UWSAG talks to Tobias Strandh
of AljapaCo Awards

Owner: AljapaCo Web
Winner: UWSAG Top Ten! for March, 2003 - August, 2003
Winner: UWSAG Award Seekers Pick! for March, 2003

1. What got you started in website design?
   
   "I've always had an interest in arts of all kinds. Back in 1983 I was among the first to introduce Graffiti to Sweden and when Internet came along, it was just one more way to express my feelings. In 1996 I created my very first website using AOL pagemaker. Horrible, horrible result but at that time I was amazed ;) In 1997 I had gotten quite a few requests for websites and spring that year I registered my company AljapaCo Webb which at that time was called just Aljapa Webdesign. Over the years, I've created and been part of creating some 70 various websites from personal homesites to six figure websolutions."
   
   
2. What do you hope to accomplish with your award program?
   
   "That's really a hard question to answer. In the beginning, it was mostly for fun and relaxing from other more "serious" web projects. Since AljapaCo Webb Award started, we've had more than 4.000 applicants and quite some high profile winners and I think that as long it's entertaining and educational for me, I'll continue with the program. I would lie if I said that it would hurt making profit from the evaluations, but I do think that I'd had to spend quite some more time with the program to accomplish this."
   
   
3. What advice would you give other program owners?
   
   "Be careful! What I mean is that before you "go live", make sure that everything on the program is exactly the way you want it! Don't give room for interpretation, make the criteria crystal clear and don't be shy to ask family members or others for input! You'd be surprised to how many things we in the awards community might take for granted that the regular surfer has no clue what so ever to what we really mean! Secondly, don't do anything because it seems like "everyone" else is doing it! Don't join any organization until you're 110% sure that you fully can support their actions and don't ever comprise your conscience."
   
   
4. What was the biggest problem you faced with your award program?
   
   "I would say that getting applications that at least doesn't lead to a direct disqualification would be the major problem! Many people just don't care to read anything about what the award is about or how to gain it! The percent of "bad" applications will decrease if the criteria is straight forward and doesn't leave room for interpretation, but there will always be these 10-20% that just goes for the application page and leaves the site."
   
   
5. If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
   
   "Oh, not much. Almost everything that I've done with my program has been a part of the progress and I rather look forward than gaze at the past."
   
   
6. What plans do you have for the future?
   
   "I'm planning on increasing the various folders that I've divided the winner's sites in. It's really hard to level it down to just some few topics when the Internet is this big. I'm also constantly promoting my site in various webdesign sites and communities and this is something I've noticed has been quite successful when it comes to receiving interesting applications."
   
   
7. What else do you like to do?
   
   "Well, if I told you that I'm expecting my fifth child early this summer, you might get a hunch to what I spend my freetime at ;) Actually, most time I spend with my family and my garden, but I also like reading quite some (Fantasy novels is the favorite), listen to music (Heavy Metal all the way) and whenever I get a chance I like to use my artistic skills with real paint and canvas."