•Yes, slides will be online. In
                      10 minutes. I promise. Yes, I’m

WTF Do I Put On       serious. And mostly honest.
                      Really. Slideshare.net/hzp

  My Site?            •I really do try not to curse

                      •No, I really haven’t a clue why
                      camps continue to allow me to
                      speak
  Info Architecting
                      •Current dev track: how to
   & Site Strategy    make plugins

                      •Of course its mine. Why
                      would anyone do this to their
                      hair on purpose?
How Websites are Born
Developers think like this:
Designers think
Like this:
Everyone
Is
Selling
Something
Step 1



What do you do?
What do you do?


To (target market, location), (name of
 org) provides (services) by (unique
        methods) for (results).
What do you do?



“ACAP trains organizations, teaches students and treats individuals
   seeking emotional health in Northern New Jersey through non
  traditional methods resulting in practical tools and opportunities.
Step 2


Define your visitors
Mobile users
Mobile users
Step 3

Define “success points”
      on your site
Help beacon
Mobile users
Step 4



Create a “Path to Buy”
The Four Questions
• Why do I want crap?

• Why do I want *your* crap?

• What’s the process to get your crap?

• Give me crap
Mobile users
               Help beacon
Step 5
Revel in Sitemap. Go get ice cream.
Actual Step 5
Find the overlaps
Step 6

Simplify the wireframe.

  • What’s important
  • What’s expected
Homepage

                Marketing message, callouts
                Return clients, govt agencies, fellow superheros,
                career day organizers, friends & family, competitors




Who Needs Superheroes?      Why Superman           Services            Contact

                            For citizens       Help Services           Contact Form
                            For Gov’t Agencies Corporate Accounts      Appt Sched.
                            For Schools        Superman Foundation     Press
                                                                       Blog


Union             Screw You Page
Determine
•   What’s copy
•   What’s graphic
•   What functions can I use a plugin for?
•   What should I relegate to sidebar
    (primary vs secondary)
What’s Missing
•   About me pages
•   Testimonials
•   Cute Puppies
•   Vague, unhelpful titles
•   Picture/video pages
•   Advertising
•   Roadblocks
What *is* There
•   Fewer pages
•   Less copy
•   Multiple Entry Points
•   Icons, Graphics, visualizations
•   Clear Branding
•   Calls to Action
•   (what does the user do next?)
Use Your Tools
•   Sidebars
•   Footers
•   Title/Descriptions
•   Author Display
•   Dynamic Content Gallery
•   Gravity Forms
•   Quotations Plugin
Step 7


 NOW, enter the design process
Marry design to mission statement
Consider
• What is the brand imparting?
  (not what you like, even if you are
  the brand)
• Restaurants
• Preschools
• Clothing
Testing is Never Done


testtesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttest
       testtesttesttesttesttesttesttesttest
           testtesttesttesttesttesttest

      & Don’t ask dumbass questions
Examples of Dumbass Questions
•   What do you think of this?
•   Do you like this?
•   Does this feel ______ to you?
•   Does this seem professional?
Un – Dumbass, Qualitative,
       Objective Questions
• What does this person do?
• What are some words that come to mind
  when you see this?
• What should you do first?
• What is the first thing you notice?
Measure, then test again



Google Analytics is *AWESOME*
Mobile users
               Help beacon
Homepage

                Marketing message, callouts
                Return clients, govt agencies, fellow superheros,
                career day organizers, friends & family, competitors




Who Needs Superheroes?      Why Superman           Services            Contact

                            For citizens       Help Services           Contact Form
                            For Gov’t Agencies Corporate Accounts      Appt Sched.
                            For Schools        Superman Foundation     Press
                                                                       Blog


Union             Screw You Page
On behalf of myself and
#clementinethedoberman, we thank you
  and remind you to be a good canine
                citizen




 @amandablum   amanda@howlingzoe.com slideshare.net/hzp

WordCamp Las Vegas Site Architecture & Branding

  • 1.
    •Yes, slides willbe online. In 10 minutes. I promise. Yes, I’m WTF Do I Put On serious. And mostly honest. Really. Slideshare.net/hzp My Site? •I really do try not to curse •No, I really haven’t a clue why camps continue to allow me to speak Info Architecting •Current dev track: how to & Site Strategy make plugins •Of course its mine. Why would anyone do this to their hair on purpose?
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 9.
    What do youdo? To (target market, location), (name of org) provides (services) by (unique methods) for (results).
  • 10.
    What do youdo? “ACAP trains organizations, teaches students and treats individuals seeking emotional health in Northern New Jersey through non traditional methods resulting in practical tools and opportunities.
  • 11.
  • 13.
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Step 3 Define “successpoints” on your site
  • 16.
  • 17.
    Step 4 Create a“Path to Buy”
  • 18.
    The Four Questions •Why do I want crap? • Why do I want *your* crap? • What’s the process to get your crap? • Give me crap
  • 19.
    Mobile users Help beacon
  • 20.
    Step 5 Revel inSitemap. Go get ice cream.
  • 21.
    Actual Step 5 Findthe overlaps
  • 23.
    Step 6 Simplify thewireframe. • What’s important • What’s expected
  • 24.
    Homepage Marketing message, callouts Return clients, govt agencies, fellow superheros, career day organizers, friends & family, competitors Who Needs Superheroes? Why Superman Services Contact For citizens Help Services Contact Form For Gov’t Agencies Corporate Accounts Appt Sched. For Schools Superman Foundation Press Blog Union Screw You Page
  • 25.
    Determine • What’s copy • What’s graphic • What functions can I use a plugin for? • What should I relegate to sidebar (primary vs secondary)
  • 26.
    What’s Missing • About me pages • Testimonials • Cute Puppies • Vague, unhelpful titles • Picture/video pages • Advertising • Roadblocks
  • 27.
    What *is* There • Fewer pages • Less copy • Multiple Entry Points • Icons, Graphics, visualizations • Clear Branding • Calls to Action • (what does the user do next?)
  • 28.
    Use Your Tools • Sidebars • Footers • Title/Descriptions • Author Display • Dynamic Content Gallery • Gravity Forms • Quotations Plugin
  • 29.
    Step 7 NOW,enter the design process Marry design to mission statement
  • 31.
    Consider • What isthe brand imparting? (not what you like, even if you are the brand) • Restaurants • Preschools • Clothing
  • 38.
    Testing is NeverDone testtesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttest testtesttesttesttesttesttesttesttest testtesttesttesttesttesttest & Don’t ask dumbass questions
  • 39.
    Examples of DumbassQuestions • What do you think of this? • Do you like this? • Does this feel ______ to you? • Does this seem professional?
  • 40.
    Un – Dumbass,Qualitative, Objective Questions • What does this person do? • What are some words that come to mind when you see this? • What should you do first? • What is the first thing you notice?
  • 41.
    Measure, then testagain Google Analytics is *AWESOME*
  • 42.
    Mobile users Help beacon
  • 43.
    Homepage Marketing message, callouts Return clients, govt agencies, fellow superheros, career day organizers, friends & family, competitors Who Needs Superheroes? Why Superman Services Contact For citizens Help Services Contact Form For Gov’t Agencies Corporate Accounts Appt Sched. For Schools Superman Foundation Press Blog Union Screw You Page
  • 49.
    On behalf ofmyself and #clementinethedoberman, we thank you and remind you to be a good canine citizen @amandablum amanda@howlingzoe.com slideshare.net/hzp