It’s in the Details: Seven Secrets of a Successful InternationalWebsite
Posted on Jul 3, 2008 08:38:54 PM
Your customers want to feel like you are speaking to them. They want to feel like you understand them. This can be a relatively straightforward task if your target market shares your language and culture. But what if it doesn’t?
In a world where web sites are the calling cards of most companies, localizing web content for your international audience is the key. Part of localization involves translating your website into Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Details, InternationalWebsite, Secrets, Seven, SuccessfulThe Psychology of Navigation
Posted on Jun 28, 2008 08:37:23 AM
So, what do you do?
When people ask me what I do for a living, I usually tell them I design Web sites. Let’s face it, most people who ask that question want an answer they can understand, not an indoctrination. That’s why I don’t often use the phrase “information architect” among the uninitiated. It causes too much trouble.
It causes trouble because it’s not always easy to explain the complexities Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Navigation, PsychologyWhat happens when the people come?
Posted on Jun 26, 2008 08:17:13 AM
Every experienced web designer knows that web statistics are important. Okay, now quick, think of a time when you responded directly to changes in web traffic in a tangible, tactical way. I'm guessing that some of you out there may be able to provide a few examples. Maybe not, though. The most common use of web statistics has always been to justify the existence of a site: "see boss, people are using the site, we can't stop now..." Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Come, happens, people, What, whenIntroduction to Django: Helping Perfectionists With Deadlines
Posted on Jun 25, 2008 08:18:49 PM
Django is an open-source Web framework, written in Python, that allows you to easily and rapidly develop interactive, data-centric web applications. It came into being when two Web developers—Adrian Holovaty and Simon Willison—in Kansas, after moving their newspaper’s website from PHP to Python, found themselves repeatedly solving similar problems. They decided to extract the common functionality and released the resulting Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Deadlines, Django, Helping, Introduction, Perfectionists, withOffline Marketing
Posted on Jun 24, 2008 05:05:57 PM
Looking Back
It wasn’t so long ago that dotcom startups, new media, and break-out Internet companies were pushing their name on the general public through various print ads, massive public banners, radio and television spots, as well as ridiculous and outrageous publicity events. All of these advertising methods proved an effective way to get their names out, but failed to truly establish brand awareness. Whether or not this contributed Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Marketing, OfflineA-Z Indexes to Enhance Site Searching
Posted on Jun 11, 2008 09:46:51 PM
Facilitate searching, not just navigation
An important part of an information architect’s job is to make it easier for users of a Web site or intranet to find the information they want. Usually the focus is on site navigation—the site’s structural design, hierarchy, page titles and labels, menu design, site map, and so on.
Another way to address making information on a Web site easy to find is through search functionality. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Enhance, Indexes, Searching, SiteHow to Build a Green Business
Posted on Jun 11, 2008 09:43:52 AM
In an age of inconvenient truths, global warming, and “green is good” messages in the mass media, Sustainability has become a popular catchphrase and the new marketing must-have for many companies. But what does it truly mean? And how can it apply to your business?
In this article, I’ll discuss how our web design and development company incorporated sustainability into our business model, and how other development Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Build, Business, GreenExcerpt: Pro JavaScript Design Patterns
Posted on Jun 2, 2008 06:23:48 PM
The Adapter Pattern
The adapter pattern allows you to adapt existing interfaces to classes that would otherwise be incompatible. Objects that use this pattern can also be called wrappers, since they wrap another object in a new interface. There are many situations where creating adapters can benefit both the programmers and the interface designers. Often when designing classes, some interfaces can’t be used with existing Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Design, Excerpt, JavaScript, PatternsThe Rise of Flash Video, Part 2
Posted on May 29, 2008 06:00:56 AM
This will happen to you: Your client calls and informs you that she is seeing a lot of video on the web these days and, that she just happens to have a few she would like to put up on her site as well. There was a time when this request would have struck fear into the hearts of most web developers, but today’s web is a different place; the ubiquity of the Flash player in the marketplace has made this task possible. As I pointed out in Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Flash, Part, Rise, VideoCompetitive Analysis
Posted on May 12, 2008 10:53:27 AM
Every industry has its own version of the competitive analysis and its function is clear: to line up your product with other products and show where yours falls short and where yours is superior. Each industry brings a different spin to this old favorite and user experience design has its own set of criteria by which to judge competitors.
Take the simple competitive analysis shown in Table 5.1.
Simple Competitive AnalysisCriteriaPETCO.comPetSmart.comProductsNo Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Analysis, Competitive