The Process

Solid flexibility.

Content and context.

Solving problems &
documenting solutions

Your process is a means
to an end.

The Project

IMDb
An information design challenge.

Very little time.

Limited resources.

Par for the course?

No client.
No other stakeholders.

Solving problems

“Solutioneering.”

?
So… what are
Some problems with IMDb?

Very Top Heavy

Not the best use of space.

Not supporting user behavior.

Not the best use of ad space.

Starting with
goals
What the heck are we doing here?

Define.

Group.

Te
als
ch
Go
nic
Prioritize and balance.
s
es
al
sin
Sweet
Spot
Go
Bu
als
User Goals

Te
als
ch
Go
nic
s
es
al
Sweet
sin
Go
Spot
Bu
als
User Goals

Pairing your goals with
content.

Use your words
Writing + Design = BFF.

“Great web design reflects
the way we interact, and the
primary vehicle for that
interaction remains text.”
- Bronwyn Jones, Better Writing Through Design
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/betterwritingthroughdesign/

Make it clear.

Make them care.

The beauty of
analog
Don’t let the digital pin you down.

The power of the pen
(or pencil.)

Photo by Svet Ivantchev
http://www.flickr.com/people/svet/

Moleskine FTW!

Photo by Paul Worthington
http://www.flickr.com/people/paulworthington/

Sketching for problem
solving.

Documenting
solutions
Page Descriptions and Wireframes.

IMDb.com
Home Page Page description diagram
1 2 3 Notes
The goals of the home page reflect
Primary Navigation Login/Register Area Born Today the overall goals of the site; to pro-
Users need the ability to navigate Users will need to be able to easily This is a nice way to feature actors on vide a gateway to exploring movie
with ease at all times. login. the site and to get users to the photo and related information, to drive sales
pages. through Amazon and to generate ad
Global Search Field Latest Trailers views.
Snapshot/FAQ/Poll
On the home page there will need to In the current site this is the focus of The home page should provide a
Page Description
be a way to search globally. the page, while this is still an impor- Pulling little bits of content from the good snapshot of what IMDb is all
tant part of the home page, I think site is a good idea, however I don’t about and what kinds of information
“Movie Lists” this can be downplayed a bit. see how it adds a whole lot of value can be found here.
here. This isn’t a priority though as
The home page should keep the vari- The home page should be focused,
it’s pretty lightweight content.
DVD Releases
ous movie lists (Tops / Opening / and clear, yet provide many options
Coming soon, etc.) as this provides
Footer Navigation
This is one part of the page that for a user beginning to browse or
the user a great jump off point. could be brought up. It serves both search for movie-related information.
Diagrams
There needs to be a way on the page
user and business goals well.
It’s also important to note that an-
to navigate to standard information
Movie news other goal of the site is to generate
Featured Release such as copyright information, pri-
As this is updated regularly with great revenue via carefully placed ads.
vacy policy, etc.
content, more emphasis should be There is opportunity to highlight one These ads should be prominent but
placed on movie news and headlines. movie on the home page, maybe the not overwhelming and a good bal-
current box office leader or some- ance should be struck between ads,
thing opening that week. featured content and links.
About Blurb New Feature Spot
(Character Pages)
Clearly state the IMDb position
statement.
This is an optional spot used to high-
light new features or sections.
Highest Level of Need Lowest Level of Need

IMDb.com
Home Page Page description diagram
1 2 3 Notes
The goals of the home page reflect
Primary Navigation Login/Register Area Born Today the overall goals of the site; to pro-
Users need the ability to navigate Users will need to be able to easily This is a nice way to feature actors on vide a gateway to exploring movie
with ease at all times. login. the site and to get users to the photo and related information, to drive sales
pages. through Amazon and to generate ad
Global Search Field Latest Trailers views.
Snapshot/FAQ/Poll
On the home page there will need to In the current site this is the focus of The home page should provide a
be a way to search globally. the page, while this is still an impor- Pulling little bits of content from the good snapshot of what IMDb is all
tant part of the home page, I think site is a good idea, however I don’t about and what kinds of information
“Movie Lists” this can be downplayed a bit. see how it adds a whole lot of value can be found here.
here. This isn’t a priority though as
The home page should keep the vari- The home page should be focused,
it’s pretty lightweight content.
DVD Releases
ous movie lists (Tops / Opening / and clear, yet provide many options
Coming soon, etc.) as this provides
Footer Navigation
This is one part of the page that for a user beginning to browse or
the user a great jump off point. could be brought up. It serves both search for movie-related information.
There needs to be a way on the page
user and business goals well.
It’s also important to note that an-
to navigate to standard information
Movie news other goal of the site is to generate
Featured Release such as copyright information, pri-
As this is updated regularly with great revenue via carefully placed ads.
vacy policy, etc.
content, more emphasis should be There is opportunity to highlight one These ads should be prominent but
placed on movie news and headlines. movie on the home page, maybe the not overwhelming and a good bal-
current box office leader or some- ance should be struck between ads,
thing opening that week. featured content and links.
About Blurb New Feature Spot
(Character Pages)
Clearly state the IMDb position
statement.
This is an optional spot used to high-
light new features or sections.
Highest Level of Need Lowest Level of Need

Home Page
IMDb.com Wireframes
Ad Spot
Login | Register My Movies IMDb Resume IMDb Pro
IMDb Logo Movie and TV Showtimes and
Now Playing New on DVD IMDb TV Message Boards
News Tickets
The Internet Movie Database: Visited by over 50 million movie and TV lovers each month! Welcome to the Internet Movie Database, the biggest, best, most
Wireframes.
award-winning movie and TV site on the planet.
Movie News
SEARCH IMDb ALL
Tops at The Box Office Weds, October 10th 2007
Sutherland Pleads No Contest to
GO
A tricky deliverable.
Drunk Driving
1. The Game Plan
2. The Heartbreak Kid
Lohan Speaks out From Rehab
3. The Kingdom
4. Resident Evil: Extinction
Hospital Workers Suspended for
5. The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
Featured Movie: We Own the Night \"Leaking\" Clooney Medical
Information
Director: James Gray
Opening This Week Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes (Full Cast)
Studio: Columbia Pictures
We Own The Night
The Plot: Though nightclub owner Bobby (Phoenix) and his police officer
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Movie Poster brother Joseph (Wahlberg) haven taken decidedly different paths in life, a
Michael Clayton
near-fatal incident causes them to unite in a deadly confrontation with the
Slueth
mobsters who run Bobby's club.
Lars and The Real Girl
THE BUZZ: It's like The Departed -- except they're brothers! And they
know it! Anyone jonesing for some post-\"Sopranos\" mafia action should get
their fix with this one. More...
Coming Soon
30 Days of Night
Rendition
Things We Lost in The Fire
Reservation Road
Gone Baby Gone

Home Page
IMDb.com Wireframes
Ad Spot
Login | Register My Movies IMDb Resume IMDb Pro
IMDb Logo Movie and TV Showtimes and
Now Playing New on DVD IMDb TV Message Boards
News Tickets
The Internet Movie Database: Visited by over 50 million movie and TV lovers each month! Welcome to the Internet Movie Database, the biggest, best, most
award-winning movie and TV site on the planet.
Movie News
SEARCH IMDb ALL
Tops at The Box Office Weds, October 10th 2007
Sutherland Pleads No Contest to
GO Drunk Driving
1. The Game Plan
2. The Heartbreak Kid
Lohan Speaks out From Rehab
3. The Kingdom
4. Resident Evil: Extinction
Hospital Workers Suspended for
5. The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
Featured Movie: We Own the Night \"Leaking\" Clooney Medical
Information
Director: James Gray
Opening This Week Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes (Full Cast)
Studio: Columbia Pictures
We Own The Night
The Plot: Though nightclub owner Bobby (Phoenix) and his police officer
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Movie Poster brother Joseph (Wahlberg) haven taken decidedly different paths in life, a
Michael Clayton
near-fatal incident causes them to unite in a deadly confrontation with the
Slueth
mobsters who run Bobby's club.
Lars and The Real Girl
THE BUZZ: It's like The Departed -- except they're brothers! And they
know it! Anyone jonesing for some post-\"Sopranos\" mafia action should get
their fix with this one. More...
Coming Soon
30 Days of Night
Rendition
Things We Lost in The Fire
Reservation Road
Gone Baby Gone

Your deliverables should
document and inform.

Consensus is for losers.

Cinematic Web
Design

I love movies.

?
So… what is
Cinematic Web Design

apple.com/macosx

apple.com/keyboard apple.com/ipodshuffle/features.html

weightshift.com/memo

uxmag.com

simplebits.com bearskinrug.co.uk

Finding the right
balance
Entertainment : Education : Editorial

Entertainment
ShaveEverywhere.com

Entertainment
Education
Editorial

Education
TickSpot.com

Entertainment
Education
Editorial

Editorial
ABriefMessage.com

Entertainment
Education
Editorial

IMDb
What’s the right balance?

Education
Entertainment
Editorial

Be quick and
efficient

”It took me a few seconds
to draw it, but it took
me 34 years to learn how
to draw it in a few
seconds.”
Paula Scher (on the the citi logo)

The only things standing between you
and your vision are the tools you use
to realize it.

Look at it through
a viewfinder
Step back and see the big picture

25%

12%

Quick Tips
Some crap I’ve learned

Trust your instincts

Design at the highest
possible standard

Use real copy

THE REVEAL
www.justwatchthesky.com/imdb/

Thank you.