Got a "messaging and branding" survey in the mail. The following are some of the questions and some of my answers.
"Please read the following product description in order to complete the final section of the survey.
'CompanyName is an online tool that enables companies to analyze purchase decisions drivers of startups by service area, geography and buyer characteristics. Using this powerful Web-based tool, companies can generate both standard and customized research reports from proprietary data. This information will help them gain a better understanding about the high-growth venture marketplace.'
Do you feel you have a clear understanding of what the product does?
no
What if anything do you like the MOST about the product?
I know you are a product for companies rather than human beings. Perhaps a comapany for VC? Anyhow I know to stay away.
What if anything do you like the LEAST about the product?
I'm still wondering what kind of companies? What kind of services? It seems like snake oil to me. Why do you think this phrase is okay: "to analyze purchase decisions drivers of startups."
What the sam-hill is a 'purchase decisions driver'? Why don't you just say "helps companies make informed decisions when purchasing?"
Go explain what you do to your mom. When she understands you're ready.
addendum: there is an amazing comment by tony burgess on this post taking me to task-- and he's right on. read it!
Sometimes I'm surfing around, and all the sites I find seem to be trying to tell me something. Last night they all seemed to be about the designer's role on the web. Without the control of print, with usability gurus breathing down their necks, with a host of consultants mouthing hastily invented best practices, with statistics appearing every a link changes from blue to purple, how can a designer get his/her head above water long enough to create?
btw, I just picked up badpractices.com at the urging of mike (mr. biggerhand.com). anyone want to suggest how to use it, I'd love to hear from you.
"My erstwhile students found themselves doing more and more static, formulaic stuff and being less and less happy. If Jacob Nielsen had his way they'd be doing nothing that resembled design and a lot of clients are listening to what Nielsen has to say. Is mundane and pedestrian work under the flag of "usability" the future of the web?"
One guy proving design, usability and --gasp-- programming talents can live in the same person.
check out his True Design Company paper.
but don't stop there. there is a ton of good stuff on his site.
"Hugh Dubberly describes this series of work as a step-by-step approach to introducing information architecture. More than a sequence of related assignments, this is a significant plan for an entire course where students come to understand a body of content in preparation for designing interactive systems. Dubberly has chosen the game of baseball and how to play it as the content. Specifically, he asks students to "describe how to play baseball to an adult speaker of English (someone over 12) who is unfamiliar with the game." "
In response to user's frustrations with LGF's font sizes, they added a tool for user to set their own font preferences.
now that users can set their own fonts to whatever is comfortable, this hands design over to the users even more, and makes the challange to design for any number of situations even more onorous.
I'm watching Simpsons, the one where Homer makes a dating video for Ned.
Lisa: "There are other wipes than star wipes"
Homer: "Why have hamburger when you can eat steak every day?"
I'm sure there's a metaphor in there somewhere.