Web Design: Improving Home Improvement

July 30th, 2010 by Lisa | Share +

Home is where the heart is and the last thing any heart needs is being mislead by gimmicks and empty claims. We love services that help customers make informed choices which is one reason why we like The Home Improvement Solution (THIS: http://www.thissaves.com/). THIS is a free service focused on saving homeowners time and money by providing affordable resources to home improvement products.

In addition to a new logo, we worked with THIS to create a website that showcases their fresh approach and large catalog of products. With complete pricing by zipcode, THIS offers hundreds of products that customers can fully research before purchasing.

The website features a professional, attractive design with Flash animation on the homepage. Built in WordPress, the bold yet approachable color scheme helps users intuitively navigate the site. The layout was designed to speak to homeowners and JavaScript was used on the product page to maximize screen space and usability.

Here’s a look at the newly launched THIS website:



Check out their website to see what they can do for you on your next home improvement project: http://www.thissaves.com/.

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Lisa WongLisa
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Why Simplicity is the Answer

July 28th, 2010 by Chris Rodriguez | Share +

JavaScript is ubiquitous on homepages all over the web. Images slide in all directions, things fade in and out and mouse clicks prompt color changes and other cool visual effects.

Despite all the Flash-like features, I’m all about simplicity. I believe that most people (myself included) use the web as a tool, whether it’s to pay bills or to find certain information. When you simplify what users do online, it almost always boils down to something with an end goal.

My task as an Information Architect is to create user interfaces that people can actually use. Having only the user’s end goal, I then try to reverse engineer the design by finding where the user starts. Simply put, how does a user get to where they’re going?

When it comes to user interface design, the simpler the better. Do those drop shadows really help your user achieve their goals? Maybe or maybe not. Do those gradients help or hinder your user from getting around the site?

My tip is to start designing with either wireframes or grayscale versions of the interface. Use intelligently placed and intuitive “paths-to-actions” that are clear, both visually and contextually. Our job as User Experience (UX) designers is to make our user’s task as simple and enjoyable as possible.

In many cases, it’s smart to evaluate whether gradients, drop shadows, whiz-bangs and other gizmos are needed. This might add extra visual appeal, but if those additional features slows a user down from getting to their goal, then it definitely takes away from the user experience.



Case in point: Google. According to a study released by comScore, 66.8% of the global search market is owned by Google. So why does most of the world use Google? Google’s homepage has nothing more than a search box and a few modest links. Bing, one of Google’s rival search engines, has moved towards a similar direction, albeit with a few more visuals. With their plain white background, minimalist layout and intuitive search functions, it’s easy to see that simplicity is one of the main reasons Google has captured a 58% increase in search query volume over the past year.

Simplicity, it seems, is a winner no matter how you look at it.

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Eben Design 2010 Networking Party (Drinks & Food)

July 21st, 2010 by Melissa | Share +

We’re gearing up to for another networking party on Thursday, September 16th. Last year’s event was a huge success and we’re expecting another big turnout this year. Here’s all the information you need:

WHEN
Thursday, September 16th 2010 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. (or whenever the keg runs out)

WHERE
Eben Design
7221 Fifth AVE NE
Seattle, WA 98115
Directions can be found here: http://www.ebendesign.com/directions.cfm

COST
Free, free, free and free! However, please RSVP to let us know how many people we should be expecting.

RSVP
Twitter: http://ow.ly/2bz1m
E-mail: melissa@ebendesign.com with the subject line “Networking Party RSVP”

If you haven’t been to one of our events before, this is a great way to connect with people in various industries. Join us for food, drinks, conversation and live music (courtesy of our musically gifted, guitar strummin’ team members).

Here are a few snapshots from last September’s festivities.



Sushi, deli & vegetable trays, hors d’oeuvres, artisan bread and wraps



From left to right: Todd, Eric and Dan



Patio of Conversation

Please drop by on Thursday, September 16th. Food rolls out at 5 p.m. RSVP via Twitter (http://ow.ly/2bz1m) or by e-mailing lisaw@ebendesign.com. See you all soon!

 

Tweet about our event with “@EbenDesign” and the hashtag “#NetworkingParty” so we can enter you in a special raffle.

We’ll give the winner a $50 gift certificate to any of our local Neighborhood Grills during a drawing at the Networking Party.

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From the Office Inbox

July 12th, 2010 by Melissa | Share +

From time to time, we pass around e-mails with links to things we find inspirational, touching and resourceful. Other times, we pass around interesting links we like to laugh at or links that pique our curiosity.

Here are some click-worthy URLs* floating around in our office inbox (much thanks to our Information Architect, Chris Rodriguez):

An Ode to Comic Sans: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/monologues/15comicsans.html
Comic Sans strikes back in this fictional monologue/rant to his “snooty” font friends. Warning: this link contains expletives.

Shiny Suds / Creepy Bubbles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ONVUdYjDwM
This is not your typical bathroom cleaner commercial. Parents, we’d give this video a mild PG rating, but it surprisingly sends a good, overall message.

Visualizing the BP Oil Spill in Your Area: http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/
In Washington State, the BP oil spill would cover almost all of Western Washington. At our offices in Athens, Georgia, the BP oil spill visually covers over half of Georgia State. Take a look to see how much of your area would be covered by the spill.

IBM’s Watson vs. Jeopardy! Players: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC3IryWr4c8
In a short video about IBM’s super computer Watson, the machine prepares to take on two other Jeopardy! contestants. See how well he does in this YouTube video.

Living on America’s Last Frontier: http://www.vbs.tv/newsroom/heimo-s-arctic-refuge-full-length–2
VBS follows a family who lives in America’s most remote location — in Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge. Their closest neighbor is over 100 miles away and medical attention requires an army helicopter ride. The video is about an hour long, but well worth the watch.

*Note: Please note Eben Design is not responsible for any content posted within external links.

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Pineapple Hospitality

June 14th, 2010 by Melissa | Share +

Tucked near the Seattle Center and Space Needle in Seattle’s lower Queen Anne neighborhood, a new kind of home away from home welcomes patrons with a pineapple.

As one of Seattle’s newest accommodations, The Maxwell Hotel mixes in art, gracious hospitality and a modern pineapple-laced motif. Eben Design was called on by the hotel’s property owner, Columbia West Properties, to develop the website.

Utilizing the hotel’s interior textures and wall patterns, our interactive team designed the website with actual prints from inside the hotel. To reflect their commitment to the arts, we also developed their homepage to include a rotating JavaScript that illustrates their bright, modern décor and large collection of custom art.

Here’s a peak from The Maxwell Hotel website:



The brand new hotel is fun, refreshing and polished. We designed and developed their site to reflect the hotel’s creativity and funky decor. You can learn more about The Maxwell Hotel by visiting http://www.themaxwellhotel.com.

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Welcome, Melissa!

June 14th, 2010 by Lisa | Share +

Eben Design is proud to introduce Melissa Clark as our new Marketing & Sales Intern.

Melissa brings plenty of experience to the table to help with Eben Design’s business growth. She previously worked as a Student Consultant at the University of Washington Business & Economic Development Council and as a Marketing Intern for the American Red Cross of King & Kitsap County.

As a recent University of Washington graduate from the Foster School of Business, Melissa holds a BA in Business Administration and has ample knowledge in expanding various marketing efforts.

Welcome, Melissa. We’re glad to have you here!

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Don’t Make Me Think

June 8th, 2010 by Chris Rodriguez | Share +

In a digital age where videos are on demand and where information is merely a Google search away, we’ve grown to expect that access to content is a quick, instantaneous one-step process. Nowadays, if it takes too many clicks to get somewhere on a website, users simply click out of your site.

In a usability guidebook called Don’t Make Me Think, author Steve Krug focuses on designing for the web with an intuitive, as-little-clicks-as-possible approach. Simply put, the more time it takes to get to content, the less time a user will want to spend on your site.

With this in mind, it’s always good to remember that the first rule of usability is: “Don’t make me think.”

The second rule? “Please. Don’t make me think.”

Sure, there are a lot of in-depth studies about web usability and designing for a better user experience. In a growing genre of usability advice, case studies, books, reports, and presentations, one common theme is apparent: users shouldn’t strain their cognitive muscles to figure things out.

It’s all about maximizing the efficiency of your website and minimizing effort on the user’s end. Ultimately, it all boils down to how much time it takes for a user to think about the actions they perform online. Some things to consider:

  • How many clicks did it take you to get to a specific page?
  • Are the major sections of the site apparent on the navigation?
  • Do you have to “muddle” through content to find specific information?
  • How often are you using the back button?
  • Can you tell what page you’re on and what the site is called?
  • Does the homepage easily convey what the site’s about?

A successfully designed website is one that aligns with your intuition. Small steps like designing with ample white space will amplify calls to action tenfold. Whether it’s buttons, text, navigation, content or Flash animation, all elements of your site should be logically placed where a user can expect to find them. And, most importantly, whatever it is that you design shouldn’t force users to think about how to use it. As Krug notes, websites should be “self-evident, obvious and self-explanatory.”

If all sites were designed using this principle, we’d all be one step closer to a one-click society.

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Things We Love Thursdays: Potlucks

May 27th, 2010 by Lisa | Share +

If one thing’s for sure, we’re an agency full of foodies. Many of us here ravaged Seattle Restaurant Week and recently attended the Seattle Cheese Festival at Pike Place Market. As serious food lovers, there’s no wonder we organize monthly potlucks.

Earlier this week, we hosted a team potluck full of artisan cheeses (Seastack from Mt. Townsend Creamery, Brie and Point Reyes Blue Cheese) with toasted baguettes, white seafood spiral pasta with minced clams and shrimp, Farfalle Parmesean pasta with Portobello mushrooms and various veggies, Banh Mi, fresh strawberries, raspberries, mixed green olives, blueberries, Baskin Robbins ice cream cake, various pastries, coleslaw, cookies, saffron rice with chicken and other delicious dishes.

Here are a couple of photos from the potluck.

We’ll keep this updated with more potlucks photos as they happen. There’ll be plenty more to come.

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Application Deadline Extended for Marketing Internship

May 7th, 2010 by Lisa | Share +

To accommodate busy students, we’ve extended the deadline for our Marketing Internship applications.

All applications now must be received electronically or via snail mail by 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 12th 2010. If you’re interested, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to hr@ebendesign.com. Cover letters can be addressed to our Marketing Coordinator, Lisa Wong. If you’d like to mail your cover letter and resume, please send it to:

  • ATTN: Lisa Wong
  • Eben Design
  • 7221 Fifth Ave. NE
  • Seattle, WA 98115

To read more about the internship, check out our earlier blog post: We’re Lookin’ for an Intern.

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Things We Love Thursdays: Webby Awards

May 6th, 2010 by Lisa | Share +

The 14th annual Webbys were announced Tuesday and we were excited to see which websites their panel of judges picked. The Webby Awards is the most highly regarded achievement in the interactive world. Any one who is remotely involved in digital arts (e.g. websites, interactive advertising, online film, mobile stuff) would be wise to pay attention.

Chosen winners are considered inspirational, beautiful, innovative and “worthy of praise.” Ultimately, all of the winners take advantage of the web page space and create an entirely different environment for users to browse, play and peruse.

As part of our weekly All Team meeting, we created a run through of 9 Winning Websites from the Webby Awards. Although we only chose the panel approved choices from nine of the website categories, we also agree with many of the “people’s choice” picks, especially in the “Best Visual Design: Function” category. You can check out the full list here: http://www.webbyawards.com/.

If you’re too lazy to go through each and every single website, you can also view our PDF presentation on 9 Winning Websites from the Webby Awards below.

2010 Webby Awards Presentation by Eben Design (PDF)


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Lisa WongLisa
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