Learning from Newspaper Frontpages

Thank you, Matt from the Signal vs. Noise blog for making a great point: there’s a lot in common with good newspaper design and good web design. Notice how these newspaper “best front design” winners use visual heirarchy. There are other good applications of information architecture (or “design by another name “) to be gleaned from this print institution dating back to 1622’s The Weekly Newes. Any ideas on other best practices we can take from newspapers?

Invest in Email Newsletters

Jakob Nielsen ranked email newsletters as the top priority in redesigning. This is especially if you are trying to build a relationship with your constituents. Nielsen observes that while “websites give customers detailed information and let them perform business transactions,” newsletters fill in a “different need.”
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Devotionals 3/12/07

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting thier trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 - English Standard Version

Web 2.0 as a Zeitgeist Gatherer

Web 2.0 has ushered in technology that purportedly lets us know what’s popular in the world. With a plethora of social bookmarking sites like flickr using the concept and industry leaders like Google using the term Zeitgeist as a service, can we really know the “general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of [our] era?”

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Link Roundup, March 8

Boxes and Arrows on Content Management: One of the biggest issues we see, is not getting a site launched, but maintaining that site over the long term. For a site to be effective the content of that site has be effective. Masood, the author of this post, does a great job of breaking down the different ways organizations need to think about content. As with most things in life, to do it well, it takes more work than you would expect.

Joshua Porter on The Impending Death of Information Architecture: Being that Information Architecture (IA) is one of the things I do around here, this post title is a bit scary. However, Joshua makes a good point that a lot of IA is design by another name. He also makes a great point about design solving problems and while going round and round about data structures can be this guy’s idea of a fun Saturday night, in the end that isn’t solving a problem.

Case Studies - from snore to MORE!

At some point in your career in the internet services/consulting arena you have probably had to write or edit a case study. We create case studies for many different reasons, but mostly to illustrate work done for a client that will help sell similar services to more clients. We also produce case studies as a means to establish thought leadership and to prove strategic thinking. Toot-toot goes your own horn.
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A Hidden Cost

I read about 20 nonprofit blogs. One of my favorites is Non-Profit Tech Blog. It is a great look at technology and nonprofits. In a recent post on Blackbaud the author struck a cord with me.
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Devotionals 3/5/07

Psalm 63:1-8

“O God, You are my God. I will look for you with all my heart and strength. My soul is thirsty for You. My flesh is weak and wanting You in a dry and tired land where there is no water. So I have seen You in the holy place. And I have seen Your power and Your shining-greatness. My lips will praise You because Your loving-kindness is better than life. So I will give honor to You as long as I live. I will lift up my hands in Your name. My sould will be filled as with rich foods. And my mouth praises You with lips of joy.

On my bed I remember You. I think of You through the hours of the night. For You have been my help. And I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. My soul holds on to You. Your right hand holds me up.”

Ps 63:1-8 (New Life Version)

Coast to Coast Merger Tour

After a great week at NRB 2007 in Orlando, Florida the Silas and Trinet Teams are heading to the West Coast for the CMA 2007 Palm Springs conference. This is a great opportunity to meet the newly merged Silas and Trinet teams. We have a booth this year in the exhibit hall #309. Stop by our booth and chat with staff from both coasts and pick up some new white papers and case studies. Alistar Begg from Truth for Life - and Parkside Church - both Silas Partners clients - will be leading the daily devotionals, so you don’t want to miss that. Our very own Fedor attended Parkside and is a big fan of Alistair Beggs and highly recommends seeing him. See you in a few weeks in the desert!

Candy has its perks

So my coworkers are probably groaning that I am yet again bringing up this website . However, I tell you that it holds minutes if not hours of amusement, especially if you don’t read Japanese.

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