“How is it possible that my 75 year old aunt who lives in Florida is so much better at using modern technology and make it her own, than my aunt in Milan?” Asks Layla Pavone on Bling Bling Blog in regards to the concept of digital divide, a technology gap between those who are online and those who are offline.

Even though Wikipedia describes the digital divide as “the gap between those people with effective access to digital and information technology (Internet, personal computers) and those without access to it”, from our experience we have  learned that there is a big difference even within the same network with users who surf and those that don’t.

The level of education, economic condition and even age can determine that gap of knowledge and familiarity with new technologies, which today in Italy, determines the distinction between the user, that fully exploits the opportunities of the Internet, browses with ease, learns new procedures and quickly adapts to change, and the average or inexperienced  user who has not yet really understood the potential of  “information highways”.

The management of a social network directed primarily to an Italian population requires us to bear in mind the phenomenon of the digital divide as we have just outlined. The design of the new platform has had among its main objectives an uncomplicated navigability, transparency and ergonomics, in order to create a portal that is accessible to all and which meets the needs of users.

How do we translate these concepts in practice?

“Ciaopeople chose simplicity, at least in this first phase of migrating from Qbr - stresses Dario Caregnato, Application Development Manager - the Facebook tools, for instance, as simple as they are  to use, nonetheless, address an audience of experts. Instead, Ciaopeople waived certain features and possibilities in favour of  greater ergonomics. ” From a graphics point of view, “Ciaopeople will use large and well-outlined boxes with clearly defined titles instead of  the open graphics of  Netlog where each section is separated from the others only on the basis of principles of visual perception: this gives us an  effect that is perhaps a little orderly but certainly more readable. ”

Last but not least, is the role of explanatory web copywriting. In addition to the online Help section which consists of a series of Faq divided into categories and written in a language that is simple and direct, Ciaopeople  follows you step by step from the moment of  spacelog construction to the participation in the magazine and forum, with explanations that are clear and precise and with the help of tooltips included in many parts of the site.

But it doesn’t end there,  because we are aware that we cannot improve user satisfaction if not through the user himself: we are  ready to implement changes based on the reactions of our  community of users, and we are aware that it is they who must lead the way.

Claudia Saputo
Press Office Ciaopeople

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