Bold Perspective http://boldperspective.com San Antonio Web Design Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:07:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 BoldPerspectivehttp://feedburner.google.com Professional Conduct http://boldperspective.com/2012/professional-conduct/ http://boldperspective.com/2012/professional-conduct/#comments Wed, 30 May 2012 16:06:28 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=2065 Continue Reading »]]> Defining Professionalism

At Bold Perspective, we voluntarily commit ourselves to uncompromising excellence with our clients and their projects, as well as with fellow peers of our industry. This obligation is one we pursue out of the interest of delivering unequivocal quality in every area of our work and conduct. The responsibility we are referring to is that of a Design Professional. As professionals, it is our duty to uphold, promote, and dedicate ourselves to conducting with integrity, and competence.

Professionalism is a term that can be rather ambiguous and subjective in meaning. As such, there is need for the concept to be defined in order to diminish any vagueness and potential uncertainty as to what is meant when one is referred to as a professional.

We’ve previously touched on a number of issues in regards to professionalism and how it pertains to client work in our article series, Enabling Successful Projects. While this helps to clarify many parts of our approach, it’s far from all-inclusive. There is much more encompassing the ideology of professionalism, and how it influences the way we operate, than has been articulated in article form. Up until now, it has simply been an internal standard that we uphold on our own account.

The Need for Professionalism in the Design Industry

In 2011, a fantastic piece of writing was published to help define what it means to be a Design Professional; Design Professionalism is a treatise written by the knowledgable and respected, Andy Rutledge. It eschews profligacies and gets right to the core issues surrounding professionalism in relation to the designer. Aptly-dubbed “the designer’s guide to taking back your profession,” it certainly accomplishes the task of putting the designer on the right path towards pursuing a professional career in design.

However, while the treatise effectively covers the topic of professionalism, it wasn’t meant to be used as an exhaustive reference that outlines all of the standards of a professional ethics.

With this being the case, there has remained a need for a thorough, comprehensive outline of conduct held by a professional.

The Academy of Design Professionals

Enter: The Code of Professional Conduct.
The formidable Andy Rutledge continues to lead the way on the front of professionalism in our industry with his latest publication. Not to leave us high and dry, he has compiled an extensive list of ethical standards. From Standards of Excellence to Conduct and Integrity, The Code of Professional Conduct is an in-depth, and laudably meticulous coverage of all things professional.

The Academy of Design Professionals is a public recognition of individuals who represent the highest standards of design professionalism and competence.

Members are those who have made a public pledge the uphold the standards of The Code of Professional Conduct and in so doing, willingly invite scrutiny and become accountable to peers, colleagues and clients.

Endorsement

We are enthused to see such an display of dedication and commitment to professionalism. The ethics and ideals promoted by The Academy of Design Professionals echo those that have been very strongly upheld and practiced by Bold Perspective, and as such receive a hearty “Amen!”. It is with this notion that we give The Code of Professional Conduct our full endorsement.

Pledge:

As Bold Perspective, we hereby pledge our dedication to the the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and competence in design practice and promise to uphold the spirit and letter of the Code of Professional Conduct through consistent practice and habitual reflection on our actions.


Sean McCabe

Brian Purkiss

View The Code of Professional Conduct

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2012/professional-conduct/feed/ 0 Professionals Don’t Show Clients Wireframes http://boldperspective.com/2012/professionals-dont-show-clients-wireframes/ http://boldperspective.com/2012/professionals-dont-show-clients-wireframes/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:54 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=1942 Continue Reading »]]> Quality. It’s essentially the antithesis of compromise. It’s what clients want, but often not something they’re willing to follow procedure to get. It certainly doesn’t help that designers make compromise far too easy for them either.

When potential clients approach us, they are looking to hire us because they are interested in the high caliber work we display in our portfolio. They want to have this type of quality design and attention invested in their own project.

While this is a common desire, many are unwilling to submit to what is required for producing this level of an effective project. As mentioned in “Being Selective About Choosing Clients” (Part 2 of the Enabling Successful Projects series), “The ability to produce these effective final products is strictly dependent on a refined and time-tested process that is strictly adhered to. The client agreement should contain terms that reflect your policy. Your policy is an important part of your process. All of these are interrelated and necessary to produce the desired outcome.”

Part of our policy is that we do not show clients wireframes. This will be explained in further detail below, but first let’s examine what enables a successful project. We’ll then look more closely at why professionals don’t show clients wireframes and the detrimental effects experienced by those who ignore this sentiment.

What Enables a Successful Project?

A successful project results when every involved party possessing responsibility is able to do their job effectively and unhindered. It sounds simple enough, but so much goes wrong when this stage is not properly set.

What is the Client responsible for?

The client is responsible for providing two things: Content & Goals. It is the job of the professional to ask the right questions in order to collect this information prior to starting the design.

It is imperative that both the content and goals provided be exhaustive. If content or goals are allowed to change mid-way through (without a renegotiation), the effectiveness of the final product will be compromised and the quality will decrease.

If content or goals change in the middle of the project, a renegotiation of the agreement is mandatory, and a redesign is required. Anything less compromises the quality of the design as a whole.

“Compromise begets compromise and that is a poor characteristic for design work. So…don’t.”

— Andy Rutledge, Design Professionalism Author

What is the Design Professional responsible for?

The design professional is responsible for making design decisions. This cannot be stressed enough. Design decisions should only ever be made by a design professional. At no point should anyone who is unqualified be making design decisions.

The client knows their customers and the designer knows design. This is why the client should be held as the expert on their customers when it comes to defining who their target audience is and goals for reaching them. It is then the designer’s responsibility to execute these goals through the design. If the design is allowed to be dictated by someone other than a design professional, the goals will not be accomplished.

It does not matter if a client “likes” a particular color, or “prefers” a certain layout. Design is not subjective, it is objective. A design professional does not design for the client, but for the client’s customers. This is why the designer was hired. It is of utmost importance that the design professional not subject the client to such decisions.

Let’s Talk Wireframes

No doubt, wireframes are an extremely handy tool. They are beneficial for visualizing user experience flow. Wireframing provides the means to get ideas that are confined to our heads out on paper in a tangible way. In the wireframing stage, focus is placed on hierarchy and structure rather than aesthetics. Constructing layouts on paper gives us the flexibility to make changes with dexterity and focus on the prominence of each individual element.

To reiterate, wireframes are helpful for collaboration and planning amongst professionals within a firm. They are a useful tool for internal use. The reasons for this requirement are very important:

  • Wireframes are stylistically subjective to interpretational discrepancies. Every designer has their own style of wireframing and unless another has worked together with the wireframer for an extended period of time (such as another professional collaborating within the same firm), external conjecture will be erroneous.
  • Wireframes simply play a part in a sequential series of steps within the design process. Comprehending an undeveloped blueprint or using it to adjudicate design decisions is no more the client’s job than determining what the proper amount of pixels the margins or type leading should be set at.

“Good ideas are often rejected for what is perceived as inadequate execution of the prototype. As a result, many engineers conceal their more provocative prototypes from senior management until they have been appropriately polished. ‘If you show them the plywood first,’ says IDEO’s Kelley, ‘they can’t make the conceptual jump.’”

— Michael Schrage, Serious Play, pg 88

Responsibility

Don’t force clients to make design decisions. Always focus your clients on goals. It is the client’s job to define goals. It is your job as the design professional to make all design decisions in order to achieve these goals.

Professionals have responsibility. If you are pawning off responsibility, then you are, in essence, pawning off your professionalism. You are forcing the client to do your job. Do not expect the client to know what his role is. If you present something to him, he will assume that it is his responsibility to make a decision. After all, you are the professional, and if you ask him to make a design decision, he will oblige.

There is a “Group Think” mentality that not only hindering innovative creativity, but poisoning the endowment of responsibility. It has begun to infiltrate the design industry and professional-to-client relationships. Collaboration—in and of itself—is not an evil thing, but when taken to the extreme where everyone’s opinion has equal weight, leadership is diluted. When everyone is responsible, no one is responsible.

It bears saying again, the client is not the designer. Therefore, they should not be making design decisions of any kind. This is not just in relation to wireframes, but extends even to the number of concepts you provide as well. In presenting 10 concepts, you are causing the client to make a design decision. You should be culling that selection in the exploration and refinement phase of your design process. Present only the most effective of the group. Anything less sends the message that you as a professional are incapable of determining the most effective route. In other words, is sends the message that you are not very professional.

Walk the Client through the Design

“If we’re not allowed to show clients wireframes,” asks the confused designer, “how will they see what’s behind the design when I show them its completion?”

They will see it when you present the completed design, of course. The key being present. Never “show” your design. That’s irresponsible.

Users are meant to experience the design, not clients. Clients are entitled to an explanation as to how the design accomplishes their goals through a very detailed presentation.

This presentation should reiterate the client’s goals and walk the them through, step-by-step, how the finished design accomplishes each and every one of their goals. The reason for any attribute of every aspect of the design should be readily defendable and explained. No design decision should be made arbitrarily. Make sure you cite elements from the original brief in your presentation to show how you responsibly achieved their execution.

If you merely exhibit the design without presenting the clients with “what’s next”, they will get hung up on “what’s now” instead of proceeding as necessary. Walk them through the design decisions and then provide the next step in the process.

Conclusion

The design industry has been operating under harmful practices so consistently for such an extended period of time that most have difficulty accepting true professionalism because it seems to counter existing “standards” or “traditions.”

If what has been discussed here sounds like a foreign concept, you would do yourself a great disservice not to read Design Professionalism. Written by Andy Rutledge, the treatise does an exceptional job of repudiating the all-to-common disillusionments new designers frequently encounter.

If after reading the treatise, you still have questions or topics you would like to converse about, feel free to engage in discussion on Google+.

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2012/professionals-dont-show-clients-wireframes/feed/ 0 A Letter to My Representatives About SOPA & PROTECT IP http://boldperspective.com/2012/a-letter-to-my-representatives-about-sopa-protect-ip/ http://boldperspective.com/2012/a-letter-to-my-representatives-about-sopa-protect-ip/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:21:44 +0000 Brian Purkiss http://boldperspective.com/?p=1986 Continue Reading »]]>

How to Get Involved

Write to your Representatives

Call your Representatives

Pledge to support candidates who are against SOPA and PROTECT IP

An Open Letter to My Representatives Concerning SOPA and PROTECT IP

Internet experts agree that SOPA and PROTECT IP are both extremely destructive for the internet and our economy.

So why are lawmakers ignoring the experts and listening to the entertainment industry about the Internet? The entertainment industry tried to block two important inventions that boosted the world economy – the VHS player and the MP3 player. They tried to block two inventions that generate millions of dollars of revenue for their own industry and they are trying to do it again.

The Internet generates millions of dollars for the entertainment industry and billions of dollars for the American economy and world economy. SOPA and PROTECT IP will cripple the internet’s potential for job creation, revenue, and innovation.

Millions of people have voiced their opinion against SOPA and PROTECT IP – what’s more, Google’s petition opposing SOPA and PROTECT IP received over seven million signatures in under thirty six hours – never in history has a petition received that much support. We are all in favor of stopping online piracy, but believe SOPA and PROTECT IP are not the way to do so.

SOPA and PROTECT IP claim to target foreign websites but will do nothing to stop online piracy; instead they will cripple American websites putting tens of thousands of people, myself included, out of a job. Through the use of Proxies, IP addresses, and other techniques piracy will still continue. This cataclysmic snowball effect on the Internet will stifle free speech and enable large companies to shut down their legitimate and law abiding competitors. I fully understand that Hollywood is losing money to online piracy and I wish to help them in their battle against piracy – but SOPA and PROTECT IP will do absolutely nothing to prevent access foreign piracy focused websites. Instead of stopping piracy, these bills will shut down legitimate and law abiding websites despite the bills’ intentions.

The Internet is leading the way in innovation in all areas of our culture through the free sharing nature it provides. Be it job creation, advances in medicine, entertainment, or technology advances, the Internet leads the way. SOPA and PROTECT IP stifle the free speech component of the internet that is so important to the intellectual, innovative, and economic power that the Internet provides. Sacrificing all that so people might buy more DVDs is not worth it. And don’t forget that if the entertainment industry had their way when the VHS player came about, DVDs may not even exist.

I suggest that we scrap both SOPA and PROTECT IP and start from the beginning. Let us write a new bill together to help fight online piracy, but this time let’s bring in Internet experts and have them help us write the bill rather than hurriedly try and use lobbyists to slip this bill through as quickly as possible over the holiday season.

SOPA and PROTECT IP will cripple the world economy. They must be stopped.

If you vote for SOPA or PROTECT IP, I will NOT vote for you and will exert my best efforts to make sure you do not get re-elected.

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2012/a-letter-to-my-representatives-about-sopa-protect-ip/feed/ 0 Like Count and Perceived Value http://boldperspective.com/2011/like-count-and-perceived-value/ http://boldperspective.com/2011/like-count-and-perceived-value/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:10:54 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=1908 Continue Reading »]]> You Like This

The “like” button is everywhere and with it, a running counter of likes accumulated. With the overwhelming adoption of “liking” mechanisms in almost every network, the age-old concept of value attribution resurfaces.

We’re familiar with this concept when it comes to merchandise. We’re exposed to it all the time through advertisements and shopping experiences. It’s a big game, this instilling of perceptional value; showing an item with a laughing or smiling model, displaying a product next to a chart illustrating high customer satisfaction or large sales numbers—the idea is to get you to attribute a certain worth or usefulness to an object based on these other factors.

When an object is paired with additional information, the brain assumes that it is relevant to the value of the object in question. When comparing with another similar object, this information is subconsciously used in juxtaposition.

Here’s the kicker: the brain will attribute a different value if allowed to come to its own unbiased conclusion rather than succumbing to the influence of existing statistics.

What this means is that if you view a photograph or painting in a gallery, you may find it awe-inspiring. But if in a reset scenario, you saw the same photo or piece of art posted online—accompanied by a small number of “likes”—you may be less likely to attribute the same value you would have in the former setting. You might even pass it up entirely without so much as bestowing your endorsing “like”.

Ask yourself:

  • If this had 500 likes, would I think this is of any worth?
  • If this had no likes, would I think this is of any worth?
  • If this person had 10,000 followers, would I think what they say has any value?
  • If this person had no followers, would I think what they say has any value?
  • Should those factors make a difference in either scenario?

Ultimately, the question is: What determines value? Does something possess worth if it merely has been liked or viewed an exorbitant amount of times? I would argue that such attributed value is counterfeit and superfluous. While something that has value IS often “liked” or “viewed” a great number of times, it doesn’t mean that anything accompanied by such statistics is valuable.

It’s necessary to make a conscious effort to attribute pure, unadulterated value that isn’t skewed by other seemingly relevant factors. Imagine things without the ambiguous statistics and assess whether or not you view things differently when they are absent.

I believe things have an inherent value. It could be argued that it’s also a relative value as well, and that may be true in many cases too. At either rate, value should not be determined by statistics. I would encourage you to not only reflect upon how you view others’ work, but also how you see your own. Just because you may not have many “likes” or followers does not mean you your work isn’t any good. Conversely, just because you do have a large number of “likes” or followers does not necessarily mean that your work is exceptional.

Remember when people were people and good work was good work? Yes, of course there has always been status, but the internet makes this status painfully obvious. It’s almost as if we see floating numbers above everyone’s heads now; numbers that broadcast their influence, their following, their… worth.

This is not to discredit those who have worked hard to achieve the position they currently hold. Accomplishment and hard work is admirable and respect is due. But I fear that status, following, and like count is distorting the perception of many when it comes to actual value.

Food for Thought

There is danger at both ends of the spectrum. Those with low counts have a tendency to get discouraged and believe what they are doing isn’t any good, or worse—that they themselves are not worth much. On the other end, those with high counts run the risk of becoming complacent and conjecturing their work is remarkable because the counters spin off the charts no matter what they publish.

The idea here is to get you to think. To re-think. Understand that everything is relative. Is 1,000 a large number? It is neither large nor small. It is only one of the two when paired with a lesser or greater figure. Don’t let relativity misrepresent actuality.

Everything else aside, regardless of where you’re at, the advice is simple, and it boils down to: Do good work and continue to do good work regardless.

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2011/like-count-and-perceived-value/feed/ 0 wpLifeGuard – A WordPress Video Tutorial Website Case Study http://boldperspective.com/2011/wplifeguard-a-wordpress-video-tutorial-website-case-study/ http://boldperspective.com/2011/wplifeguard-a-wordpress-video-tutorial-website-case-study/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:04:22 +0000 Bold Perspective http://boldperspective.com/?p=1758 Continue Reading »]]>

Brief

wpLifeGuard is a Bold Perspective Labs project that was born out of the desire to create a resource for teaching clients how to use WordPress. As web designers, we are regularly faced with the task of helping clients learn to use their newly created website. We recognized that this is a common thread amongst web designers and developers. Rather than simply develop this as a resource for internal use, we built wpLifeGuard from the ground up to be a useful tool not only for anyone who is new to WordPress, but also as one to help those who make websites.

Contents

A lot has gone into the planning, design and development of this project, and its value as a resource continues to increase as we regularly contribute to its growth by adding new video tutorials. Below, we go over the following aspects of the project and an overview of what was involved with each. wpLifeGuard Logo

  • Clear Branding
  • Effective Web Design
  • Mobile-Optimization through Responsive Design
  • Video Screencast Production
  • Affiliate Program
  • LifeGuard Assistant Plugin Development
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Print Material Design

Clear Branding

The wpLifeGuard logo needed to be one that was very clear and memorable with a mark that would be easily brandable on a variety of applications. The textual component of the identity is comprised of two weights of the brilliant typeface, Avenir which was then slightly modified.

wpLifeGuard Logo

With the iconic aspect we wanted to put an emphasis on the ultra simple by going with a strong, yet minimal red plus that pays its respects to familiar lifeguard associations. The simplicity aids in the icon’s effectiveness in reduction and standalone use for branding in flexible areas such as favicon, avatars, and video watermark.

The logo as a whole works effectively on the website, video tutorials, and print material. Its clarity and simplicity does a wonderful job of embodying the service and its approach.

Effective Web Design

The website utilizes an easily navigable layout and structure that enables new users to intuitively find exactly what they’re looking for. Each page works to convey a unique message while simultaneously promoting the service as a whole no matter what area of the website you are on.

Intuitive Navigation

wpLifeGuard Wireframe

The structure of the design starts with focusing on the content. We want the emphasis to be on the main area of the website, but at the same time, there is a decent amount of navigation that we want to provide easy access to. We approach this by setting the content apart in it’s own differently colored container. This provides clarity as to what is important for new visitors, but also displays important navigational elements with prominence.

The outer gray layer serves as an exterior that contains the navigational elements. We first have the logo, which takes the user to the homepage when clicked, followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary navigation.

Website Usability

User-friendliness is an area we focus a lot on. We want browsing on the site to be a breeze and there’s a few ways we accomplish this. We obviously design an intended user experience, but we also assess what a user may click on outside of the intended path and evaluate what they might be trying to find. Whenever possible, we make many elements clickable—even if they’re not the primary actions—and have them lead to the most relevant page. This helps retain visitors and minimize frustration.

On minimizing frustration, something else we’re big on is large clickable areas. No user should have to work hard to click a link. By giving clickable elements ample padding, we create an enjoyable experience that results in a subconsciously positive response. This is shown in the figure below most notably with navigation text links on the left. You’ll note that not only is the text clickable, but also generous space around it as well.

Large Clickable Areas

Design Style

Our goal was to strike a balance between simple and memorable. We want the content to shine, but we also want to leave an impression. The final result utilizes subtle texture patterns, crisp borders, minimalistic illustrations, and clean typography.

We utilize the font used in the logo, Avenir, throughout the branding and wherever image text is used. Where content needs to be actual text, we employ Quattrocentro Sans—a web-ready font that we have found to be a great companion to Avenir.

Color Scheme

Color PaletteThe color scheme consists of a calming blue paired with a comfortable gray and friendly green accents to provide an enjoyable experience for extended stays—considering that each user will be spending a longer-than-average amount of time on the website because of the tutorials.

Mobile-Optimization with Responsive Design

One of the unique selling points is mobile compatibility. We use HTML5 video to ensure that the videos function properly on devices like the iPhone, but more than that, we wanted to deliver an optimized experience for mobile users.

To do this, we built the website to be responsive from the ground up. The modular design format we use makes the different layout rearrangements fit like a glove.

Responsive Web Design

Tailored Mobile Experience

iPad Layout The iPad already handles browsing very well, with it’s decently sized screen and modern webkit browser. However, nothing beats an experience that was specifically crafted for the tablet device. While the iPad would render the desktop version of the website just fine, having the content arranged comfortably for the iPad’s screen size really makes the experience quite enjoyable.

The elements are arranged in such a way that makes for very comfortable reading at the default 100% zoom. This lets users experience the website with ease without having to zoom in to read the content.

Video Screencast Production

With the video tutorials being the crux of the whole product, naturally we wanted them to be top notch. We really put a lot of care into producing these and we think it really shows.

The site had been in the works for several months and we specifically planned to coincide the launch of the website with the release of the latest version of WordPress 3.3. There is a lot that has changed in the new version and we wrote about what’s new in WordPress 3.3. Most importantly, this meant that our videos needed to be recorded in 3.3 to educate in the most current version.

Scripts, scripts, and more scripts

iPad Layout Good tutorials are comprehensive. It takes dedicated planning and outlining to produce comprehensive tutorials. We meticulously wrote, edited, and curated scripts for all of our videos. When recording, all of the narration was read directly from the scripts. The scripts were written in a casual format such that it still sounded natural as spoken, even though it was scripted.

Having the videos scripted brings a number of benefits. Because our videos are always up to date, this means re-recording them whenever new updates of WordPress are released. Having scripts written takes care of the heavy lifting and leaves only minor tweaks to the wording where new features are added. We are also able to offer the full transcripts for every video as an extra perk for members. All in all, scripting works to deliver a more polished final product.

Quality Audio

Samson Go Mic With well over an hour of video footage, viewers are spending a lot of time listening. Many computers have microphones built-in but no viewer wants to listen to Skype-quality audio for that long!

In order to be taken seriously, a quality microphone is a must. This aspect alone helps set the videos in a class of their own.

Before all of the video editing and effects, we first focus on recording vocals that sound crisp and clear. After some research, we went with the Samson Go Mic It’s a brilliantly compact little mic and it suited our needs perfectly. It does a fantastic job at canceling out empty background noise and echoes while capturing really tight sounding vocals. It is modestly priced around $60.

Screen Casting, Video Editing and Effects

Illustration Animation After the screencasts are recorded, they are editing for clarity and brevity. Callout areas are added at key points throughout the videos for improved comprehension and understanding. Subtle transitions, title overlays complete the polished look.

For videos such as the Overview video shown at the beginning of this article, supporting illustrations were designed and then animated based on storyboards created to flow with the narration.

Video Screencast Editing

Musical Composition

Musical Composition In addition to using the logo, we also composed a short musical theme for using along with the logo to brand the beginning and end of each video tutorial. This short, 6-second tune adds a personalized touch and aids in memorability.

The 60-second Overview video presented the challenge of requiring a musical composition running in the background that seamlessly ended with the wpLifeGuard theme. First, a score of approximate length was composed. Then, using a rough-cut of the final video, the composition was recorded to the video for exact synchronization.

Affiliate Program

Affiliate Program wpLifeGuard is obviously great for new users of WordPress, but we wanted to make this work for developers in the best way possible—they already know how to use WordPress, so why make them pay? We offered the Affiliate program free of charge which gives anyone the opportunity to share wpLifeGuard and receive a return on that referral. Each referral earns the sharer 30% commission. The affiliate participant can either share their affiliate link, or use the LifeGuard Assistant Plugin to promote.

LifeGuard Assistant Plugin Development

LifeGuard Assistant Plugin Many other affiliate programs require that the developer pay monthly to use a plugin on client sites. We take a different approach where the developer is the middle man. We provide the LifeGuard Assistant plugin for free and allow developers to install it on their client sites even if the developer does not have a paid membership. This motivates the developer to promote the service more as there is no cost to them for doing so. It also saves them the time of having to teach clients to use WordPress.

Search Engine Optimization

wpLifeGuard is built-from the ground up to be very search-engine friendly. Naturally, it’s built on WordPress and utilizes our very own Whiteboard Framework for a robust foundation. It’s then meticulously and carefully optimized manually for specific keyword optimization, keyword density, page and link generation, and finally, kept up to date with regular content updates.

Print Material Design

wpLifeGuard Mini Cards In most cases when we’re promoting wpLifeGuard in person, we’re giving a verbal pitch to explain the model and what it does. For this reason, we really only needed very simply branded cards with a link to the website. We designed the minimalistic mini cards and went to one of our favorite printers, Moo.com. They quickly sent us a solid batch of quality little cards that are perfect for handing out on a whim.

Notables

  • Animated Counter
    The home page features an entirely-CSS, odometer-style counter for the total number of videos to date. When the page is loaded, the counter scrolls up to the total. Coding the animation with CSS makes the total number very easy to update.
  • Sticky Navigation
    The primary navigation on the left side will always stay in sight even when scrolling down on long pages
  • Conditional Content Display
    Several sections of the website will display specific content depending on whether you are logged in or logged out.
  • Animations
    Many image and link hovers utilize subtle animations and transitions for hover effects. Subtle transitions are used throughout our videos and website consistently.
  • Customized Login Screen
    The login screen is often neglected, but it’s a form that users frequently interact with. We took the opportunity to customize the default WordPress login screen with our logo and branding.
  • Full Width Videos for Members
    A nifty perk that members get to enjoy is large, full width videos. For users that already have an account, a lot of the content that caters to those who haven’t yet signed up isn’t relevant to members. By removing and rearranging some of this content, we free up additional space that is utilized by displaying videos much larger for logged in members.

Large, Full Width Videos for Members

Conclusion

The wpLifeGuard project is the perfect exemplification of what Bold Perspective can bring to a project. From branding and responsive design to a strong selling model for digital products and a catering to multiple key audiences, we can bring an idea to life in a way that accommodates the needs of diverse viewership.

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2011/wplifeguard-a-wordpress-video-tutorial-website-case-study/feed/ 0 Talent and Hard Work http://boldperspective.com/2011/talent-and-hard-work/ http://boldperspective.com/2011/talent-and-hard-work/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:37:51 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=1725 Continue Reading »]]> Overwhelming Inspiration

The internet makes it easy for one to be exposed to an exorbitant amount of extraordinary work in potentially overwhelming doses. This is the case with design, art, music, and just about anything conceivable. There are no true shortcuts in life and most skills are earned through dedication, practice and a great investment of time. But does a lack of innate ability hinder one from succeeding at a skill that he or she was not naturally gifted with?

Definitions

Before we go much further, let’s clarify the two types we’ll be referring to:

The first type is someone who has what might be called a “gift”. This person is probably able to pick up a skill with no, or seemingly little effort at all and is able to do well at this particular skill because it comes naturally to them. This type will be referred to as one with a natural talent.

The second type is someone who is aspiring to become fluent in a skill, but has no natural “gift” or “talent” for such a skill. In an entirely non-derogatory way, this second type will be referred to as one with no natural talent.

Is it Worth Trying?

Naturally, the first question people ask is “Can hard work beat talent?” It’s a fair question because if it’s not possible to do well at something without a natural gift, why even try? The answer is Yes, hard work can beat talent. But a talented person who also works hard will always be ahead of someone who is not naturally talented but also works hard.

This doesn’t mean it’s not’s worth trying to excel at something without a natural gift just because being the absolute best is unachievable. It’s about focus. The focus should be on applying 100% of one’s efforts at whatever task is in question. If a skill is mastered by sheer hard work, that’s saying something. That’s something to be proud of.

Hard Work can Beat Lazy Talent

The light red bar represents the quality of work a talented person is capable of without putting forth any effort. With a bit of effort, someone with no talent can product better work than the talented person that doesn’t apply themselves. This is shown at the point where the dark blue line intersects the light red bar.

There’s no limit to excelling even without a natural gift. Improvement is always possible by applying oneself.

Talent that Works Hard Always Wins

Those who have natural gifts for certain skills know that it’s easy to become complacent. It’s like the tortoise and the hare. By being ahead to start with little to no effort, laziness can creep in. This happens all too often and it is really is a shame. While being ahead of some has a small advantage, it’s not an achievement. What’s being wasted is the potentiality, and laziness wastes talent.

Conclusion

What can be taken away from this? We all have inclinations, gifts, talents, and natural abilities. It’s obviously most resourceful to apply effort to growing in the areas that already have a springboard. However, don’t let that be a limitation. Talent is not a requirement for success. Hard work is.

In the areas that talent is possessed, it’s important that the same, if not greater effort be put forth in excelling at these pursuits. Life is not a destination, it’s a journey and arrival is a fictitious state.

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2011/talent-and-hard-work/feed/ 0 Photoshop Shortcut: Unlocking the Background Layer http://boldperspective.com/2011/photoshop-shortcut-unlocking-the-background-layer/ http://boldperspective.com/2011/photoshop-shortcut-unlocking-the-background-layer/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:35:43 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=1677 Continue Reading »]]> Unlock the Background with the Keyboard

You know how that familiar, pesky background layer you always start with on a new Photoshop document is locked? If you’re like me there’s nothing you hate more than going to the mouse for something you shouldn’t have to.

Chad Engle recently tweeted asking if there was a keyboard shortcut to unlock the Background layer. I knew of none and shared the best way I knew to accomplish the task without retreating to the mouse:

Cmd + J to duplicate, Option + [ to move layer selection back down to Background, and Delete

This gets the job done, but I was less than satisfied. I went back to explore my trusty Custom Keyboard shortcuts. If you don’t use these, you really should. Customizing the shortcuts to personalize actions you regularly perform will boost your productivity tremendously. Head to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts. (Tip: you can even use a keyboard shortcut to get to the keyboard shortcuts! Cmd + Option + Shift + K)

How to Configure the Shortcut

Once you have the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog open, navigate to Layer > Background. It’s not immediately obvious that this is what we’re looking for, but you’ll see in a minute. Just set a keyboard short for Background. I personally use Cmd + Option + Shift + B.

Now test it out! Open up a new document and your new shortcut should present you with a dialog to optionally rename the layer (essentially unlocking it). Just hit Enter and you’re done!

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2011/photoshop-shortcut-unlocking-the-background-layer/feed/ 0 The Difference Between Spec Work and Pro-Bono or Open Source http://boldperspective.com/2011/the-difference-between-spec-work-and-pro-bono-or-open-source/ http://boldperspective.com/2011/the-difference-between-spec-work-and-pro-bono-or-open-source/#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:32:22 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=1632 Continue Reading »]]> What is Spec Work?

Speculative Work (or “spec work”) is work performed with no expectation or arrangement for compensation. Anyone who engages in spec work invests uncompensated time and resources with no guarantee of payment.

Ok I get it, but what’s the difference?

You might ask, “Well what’s the difference between spec work and say, ‘giving back to the community’, or ‘donating work to a charity’?”

I’m glad you asked. Let’s break down the difference between the three scenarios so you can see that, in fact, one of these things is not like the others.

Pro Bono says:
Professional work (i.e. design) is inherently valuable and can be donated as something that is of worth.

Contributing to the Community says:
Professional work (i.e. design) is inherently valuable and can be given to a community as something of worth that benefits the community.

Spec Work says:
Professional work (i.e. design) is only valuable if it is “liked” or “chosen” by a contest holder.

Notice the odd one out? The issue is the value, or lack of value, attributed to professional work, and by association, its industry. When you give a gift, the recipient does not view the gift as being worthless, they view the gift as being something of value that was given to them. Donating time or resources to an organization is the same as writing them a check. It is giving them something of value out of charity and they are receiving it as such.

It Comes Down to Value

The spec work mindset is detrimental to the industry. Those who hold contests to solely benefit the contest holder and one participant are devaluing the profession of all participants. Those who participate in such contests are devaluing their own profession as well as that of others in their industry.

Professionals should always be compensated for their work. Professional work is inherently valuable and demands payment. Again, if someone chooses to give something of value (e.g. design, time, resources, money) to an organization, that is the right and choice of that person to do so. Because the company is receiving a donation from the individual they are acknowledging the inherent value of the donation.

Donating design, time, or resources to non-profits is NOT spec work

There is no such thing as “donating” your time to a spec work contest. The nature of speculative contest work is built upon the misguided belief that professional work is worthless unless “liked” or “chosen” by the contest holder. If you think that you are simply “donating” your time to these “contests”, you are sadly mistaken and do nothing more than declare the worth of your work as having no real value.

Are Legitimate Contests Possible Then?

Yes. There are legitimate contests, and not all contests are evil. In order to determine if a contest is legitimate and not spec work, you must find out who is benefitting from the collective work. If the answer is the contest holder, then it is spec work. If the answer is the community or industry as a whole and the contest holder does not benefit from the work, then it can be a contest.

A prime example of detrimental spec work was Moleskine’s Logo Contest. Because the contest holder, Moleskine, would benefit from the unpaid collective work, it was not a contest; it was spec work.

Update: Thanks to the upstanding folks in the design community, our outcry was heard and Moleskine conceded, apologizing for disrespecting the design community. For this, they are reconciled.

In contrast, Unmatched Style’s CSS Off exemplifies the ideal legitimate contest. In this case, the community gets the benefit from this contest rather than the contest holder. The contest holder values the entrants’ work and releases the work to the public under the Creative Commons License for educational and industry-benefitting purposes.

What Can I Do to Help?

The most obvious way is to refrain from participating in speculative work. By standing up for the inherent value of your work, you retain not only your own dignity and establish yourself as a professional, but also the dignity and reputation of those in your industry.

A more proactive approach to the issue would be to get involved in the AntiSpec campaign and put your face with the group that boldly says NO to spec work.

Discussion

Disagree or have something you want to say? Share your thoughts on the discussion thread.

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2011/the-difference-between-spec-work-and-pro-bono-or-open-source/feed/ 0 Pt6 Letting the Content Dictate the Design http://boldperspective.com/2011/pt6-letting-the-content-dictate-the-design/ http://boldperspective.com/2011/pt6-letting-the-content-dictate-the-design/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:30:28 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=1369 Continue Reading »]]> Find the Message

The goal of design at its core is to promote a message. The design and its style should reflect the content and promote the message through the use of an appropriate style.

Two Design Approaches:

Almost every project is one of the following 2 situations:

  • Scenario a: Client comes to the designer (who has a notorious style) and wants a website based on the designer’s style
  • Scenario b: Client comes to the designer with specific goals and wants a website style that fits their content

a: Set Style

Neither position is more correct than the other 100% of the time. Establishing yourself as a designer who specializes in a specific style of design is a legitimate strategy. However, when it comes to design, one size does not fit all. In the same manner, one design style does not fit all messages.

If you deicide to design only with your own style, you must only take on jobs that fit your particular style. Otherwise, forcing your style onto content that is not a good fit for your style will be detrimental to the effectiveness of the design.

Again, there’s nothing wrong with being consistent in a single style. Clients know what to expect, and it can make things easier in some regards. Just don’t be tempted to force your style where it doesn’t belong. Either turn down the job, or be willing to design outside of your comfort zone.

b: Flexible Style

The alternative is the designer who does not have a set style but designs what is most effective and appropriate for the content type. You can easily recognize this type of designer by looking at their portfolio to see if there are a wide variety of styles. If all of their websites look similar, they likely stick to just that style.

In either scenario, the designer should craft a layout that fits to the content and accomplishes the desired goals. Don’t design without content. If you work backwards, the design will be less effective at best.

It’s the same with tailoring a suit. If you don’t have measurements, the fit will be poor. Working from measurements produces the best fit. Content and design work the same way.

How to Design from the Content:

  • Analyize the content
  • Find messages of great importance
  • Arrange the elements in order of prominence
  • Design a layout that promotes what is most important
  • Establish a clear visual hierarchy
  • Determine what content will be static and what will be dynamic
  • Take stylistic advantage of what will be static
  • Account for flexibility in the layout to accommodate dynamic content

Conclusion

Starting with the content and building outward produces an organic design that is centered around and founded upon a core message. This allows the message to speak without the design or aesthetics getting in the way. Style and form should be secondary to message and function.

Any artist can look at their work and see it as an extension of themselves, but designers don’t have that liberty.

—The Difference Between Design and Art

Table of Contents:

]]> http://boldperspective.com/2011/pt6-letting-the-content-dictate-the-design/feed/ 0 Pt5 Handling Client Revisions http://boldperspective.com/2011/pt5-handling-client-revisions/ http://boldperspective.com/2011/pt5-handling-client-revisions/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:20:50 +0000 Sean McCabe http://boldperspective.com/?p=1354 Continue Reading »]]> Plan Ahead

Revisions are not always bad. Your goal should always be to deliver your best on the first try, but learn to handle revisions properly and they can work for you instead of against you.

Define Acceptable Revisions Up Front

In your original agreement, you should establish what an acceptable revision looks like and define when revision requests are allowed.

Your proposal should cover everything that will be provided (this includes revisions). By anticipating revisions in your agreement, you are able to allow for an exact number of revisions and the criteria by which they are deemed acceptable.

Sample:

    LOGO DESIGN:

  • Industry, company, and competition research
  • Optimized to be versatile for use on desired mediums
  • 1 initial concept will be presented. Up to 3 revisions will be provided (revisions are optional).
  • If a second concept is requested in lieu of the initial concept, the first revision can be replaced with a second concept. The final 2 revisions can then be applied toward the second concept.
  • Revisions may alter the Project Time Frame

The above Logo Design sample clearly outlines the number of concepts and revisions that are provided and under what circumstances they are allowable. Beyond these details in your proposal, you should also explain the difference between a “revision” and an “addition” or “change” in your terms. Here is how Bold Perspective defines Changes:

[Keep in mind, I am not a lawyer so you should not consider this legal advice but just a sample of our terms]

Sample:

    CHANGES:

  • The Client must assume that all additions, alterations, changes in content, layout, concepts or process changes beyond the proposal requested by the customer, will alter the time and cost. The Client shall offer The Designer the first opportunity to make any changes. Any change requests may alter the completion date and/or Time Frame.

Prevent Unreasonable Revisions

Revisions are always optional. It should be made clear in your preliminary discussions with prospective clients that using up all allowable revisions does not automatically result in a better final product (in fact, the reverse more often holds true).

Explain that no decisions you make are based merely on personal preference but rather a series of calculated choices that were determined by the goals they they provided in order to accomplish them most effectively.

To reinforce that the design is not a result of personal preference, you must always be ready to back up every one of your design decisions. When you present your first concept or draft, thoroughly explain the process or steps that produced the result. If a client does not like the outcome, they must then address the calculated decisions that resulted in the outcome and logically counter them. Otherwise, the client will be irrationally dismissing your calculated decisions and insisting on a less effective revision.

Conclusion

If necessary, have a discussion with your client about the goals they came to you with. Simply convey that it is your understanding that they initially approached you with the intention of hiring you to design a final product that accomplished these goals. Explain that a design catered towards your client rather than towards their users will be counterproductive in accomplishing the goals they originally provided.

Finally, clarify that the emphasis should be on designing for the user rather than for the client themselves or even you as a designer for that matter.

Table of Contents:

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