significantly better search. Virgil and Brett also discuss how it is very important to avoid making too many connections when using a new, powerful technology that can do that. This can bog down the whole organization, its data servers, employees, and finally, users.Virgil’s conversation with Brett is very rich and diverse, so make sure to listen to the whole episode and pay close attention to what he had to share. Links:Episode mentioned:Future-proofing your experience delivery strategy with Intelligent Content by Kate Skinner.Siraj Raval's YouTube channel is full of short, fun videos that teach all different aspects of machine learning and AI.Coursera's Machine Learning course, one of the original online machine learning courses, delivered by leading AI researcher Andrew Ng. A great article by Sebastien Dery discussing the challenges of knowledge graphs. Subscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In this episode of the Discussing Stupid podcast, your host Virgil Carroll has a conversation with Kanwal Khipple about successful and consistent user experience (UX) across multiple channels. The question is how to design consistent user experience for people across different interfaces developed by different companies to provide different experiences. Kanwal is the CEO at 2toLEAD, and great UX innovation is his passion. Virgil and Kanwal dive deep into the past and recent trends of tools, the challenges that user experience design faces across tools, and offer advice on the best approaches to cultivate successful cross-app user experience.One of the major challenges of UX is adopting a tool (or tools) that can sometimes be too complex and can feel burdensome. For UX design to be successful, it is important to understand the users themselves and how they utilize your services or business’s tools. For that reason, it’s important to note and map how consumers find your tools and how they use the tools. Another important aspect of UX design is to not overwhelm users. For example, one common error is overloading them with notifications that they cannot manage or turn off.  Building a road map where the whole process will help the users and the company as well. There are 3 facets of UX – navigation, search, and the actual content. The best approach is to focus on one of these, excel at it, gather feedback, and continuously improve.Buzzword for this episode: seamlessnessLinks:Connect with Kanwal on LinkedInFollow Kanwal on Twitter (@kkhipple)Follow Discussing Stupid on Twitter (@DiscussStupid) and FacebookSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In this episode of the Discussing Stupid podcast, the first in 2019, host Virgil Carroll and Principal Solutions Architect at High Monkey, has a conversation with Chad Heinle and Joel Baglien about how technology has changed due to people’s needs changing and how certain technology has been recycled to reflect a market that’s now ready to utilize it. Chad Heinle and Joel Baglien are both VPs at High Monkey. Chad heads the production team and Joel, co-founder of High Monkey with Virgil, heads the sales and marketing team. Both Chad and Joel briefly discuss how they became interested in web work and got to where they are now in their careers.Virgil starts the discussion by highlighting the developments and changes in web design. While previously a web developer was essential to program and put together a website, today with advanced CMSs almost anyone can build a website and almost everyone does. Chad voices his concern of a current issue that was not present before – now people who are not well versed in web development have tools at their disposal to create websites; however, many of these non-developers tend to make subpar websites. Chad believes, however, that people are coming to realize that for the sake of efficiency and ease of use, more consideration is going into who makes a website. Virgil also shares his take on user-friendly website development and its correlation with technology growth. Joel brings to light the fact though many years have passed; yet for many organizations, institutions, and companies, their websites are still inaccessible to certain site visitors. Joel suggests that this can be rectified with proper design, development, and content role allocation. With the recent push for more simplistic, accessible sites the need for knowledgeable web developers and programmers has returned. This trend has also changed things in the domain of search engine design. Search engines have become better at finding and displaying information. However, if a user is drowned in information and is not able to quickly find the information he needs, he will most likely not use the search engine or the website that he happens to be on again. There’s the simple truth that some companies and messages resonate with visitors and potential customers, while others don’t. In order for your message to resonate, you need to be efficient. One should also aim to use the platforms that fit your company, message, and brand – for instance, don’t focus on Twitter if you are a visually oriented company. Another trend that contributed to the recent strive towards simplicity is that the everyday activities ofSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In this episode of the Discussing Stupid podcast, host Virgil Carroll sits down with Martin MacCulloch from Kentico Cloud. Martin is a product manager at Kentico Cloud. Kentico Cloud is a cloud-based environment for content management and delivery. Martin joins Virgil to discuss content friction, common workflow problems, and how Kentico Cloud is harnessing technology to improve content efficiency and cohesiveness. After their interview, Virgil shares his frustration with a new buzzword in the Stupid Buzz section of the show. As the conversation unfolds, Martin defines content friction as everything that causes inefficiency or damage throughout the content lifecycle. Martin breaks down some of the friction his teams experienced around new product launches. Namely, how they found it difficult to decide who would write the content, how to craft a cohesive message, and how to collaborate efficiently as a team. Martin and Virgil talk about how to build beneficial workflow systems and avoid perpetuating the problems you’re trying to fix. Next, Martin shared numerous technological and workflow issues that he has witnessed throughout his career. Some of these issues include inefficient file storage where hundreds of emails are exchanged, failing to work on the most recent version of a file in collaborative projects, bottlenecked team structures where a plethora of decisions have to be made by a single person, and more. Virgil then asks Martin about how Kentico Cloud is working to streamline the collaborative content-creation process, help brands craft a cohesive message, and improve the journey from ideation to execution. After the conversation winds down, Virgil dives into Stupid Buzz, where he talks about a buzzword that gets on his nerves. This week’s buzzword is “omnichannel.” Virgil shares his concerns about the way that people use the term incorrectly and points back to its legitimate meaning, which implies understanding your content on a microscopic and big-picture level as it relates to the various platforms it’s being published on. In short, omnichannel content is far more complex and specific than many people suggest through their inaccurate use of the term.  LINKSLearn more about Kentico Cloudhttps://www.kentico.com/ Download a free handbook of templates and best-practices from the Content Strategy Alliancehttps://contentstrategyalliance.com/resources/csa-handbook/Subscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

The digital world of today challenges marketers to carefully craft their messaging or risk causing the type of public relations nightmare most don’t want to think about. Now, digital marketers have to not only appreciate the power of the words and imagery they use (or choose not to), but also recognize the need to elevate their messaging to tell a much broader, more diverse story around our brands and products. To help shed some light on some of these challenges, Virgil is joined by the always delightful Heather Newman from Creative Maven. Heather is not only an experience marketer, but is also known for her endeavors in the promotion of better diversity and inclusion in the workplace, especially in the field of technology.During the discussion, Virgil and Heather ‘get real’ on how the conversation around diversity is changing the digital marketing landscape and share some big (and sometimes funny) screw-ups and successes along the way. In the end, the conversation explores the complex topic, pokes fun at many of our predisposed ideas about how diversity in messaging works (its not just about your person count in images) and gives real world examples on the dos and donts we should all try to follow.Resources discussed:https://www.creativemaven.com/ - Heather's marketing agencyhttps://storybrand.com/ - Story Brandhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/ - Microsoft Global Diversity and Inclusionhttps://www.womeninsharepoint.com/ - Women in SharePointhttps://www.womenintechnology.org/ - Women in Technologyhttps://www.womenshistory.org/ - National Women's History MuseumSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

In today’s digital world, creating an inclusive visitor experience is often discussed but never really implemented. One of the biggest challenges facing successful implementation is taming the behaviors of a large base of content contributors. In this episode, Virgil is joined by Doug Burgett of the University of Illinois, to discuss his first-hand experience with this topic. Doug is the Creative Director for Marketing Communications for Enrollment Management (translation: he markets for admissions). In this role, Doug has primary responsibility for the most important areas of the University of Illinois website and must ‘wrangle’ a diverse population of contributors who possess a variety of skill levels.During the podcast, Virgil and Doug discuss the challenges we all face keeping our digital properties accessible. Add to the mix that we have to train our contributors to use the tools at our disposal in an educated way. According to Burgett, “When content editors use WYSIWYG editors they don’t realize that as the enter content into the editor, code is actually being created in the back end. Knowing this helps content editors to Realize the power they have at their fingertips.” Once consistency among content editors has been achieved, Virgil and Doug discuss bad practices to avoid, look at some of the monitoring tools and techniques you can employ, and explore how to provide your customers with all-inclusive digital experiences.Resources discussed:https://developers.google.com/amp/ - Google’s mobile first development methodologyhttps://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/ - Understanding the use of ARIA tagshttps://fae.disability.illinois.edu/anonymous/?Anonymous%20Report=/ - University of Illinois’s Functional Accessibility Evaluatorhttps://webaim.org/ - Online accessibility compliance auditorhttps://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/contrastanalyser - Accessibility color contrast testerSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

Join Virgil Carroll for Monkey Byte 3.5. Follow along as Virgil digs through some of the more popular tools in the world of customer experience and see how well these companies are prepared for the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Virgil digs through tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, Hootsuite and even Mail Chimp to see what steps they are taking to comply with the new regulation.Subscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

Since Virgil knew you couldn’t get enough about good data practice regulations, he decided to do another episode on GDPR . . . yay! Where Episode 2 dealt with the collection of private data, this Episode focuses on how you handle your customer’s private data after you collect it. To assist him in telling this exciting story, Virgil recruited his long-time friend Liam Cleary. Liam is a well-respected data security expert. Liam applies his expertise in both his own consultancy, SharePlicity, and as the Security Product Owner for Rencore. Liam also spends a significant amount of time in the world of hacking . . . teaching people how to protect their own data from being hacked (wink, wink).During this enlightening discussion, Virgil and Liam discuss the bigger problem in the way we handle customer data, that is, do we actually know where it goes? According to Liam, "One of the key things to focus on regarding GDPR is to make sure you understand how the data moves around and really how it integrates in other applications and systems that you might utilize it in." Take a customer's email as one example; you can forward it in an email, add it to a CRM, put it in an order tracking system, or add it to your email subscription list. But, can you find all of that customer's data and know how to remove it if you receive a request to do so? Virgil and Liam also discuss the importance of good processes and procedures and some of the realities around the effort it takes to be compliant.If you care about your customer's private data once you have it, then you might want to give a listen.Resources discussed:https://www.eugdpr.org/ - European Union GDPR regulationshttps://www.marketo.com/ - Online marketing automation systemhttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Security-Privacy-and-Compliance/Compliance-Manager-Preview-is-now-available/ba-p/124662 - Microsoft’s Compliance Managerhttps://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cros/ - European Commission official stats siteSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

Join Virgil Carroll, in the second 'MonkeyByte' episode of the series, as he talks more about GDPR and more specifically containing consent. It is important when using user’s information that you've collected that you receive specific consent for the types of activities in which you plan to use their information. Whether that be newsletters, email campaigns and or any other type of activities.Subscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

Join Virgil Carroll as he hashes over what has been one of the most over-talked about changes in global digital marketing in a very long time - the implementation of GDPR. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation rewrites the book on digital personal privacy and creates a new mandate for how organizations need to respect and protect individual’s data. While this topic has been talked about in a million different ways, today’s podcast offers a different angle. We focus on how difficult GDPR is to implement as part of your digital strategy while exposing some of the myths and overreactions around these new regulations. You might not think you should care about regulations from the European Union, but GDPR compliance is a huge step in the direction of showing your customers that their privacy really matters to you!To help gain a better perspective on GDPR, Virgil is joined by David Komárek, the Content Management Product Owner at Kentico Software. David led the charge at his organization to make Kentico CMS software to be one of the first fully GDPR-compliant Content Management Software solutions on the market. During the discussion, David will share the complex journey Kentico had to take and what they learned about their own data practices as well as those of their customers. David recommends "First, try to learn as much as you can about GDPR . . . use somebody who is informed in GDPR and who can educate your internal staff . . . then look at the data and what you're doing with it". Virgil and David also discuss how to understand what is important to do in managing your customer’s privacy and give some good real-world advice on how to start your compliance journey.Resources discussed:https://www.kentico.com/product/all-features/marketing/gdpr-and-data-protection - About Kentico’s GDPR readinesshttps://www.kentico.com/product/resources/whitepapers/gdpr-compliance-and-your-cms/gdpr-compliance-and-your-cms.pdf - Whitepaper on being GDPR complianthttps://www.eugdpr.org/ - European Union GDPR regulationsSubscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid

Join Virgil, in his first 'MonkeyByte', as he dives a bit deeper into the concept of machine learning and discusses how it can be used and how it can be helpful and hurtful to your customer experiences.Subscribe for email updates on our website: https://www.discussingstupid.com/ Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024 https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0 https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid Check us out on socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discussing-stupid https://www.instagram.com/discussingstupid/ https://www.facebook.com/discussingstupid https://x.com/DiscussStupid