As mentioned in my last post, creating a strategy and project plan before beginning the design and build of a website or web application is perhaps the most important step in launching a successful website. Most successful businesses start with a business plan, it is our job as web strategists to translate that plan into the ever evolving web. Read the rest of this entry »

Every morning when I login to my computer there are about 5 newsletters if not more that I see that I have subscribed too. They range from technology, special events, news, search engine marketing hot topics to daily words of wisdom. Each one of these newsletter I scan, jot something down from and then reorganize them so I can get through my daily emails.

Today I did something different! Read the rest of this entry »

Which is more important; getting people to your site or having people do what you want once they are there? I ask this question because many interactive agencies are contracted to get people to do both but rarely seem to do both well.
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About every 6 months someone comes to LevelTen with the novel idea that online medical records are going to change the world, and their right…sort of. If the medical industry as a whole were to adapt a universal system that would allow universal communication (think XML); then that would change the world. The problem is no system has been established and as such the industry does not want to move towards a platform that may be outdated or obsolete very quickly (think HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray).

This past Monday afternoon I attended Transforming Hospital Systems: The Digital Future of Healthcare, unfortunatley their focus was really on EMR or Electronic Medical Records and not necessarily online records. Some of the problems with handwritten records that could be solved by an electronic model include:

1. Illegible handwriting
2. Medication Interactions
3. Immediate access to vital data
4. Patient prescription abuse
5. Reduced medical overhead
6. Thousands of saved lives

I could go on; but clearly it’s time for a change. If the medical industry won’t do it on their own, it’s time the government took a good look at our system and did something to start saving lives.

As a designer, I rely on my vision to impart a hierarchy of data within web pages. It takes a jarring reminder from the smart folks at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival to remind me that not everyone can see the colors I painstakingly deliberate over, the varied and specific shades that I cross-browser test for universal appeal. Even color contrast can be lost to a slight case of color-blindness.

Assistive technologies are on the rise, and we learned about a full spectrum that are available now.

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I think it’s pretty well known that Wal-Mart has really struggled to try and control their bad PR on the web, but checking out BNET today I was presently surprised that they’ve finally taken a step in the right direction. Apparently Wal-Mart launched The Check Out Blog back in August and are actually letting employees, customers, vendors and anyone else actually give their un-censored feelings about the retail juggernauts products and services.

Personally, it never stopped me from expressing my feelings about Wal-Mart, but it’s nice to see that they’ve come to realize you can’t silence millions of voices all across the web.

The single most important thing about your website is not it’s functionality or usability, it’s not the marketing behind it our the hours your team spent developing the single most important thing about your website is good design. No matter how you slice it if you can’t engage your traffic beyond that initial 8 second first impression all the clever bells and whistles in the world won’t equate to additional page views and conversions. So I reiterate that good design is vital in achieving what ever your goals and objectives are for the website, but what if you don’t have access to a great designer or better yet really don’t have the capital to afford one right now? I’d suggest using a pre-designed template; we’ve been using them for quite some time and they’re really a great economic choice for someone on a restricted budget for a couple or reasons. First, you save a few bucks and everyone likes saving some money. Second, you can actually see what your design will look like before the developers even get started; and finally, they’re ready to go so usually you can have your site up and running in no time at all.

If your interested there are several great resources out there for some beautiful templates take a look and let us know if we can get one plugged in for you.

FreeCssTemplates.org
Free-Css.com
TemplateWorld.com
Arcsin.se

The last thing I want to do when I’m sick is go to the doctor. Scheduling an appointment when you need one is almost impossible. Then sitting in a waiting room of coughing patients watching a parade of drug reps go in ahead of you only adds insult to injury. It’s no wonder so many people completely avoid the doctor and forego preventative health care.

I recently read about a Dr. Jay Parkinson, a Williamsburg, Brooklyn doctor who is changing the way people think about a doctor’s visit. Dr. Parkinson has no office and does consultations by e-mail, video chat or IM. For face-to-face visits, Parkinson visits the patient at work or home, preferably in Williamsburg. Having a virtual office saves him money on rent, staff, and office supplies. Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s face it, we’ve all been sold to our entire lives; at the car dealership, at the electronics store and even at the pushier clothing stores. I’m an informed consumer and I know what I want, so please don’t sell me. What I need is a knowledgeable expert who can provide me with some in-depth advise about my options and assist me in purchasing the right solution for my needs. Read the rest of this entry »

Every morning when you wake up there is a routine that you have become accustomed too. Alarm goes off, you hit the snooze, alarm goes off again, you hit the snooze a little harder this time, then again and harder the alarm clock gets hit till finally you grunt, groan and finally get out of bed and in to the shower..off to work, stop for coffee, wake up some more and then maybe muster up enough energy to start working on your emails or phone calls. ugggggghhhh…. well this may not be your personal routine but its what a lot of people do in one way or another to get their day started. The problem with this is, they don’t really want to get up, and when you arent really happy about doing something, often times it reflects on the rest of our day. So what are some ways that we can change this?

I’s easy to recognize when you’re physically tired. You haven’t slept normally in days or even weeks. You can’t remember the last time you saw the inside of a gym. And enough caffeine is racing through your bloodstream to keep a small elephant alert. Read the rest of this entry »