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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Stop SOPA & PIPA

I’m not a fan of politics. I don’t like discussing them and they tend to lead to arguments and destructive consequences. Sorry, not my cup of tea. That said, when bills are proposed that threaten to undo the very thing that my livelihood is built on, I stand up and take notice. I’m not going to write a drawn-out post about why SOPA and PIPA aren’t the answer for stopping Internet piracy. Others have written amazing, thoughtful, and informative articles on this topic and I deeply encourage you to read some, if not all of them to educate yourself on what these bills are and what they have the potential to do.

I’ll keep my thoughts on this topic short. These bills are a heavy-handed attempt, born from and old way of thinking, to stifle much of the freedom that we enjoy online. I agree that online piracy is bad. Nobody is denying that. The issue with these two bills is the fact that they overstep boundaries, not by inches or feet, but miles. Epic, massive miles. They threaten the openness that is one of the cornerstones of the Internet. It’s true that the Internet is somewhat like the “Wild West”, but the community has learned to police itself (in most areas). The what-if’s are too many and too unknown to risk passing a bill that can unseat the foundation of the Internet. Alright, I’m off my soapbox. Here are some links I hope you’ll check out.

Posted on 01/18/12 at 08:45 PM by Tim - Categories: Tags:

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Building a community on the backs of giants.

2012 has become the year of the personal project. Along with a list of client projects, I’ve made an all-out effort to nurture a few random ideas that I’ve had rattling around in my head for the past…few years.

One of the projects I’m the most excited about is a new community-based site concept that I’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with. Wrestling with the basic questions of “will it work” and “will anyone use it” and the all-too-familiar “will anyone care” has been at the heart of my internal hesitation. I was about to write this particular project off and had almost forgotten about it until I stumbled across a brand identity that I had started sketching. The last revision date on these logo sketches was in 2009. Almost three years this file sat on my computer, half-finished in both concept and reality. I was ready to delete the files (and all other traces of this project) until something struck me. The logo concepts weren’t that bad.

When a spark or even a faint glimmer of creativity hits, you need to grab onto it and carry it as far as you can, regardless of the outcome. After rediscovering this site concept, I poured a fair amount of work back into it and dedicated myself to giving it life.

Without giving too much away, the concept of this project is simple; build a website that will act as a hub for connecting people with similar interests, share information, and discover new places. On the surface, it sounds like a recipe for a social network. The truth is, this will be built and thrive on social. Using tools and networks that have been established and hold a decent user-base is an appealing prospect when you’re looking to make a community-driven site. We don’t need another social network, we just need to fine-tune and focus those that we have. Hopefully, this project will do that.

Posted on 01/12/12 at 10:23 PM by Tim - Categories: Design Social Media Tags:

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

The QR Code Quandry

As much as I love QR codes and the potential that they hold, there are barriers that I’ve noticed that can and have prevented people from using and, more importantly, understanding them.

What is that thing?
One good thing about QR codes is their overall shape. They look like barcodes, for the most part, and most people know what a barcode does and how it works. The biggest question, apart from what the QR code is is how does one scan it? I’ve seen an array of barcode-enhanced ads and promotional materials over the past year but some of the instruction and details around the use of the code has been blurry. Some television ads just pop up the code for a quick second (or two) or have the code positioned in the corner of the screen where it’s hard to identify. When the viewer realizes what the’re looking at, it’s too late to grab their smartphone, launch their code reader app, and aim it at their tv.

Other forms of traditional media have been used to display QR codes as well, such as billboards, posters, and direct mail pieces. Depending on where these billboards and posters are placed, their usefulness can suffer from the same setbacks mentioned earlier.

Implementation and Education
There have been some interesting and unique examples of outdoor and moving-media usage as well, such as the QR code-wrapped vehicles from AmeriSign & Graphics as well as a scannable code on the side of Juan Pablo Montoya’s Target Chevy. In the retail space, I’ve noticed Best Buy and The Home Depot using QR codes on products to provide additional information to their customers. I personally found the Home Depot versions useful as they were placed on the tags in their nursery and gave additional details on growing conditions and what types of weather the plant would thrive in. These provided useful information that helped my wife and I decide what to purchase and plant in our garden. The implementation and positioning of the code was solid, there was additional information listed on the tag regarding how the code should be used, and the end result provided rich and meaningful information.

The item that I feel is more important than the placement and use of QR codes in marketing and promotional materials is educating the masses about what these odd-looking barcodes are, and more importantly, what they can do. Going beyond that, once your audience knows what these codes are and how they work, they then need to find (and make easily accessible) a QR code reader program. Speaking from personal experience, this may be the weakest link in the chain when it comes their use.

Depending on where the QR code is placed on a material, whether it be print or digital, the time that it takes to recognize what it is, grab your mobile device, find the appropriate app, launch that app, and get a clear capture of the code image is of the utmost importance. When used properly (and not just slapped onto an ad) I feel that QR codes have shown great potential for providing rich content and information.

Then again, there are those that don’t feel QR codes should be used in marketing. Period.

Posted on 01/03/12 at 09:11 PM by Tim - Categories: Marketing Tags: QR Codes

Monday, January 02, 2012

5 Informative and Entertaining Design Podcasts

If you were to look at the music on my iPhone, you’d find that a good chunk of it isnt even considered music. I’ve been a fan of podcasts (and podcasting) ever since it hit the scene. I’ve found it to be a great way to learn about topics that interest me or to get acquainted with new ideas and I can listen to them no matter what else I may be doing. If you’re looking to bolster your design knowledge or just want to soak up some great talk about the topic, here’s a list of design-focused podcasts you should subscribe to.

The Web Ahead - A relatIvely new show, I’ve enjoyed what the host, Jen Simmons brings to the table. The guest list has been an impressive variety of design professionals.
The Boagworld Podcast - I’ve enjoyed Paul Boag’s show for quite some time. He covers topic that are central to the business of web design and uncovers some areas that may be forgotten from time to time.
The Big Web Show - Jeffrey Zeldman and his guests cover the gamut of design topics in a fun yet informative way.
Media Artist Secrets - This podcast by Franklin McMahon may be one of the first design podcasts that I subscribed to. Usually focusing on one topic an episode, the show length is manageable and can be the perfect fit for your morning commute.
TEDTalks - This is a series of podcassts created from the amazing TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) events that take place throughout the year. Rather than focusing on how-to’s and techniques, these “episodes” focus on concepts, ideas, problems, and ultimately solutions that apply to all walks of life.

I hope you’ll find that these selections are not only informative, but are a pleasure to listen to!

Posted on 01/02/12 at 08:45 AM by Tim - Categories: Design Tools Tutorials Inspiration Podcast Tags: