Executionists - We Get Web Done

Where can a college student go to get stuff he or she needs? Where can a parent of a college student go to send useful gift packages to their child? The answer is Snagola.com, a new service that specializes in gift cards and promotions with major retailers aimed at college students.

We helped them develop their website from scratch. It’s really two sites in one, each built on a highly customized WordPress framework. The two nested sites: www.snagola.com and www.giftcard.snagola.com are powered on the financial side by CashStar, a digital gifting platform specializing in gift card promotions via web, social media and e-commerce. Cashstar works with leading brands such as CVS, The Home Depot, GAP, and more. We were the first web development firm to integrate Cashstar  and “eShop” (a popular Word Press plugin) successfully into a WordPress website.

We worked with the client’s designers on the look-and-feel and then themed the WordPress template. WordPress allows the website administrators to manage their promotions and keep the site fresh. So think of Snagola for sending gift cards and discounted promotions to your favorite college students.

Recently, we launched a complete overhaul of the website for Tseng College, a satellite college within California State University Northridge (CSUN) that offers strategically designed programs for mid-career professionals.

Here at Executionists, we follow a three-phase methodology. Phase 1 is our Documentation phase in which we work with our client to distill all the requirements into documents that serve as our roadmaps going forward.

A cornerstone of this phase is our use of Axure RP, a software tool that we use to build functional prototypes, also known as “wireframes” for our larger projects.  With Axure RP, we’re able to generate interactive wireframes and UI mockups. Having these wireframes provides clear documentation for the design and development team and minimizes the back and forth. Our wireframes can easily be shared with the client allowing them to preview and test the site navigation and see placeholder content on the pages.

The project for Tseng College was extensive and complex so we created over 100 wireframes at the outset. You can view this video to see a sampling of the wireframes.

Superstar project manager and information architect Wanda Cook Shapiro played a key role in the success of this project. She created all the wireframes, worked closely with the client clarifying the project scope, and smoothly managing the project to conclusion.

I’m still waiting for my Dick Tracy video watch.

Supposedly the new optical Googling glasses will be adept at facial recognition as well other typical virtuoso Google tricks. It will provide a nearly instant data stream on the person you’re viewing, the building in the distance, a work of art, or a product label.

New technologies and display systems require interface designers (like us) to rethink the way users will interact with their existing apps and what new apps may be possible. Web designers quickly found out that a standard website wouldn’t display optimally on a mobile device and adjusted accordingly. Interestingly enough, the trend toward bigger text and bigger navigation buttons is now cross-pollinating from mobile back to the web. Now we will wrestle with that same issue on these new devices.

Like other mobile devices, Google Goggles will probably not be the primary interface through which work is done. Just as current mobile phones are not the primary business interface for most of us. So the question is, what level of UI will be optimal for these displays? Will the mobile augmented reality standard easily translate to the goggles or will there be other enhancements particular to this delivery method?

Our prediction? Head-up displays are on the horizon. Be prepared for a zillion “accessories”  - lens cleaners, custom cases, charging stations, etc. Look for a burst of augmented reality games and applications. Look for changes in behavior, changes in fashion, new buzzwords, new laws passed, you know the drill. Our design team will stay current with the state of the industry but I’d still like my Dick Tracy video watch.

We just launched a customized WordPress website for Chin San Asian Bistro in Thousand Oaks, CA. Chin San Asian Bistro is a family-owned restaurant specializing in Pan-Asian cuisine. As a popular eatery, they needed a great looking website to put an attractive face on their web presence. We customized and re-skinned a WordPress template to suit their branding style and implemented all the basic functionality to serve the needs of a food service website including a photo gallery, catering page, menu page, contact us form and an email signup for specials. So if you find yourself in the West Valley with a yen for Asian cuisine, check out Chin San Asian Bistro. And if you’re craving a fresh website makeover, give us a call at 310-310-754-3807!

How do you know when it’s time to give your website a fresh new look? Your metrics are down, it looks outdated,  it’s been more than a year since the last redesign. More tips here from Jeff Gothelf of Smashing Magazine. When you make that realization, give us a call and we’ll help revitalize your website into the marketing machine it needs to be to effectively drive your brand and business forward.

We recently launched a totally redesigned site for client Primary Color, specializing in a comprehensive array of print-media products and services for enterprise-level clients. We designed their site from scratch, based on design direction from the client. We built a robust and customized WordPress-based CMS (Content Management System) to handle a multiplicity of products, services, and solutions they offer their clients, as well as several different blog streams. The home page includes dynamic flash animation that showcases some of the wide array of print solutions Primary Color provides.

by Jessie Jo Blalock

Nearly 1 in every 5 Americans access the web daily and by 2012, 1 in 2 mobile subscribers will own a smartphone. Due to such a rapid growth of smartphone sales and mobile browsing, it is imperative that web designers and developers educate themselves with the best practices of strategic mobile web design. With new technologies comes a new set of challenges, in which case, remember what your mamma taught you:

Less is more

… Especially when it comes to mobile web design! Mobile design should be regarded as scaled down versions of their parent site. And since smartphone screens vary in size and shape, mobile website design must remain clean and simple.  If so inclined, you can always leave the option to visit the standard site through a simple link.

Actions speak louder than words

Literally. There is such little room for content on a mobile web page and mobile users are typically on the go, wherein mobile web designers must prioritize their content with actions (IE a login page, product search, store locator, etc.). Remember: person’s goal for browsing the web from a mobile device is vastly different than a desktop or laptop.

Cleanliness is next to godliness

Clean and semantic markup will guarantee that the browser is capable of accurately displaying the web page and provide the mobile users with a more pleasant experience with little to no errors or difficulties.

Better safe than sorry

An ample amount of white space is essential in mobile web design. Though the objective of most companies’ websites is to engage users and present them with as much information as possible about their products and services, too much content will appear chaotic on a smartphone.  Afford plenty of white space in your site design to ensure your site will be displayed properly on any mobile device.

Waste not, Want not

With mobile Internet connection speeds generally being slower than desktop Internet connection speeds and a variety of screen sizes, implementing images and pictures does more harm than good. Excessive use of images will produce an unfriendly user experience; mobile users want functionality over design aesthetics.

Executionists, Inc. offer mobile solutions for websites, click for a free consultation.

See Our Work

By Jessie Jo Blalock

1.    More Brand Exposure. Having a mobile website is an additional channel for which customers can discover and familiarize them your brand. Unifying multiple channels can be a very effective and persuasive marketing strategy.

2.    Increase in Mobile Usage. Nearly 1/5 Americans are accessing the web daily, which means there are more opportunities for retailers. By 2012, one in two mobile subscribers will own a smartphone.

3.    Rise in Mobile Sales. Mobile web is being adopted at a rapid pace, it is predicted that in the next 5 years there will be more smartphone devices than desktops.

4.    Location Based Services.  Location-based services/ applications on smartphones help people connect more intimately. Additionally, location based services and features create competition, promote offers, and reward customers, ultimately driving traffic and sales.

(more…)

By Jessie Jo Blalock

In an age where organic products, green lifestyles, and holistic practices prevail, websites are leaning towards a more modern, Zen approach by drawing upon minimalist design. As far as the success of website goes, it is no secret that “content is king,” however, in 2010 it is about keeping the superficial layer of the website less…. superficial. Akin to Feng Shui , everything in web design should serve a purpose, placement is key, and the absence of clutter is essential. A website should feel natural while being aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly. The last thing a website’s design should create is a disruption to a user’s online chi.

Minimalist web design goes hand-in-hand with the changing tone of media communications in general. As society becomes more Internet savvy and media literate, they are less likely to surrender to noisy, manipulative marketing schemes. Like the persistent salesman in the room who is trying too hard to sell everyone everything, people are avoiding cluttered websites for ones that are less intrusive. Websites are beginning to remove all the useless bells and whistles and strip down to their bare essentials. Now more than ever, the focus of modern web design is on clear, effective communication and content. Though a trendy minimalist design might be just as calculating as it’s predecessors, it produces a more tranquil and raw experience for users while being more intuitive and efficient.

Trends

The notion that history repeats is universal. In the realm of design, to repeat history is to pay homage to its predecessors. Repetition emerges as reinvention and reinvention transpires to become a trend. “Design trends do not exist to be followed. They exist to be broken, reshaped and abolished by the spirit of creativity rippling through the design community” explains Vitaly Freidman, Editor in Chief, Smashing Magazine. The following are design “trends” have been manipulated to sustain the changing web atmosphere.

(more…)

Los Angeles (April 25, 2010) - The Screen Actors Guild National Young Performers Committee launched a new website specifically for SAG young performers on Saturday with a lively indoor carnival.

Approximately 450 young performers and their families visited the carnival at SAG headquarters in Los Angeles to check out the new features available at SAG.org/YoungPerformers, which include an interactive on-set feature, quizzes, videos, resources, frequently asked questions, and an online version of the SAG Young Performers Handbook. The site was funded through a grant from the SAG-Producers Industry Advancement and Cooperative Fund. (more…)