There was, and still is, a tendency for companies to take what I call the Billion Dollar Bucket approach to building websites. They spend an inordinate amount of time and resources building a gorgeous shell—the bucket—then they fill it with any old crap: old and outdated content, broken links, images and videos that don’t reflect current brand standards, etc.

It’s only been in the last three to five years that people have started to appreciate that what you say or view is as important as how you get to that material.

—“Content Strategy Q&A”

For years, we’ve been spending millions of dollars on strategy and research, user experience design, visual design, and technical platforms. In other words, we’ve invested in everything we need to build the online vehicles for our content.

And yet, strangely, it’s the content that gets left until the last minute. It’s the main reason projects are delayed or even abandoned. It’s an afterthought, a nuisance.

Why? Because most of us haven’t yet realized that we’re actually in the publishing business.

… But here’s the deal. The moment you launch a website, you’re a publisher. The moment you begin a blog, send an email, participate in social media, build a widget, even show up in search engine results… you are a publisher.

Publishers plan far in advance which content they will create. They have established, measurable processes in place. They invest in teams of professionals to create and care for content. They would never think of starting with design and then cramming content in at the last minute.

Like it or not, this is your job now. Web audiences demand useful, usable content. If you don’t deliver, they will leave. And in order to deliver, you need to make content a priority. You need to think like a publisher.

Me: “We did some research that indicates that the registration may have run out. Your organization registered and managed the domain name, so I can’t help with this since we have no involvement in managing the domain name.”

Client: “[very angry] I am reading your email in disbelief. You are the webmaster – how can there be an aspect of our website that you have no control over?”

Why is that client from hell? Because they don’t understand the relationship between domain name registration and site functionality? Because they called the webmaster when there was a problem with the website?

Sites like these, while good for the occasional laugh, only contribute to web professionals’ image as aloof, arrogant, know-it-alls. If clients don’t know how this stuff works, it’s not their fault.

On a positive note, Michael Beirut’s talk about great clients is inspiring:

2010/01 Michael Bierut from CreativeMornings on Vimeo.

Open letter from a Distressed Bookseller

Jim Carty, Destroyer of Local Businesses?

I find the debate fascinating. I only have two things to add to the discussion: 1) my textbook buying experience at Shaman Drum was miserable, but not exceptionally so; 2) I wonder whether this is less a case of capitalism’s “creative destruction” than it is a case of a small business that relied too heavily on a single revenue stream.

McCloud’s Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art is one of the most influential books I’ve read—it’s a must-read for any designer.

One of the doctors behind Hello Health has a really illuminating blog post announcing the service and explaining why something like this hasn’t happened before now.

Who they’re targeting:

Our market is the 47 million people in America without health insurance; the other millions of Americans who are underinsured; and the 40 million Americans over the next four years who will have high deductible health insurance plans.

…If you cannot afford the ridiculously expensive insurance premiums in your local area, we provide the next best thing — your own personal accessible doctor who you can communicate with however you’d like who treats your medical conditions at a reasonable price, and who helps you spend your money wisely. We are not a replacement for insurance. We, at hello health, are simply your best healthcare resource for the vast majority of people who do not get hit by a bus in a given year. We save you money.

It costs $35 per month. Office visits are $100 to $200, short emails with doctors are free. Available only in north Brooklyn right now.

I’ve seen dozens of sites like this over the years and my reaction is always the same: after the initial luls die down, I can’t help but wonder if the joke’s on me, the Professional Web Designer. These sites satisfy a need.

But if the milk jug is any indication, some of the changes will take getting used to on the part of consumers. Many spill milk when first using the new jugs.

“When we brought in the new milk, we were asking for feedback,” said Heather Mayo, vice president for merchandising at Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart. “And they’re saying, ‘Why’s it in a square jug? Why’s it different? I want the same milk. What happened to my old milk?’ ”

Mary Tilton tried to educate the public a few days ago as she stood at a Sam’s Club in North Canton, about 50 miles south of Cleveland, luring shoppers with chocolate chip cookies and milk as she showed them how to pour from the new jugs.

“Just tilt it slowly and pour slowly,” Ms. Tilton said to passing customers as she talked about the jugs’ environmental benefits and cost savings. Instead of picking up the jug, as most people tend to do, she kept it on a table and gently tipped it toward a cup.

Will consumers learn how to pour “correctly” with the new milk jugs or will popular demand force Wal-Mart to go return to traditional milk containers? My guess is that the new jugs are here to stay, spills and all. Unwieldy product design typically doesn’t deter people from purchasing basic commodities (well… salad dressing, at least).

That said, what a strange mix of brilliant business-centered design and poor consumer-centered design! Someone obviously did their homework on the milk supply chain and discovered keys to making the whole process cheaper and more efficient for everyone involved. However, the lack of consumer research into something as basic as “is the jug easy to pour?” is hard to forgive.

View images of the new milk jug here and here.

Postscript: if you know who designed the new jug, post it in the comments!