(image by BusinessOnline)

The only way I can accomplish this is to take what they want into account. I have to design a site that they like, a site that is easy to use, where they can find what they want, one that is the colors and design that they like, etc. The only way to do this is to lay out the elements of what they want, and that can be found here. Well, this is Stephen Thomas’ infographic take on it, but I think it is pretty clear  and pays some homage to Pink Floyd.

(image: dragoart.com)

(image: stephenthomas.com)

Had to add Floyd’s picture in there for those of you who needed it. The above picture lays it out pretty clearly. The user context is composed of the following: visual design, interaction design, informative architecture, development, technology, and content/media. Once you find the best way to make these things sync together, a superior ux experience can happen.

Try it out and see what you come up with. Nothing is right or wrong, there are just thing that are going to work better than others. See what you find then optimize when you can.

12. Photobombing Stingray

This one gets me every time.

11. Paul Ryan: Gosling and Iron Pumping 

Come again?

10. Ridiculously Photogenic Guy

This guy was on Elen because he took a good picture. You kiddin’ me?

9.  Potato Jesus

Didn’t know this was a thing but ok?

8. Grumpy Cat

Love grump cat.

7. Eastwooding and Invisible Children 

They lost me on this one…

6. Overly Attached Girlfriend

Awesome.

5. Dog Shaming

The dogs faces in all of these crack me up every time. They just always look so sad and guilty.

4. Big Birds, Binders and Bayonets 

Forgot about these guy.

3. Texts From Hilary

I’ll allow it.

2. Ermahgerd!

Still on the fence about this one.

1. McKayla Is Not Impressed

Definitely number one in my heart as well

Pinterest. That sneaky little site that exploded  onto everyone’s radar a few years ago and has since started consuming the lives of the people on it. No? Just me? Well regardless, I’m a fan.

The site turns the internet into your organized free shopping and inspirational network. They have enough categories to fit any mood you could possibly be in. You think you are in for a simple browse, but oh no. It will rope you in for hours.

They worst (or best) part about it is it introduces you to so many things that you never knew you needed but now you know are a thing, could not possibly live without.

I found myself planning my wedding, pinning things about kids and dogs, repinning DIY projects from found object, and everything in between. I am not getting married, having kids or animals or starting to decorate my house. You quickly get spun into this world of make believe and think that it is actually your life. Then you get a little burnt out–after a few hours have passed–and go on Facebook or Instagram for a while, but they just do not feel as satisfying.

Bottom line, Ben Silbermann the founder of Pinterest had a great idea and executed it very well. An organized stream of pictures that you can corral into boards and save. It’s basically the only social encyclopedia you ever need. What I find awesome about the site also is the reviews things like recipes come with. Say I wanted to barbque a steak and didn’t feel like fishing in the Google pool to find a way that may or may not work. Search it on Pinterest and you will most likely find someone who has done it before and willing to share what they learned.

Try it out for yourself if you haven’t yet. It may be a little much when you first try it out, but keep at it. You will find your boredom is cured within no time at all.

I never thought that I would be able to see what my visitors are actually reading and clicking on, without breaking some obscure privacy rules that is.

As far as real-time analytics are concerned, you would be able to see where these people are coming from (what sites and where in the world), how many people are on your website, how many people are on a specific page, and other awesome statistics that get better when they are instant.

Heatmaps are another sweet story. There are 3 kinds of these maps: click heatmaps, mouse movement heatmaps and scroll heatmaps.

Click heatmaps let you see where your visitors are clicking the most using a color coordinated ‘hotspot’ map. Depending on the company, the colors can be anything, but say the same thing: high click activity and low click activity. These maps take into account not only links and images, but dead space and random objects that you would not even think that people would click on, but do.

Mouse movement heatmaps use eye tracking technology, which let you see what people are focusing on based on the movement of their mouse. Perfect for blogs, this heatmaps can give tell you what your visitors are reading and what they are clearly drawn to on a page.

Scroll heatmaps, are great for any e-commerce website that needs complete optimization of purchase buttons or CTAs. Those buttons have to be in the perfect location, because if they are not, you don’t get paid and you want to get paid don’t you?

So now that you know how your visitors are browsing your site, you can completely customize your site to exactly what these people want. This will bring you more friends (social media, don’t get too excited), higher traffic and even a high conversion rate.

Research, do your homework and find a company that gives you the perfect combination of these elements.

Doing it yourself comes with so much satisfaction. When I complete a project, it makes me feel like I have really put it to ‘the man’ who decided to sell our broke asses their over-priced headboards for $500. Listen buddy, I just make the exact same one for under $100. What Whaat?

These DIY websites seem to be popping everywhere lately, too. (I’m sure it doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that Pinterest is my second home right?) Simple step by step instructions that are more than likely accompanied by pictures, lay out the exact steps that you need to take, what you need and how to do it all.

My favorite feature of DIY stuff? The bulk of them have been done by actual people—well, a large number of them at least/the only ones that I will trust.

There has literally been a network that is dedicated to everything DIY, it’s fantastic.

Now, you don’t have to start off your DIY journey with intense home improvements necessarily—although they can be quite fun. Start off with something small. Another great part about it both men and women can find something they like doing. Creating something for yourself can give you joy and power. Maybe it’s just the fact that you actually hung those pictures in your room that you have been putting off for months for no apparent reason, or its building that shed in the backyard that you can call your own.

It’s a crazy idea today that working with your hands can bring you closer to yourself. The general idea is that buying things is easier, faster and more efficient and yes, that is true for somethings, but not for every thing. And no, buying things on Etsy doesn’t count as DIY. That is someone else’s DIY that they sold to you.

I also think a misconception on DIY is that you could not possibly make something that is as cool and awesome as the original, and that my friends, is where you are wrong. You have the potential to make something even better. And it will be all yours for that matter. You are not automatically going to make something that is crappy and looks DIY (you know what I mean). The first few times you try to create something it could end in disaster, but at least you tried and put some faith in yourself.

This Christmas I am making all of my gifts. Why? Because I truly think that creating something for someone you love mean a lot more than just buying them something.

This holiday season, try making something for someone you care about and see for yourself.

]]> http://dopewebsites.com/diy-obsessed/feed/ 0 http://dopewebsites.com/a-day-in-the-internet/ http://dopewebsites.com/a-day-in-the-internet/#comments Wed, 14 Nov 2012 04:54:51 +0000 Ashley Novack http://dopewebsites.com/?p=421

Boom.

Best idea you’ve heard all day? Talk about creating awesome user experience.

In 2008 the java super power ran into a bit of trouble. After reestablishing what the company was about sales began to soar once again. All they needed was to look at their tired an true brand a different way. Now, with their solid foundations actually solid, they began their next endevour offering their customers a beer, wine and appetizer menu.

My favorite part, and why I think that it was a great idea is that Starbucks will now be the perfect place for meetings. Think about it, not having to deal with a bar or restaurant when all you want to do is grab a quick drink and chat. It would be the perfect place to do that. Everyone can feel comfortable because they are somewhere they already know and enjoy (unless you are on the ‘I hate Starbucks’ in which case I doubt you got that far in this post).

Closing Thoughts

Starbucks wanted to revamp its brand, granted they did this by giving their customers alcohol, they did something. Get out there this weekend and do something for you website. It could be anything. Be bold.

This technology lets people fully interact with a dynamic stream that was previously contain to the physical world. After thinking about it, I decided it was the equivalent to Google Goggles on a never ending trip. I love seeing the strides forward that video is making. Granted it is lagging far behind photography –in a sense on dynamic sharing capabilities.

If you are even feeling uninspired, I’m telling you, TED is where it’s at.

Before you tell me about the article you read about SEO being ‘dead’—I read it too, it was ridiculous and uninformed.

Search engine optimization is exactly what is says. You are optimizing your site’s presence online and making it easier for people to find it. SEO has unfortunately become almost synonymous with spamming and that, my friends, is a shady road you do not want to walk down.

The majority of SEO companies will tell you jsut about anything to hook you in a 6 moth contract where they will be doing more harm then good. Google is smart. It’s Google. It has its own dictionary definition. They are the gold standard for doing things the right way online. They monitor your site all the time and can tell when you are using actual information or using bots and bad backlinks and other black hat deals. They will catch you and they will ban your site. You really do not want to deal with having to nurse a banned site back to life again. It will take a lot of man hours and at that point you will have wasted a ton of cash.

Your job, is to research your face off and talk to everyone. Find trusted companies and people that will tell you what works. What works you say? Clean, original content and consistent, real support from others. These are the things that Facebook and Twitter and other social networking site cannot do for you alone. A solid SEO compay will be straightforward with you and tell you exactly what you need to know and what needs to be done, all b.s. aside.