Site maps are static but organizations are not. Things change. Company goals shift priority, conference schedules change, and news changes at least every quarter. Shouldn’t your web site accommodate such change?

I’m amazed at how often site maps and information design decisions are made within a static framework. I’ve seen folks work intensely on the organization of information without thinking about the context of time. This is particularly an issue with content managed sites because their framework is managed by a typically rigid set of technologies that assume your information architecture is static while your content is organic.

It is true that at a top level the main categories of site navigation should be solid. However the sub-navigation systems should be pretty fluid. You don’t know how many times I’ve run into organizations that could not post an emergency alert because it wasn’t accommodated in the original IA. There was no flexibility.

So next time you start working on information architecture consider these guidelines:

1. Work with the organization to determine top level content categories AND the frequency with which content changes (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually)
2. Accommodate emergency alerts on the homepage and news sections (do this in the wireframes and design comps also)
3. During a redesign, look at analytics over the course of a year to determine shifts in top content and why (company change, quarterly patterns, etc.)
4. Create an easy to update format of the site map and revisit it at least every other month

Content changes. Companies change. So should the information architecture that accommodates both.

This week CNN.com reported that the U.S. military has given personnel the approval to use popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Looking at this title I wonder how long it will take for other companies to follow the U.S. military’s lead. How many years has it taken this branch of the government to adopt a SM policy? Why are other corporations – small and large still dragging their feet when it comes to giving “consent” to this medium?

Some companies have valid concerns about Social Media. At the end of the day most decision makers are worried about sensitive information being leaked to the public. And rightly so, this communication outlet can be damaging to company’s brand. So how do you manage an open social platform and company image?

Fixing A Leak

It’s time, it’s time for education and policies.
* Provide a written Social Media policy (check out this site for sample policies)
* Educate your users on different platforms like Facebook and Twitter
* Don’t block Social Media sites
* If you must block certain sites, give users access at certain times of the day
* Get everyone involved

Don’t shy away from Social Media. No matter the platform users will log in – look at it on their coworkers cell phone, and so on. So instead of placing a ban on Social Media get to know it and how it can work to your organization’s benefit.

From Wireframes to Design Comps

Last week I was working on some initial design comps for an iPhone app we’ve been developing. Now, I haven’t designed in a little bit and surely I haven’t designed from my own wireframes in quite some time. And it was in that transition I realized the gap between the UX hand off to design. And here’s what I found.

While wireframing I try to add the right labels (no draft language in nav), observe initial brand constraints; all the while blocking out areas for copy, images, and other media. I then annotate the screens and send them forward to one of our designers. Now, of course we all get together and discuss the wireframes so it’s not a cold hand off.

But I noticed a disconnect as I opened the PDF of wires while opening my Photoshop document. I suppose I’ve had my head buried in the UX sand for too long. I suppose I got a little set in my ways because as I began to design from screen to screen I wanted to change some things. Not just the general layout but things like button labels.

Now for some UX folks this isn’t a problem. But there a segment of us who get a bit concerned when things start to change without testing and research. Changing labels for instance is not a good thing!

However, I found myself getting over it after I worked out a few compromises. And because it was just me on this portion of the project it was difficult to argue with myself. Now testing will prove whether I made the right label change or not but I find that there is a gap between wires and design. Because wires remove branding elements from the screens design challenges such as balance, whitespace, and visual hierarchy don’t come into play and are therefore not included in the wires. So there is an innate opportunity for change to occur.

And you know what? I know this. But it was a great reminder to respect the transition and respect the craft from both sides of the house- UX and Design.

So for all you wireframe jockeys out there- take a moment and open up Photoshop and start designing from wires and see what you encounter. You should surely have questions but will you see an opportunity for change that could enhance the experience? Try it out and see. Stretch those creative muscles!

More and more people are connected via Social Media. Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare are just a few platforms that we can all use to build relationships, meet new people and even stay connected with long lost friends. With so many platforms what is a person to do when it comes to work, family and keeping up with your online life?

Apps

You can pick from more than a handful of SM apps today. Some can help you manage your addiction by allowing you to schedule tweets like CoTweet or HootSuite. See that way you can announce things without being online or on Twitter.com. Other apps can help you filter your views of the social media data feed by searching for keywords.

Hardware

Well mobile is where it’s at when it comes to Social Media and hardware. With location based platforms like Foursquare and your built in GPS all you have to do is pick your poison: iPhone, iPod, iPad, Droid, BlackBerry, etc. All of these mobile devices have apps that allow you to connect to the more popular networks. You can tweet on the way to work (if you are a passenger of course)! Or you can check-in during lunch. Try to set aside some time that is SM-free though. Taking a break will give you more to talk about when you do get back on. And you’ll realize that the more social you are in real life the more interesting you’ll be in the digital realm.

Time Management

None of us can spend all day online – heck some employers even block SM sites making it impossible to check-in during work hours. But that’s OK. Remember engaging with real people in real ways will make for deeper connections and frankly more to talk about when you do jump back on. I for one spend most of my SM time during several hours during the work day and less time on the weekends.

Find out what works for you. Remember, we love Social Media but we most love the real connections we establish every day face-to-face.

For this weeks install of the Social Media Friday blog I thought I’d take a look at this week and the major events involving Social Media. From grassroots organization via Facebook to outrage in the skies via Twitter we’ve got this week covered.

Betty White – A Lesson in Social Media

Grassroots organization is nothing new these days. With all the tea parties and conservative political groups popping up all over it was just a matter of time before someone got serious about it via Social Media. So I’ve got to be talking about Saturday Night Live right? And Betty White? You’ve got it. Looks like a young man really wants Betty White to host an episode of SNL. So he started a Facebook Fan page to spread the word.

Now in the past you’d just start a letter writing campaign. But today you can create a Facebook Fan page and get your message out. The creator was very smart in the way he went about drawing attention – he asked celebrities to talk about it on their personal sites. Of course it didn’t hurt that Betty White was in a Super Bowl commercial this year. Once the site picked up more fans even USA Today picked up the story.

Looks like Social Media continues to influence Traditional Media.

Google Buzz – Off

Last week Gmail users got introduced to Buzz. Think of it as a Twitter-Facebook-Wave mashup. There is one major difference – if you have a Gmail account you were automatically connected with Buzz. On top of that it automatically revealed your contacts and offered to connect you with them.

Once again we see Google going out on the limb with users’ privacy. Think about it- 11 year old kids have Gmail accounts. Do you want them chatting with a bunch of people they may or may not know?

Yep, we would classify this Buzz mess as a big ole’ FAIL! Come on Google- get your act together.

Oh That Kevin Smith

Where do I begin with this one. Obviously no one at Southwest Airlines saw this coming. Kevin Smith who had purchased two seats on a recent flight (for comfort) was asked to leave the plane due to being a “safety risk”. Outraged, Kevin began tweeting the event. Bare in mind Kevin has over a million followers so word spread quickly.

Southwest used their Twitter account to answer and post policies in an effort to control the message. Next, traditional media picked up the story and created several pieces on the major networks airing the issue. Although many folks seem to be on the side of SouthWest’s response- it just goes to show that brands need to be proactive with their Social Media presence because the could get blindsided by an issue aired all over Twitter. SouthWest however is a great example of how to handle a customer service issue in the SM space.

Well those are our top stories in SM this week. We’ll keep an eye out for news that will affect you and how you use Social Media so stay tuned (I know that’s so traditional).

As of late Google and Apple have been competing fiercely with each other. First with the smart phones (Nexus One vs iPhone). Now with the pad devices (Google Pad vs iPad). But Google will not win this battle unless it makes a significant investment in the user experience. And I mean the entire user experience from the point of purchase to actual use.

Brick and Mortar vs Online Only

When Google started selling the Nexus One phone they made one big assumption- humans won’t need them. They assumed consumers would go online, purchase the phone, and only contact Google via email. Big mistake.

Apple catches a lot of flack from some portion of the technology segment because it tightly controls its distribution and support network. Need to buy an iPhone? Go to the Apple store. Need to get support, schedule an appointment at the Genius Bar in the Apple Store. Making the assumption that people will not really need face-to-face interaction to buy or especially receive support is a big oversight. Google has since gone back to the drawing board to figure this essential component of service and distribution out. The Social Web was in an uproar about slow responses to support and poor reception. Apple already thought through these challenges.

Enhancements vs Feature Load

Google invests a lot of money into packing their offerings with lots of features. It’s as though they look at the iPhone and say to themselves, “what can we do to add another this or another that”. Where Apple’s approach is how can we make better what we already have. There’s a big difference there.

It’s easier to add features than it is to make enhancements. First, in order to enhance you must believe that you have the right foundation to begin with. And you have conducted enough research to know what to change. Feature loading on the other hand doesn’t require a good foundation. You can simply code around unstable parts of the platform. Enhancing is more like delicate surgery. Apple wins hands down here.

The Interface

Have you used an iPhone and a Nexus One phone? Two year olds can use an iPhone; I’ve seen it. However, hand them a Nexus One phone and they can’t get past the unlock screen function. The icons are too small. You can load moveable backgrounds that interact with touch. Yes these backgrounds are cool but they interfere with readability and ultimately affect usability. Go online and conduct a few searches and you’ll find many complaints about the Nexus One user interface. Don’t assume that because it’s an iPhone competitor that it will be as good as or mimic much of what works well on the iPhone. Apple continues to refine their offering.

The iPad

Many people think that the Google competitor to the iPad will put the iPad debate to rest. Google took the iPad form factor, copied it and loaded the Android OS on it. See they assumed that the appeal of the iPad was the form factor- so they copied it. I see it all the time on the Web. People copy a concept and assume that it will achieve the same success. I’m not talking about patterns here. The fact that the iPad is the size of a book is not why it works so well. It’s the processor, the product design, the queues from the iPod Touch, the screen technology, etc.

Apple had a good and proven model to build upon- the iPod Touch. The fact that a two year old could use one meant that a two year old could likely use the iPad. The same iconography, control bars, menu bars, touch, and sound are all replicated. Physically moving an iPod means it affects the app on the screen, same goes for the iPad. See, Apple simply enhanced what they already had. They knew it worked well- it was proven. Google doesn’t have that legacy to build on. And copying the iPad form factor will not make it successful.

Although we at Modal focus more on the Web space- web sites, web apps, and iPhone apps; much of the knowledge we gained is transferrable to product design.

Take a lesson from these mega giants of technology. A great user experience will overcome a robust, feature-rich product with a poor experience every time.

Google has once again announced a new product this week – Google Buzz. Think of it as a mash up of Facebook, Twitter, Wave, and Gmail.

Finding Your Buzz

Check your Gmail account and you will see “Buzz” under the Inbox button. Buzz is a new way to talk to your friends. You can share links, videos and pictures. You can start a post and get an email when you get a response. Even better you can reply via the email. Buzz has gone Mobile also. Download the mobile version and you can update your posts and include geo data. Since it is Google you know they had to add something. When adding your geo data your phone will provide a list of places you are possibly at. Pick one or add your correct location.

What’s All the Buzz About?

Google Buzz is making news for a few reasons:

1. It is integrated into Gmail and it automatically builds a friends list from your contacts
2. You are not limited to 140 characters
3. View pictures and videos the way they were intended to, not in a little window. Did I mention the video and picture viewing is fast?

People are already drawing comparisons to Facebook, Twitter and Wave. As they should. This is Google’s step into the Social Media battlefield.

Quick Compare

> With Buzz you can update your status, post pictures and links with no 140 character limit – Winner Facebook and Buzz
> Your Buzz account is built into Gmail – Winner Buzz

So if you’ve got Gmail go ahead and get your Buzz on- buzzards! By the way that’s the new term for someone who uses Buzz- I’m way too nice to actually call you a buzzard .

l often get requests to describe what I do. Either the interested party just wants to figure out what the heck User Experience is or how one can get a job doing it. So instead of defining what I do I thought I’d give you a quick glance into my day.

• 9:00-10:00 AM- Grab a cup of coffee and get social. Read approximately 10 top user experience related blogs such as: uxmag.com and konigi.com; jump on CoTweet to read messages, dms, and friend timeline. And respond to emails and check Facebook- personal and Modal fan page.
• 10:00-11:00 AM- Prepare for onsite review of major government agency extranet. This includes: reviewing screen flows, dashboard best practices, and latest developments with the platform.
• 11:00 AM-12:00 PM- Sketch options for new functionality in Moleskin. First rough sketches with screen descriptions then more detailed vignettes describing each control and flow.
• 12:00-1:00 PM- Lunch, check email, and head over to client site.
• 1:00-3:00 PM- Meet with project manager and development team to discuss the new functionality and how to best organize each activity into discreet screens. Listen to latest developments and begin whiteboarding solutions. Run into a snag with multiple sub-activities that happen to have long character lengths. Discussion ensues over vertical and horizontal navigation pros and cons and use of tab-based navigation. Sub-activities require organization so I pull out a stack of plain white index cards and start transferring labels from spreadsheet onto cards. Begin tiered numbering of each card to define level and grouping. Meeting concludes with follow on work to include high fidelity screen mockups for executive team review.
• 3:00-6:00 PM- Create screen template using Photoshop. Apply additional controls and revise navigation scheme. Fix long character length labels through simple abbreviation and email over mockup to development team for review. Meanwhile answered emails and tweets in second monitor window. Got on a bit of a rant about SPEC work and the American Institute of Graphic Arts.
• 6:00-8:00 PM- Dinner and fun with the family.
• 8:15 PM- Receive idea to resolve navigation scheme. Quickly sketched it out and left it for integration into the prototype over the weekend.

So as you can see the day of a User Experience professional involves research, meeting with developers and project management, problem solving using all types of creative techniques, execution, and iteration. And this was just one day.

They say one bad apple spoils the bunch. And the same holds true for a segment of people on Twitter who break all the rules of proper Social Media etiquette. I’m sure you know who I’m talking about. The shameless self promoter, the affinity marketing expert, and the “no one knows more than me” social media guru.

Making Authentic Connections

Social Media is about connecting with human beings. These virtual connections are typically made because of some common interest. True connections however are built up over time; making meaningful contributions to your followers by helping them solve problems and expressing shared interests. That is how one becomes a good Social Media Citizen (SMC). It’s a process that involves transparency and ultimately leads to trust.

But if you’re constantly selling your services, “pimpin” votes, and other shameless promoting then it’s quite clear that you have no interest in being a contributor. The result is that you will quickly get unfollowed- and rightfully so.

Now, be good, follow the unwritten rules and start building trust today. This is new ground for everyone and as the medium matures so will behavior. Do yourself a favor and think about that next Tweet!

After almost a decade of writing proposals for user experience design I have come to one conclusion- line item pricing or fixed fee. This conclusion addresses all of the issues surrounding negotiating and the management of risk for the partner and the client. So what is the conclusion?

Prospective clients have a need to get the best value for their dollar. And partners have a need to deliver the best value while still making a profit. To that end, during the negotiation stage all types of project activities get put on the chopping block in an effort to decrease scope in order to decrease cost.

See user experience design involves a big investment in research. So the amount of hours times hourly rate can seem high at first. But a good research activity in the beginning of the project will feed the other major deliverables down the line such as information architecture and wireframing. Not to mention provide a good basis for the design brief. Best of all it allows for less churn throughout the duration of the project because one can always fall back to the research.

Unfortunately if you broke out research and put it in as a line item in your proposal it is typically the first thing that makes it to the chopping block. Most prospective clients don’t realize that removing the research means that they are asking you to simply be creative hands- not creative thinkers. This is a big issue because the client effectively removed the user experience portion of the work- at least a major chunk of it.

In addition to the initial research portion, usability testing is typically next. This is largely due to the client not understanding the value of testing. To them it is just a big draw on their budget.

But l propose, and conclude based upon my many years of watching prospective clients negotiate our fees that fixed fee is the way to go. In that structure we will perform research, conduct testing, and provide a great looking, easy to use web site or web app. See that way they are unable to pull the pieces apart. Now we can negotiate on the bottom line price but not the process. After all, the process insures a predictable outcome.