Sifter Visual Inventory

Transcript

1. Sifter Visual Inventory Prepared by SuperFriendly Co. April 5, 2013
2. Hi Garrett! What you’ll ind in this document is a collection of thoughts about what elements could be useful on the new Sifter website. Without further ado, let’s dive in! 2
3. Concept A great concept goes a long way on the web to help connect your users to your brand. By structuring the content and design around a concept, we can create a solid construct that ties the site together in a really cohesive way. Here are a few concepts that drive successful sites. 3
4. A previous version of the Rdio site positioned their software as a lifestyle choice. Would showing the environment—both mental and physical—that Sifter is meant for be a good way to make people curious? 4
6. To better display the value of their small business policies, insurance company The Hartford created a site that highlights human-centered narratives around the way their services can help. Is there something to using case studies of actual Sifter customers that could serve as the basis for a shareable, compelling content hook for the site? firstborn.com/websites/168_hartford 6
7. Could case studies be the driving metaphor for the site? Rather than selling users through the typical “Features” and “Support” arguments, could we tell compelling stories that build empathy and self-identification? vanschneider.com/work/mail 7
8. Sometimes the best solutions are the most straightforward ones. Chart.io sports a front and center interface with minimal distraction. A good approach for Sifter? chart.io 8
10. Color Colors are incredibly important to a brand. Some research has shown that users can even form impressions about a website in as quickly as 50 milliseconds.† The right color scheme can help to influence this perception. Here are some color schemes that may add just the right tone to the new Sifter website. † http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4616700.stm 10
11. Adobe’s site to promote their commitment to HTML and web standards uses big swashes of flat colors and simple illustration to help them quickly demonstrate abstract concepts. html.adobe.com/webstandards/cssregions/ 11
14. There’s something lovely about minimalism. Could a largely type-driven and color- constrained site adequately portray the idea of offerings of Sifter? boundarybreaks.com/people 14
16. A monochromatic palette can help to quick the design out of the way of the content and contribute to a more cohesive visual identity. Is Sifter’s brand strong enough to support this kind of approach? Even if so, would it feel natural? cinotic.com 16
18. How organic should the new Sifter site feel? We’ve mentioned the terms “wicked worn” and textural before. How tactile should the Sifter brand be? cinotic.com 18
20. Tone As MailChimp puts it, “our tone adapts to our users’ feelings.”† What tone does your site give off? How does it adapt to your users’ thoughts and feelings? † voiceandtone.com 20
21. How playful and whimsical should the new Sifter site be? The Hello Wallet site is full of smiles and kitchy illustrations that make you grin as you explore the site. hellowallet.com 21
22. 37signals uses utilitarian typography mixed with handwritten annotations to make Basecamp feel both professional and approachable. What’s the right mix for Sifter? basecamp.com/one-page-project 22
23. You’ve now seen a great deal about where our heads are with what we could do for the new website. What things resonated well with you? As a recap, here are all of the things we covered in this document: Concept Software as a lifestyle choice, human-centered narratives, case studies, front and center interface Color Big swashes of flat color, simple illustration, largely type-driven and color-constrained, monochromatic, organic Tone Playful and whimsical, professional and approachable 23
24. As a next step, we would love to review this with you. A follow-up phone call to talk through these seems most appropriate. We’re eager to hear your thoughts, and come to some agreements for things that we can carry into the next phase of visual design. Thanks! 24