Viaspire - Define.Innovate.Maximize.

The Fundamental Elements of Design

2012-03-19T10:06:46-07:00

Be reminded by the basics. Here's a great video on the fundamentals of design and how to use them to make a brand iconic.

Aim for harmony and simplicity!
Balance!
Be clear, consistent and establish an emotional connections.

Brlilliant!

The Fundamental Elements of Design from Erica Gorochow on Vimeo.

FLF 09.23.2011 - Typography, Language, Humor & Poetry

2011-09-23T17:01:22-07:00

This poem, Totally like whatever, you know? is one of my favorite light-hearted poems of my adult life. Re-purposed here, Mali's poem takes life in a visual, typographical presentaiton, which just makes it even more fun!

Has society become so, like, totally . . .
I mean absolutely . . . You know?
That we've just gotten to the point where it's just, like . . .
whatever!

- Taylor Mali , Poet

FLF 09.09.2011 - A Day in the Life of a Graphic Designer [infographic]

2011-09-09T09:56:00-07:00

True. Oh so true.

Special thanks to Laughing Squid and "this isn't happiness" for sharing this!

09.02.2011 FLF - An Art Manifesto: Are You Inspired?

2011-09-02T06:03:00-07:00

I feel this should be a part of my daily preparations for the day. Brilliant message. So well done.

09.02.2011 FLF - Guy's Social Network Decision Tree [Infographic]

2011-09-02T05:26:00-07:00

This is a win-win! I love infographics, but I also love Guy's brilliant mind to simplify. His work is "enchanting," in fact! ;)

Check out this great infographic he published on The Social Network Decision Tree.

@GuyKawasaki - I totally feel this should become a board game for the Web 2.0 generation... Ok, maybe not a board game, more like The Social Network "with friends" movement.

FLF 08.26.2011 - The Generation Gap [Comic] - Mashable

2011-08-26T10:08:28-07:00

ZOMG! - This so makes our day! How many of you can relate to this? We can on so many levels! Happy Friday, Via Friends!

This comic is part of Mashable Comics - illustrated every week by Kiersten Essenpreis, a New York-based artist who draws and blogs at YouFail.com.

Does your UX include Quick Response (QR) Codes?

2011-08-26T10:01:06-07:00

Great little video on what QR codes are and how there are so many ways to utilize them.

The Power of Like: How Brands Reach and Influence Fans Through Social Media Marketing - comScore, Inc

2011-07-28T11:31:47-07:00

comScore shares their rich data (as of May 2011) and analysis on the power of reach and frequency of posts on the Facebook newsfeed over the specific call to the Fan Page "likes." Watch the video and get the download to their full report here.

What Makes a Mobile App a Success - Nielsen Consumer 360 Conference Report

2011-07-07T11:20:02-07:00

Mobile apps are responsible for 56 percent of all activity on Android smartphones, according to data shared by Jonathan Carson, CEO of Telecom at Nielsen, during Nielsen’s Consumer 360 conference.

The struggle now is creating awareness - "being found" among the sea of all the other competitive apps out there.

According to Nielsen's post, You Have an App for that... Now What?, "word-of-mouth" is critical to the success of having your mobile app being "discovered." Brand affinity and third party endorsements in the form of ratings and reviews are also noted as crucial to the decision in downloading a branded app.

At the Nielsen Consumer 360 Conference, Pandora reported its success was a result of focusing and designing their app with three key user experience (UX) elements:

Simplicity
Seamlessness (across all devices)
Personalization

As a result, each of these UX elements fostered a passion for the app. Pandora's Heidi Browning reported - "And passion breeds engagement."

Carson also noted some additional "must haves" for a successful app:

Define success in advance:
Who are you trying to reach?
What are you trying to achieve?
What are the right metrics or Key Performance Indicators (KPI)?

Apps can support your strategy; they are not a strategy in and of themselves
Give consumers something useful: price comparisons, stain removal tips, recipes, weather
Protect the brand: A great app can revitalize your brand, a “buggy” one will destroy it.

Google+: Putting the human experience at the center of UXD

2011-07-06T16:47:54-07:00

While we are anxiously awaiting our invites (hint, hint), I was really intrigued about Google's approach in describing what makes Google+ better, different, more appealing to - well, humans. This video goes to show, when you model an online experience to the actual wants and needs of the human experience, you can be profoundly successful. That A-Ha! moment comes instantly. The acceptance and adoption is without barriers.

Look at this video and see what you think. I think Google+ may have just taken Facebook and put the human experience at the center of their user experience design!

I'll confirm this once I can personally experience it for myself.

If you are already a Google+ user, let us know what you think!