http://netgen.ca/new/index.php en fred@netgen.ca Copyright 2011 2011-12-02T16:16:55+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/what-i-learned-during-a-recent-redesign-re-branding-process http://netgen.ca/blog/post/what-i-learned-during-a-recent-redesign-re-branding-process#When:16:16:55Z Today we launched a rebranding and redesign of one of our product sites. Here's what we learned.Today we launched a fairly big rebranding and redesign of one of our product web sites and it occurred to me on the bus ride home from the office that it would be a good idea to share some of my own learning through that process. Part of this post may seem like a bit of a self-serving commercial, sure, but there’s meat on that thar plate. A quick history Simple Story Videos is one of our most successful (I’d go as far to say most successful to date) initiatives. We plan, create and roll out concise, entertaining and engaging videos that are very much targeted to the client’s demographic while focusing on goal conversion and client acquisition. Our overview video explains it: My role when we launched the brand was to whip up a quick web site to both showcase highlights from our portfolio and obtain new business. The initial design had some good elements to it but as you will see from the screenshot below, the design itself was seriously lacking: It did the job and for no time and no real branding strategy, it served its purpose. As the business started to grow and the brand was becoming more and more popular, we knew we would need to buckle down and think through a more stable brand strategy and focus the web site to its full potential. What we learned As we absorbed feedback and learning from the web site’s performance and taking a step back to look from a high-level strategy perspective, we knew off the hop that we would need to invest time into really nailing that strategy’s next phase. We had the in-house talent to pull it off, we just needed to make the time. So we did. Not to speak for my colleagues, but some of the things I knew either immediately or through letting the aforementioned feedback gestate was: The brand wasn’t strong enough, lacking in the kind of originality and tone that our products carry so well; The web site had some effective elements to it like clear calls to action and an easy-to-identify message but the content didn’t flow was well as it could; The quality of the design itself wasn’t worthy of the products we’ve created and the reputation we’ve been earning; and It needed more cowbell. Over the course of a few weeks, we put our plan together and proceeded to dive in to the re-branding process. What we did The first thing we did was to define the brand a little more acutely. Sure, we know who we are, what the product can do and how we do it, but we weren’t necessarily communicating it in a clear and objective way that ‘sold’ our offering. We could do better. Once we have the vision nailed down, we recognized that the brand needed to create a visual and emotional tone that was reflective of our product: fun, inviting, clean, and clear. Everything from the content to the layout to the colour scheme of the old site didn’t quite achieve that as well as it could have. Working with our graphic designer, we created a new logo and overall identity that was fun enough to be accessible to all ages while still being professional enough to cater to multimillion dollar corporations we market to, which makes up a large part of our client list and demographic. It was about achieving balance in the brand. Settling on the identity, we looked at our web site’s content strategy, focusing on the following: Sticking with what’s working; Providing more meaningful content to prospects without losing clarity or cohesion; and Focusing on ridiculously clear and natural calls to action and visibility of our portfolio selections. After only a few days (well, long days), we buckled down and got it done. The result was definitely a step up: We just released the new site this afternoon and while it’s too early to analyze the stats to see how it’s working for us, initial feedback has been positive. What I learned from this process As a web designer & developer, it’s important to contribute what you’re best at but it’s also important to listen. Just because I have more direct expertise with web design and front end development doesn’t mean I’m the only one with a valid opinion. Everyone on our team has a lot to offer collaboration is really what makes great things happen. This has always been one of the things our company has done well and for us to come together and pull off a major project like this, well it reassures me that my having ditched the old corporate desk jockey life was a dang good idea. I also learned that no matter how well you try, no matter how talented you and your team are, you can’t expect to hit it out of the park from the get-go. That we pulled this off in less than a week while all working on other projects, attending meetings, and trying to sleep when we could was something to be proud of. Of course we’re going to need to tweak things as we go along, look at the data, review feedback, measure conversions, but that’s part of the game and I’m pretty sure that we’ve made a solid leap forward for the business and look forward to seeing it grow further – and inspire and teach us as we tackle our next venture! 2011-12-02T16:16:55+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/made-to-stick http://netgen.ca/blog/post/made-to-stick#When:17:49:33Z When we sat down and tried to outline the key components of a good video everything related back to this book:Most companies want a video that people watch, share with friends and are influenced to take action by. It is impossible to guarantee the creation of a video that will incorporate all these things, but there are key steps that can be taken, in the creation of video, that will make success more likely. When we sat down and tried to outline the key components of a good video everything related back to this book: “Made to Stick” After analyzing 100’s of “sticky” ideas, the authors of Made to Stick concluded the same 6 principles applied. Below they are summarized with a combination of our thoughts and theirs: Principle 1: Simplicity A successful defense lawyer says, “If you argue ten points, even if each point is a good point, when they get back to the jury room they won’t remember anything.” We must create stories that are both simple and profound. Showcasing 10 features doesn’t intrigue your viewers to take action, it just confuses and bores them. In fact no one cares about the features in your product; they care about the problem and pain points you solve. Principle 2: Unexpectedness We need to violate people’s expectations. We use surprise - an emotion whose function is to increase alertness and cause focus - to grab people’s attention. Humour is one of the best ways to do this and crucial to creating a good Simple Story Video. Principle 3: Concreteness How do we make our ideas clear? We must explain our ideas in terms of human actions, in terms of sensory information. This is where so much business communication goes awry. Mission statements, synergies, strategies, visions—they are often ambiguous to the point of being meaningless. Naturally sticky ideas are full of concrete images—ice filled bathtubs, apples with razors—because our brains are wired to remember concrete data. Speaking concretely and showcasing concrete images is the only way to ensure that our idea will mean the same thing to everyone in our audience. Combining graphics and words together solidifies the concrete nature of our videos. Principle 4: Credibility Sticky ideas and stories have to carry their own credentials. Tell a story that allows people to validate a need based on real life use cases. When Ronald Reagan battled Jimmy Carter during the 1980 US presidential debate he could have cited innumerable statistics demonstrating the sluggishness of the economy. Instead, he asked a simple question that allowed voters to test for themselves: “Before you vote, ask yourself if you are better off today than you were four years ago”. A video needs to put the viewer in a position to validate a concept based on personal experience which creates real credibility. Principle 5: Emotions How do we get people to care about our ideas? We make them feel something. Relating to your viewer and connecting with their emotions will create intrigue and loyalty beyond any feature within your product. Principle 6: Stories How do we get people to act on our ideas? We tell stories. We tell use cases, we get people to relate and understand from their own experiences… We showcase through the use of a story how a company or product will solve a viewers problem and improve their life. Utilizing these principles is easy. Convincing clients to adopt these principles is not. In order for companies like ours to produce videos that incorporate these principles; clients need to: understand and agree with each principle and understand how they relate to their video trust our story telling and video expertise provide us with the autonomy to create something amazing Reading this blog is a prerequisite for our clients. It ensures we aren’t forced to create boring, ineffective video. You love the features your product has to offer, but your viewers love the problem you solve and we want to tell that story.  If we follow the principles of “Make it Stick”, we can tell a story through video that converts viewers to watch, share and take a desired action, which is the ultimate goal.     communication, online trends, video, 2011-10-28T17:49:33+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/great-web-design-takes-time-part-1 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/great-web-design-takes-time-part-1#When:02:58:37Z So you want an amazing website that converts customers to take action? It takes time...A web series on design that converts customers With an infinite number of “web professionals” and hosted platforms such as Squarespace available, web design has become increasingly affordable. With these services though, comes the misconception that companies can have the world with a budget of $2000-$3000. The truth is, you CAN get something that looks nice for this budget. But looking nice doesn’t mean you have the charisma or the key pick up line to catch a person’s attention and keep it. Working with companies like ours is a little different because design that is focused on conversion takes time. What is conversion? Conversion (to us) is focused on a goal of guiding users to take a desired action. This action can be anything from sign up, read a blog, watch a video, or buy something. Conversion relates to your companies goals and the needs of your customers. and that is why it takes TIME. Understanding your user leads to conversion The most important aspect, in regards to developing a marketing website or a UI design for a web or mobile app, is the planning. The planning is what leads to companies creating design that is goal centric which provides real results that are sustainable. You will convert more by understanding your site user. The key is defining: Users - who is your targeted and most likely site user. Tip: Create 3 focused segments. User Personas - outline key characteristics about these user segments. Tip: Don’t forget phsycographics User Expectations - understand how your users will want to use the site and the actions that will benefit them the most and benefit you the most. Tip: Take the time to go through key actions as a user This is a very simple first step. Plan and build a site for your users and not for you.  So if you want an amazing website that converts customers to take action; realize It takes time… and time is valuable. Stay tuned for Great web design takes time - part 2 communication, future proofing, web design, 2011-10-20T02:58:37+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/your-customers-arent-truffle-pigs http://netgen.ca/blog/post/your-customers-arent-truffle-pigs#When:05:00:06Z Don't make your user search through the site like a truffle pig, filtering through noise that YOU think is important. You often hear “Less is More”. and when it comes to developing a user experience, that provides value, there is nothing closer to the truth. Companies often get wrapped up in showcasing what they love about their brand instead of making it easy for site users to find what they love about the brand. Keep it simple and give the user exactly what they want, not what you think they want. Ask your customers what stands out in their minds about your brand, the product you sell or the service you offer. Ask them what they really care about and what information they are looking for when they visit your site. Is it to: Be educated? Be inspired? Make connections? Complete transactions? Be entertained? Whatever it is; make that the focus of your website. If they look to you as a thought leader, don’t have sponsor links plastered across your homepage. Keep your site authentic and focus it on the content that is relevant. Don’t make your user search through the site like a truffle pig, filtering through noise that YOU think is important. Focus on the user, keep it simple and the results will speak for themselves   communication, future proofing, online trends, usability, web design, 2011-08-22T05:00:06+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/explainer-videos-an-explanation-just-isnt-enough http://netgen.ca/blog/post/explainer-videos-an-explanation-just-isnt-enough#When:00:27:14Z For marketing to work you need to create a revelation, you need something to click in the viewers mind.You Rock! Maybe you have the best product on the market, or maybe the services you offer are truly unique or maybe you have just developed cutting edge technology that will change the world ... So What? Who cares if your technology or solution is better than the rest if you can’t explain it effectively and truly showcase your competitive advantage. More and More People are Turning to Video Video is one of the most popular forms of communication for companies who need to explain their product, service or what makes them different. More specifically many companies are turning to ANIMATED video for this purpose. Animated video offers a lot of advantages: No limitations - an animated video can allow you to do all kinds of special effects and tell stories that are impossible to tell unless you have a hollywood budget Cost effective - With an animated video you can showcase a professional image and tell any type of story without breaking the bank. Engagement and trust - everyone loves cartoons and if done correctly a simple animated video can quickly capture a viewer’s attention and peak their interest to learn more. These videos allow you to use simplistic communication and descriptive animation to truly explain whatever it is a company needs to explain. More than an explanation! But to be effective it is much more than just an explanation and cool animation. It comes down to one thing… These videos need to make something “CLICK” with your target audience. For marketing to work you need to create a revelation, you need something to click in the viewers mind and connect them to the story you are telling. Making your video enjoyable to watch is just as important as clear presentation of a product or service. You need to find a group of story tellers who can convey your message clearly and entertainingly. Forget the Technobabble It is easy to be blinded and get caught up in the features of your product or brand. But you have to remind yourself, that making something click and making viewers want to learn more is the main goal. If you make your video enjoyable and tell an engaging story, viewers will search out more information about your great product, unique service or world changing technology and most likely they will convert into your customer. So if you are looking for the right group of story tellers check out Simple Story Videos and find out how you can make it click for your audience.   communication, future proofing, online trends, video, 2011-08-08T00:27:14+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/grow-your-market http://netgen.ca/blog/post/grow-your-market#When:03:54:38Z In order to sell beyond the quite city limits of Ottawa and reach a mass audience we had to do a number of things. We have always said “we are more than a digital agency”. We actually hate that title “digital agency” because it doesn’t define who we are, what we do and what we are creating at Netgen. Over the last year we have recognized an opportunity to truly understand trends in the market, streamline/automate our internal processes and turn our services into products we can sell across North America and even the world. This wasn’t possible many years ago. The opportunity to commoditize a service offering and sell it around the world using only the internet wasn’t an option. Internet adoption was for early adapters and wasn’t even really, really mainstream until social media. Search wasn’t always how people found what they were looking for and many people didn’t trust e-commerce. We all know this changed many years ago, but still companies are slow to adapt. We have always used the internet to market but we never took advantage of it’s full potential nor have we yet. That being said with the launch of a new division called Simple Story Videos we new that the internet had to be a bigger force. What is a Simple Story Video? A Simple Story Video (SSV) uses custom animation and narration to explain a companies story and make a direct, emotional connection with their audience. A SSV will help companies: Engage their target audience Truly explain their value proposition Increase conversion rates Duplicate their sales force Attract investors There is obvious benefit to companies using SSV but in order to sell beyond the quite city limits of Ottawa and reach a mass audience we had to do a number of things. First we had to automate our process (from inquiry to delivery) and streamline the scaling of this offering so we could handle demand. Second we had to figure out how to reach a mass audience without a single person on our sales staff. We turned to the internet. We now use some of the best online tools to reach people in the UK, California, BC and beyond. What do we do? Some of the top services and companies we used and continue to use to help build this brand are listed below: SEO - Search Engine Optimization (google) Trada - Crowd Sourced Paid Search (PPC) Quora - a continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it. The most important thing is to have each question page become the best possible resource for someone who wants to know about the question. Social networks specifically our Twitter account The most important thing to understand is that the world is constantly evolving and that it is up to you to evolve with it and take advantage of what the internet has to offer. It may mean changing your service or product and it will mean utilizing the best online tools to market and convert more customers. It has changed our business and opened up our market from a market which contained 800,000 people to a market that has 6.93 billion people… So what are you waiting for? Contact someone you know that gets “it” and take advantage of their wealth of knowledge. For us, this is only the beginning as we work on the launch of our new mobile division and try to keep up to date with everything the internet has to offer.   communication, future proofing, news, online trends, social media, video, 2011-06-17T03:54:38+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/our-may-13th-friday-challenge-winner http://netgen.ca/blog/post/our-may-13th-friday-challenge-winner#When:17:35:21Z I know you're all wondering who won our MS Paint challenge a couple of weeks back. You'll be shocked at the results!On May 13th we had our Friday Challenge where each of us had ten minutes to create a drawing in MS Paint on our laptops (using only our trackpads) of a new logo and/or brand concept. Obviously this was just for fun and fun we had! Thanks to the comments by our viewers, I’m pleased to announce that the winner of the challenge was… For this lovely piece of awesome: Thanks to everyone who voted and your bribes will be arriving in the mail shortly. Stay tuned for our next Friday Challenge! 2011-05-27T17:35:21+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/the-importance-of-the-wireframe http://netgen.ca/blog/post/the-importance-of-the-wireframe#When:13:01:16Z Wireframing is a key layer in the web site development phase. Here are some tips for making the most out of the process.Wireframing is a key layer in the web site development phase. Here are some tips for making the most out of the process. Why wireframe in the first place? Wireframing is the foundation on which a site’s design begins and which branding and user experience evolves. Starting with a skeletal structure for your project will ensure balance, focus, consistency and alignment with the site’s goals. Without this, the risk of missing the mark with the design and content integration can be all but guaranteed. Things to do before you begin wireframing There may be some cases in which you could jump in to the wireframing stage, say for creating a simple blog layout, but in most cases you’re going to have your ducks in a row in order to make the wireframe support the web site’s strategy. 1. Define the goals of the site. This will educate you on what the site needs to achieve, guiding you in terms of navigation, content elements and required calls to action. 2. Nail down that site map. You need to know what pages are required and have a general sense of user navigation based on the direction of the site’s strategy. You don’t need to lock it in, just establish a base from which sub-pages and global elements can flow. 3. Do your research. Visit competitor sites not only for eventual design inspiration but also to note any common trends and practices for high level elements such as navigation and content placement. You’re looking for order right now, not visual appeal. Creating your wireframe How you draw your wireframe is up to you. Some prefer paper and a pencil, some use software, others use a whiteboard and marker. What matters is that you use the tool that works best for you. The only thing I would encourage is to use a tool that makes it easy to distribute. In this sense software is ideal because all you need to do is export your image and you can email it for feedback and approvals. Taking a picture from your iPhone of your wireframe on a whiteboard isn’t horribly professional. Here’s an example of a basic wireframe that includes a home page and landing page. You’ll notice that the key content areas are presented in simple, block form and refrains from any colour, branding, or actual content beyond the high-level content type in each block. Remember, the purpose here is to establish structure. Notice (and I mention this ad nauseum in the article) that the wireframe is not meant to define design or any of the visual eye candy that’s related to branding or esthetics. This is about what the user will have access to off the hop and how they get to the content they need in order to get things done. The rest will come later. Things to consider when wireframing 1. Don’t wireframe in your head. If you’re like me, you’re able to conceptualize a layout in your mind and dive in to the wireframe and design phase in one go. This can work if you’re runing solo on a project but it can become a challenge both administratively and in obtaining input and approvals from clients and stakeholders. If you’re a part of a design team, you’re not working in a vacuum, so creating your wireframe digitally or on paper will help in the collaboration process and allow for better project documentation. Your peers aren’t psychic, you know. 2. Screen resolution. According to the W3C’s stats for January, 2011, 1024x768 is no longer the most common browser resolution. We’re starting to see more and more sites being designed for widescreen monitors BUT this doesn’t necessarily mean you can ignore 1024x768 users either. Your client’s user metrics may show that most of them use a 1024x768 resolution and in that case you’ll need to ensure you’re wireframing for around 960-980 pixels wide, 1000 I’d say being the highest you’d want to go. It’s best to stick with designing for 1024 for the time being. 3. Mobile devices. More and more, companies are choosing to either develop mobile-specific versions of their sites or mobile apps (some certainly do both!). If a mobile version of the site isn’t in the scope of your project, it would be a good idea to consider mobile browsers as you wireframe. 4. Many revisions. Until it’s locked in and you’re on to the design stage, your wireframe will go through a series of changes based on continued learning, client input and refinement. Things to avoid when wireframing 1. Don’t add any design elements. Typography styles, colours, icons, photos, you name it - leave it all out. A wireframe is a skeletal representation of your web site’s layout, not design. That will come once your wireframe is solid. 2. Don’t add branding. Not to belabor the point here but leave out branding as well. Want to throw in the logo anyway? No dice. Any branding or design applied to a wireframe has the potential to confuse clients when they review them and think that what they’re seeing may be what their users will see. 3. Refrain from going in to too much detail. Keep it simple. Remember the magic word: skeletal. Bonus: tools for creating wireframes I prefer using Adobe Fireworks for wireframes and design concepts because of the stripped-down but effective toolbar and layout options (as opposed to, say, Illustrator). What you use for creating your wireframes is up to you but if you work with other creatives, keep in mind that you may not be the only one working on them so it’s best to all use the same tool. If you don’t have Adobe CS (why wouldn’t you?*), here are some alternatives to get your started, many of which are great for collaboration and first-step prototyping: http://wireframesketcher.com/ http://iplotz.com/ http://creately.com/ http://www.flairbuilder.com/ http://lovelycharts.com/ https://gomockingbird.com/ http://cacoo.com/ http://www.mockflow.com/ http://www.simplediagrams.com/ *Dear Adobe, please send my advertising residual at your convenience. online trends, web design, 2011-05-23T13:01:16+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/netgen-friday-challenge-ms-paint-logo-design http://netgen.ca/blog/post/netgen-friday-challenge-ms-paint-logo-design#When:20:28:13Z Every Friday the Netgen team hosts a challenge. This week it involved MS Paint. The challenge Say goodbye to the luxuries of Adobe Photoshop because this Friday Netgen took it back to the basics. For this week’s challenge the Netgen boys were given the task of creating a new Netgen logo using only Mac Paint Brush (the Mac equivalent to MS Paint). The rules Competitors were only allowed to use their laptop and Mac Paintbrush They only had 10 minutes to create their logo As always, they kept it clean; there could be kids watching The winner? Only you can decide. Here is how you can help us choose a winner Review the designs below Choose your favourite Make a blog comment with the name of your favourite Your opinion matters and… THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE! *Winner to be announced Friday May 20th The results… Freddy (AKA “Freddy Fingers”) - “NETGIN” Gabe (AKA “There’s No Way”) - “NetKitty” Thomas (AKA “The Jr. Bacon Cheese Burger”) - “Pièce de Résistance” Chris (AKA “The Kid”) - “Nygen” Kyle (AKA “Fearless Leader”) - “Collage å la Netgen” Brad (AKA “Lead Vacationer”) - “Netgen’s Weekly Special”       2011-05-13T20:28:13+00:00 http://netgen.ca/blog/post/core-values-defined-by-culture http://netgen.ca/blog/post/core-values-defined-by-culture#When:20:00:42Z One of the things we connect with as a young team is the idea of empowerment and culture within a workplace, which has helped shape our core values.An important question to ask yourself: Why do you do what you do?Culture builds business One of the things we connect with as a young group is the idea of empowerment and “culture” within a workplace. As we prepared for the launch of Netgen in 2009, one company (Zappos) and one leader (Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh) in particular really stood out to me. Tony helped implement a business model and brand that would only succeed with the right culture. He actually did the unthinkable: He created a culture where customer service and call centre employees enjoyed their job… After seeing a list of their core values I was inspired. I actually copied some of them from the Zappos website and initially used them on our own. However the problem was that these core values didn’t truly represent who Netgen was. Core values need to be more than words on a website or a plaque. They need to truly represent your company culture. Let your culture define your core values As we started to add new team members it was obvious that finding like minded, passionate individuals was a must. Staying small and nimble allowed us to react and adapt to everything that came our way. It also allowed for empowerment and autonomy where every member of the team was in charge of finding ways to make “this” work. In reality, we are still small and all of these things still apply, except now we feel we can actually define our own core values. Core values that are based on fact, that are based on our experiences, and based on life at Netgen. We let our culture define our core values! Netgen Core Values Here are our five newly-defined core values and a little description for context: Embrace the unconventional – Be proud of who you are, who we are, and how people view us Create balance – Even if we have a lot of work, make it fun and take time for yourself. Go for a swim, relax on the couch, or have a scotch. Create balance even when you feel bogged down. Reach out to colleagues/friends, go on a retreat, find solitude etc. Know when to work, and when to be a husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, son, daughter, mom, dad, or friend. Fail early and often – Take risks, try things, be empowered, and never worry about messing up - because we will all learn and grow from it. We are all in this together! Make an impact – Make an impact in our community - for our clients, in our industry, for our colleagues, for our friends, and for our families. Support Dreams – If one of us has an idea for an app, or to write a hit song, or to run with the bulls, we will support this as a team. Culture Management At Netgen even though we are a small company we make culture management a core aspect of our business. People often ask me what I do on a day to day basis; what my role is in leading Netgen. The truth is, the most important role I have is Culture Management. The beauty of being in charge of culture management is I only have one goal to accomplish and measure. Though it is hard to measure, if accomplished our business and our clients will have great success. How do we measure our culture management plan? When the question is asked: “Why do you do what you do?” or “Why do you work with Netgen?” and you hear: “Because I couldn’t see myself ever wanting to do anything else.” Then I feel our culture management plan and our company as a whole is working. Do you have that feeling where you are now? If not, perhaps you could consider working at Netgen. We have lots of fun!       news, 2011-05-11T20:00:42+00:00