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This is Briefing 69: Ideas, links, and articles of interest to the design mind. Don't miss "Publishing content four ways"--the story of Cooks Illustrated.
Enjoy! Chuck Green
P.S. Please check out my template collections:
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What do visitors think of your site?
Traveling the web as much as I do, I see lots of "can't see the forest for the trees" issues. Problems and opportunities that seem obvious to the visitor that you, the site designer, might never figure out for yourself. A reaction. A technical bottleneck. An seemingly obvious deficit of information or direction. One way to harvest the ideas of those who have that all-important, arms-distance perspective is (simply) to ask. Here, for example, is a form offered by the Smithsonian's Museum Studies site. (I know that this is restateing the obvious, but sometimes what is obvious to you is not obvious to me.) The survey... Here > http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=e7yBX5Tp5LiNYnT6SBiSqA_3d_3dThe page it originates from... Here > http://museumstudies.si.edu/Survey Monkey is the service this particular organzation used to produce the page and capture the information... Here > http://www.surveymonkey.com/What do you think? Comment here > http://www.pageplane.com/web_design/what_do_visitors_think_of_your.html
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How to find and use graphic design researchWe all know that sound research can help us avoid many of the mistakes typically necessary to arrive at good solutions to common graphic design and marketing problems. One source of such research is the Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL) at Wichita State University. This group specializes in software/website user interface design, usability testing, and research in human-computer interaction. I'd like to hear of other sources of graphic design and marketing research--all types. Do you have a source to recommend? A favorite study? A particular statistic that had a significant effect on your work? SURL... Here > http://www.surl.org/usabilitynews/111/default.aspWhat do you think? Comment here > http://www.pageplane.com/marketing_pr/how_to_find_and_use_graphic_de.html
Publishing content four ways: newsletters, books, web, and videoIf you're interested in graphic design and publishing you are (no doubt) familiar with America's Test Kitchen and its parent: Boston Common Press. The publications, books, television shows, and web content it publishes are among the best I've seen. The content seems well-researched, well-written, and well-designed--their web sports an impressive, intuitive user interfaces. (BTW, if you're a foodie, these are also terrific products.) Their online and print newsletter is CooksIllustrated.com... Here > http://www.cooksillustrated.com/Here you'll see the depth of their offerings... Here > http://www.americastestkitchen.com/corp/about-americastestkitchen.aspAnd here is an excellent article on Mequoda.com discussing the fundementals of their business model... Here > http://www.mequoda.com/reviews-and-studies/publishing-case-studies/americas-test-kitchen-media-network-case-study/What do you think? Comment here > http://www.pageplane.com/web_design/publishing_content_four_ways_n.html
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Meet Bill Blinn--An analog face with a digital mindBill Blinn's picture is at the bottom of each page of his podcast web site--Techbyter Worldwide. It shows the bearded, somewhat graying author with a caption that reads, "This explains why TechByter Worldwide was never on television, doesn't it?" That sense of humor is one reason I enjoy listening to his podcast--another is his perspective. It is not an "old" perspective by any stretch of the imagination--it is an educated one. He's the kind of person who shows you the flower, but who also (obviously) understands the root system of the plant. Blinn speaks on a variety of computer-related topics. You can listen to each podcast (the player is near the bottom of the page) or you can read it and look at the illustrations. I will point you to two discussions of Adobe products. Commentary about Adobe Illustrator (CS4)... Here > http://www.techbyter.com/2009/20090215.htmlAbout Adobe InDesign and InCopy (CS4)... Here > http://www.techbyter.com/2009/20090308.htmlWhat do you think? Comment here > http://www.pageplane.com/graphics_tech/meet_bill_blinn--an_analog_fac.html
This post by Seth Godin is an OUTRAGE http://ow.ly/oDwdFive essential tips for better writing from a great teacher, Daphne Gray-Grant http://ow.ly/oAmiIs it just me or are these Toyota Prius TV ads kind of creepy? http://ow.ly/nNXeFew care who designed the logo or web or whether you are beginner or pro. You've got to deliver the goods to succeed as a designer. I've used Basecamp long enough to give it an enthusiastic endorsement. It's a great vehicle for working with clients http://ow.ly/nGn1Goldline radio spot: "Gold has never been worth zero." Is there such a thing as advertising malpractice? ___________________________________________________________________________
Formula marketing (or design) is dangerousI got a question this week that led me to believe that the writer did not fully embrace that fact. They asked, "Is creating a direct mail piece more effective than using something like Google Adwords? My answer: I would have no way of knowing unless I knew your marketing DNA--what you're selling, who your prospects are, the options for reaching them, what your offer is, who you're competing against, what the current market conditions are, and so on. My point is success is circumstantial. You should run in the opposite direct of anyone who offers generic yet "foolproof" advice, formulas, or solutions that do not acknowledge the importance of understanding and addressing the many inherent differences in each situation. Its the old problem of the client who spends 95 percent of their budget on the phone directory ad space and five percent on the message. Whether you're creating a brochure, a web site, a direct mail piece, a radio spot, or whatever else, you need to understand the brand. What do you think? Comment here > http://www.pageplane.com/ideas_101/formula_marketing_or_design_is.html
You might be a graphic designer...
If you have all five weights of Museo...
If your computer monitor has a name...
If you need a forklift to move your back issues of Communication Arts...
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About the briefing
I try to remain as objective as possible about the information I share here. Unless otherwise stated, I receive no compensation from the organizations and people mentioned except for occasional product samples.
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