So I was browsing around through some blogs the other day, trying to find something interesting to share with everyone when I came across a neat blog series called Reasonable People Disagree. Now, I’m not usually one to snag an idea straight from someone’s blog, but these series of articles really grabbed my attention because it is two professionals sharing differing opinions on a variety of subjects — a recent topic was social media. I always try to look at things in a non-biased perspective, so I thought this was be a great article for me to share some of my thoughts about.

Dalton Conley, a Dean of Social Sciences at New York University and an author of multiple books argues that technology, in most cases, is tearing families apart. As more and more technologically advanced gadgets are being released, people are becoming more distracted by them. People have developed increasingly poor social habits and manners as they answer their telephones at the dinner table, text each other instead of simply conversing, and much more. Everyone seems to be too immersed in their individual social media to see beyond it. In some cases, I would say this is true, however, I feel like this is primarily based on the individual. I believe that technology has always been a tool, and an obstacle for man.

Sure, these same technologies help us to keep ourselves organized on a daily basis and keep in touch with those who are important to us, so its more about how we embrace it and use it as a tool. If you happen abuse it to the point where you’re a social slug that’s stuck behind a computer updating your twitter account every hour, that’s your personal choice. I agree with Conley’s statement that in order to be intimate with our families, we need time alone. This reaches a point where you need to ‘cut the electronic umbilical cord’ and give ourselves the opportunity to connect with people on a personal level and be the social beings that we are. I believe part of this has to do with the way we are raised. Dinner should be one time in the day where families can come together and enjoy each others’ company. He mentions making a no-screen rule as punishment and also a way to give them time for themselves. I think this could be effective as a punishment, however, I think its highly based on the individual. If you don’t want your children to text or answer the phone at the dinner table, then perhaps you should set a good example for them, and not allow it to happen in the first place. Be the change that you want to see.

Natalie Jeremijenko, a tech-obsessed artist, engineer, and blogger for the website HowStuffIsMade.org has a differing opinion on the subject. She argues whether technology is tearing families apart, or rather bringing them closer together.

It’s doing both at the same time. We can use technology to connect with one another or to disconnect. The question becomes: To what extent do we exercise that agency? And why don’t we feel more in control of it?

She begins addressing this issue by talking about the popularization of it in her household. While in agreeance with Dalton on the subject of ‘cutting the electronic umbelical cord’ and giving oneself time to reflect, she also talks about the idea that we are the ones in charge of our lives, not the technology. If we choose not to take some quiet time off from the world to contemplate and reflect, they we may not need it.

On another note, she comments on Dalton’s punishment of taking away the computer from children by simply stating ‘bring it on.’ She believes that facebook is the type of social tool that kids should use to interact, get school assignments from friend they may have missed, and so much more. ‘School is social, and a social technology like Facebook can be a worthy partner.’ This is true because much of what we learn in school is how to function socially. We learn from interacting and responding with others. Sure we can’t learn all of this behind a computer, but it doesn’t mean the this can’t be supplimented by social interaction online as well. If anything, I think this is supported by the fact that most schools nowadays are embracing the idea of computer labs, video conferencing, and other technology to help enhance the education of their students.

With all this being said, I think we all need to take in consideration that technology isn’t going anywhere, and at this point I don’t think social media is either. We are all in charge of our lives so whether or not we use these tools to enhance our lives is completely up to us. ‘We’re the authors of our own lives—we’re not under the remote control of our technology.’

The moving image has always been likened with magic and mystery, paired with the idea that filmmakers and photographers play tricks on the viewer through manipulation of the image. I love the idea that creating graphics and engineering each frame is the same as a magician carrying out a trick, it is all about creating a feeling through illusion.  Motion graphics and special effects might seem like a recent pursuit of designers and cinematographers but it is surprisingly almost as old as the medium itself. I present to you Exhibit A…

1856 - The first ever example of image manipulation is known as “The two ways of life” by Oscar Rejlander.

Courtsey of http://www.museeniepce.com/

Oscar Rejlander’s ground breaking picture is made up of 32 different negatives, a completely new technique in his time. Today, this would be less then a hours work for a skilled Photoshop designer.  To Oscar Rejlander defense, he was the first and if it wasn’t for the spark of creativity he started, todays image manipulation programs would most undoubtedly be lacking. his Innovations can be attributed to many such as…

George Melies 1861-1936
He was known as one of the first “Cinemagican”  because he created and help develop much of the in-camera tricks used today. Any film lover should know “A trip to the moon”, a great example of Melies ability to use special effects and motion graphics. I believe wikipedia puts it best,

“He was very innovative in the use of special effects. He accidentally discovered the stop trick, or substitution, in 1896, and was one of the first filmmakers to use multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, dissolves, and hand-painted color in his films.”

Courtsey of wikipedia

Could you imagine what film and media would look like today without the advancements in special effects and motion graphics that these founders of Illusion made. In a lot of my work I still use techniques like timelapse photography and the stop trick…

An example I did of the Stop Trick a while back

Blogs have recently been focusing on the idea of user experience, each having their own valid and unique vantage points. All embracing the question: What methods drive the solutions that we present to our clients?

To unite “scattered design ideas,” we need to start a the beginning; providing ourselves as well as our clients with an idea of where we are, where we are going and exactly how we plant to get there.

“Think of the website creation process as an epic journey.”

With all of this in mind, a well planned website ensures the delivery of a compelling and captivating experience for the client as well as the user. In this article, I’ll discuss how to fuse design and development; making the two work together to understand the kind of story which we want our website to tell, as well as going about on how to tell the story.

Telling The Story

Telling the story of a website is one of the prevalent forms of communication.

“We all tell stories, It’s one of the most natural ways of sharing information, as old as the human race. … Stories help gather and communicate user research, put a human face on analytic data, communicate design ideas, encourage collaboration and innovation, and create a sense of shared history and purpose.”

Storytelling for User Experience Design

As the quote says, there is value for experience designers in story telling. Story telling drives art, aesthetic and function, this is accomplished when an overarching plot is communicated with the help of thematic or “same-subject” devices. Think of the different forces that drive your favorite movies or music. Did you like the character development? The cinematography?  What other forms of artistry contributed to your resulting experience?

Storytelling when applied to design allows designers to understand narrative. It helps designers obtain an idea of who we are telling the story to. In addition to just determining who the story is told to, designers begin to accumulate tools such as textual elements that can be used to shape the story at hand. Compare this list of elements that filmmakers and web designers use to create specific experiences.

Here are many interrelated parts that account for the experience which a film and website provides. Film is coordinated in service of a story meanwhile web is not coordinated at all. We can use the concept of storytelling to give our clients an idea of where we are headed. Actually applying storytelling to our websites is difficult work but luckily can be achieved with prototypes.

Prototypes

Generally a prototype is a rudimentary version of something designed to exhibit both form and functionality in a reasonable and realistic way. A great way to think about prototypes are like miniature models; skyscrapers for example. Prototypes are not perfect because by purpose, they are pragmatic. They require feedback.

A variety of considerations go into the process of creating a prototype and therefore yield a variety of benefits to those that put them into practice. The question I frequently explore is this: how can I collaboratively develop and present my client a prototype of their ideas? Sometimes this requires elements such as content management systems, regardless of the technique employed, the goal is the same: to obtain a more accurate idea what the final website will look like and more importantly, how it will function.

Unlike static wireframes or photoshop mockups, dynamic prototypes create context. If designed well and executed properly, those who engage them tend to make remarks about functionality rather then design asthetic. This otherwise prevents the need for numerous variations of prototypes for the client. If a prototype does not work the way the client anticipates, it can be quickly discarded, replaced or changed. Before we task ourselves with changing a prototype’s visual or interactive design, we give thorough consideration to all factors related to the experience we are attempting to create. Changing particular elements will offset other elements of the desired experience, these elements are called related factors.

Adding multiple prototypes ensures that web design elements are not nearsighted or closed off and will allow the viewer to experience the design as a story; leading the viewer through a specifically engineered experience.

Constructing the Prototypes

Prototypes should be quick and painless to create. Just because static HTML is the easiest way to create these rudimentary elements, it does not mean it works this way for our clients. Using tools such as Adobe Photoshop, sketching paper, power points and Adobe Fireworks is a great idea because the medium is easy to understand for our stakeholders. It is a safer and a more clear way of articulating their ideas and is more arguably valuable than creating inaccessible prototypes.

Final Thoughts

With regards to web development, prototyping is not considered as often as it should be. In fact, it is often too forgotten until after the initial website is developed or even launched. When designed early and often enough, prototypes will begin to generate context and questions; the challenges that arise are usually addressed in time for a developer to answer. Once these challenges are resolved, the developer can farther begin to design an experience for the user, much like a story. We must promote multiple prototypes as a part of the design process in order to improve the experiences we create for our clients, viewers and customers.

Although no one can meet ALL of the demands set forth, especially the common — free, perfect, now — prototypes can help designers move into the right direction, a direction that clients, consultants and users can agree upon.

Now that Facebook has crossed the 500,000,000 user mark (that just looks like too many zeroes, doesn’t it?) its even more important to get out there and brand your organization properly.  This means using the “Like” box on your blog, your website, or basically anywhere you publish content online.  Today, I’ll show you how to style the “Like” box using common CSS tags and the Facebook Like Box Form.

You’ll need:

CSS Edit
Facebook Like Box Form

and fill out the info you want.

Click Get Code:

Copy the URL that the iFrame option gives out and load it up in css edit

Select an element and open up it’s respective stylesheet.

Style the elements that you want and paste them into a new stylesheet.
Save this style sheet on a remote server.

In order to reference your new stylesheet you are going to have to use a little FBML. Go back to the “Get Code” dialog box and copy the XBML snippet.

Replace ‘like-box’ with ‘fan’

Add your css url to it and voila!

Example:

<fb:fan profile_id=”1855986685″ stream=”1″ connections=”3″ width=”190″ height=”480″ css=”http://www.yoursite.com/style.css?2“></fb:fan>

Be sure to add “?” and a number at the end of the URL. Facebook caches the stylesheet. Adding the ? and number allows to see your changes.

Finale.

Follow the directions on how to enable XFBML on your site and paste in your short-code for the like-box and you’re done!

Note: So far i haven’t figured out how to do this using the frame method.

LinkedIn launched their first Twitter integration in November 2009, dragging the “professional” site to play nicer with other social networks.  Since then, over one million LinkedIn members have taken the opportunity to add their Twitter accounts to their LinkedIn profile.

Now LinkedIn takes the connection a step further by allowing you to find your connections who are on Twitter and then interact, all within the (somewhat ugly) LinkedIn interface.  Support for Twitter Lists is included…have you started your “LinkedIn Twitter List”?

Starting today, LinkedIn’s Tweets application will allow LinkedIn members to easily find and keep track of their LinkedIn connections on both LinkedIn and Twitter.

If you haven’t installed Tweets yet, you can add it by going to the Tweets install page.  Once you’ve installed the Tweets application, you can easily access it from anywhere on LinkedIn using the “More…” menu at the top of the website.  After installing, it took LinkedIn/Twitter a few minutes to display my connections properly, but worked like a charm afterwards.

Check out the full story on the official LinkedIn Blog.

In this post I will be discussing the strong marketing strategy TBWA has created for Absolut Vodka and what makes it successful. Absolut Vodka started in 1879, is produced in Ahus, Sweden and has a long running advertising history spanning different medians to create a strong brand identity. TBWA has managed the Absolut account for almost thirty years and is responsible for the majority of all of their ads, marketing programs and for the brand they are today. TBWA has created over 1500 ads (the majority of those being print) for Absolut and the main idea behind the ads being based around the unique shape of the bottle and usually using some variation of the tagline “Absolut Perfection.”

Website: www.absolut.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2370223690#!/ABSOLUT?ref=ts

The strategy of the brand was to avoid affiliating the product with one particular lifestyle and the ads were to have a timeless yet contemporary theme to them. Absolut Vodka prides its ads in crossing the line between advertising and art using different medians such as paintings, limited edition bottles, shirts, and sculpture. Many famous artists have done work for the company, including Andy Warhol and Keith Harris. TBWA’s branding campaign for Absolut Vodka was listed as one of the top ten campaigns of the twentieth century by Advertising Age and many awards including an Effie and Kelly awards which are possibly the most prestigious awards in the advertising business. Below are examples of some of the more famous advertisements created by TBWA for Absolut Vodka and really illustrates their strategy of targeting a broad audience and not one particular lifestyle.

The following is one of their controversial ads depicting an image of what Mexico controlling the territory the had control of during the Mexica-American War. This was part of the 2007 In An Absolut World campaign in which the company posted various scenarios of what their audience might think a Utopian or “Absolut” reality would be.

The company also hired Actor, stand up comedian Zach Galifinakis along with writers and stars of the Tim and Eric show to write, direct and produce three viral videos called A Vodka Story to expound farther into the online media world. Embedded is the first of the three videos with links to the second and third below it.

AVodka Story Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p0QtJMKt1s

A Vodka story part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EQcvKCFFW4&feature=related

A Vodka story part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx6LAT-FqxU&feature=related

The final piece of media is a little bit more recent marketing move which involved collaborating with Jay-Z on a benefit concert on September 11, 2009 which also coincided with the release of his newest album the blueprint three, which is now officially certified platinum. Just yesterday TBWA released a mini documentary they produced called “NY-Z” which was 15 minutes long and was all about that show. This documentary originally premiered on Abolut’s web page. Here is the video embedded from Absolut’s Youtube page.

You can also find a large collection of their print ads under the Absolut Gallery link at www.AbsolutAds.com.

Why not look everywhere around you; three places to look for inspiration.

Inspiration can change frequently, depending on a designer’s reasons, influences and interests. Frequently, when lacking creative ideas, most designers turn to design galleries to find new inspiration.

This is a horrible solution, let me explain why.

The biggest problem problem with this method is the continuous blending of creative mediums and ideas. Designers tend to look at online galleries for new creative ideas and trend, but there is a fine line between “being inspired by” and “copying.” Eventually, the majority of the web will begin to look alike. Looking at other designers creative ideas can be very limiting, especially when you’re looking for a new solution. Try walking a path less traveled instead; after all, you’re a designer!

There are many inspirations that designers can look for outside of design galleries. I’ve listed ten places where designers can look for inspiration below, along with where to find inspiration for each of them.

Fashion

Fashion has had an artistic influence since its beginning. Trends change on a seasonal basis and reflect the sentiments of the designer. Taking inspiration from both modern and vintage fashion to incorporate into your new design. Keep your eye out for scaling, color schemes, textures, and most importantly to keep an eye on lines. Attempt to emulate these lines in your work.

Where to Find Inspiration

Magazines: Take a look inside your local grocery store, there will be a dozen magazines dedicated to fashion. I particularly like GQ magazine and Enquire magazine.

Style.com or GQ.com: This is the home of the Vogue magazine and GQ magazine; it has the latest and up-to-the-minute coverage of the fashion world.

Style Blogs: Millions of and billions of blows exist out there. A few excellent one’s to take a peek at are The Satorialist and Valetmag.

Photography

There are millions of photos online that you may browse through if you need a bit of inspiration. Sorting through photography by colors, sizes, themes, and particular artists is easier than ever on the web. Look for key components of photography such as composition, color, balance within each image to get ideas. Observe carefully. Do not forget to see what the image is about, that may spawn new ideas. See if something else similar could be applied to your own design project.

Where to Find Inspiration

Flickr: Flickr has a billion of photos. Use groups, pools and galleries to catagorize or narrow down your search. Search for events and don’t forget to visit the Library of Congress’s Flickr page.

DeviantArt: Creative and artistic photographers post their photography to DeviantArt. You’re likely to find a higher proportion of “artistic” or “alternative” images than Flickr.

Bookstores: Check the discount or bargin bin at your local bookstore! You’re guaranteed to find at least one coffee table book in there. Keep you’re eye out on older books if you’re working with retro design. Often filled with images of all kinds, you can pick one up for really cheap.

Packaging

Packaging design is the distant cousin of web design and it is often possible to find inspirational pieces you can easily adapt without copying. The fact that the format is being changed, it can lead to surprising adaptations that extend fare beyond the original work.

Where to Find Inspiration

Stores: The most obvious place to go for packaging design examples is the store. My advice is to visit higher end stores; the stores feature products from around the world giving you a peek into international design. Don’t forget to visit foreign food stores as well for designs that do not mimic our own.

TheDieline: An amazing blog that features some of the most innovative, creative and best packaging designs. The best part about this website is the fact that it is updated daily which certainly leads you to come back for visits.

Architecture and Interior Design

Architecture and interior design is a very common form of inspiration because it is literally, everywhere. There is likely an aesthetic style for every aspect a designer yearns for every project. Take a look at vernacular architecture to modern minimalism to art deco and possibly anything else that comes across as interesting. Each style can be adapted into your project.

Where to Find Inspiration

Outdoors: There is a good chance their is a architectural beauty not too far away from where you work, live or commute to. Take a closer look at the buildings that may surround you; be sure to observe details such as form, shape, and defining characteristics.

Magazines: Venture out and purchase magazines such as Architectural Digest or Dezeen.

Design Blogs: There are a ton of blogs that cover every aspect of architecture. Check out Dezeen or even Inhabitat for future inspirations.

Take a step back from the places we normally seek inspiration from can lead to new, creative and more innovating ideas. All of these ideas now have new creative sources that you can tap into whenever in search of something new. Try keeping a file on all of the ideas, images and other materials gathered from these sources. When pressed for time, simply revert back to these inspirations for new ideas.

Lets face it, starting your own company can be difficult. In the early stages of all businesses, owners need to learn how to squeeze maximum value out of every dollar they spend. Social media is the key to saving money while still having the ability to deliver value. With the right strategy, social media can be used for community building, customer service, or product marketing

Community Building

Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are great for rapidly building a community and company awareness. Providing support, invites, encouragement and general engagement will build a sense of community between the startup company and their client. The key here is to establish actively engage users and attempt to organically build relationships with the industry’s influences.

Building relationships via social media is commonly talked about, but a key aspect that is commonly overlooked is the relationship building that takes place outside of social media. It is important for startups to take their online encounters to the next level; startups should go out and talk to customers in person.

Customer Service

Every startup company needs to utilize social media for customer service. Real-time responses is what makes customer service top-notch.The instantaneous access to customers via Facebook and Twitter is invaluable to any startup.
Responses to an issue on Twitter within a few minutes is extremely beneficial for the customer and the startup alike. Customers receive real-time responses to their dilemmas and startup companies receive feedback on products or services. This social interaction improves life for the customer and overall customer experience.

Customer Support from TOMSshoepport

Marketing

Using social media platforms as a form of marketing should be a no brainer for any startup company. With the wide variety of social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Slideshare, marketing a service or product is extremely easy.

Social media use should be centered around company leadership within their field allowing potential customers and journalists to have quick and easy access to information about products, services and industry. Startups which plan on using social media for marketing need to be in it for the long haul. Think of it as commitment or a strategy but not a campaign. Its like having a conversation, once you start a conversation with someone, you cannot just turn around and walk away.

Remember to concentrate on value while providing for others through social media tools. The gimmick is not to just sell, sell, sell but rather attempt to establish wholesome relationships with your customers, become a leader in your field, and become an inspiration for others.

The past few weeks I have been researching for a major motion graphics piece contracted by one of our clients. After a while I noticed all effective works had a very clear and crafted style, in concept and cinematography. Exhibit A

Every stylistic aspect of motion graphics needs to aid in the feeling and message of the piece. Everything from the muted colors to the split screen shots helped create the mood of wonder and allow the viewer to become more engaged with the piece. It sounds obvious but its  surprising  how little it is used in application. Motion graphics are still riddled with stock images and white backgrounds, not to mention the abuse of gradients and drop shadows.  The main reason for using motion graphics in the first place is because of its amazing ability to convey information visually.

My best bit of advice, When doing research on different styles jot down observations you notice . What is the color scheme? Muted or contrasting? what types of shapes are reoccurring? Are most the shots wide or close? How does the camera move from one point to the other? If you have to go, back and watch an animation frame by frame(it really helps). A great way to create better design is to understand how to look at design better.

Social Media is full of myths and misconceptions, but one has become quite prevalent in recent months.  I interact on multiple social networks on behalf of dozens of clients, so I’m constantly researching content, reading posts, blogs, etc.  It’s unfortunate that so many people post to social networks under the assumption that online communications are informal.  It is as if the social media gods loosened the rules with regards to spelling, grammar and capitalization.  In my opinion, online communications personify you or the organization you represent.  Whether you realize it or not, viewers judge you or the organization by not only what you write, but how you write it.  Content is key, but if you post something of relevance with complete disregard for the English language, I’m far less likely to pay any attention to it.   Yes, it is often difficult to consolidate your thoughts to 140 characters for the purposes of posting on Twitter, but is it really that hard to spell check your tweet or capitalize a person’s name?

Why should you worry about case sensitivity or spelling on Facebook?  I can think of tons of reasons.  For example, there is a laundry list of regulations limiting how much information a potential employer can request from a candidate, therefore many recruiters are looking beyond employment history for a broader view.  Your interactions on social media provide a potential employer with a window into your world:  your communication skills, your personality, your attitude about previous employment, etc.

Social Media is a fabulous platform for communication.  Just remember to cross your “T’s” and dot your “I’s”.