You may have used a screencast tool in the past, but if you haven’t tried Jing from TechSmith, you’re missing out on one of the easiest ways to share your screen activity quickly, easily, and for free.

Screencasting is essentially the process of recording and broadcasting the activity on your computer screen and in most cases, accompanying the video with a vocal narration.

Jing’s user experience is top notch, and the system allows you to immediately send your screencasts up to Screencast.com, save the file on your computer, or FTP it to your own server.

Recording time is limited to 5 minutes per screencast. This is actually a good thing, since it keeps you on task and makes your screencasts more likely to be viewed. It also helps keep the file sizes manageable. Break a larger topic into “chapters” and create separate screencasts for each. You can easily link to each one and paste all into an email or a blog post. Be sure to give meaningful titles to each one so they’re easy to find in your directory and on Screencast.com.

Jing Pro (only $14.95 per year) allows for instant upload to YouTube and other video sites, smaller file sizes, premium video format, and a white labeled experience without Jing branding.

Of course, it’s better to see it than read about it, so check out this overview video.

The Benefits of Screencasting

The possibilities are endless, but here are some of ways I use it.

• Get proposals accepted faster by going over the main points in a screencast. No need to wait for multiple stakeholder schedules to synch up.
• Offer an explanation of a complex service offering to a prospective client that they can watch on their own time
• Conduct a user experience assessment of a web presence
• Walk through a defined strategy for a sitemap or wireframes, or review web analytics findings and recommendations
• Offer feedback on design or development iterations
• Demonstrate how to use a particular tool or application

If you’ve got lots to say, and five minutes at a shot isn’t enough for you (although in most cases it ought to be), there’s always Camtasia Studio (also from TechSmith) which comes with detailed editing features and much more.

Whichever tool you use, incorporating screencasts into your project communication will save you time and make you more effective. Screen…Microphone…Action!

Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Jing, Online Collaboration, Screencasting, Web Project Management

Website testing and optimization involves the utilization of software to compare the performance of two or more versions of a page or process to determine which version is the most effective in driving desired user behavior.  Tools such as Google Website Optimizer and more robust options geared toward the sophisticated enterprise such as SiteSpect, are available to automate (as much as possible) the process of conducting A/B or multivariate online tests.

Web analytics expert, Eric T. Peterson of Web Analytics Demystified and website optimization software creator, SiteSpect, recently teamed up to release a white paper entitled, “Successful Web Site Testing Practices.”  This must-read document provides a road map for setting up and leading a web testing team within an organization and leveraging it to yield definitive and dramatic results.  Below is our take on some of the highlights of their recommendations.  However, we strongly recommend you read the document in its entirety and take full advantage of case studies, testimonials, and direct examples including a sample test plan approval form (highly useful)!

Best Practice #1: Form a Great Testing Team
Your testing team must have a mandate for improvement.  This means they need to be charged with improving the website’s condition in a measureable way and be able to clearly demonstrate and communicate results to stakeholders.  It’s crucial to include your organization’s top talent in this team; those folks with the clout and track record to spark enthusiasm and buy-in throughout the company.

Eric T. Peterson labels the project manager and the executive sponsor as the two most important roles within the team.  We couldn’t agree more.  Without a carefully managed process and unwavering support from executive management, objectives can be unclear and the powerful force of entropy can take hold quickly.   Of course, without a key executive at the helm of this initiative, team members will find themselves, as Eric puts it, dead in the water.

The author also values the ability of the project manager to think from the perspective of an end user.  After all, it’s the user interface that’s being optimized, and without a firm grasp of user’s needs and the distinct problems or challenges they face when using the site, tests will be misguided and ineffective.

The efforts, updates, successes and even failures of the testing team should be broadcasted throughout the organization.  Allow for a platform for team members to showcase their results.  Ensure this is not merely one-way communication.  Follow the lessons of social media and allow for comments and suggestions in a structured way.  Demonstrating top-level commitment of both time and critical resources communicates the importance of the initiative.  The changes that incrementally occur to the site as a result of testing won’t be alarming to departments.  They’ll appreciate being informed and involved, and will be far more likely to lend their support.

Best Practice #2: Get Your Stakeholders On Board
Like any website redesign, web analytics, or social media endeavor, without management’s support for your testing initiative, you can essentially guarantee failure.

Be sure to work with management from the very start.  Illustrate to them exactly what you wish to achieve and the results you can expect, communicated in bottom-line financial predictions.  Communicate that a data-driven culture is one that strives to make web improvement decisions based on performance and demonstrated merit rather than assumptions.  As a result, an organization is better able to compete in the marketplace.

Best Practice #3: Write a (Formal) Testing Plan
There needs to be a structure through which requests for testing are considered.  Without this, individuals may try to “skip in line” to push their desired updates through based on their own agenda. They need to understand that a prioritized queue exists and suggested tests must be justified by answering the following questions:

1. What is being tested?
2. Why is it being tested?
3. What are the expectations for the test?
4. What are the measures of the success for the test?
5. What are the risks associated with running the test?
6. What internal resources are required to run the test?
7. Who is requesting the test?
8. By when are the results needed?

As mentioned earlier, the white paper authors have included a valuable sample test plan intake form that expands on the above questions.

Best Practice #4: Think about Measurement
Your web testing program should integrate and collaborate closely with your overall web analytics efforts.  This takes extra consideration and possibly technical expertise to ensure data available through analytics tools (such as audience segments) can be applied to tests.  Metrics and KPIs that have been established within a web analytics program should dictate to a large extent which tests should be undertaken.  Make sure one hand is talking to the other.

Also consider how your tests impact more complex measurements such as “return visitation rate” and “lifetime customer value” beyond just clickthrough metrics.

Best Practice #5: Clearly Define “Success” and “Failure”
Success means different things to different stakeholders.  It can range from obvious financial gains, to user engagement, to fewer support calls.  An important point that the author points out is that even a “failed” test yields some measure of success.  That is, you now know more about what doesn’t work thereby narrowing the field of possible creative or interface options getting you closer to the winner.  Don’t view missing the objective as a failure, but rather a learning experience which has actually moved the process forward.  The only real failure is a test that is not properly designed, carefully executed, done within a vacuum, or without executive buy-in.

Best Practice #6: Test Your Test
With this best practice, the author reminds us that while testing is absolutely worthwhile and a potential boon to any company, it’s also “hard.”

Be aware that expectations must be set.  This isn’t going to solve all the issues of the website in a month, quarter, or even year.  This is a long-term shift in the thinking of the company to become data-driven.  Certain technical implementations of tests may be trickier than others and will involve the IT department.  Legacy systems can affect the types of tests that can be conducted.  SEO initiatives can be impacted.  Other departments may push back due to perceived technical or business risks.

Be aware of these challenges, but don’t let them discourage you.  Things of great value don’t come easily, yet are worth the effort.  Set expectations to mitigate disillusionment.

Also, make sure testing periods are long enough to yield a statistically significant sample size.  Isolating factors (individual changes) sufficiently so one can determine which is responsible for better results is crucial as well.

Best Practice #7: Clarify Your Testing Timeline
Testers often forget to take day parts and weekends into account.  To ensure you’re not giving too much weight to lunchtime, early morning, late night, or weekend visitors, allow for enough time to collect a representative sample.  The author recommends a 7+1 strategy so you test over an entire week, but also add one day at the beginning of the test before you actively track results.  This allows the test versions to take hold online across the sample and for any last-minute changes.

Those with more time available can opt for a two week test, in this case a 14+1 timeline.   Good things come to those who wait.

Best Practice #8: Communicate Your Test Results with Actionable Analysis
Some great points here.  As always, it’s best to customize one’s report based on the audience.  When communicating the results to the stakeholders who originally requested the test, go into significant detail.  Reiterate the purpose of the test, the timeline, resources used and extensive information on the results.  If external events occurred during the test such as a major news mention or campaign, illustrate how the results were affected.

The rest of the organization should receive a broad overview.  A big picture, clear summary of the results and the impact on the website and company is sufficient to foster a sense of involvement and ongoing support.  Whenever possible, communicate the financial impact of the test.  As Mr. Peterson puts it, a phrase like, “and we expect this change to result in an estimated $20,000,000 in incremental revenue every year” is hard to ignore.

Also, check out the white paper to see a ready-to-use email example of how to broadcast test results to the organization.

In addition, in-person presentations are always best.  Follow these meetings up with postings to your communication platform be it a blog, wiki, online project management tool, or even Google Wave.  Allow enthusiasm for the results to go viral.

Above all, include actionable recommendations along with your results.  Clearly state what next action steps should be taken to capitalize on the success of the test.  Use this opportunity to suggest additional tests to keep the optimization ball rolling.

Best Practice #9: Test Different Audience Segments
The most revealing tests will be those that utilize targeted audience segmentation.  Knowing that a certain change increased conversions by 5% for all visitors is somewhat helpful, but knowing that same change resulted in a 20% increase for a key target audience is far more valuable.  Next action steps are more obvious in light of this information and those steps are more likely to have greater impact.

Directly reference audience segments when presenting test results to stakeholders to better grab their attention.

Best Practice #10: Mine for Deeper Opportunities
Once the testing program is up and running, and the team has a few wins under its belt, in-depth data analysis and statistical modeling is the next level to strive for.  Companies that are already utilizing robust applications such as SAS, or SPSS have an advantage, but this is not an absolute requirement.

Analysis and comparison of offline data or qualitative voice-of-customer data alongside test results can yield insights that are not immediately obvious through the testing or web analytics tools alone.  The author points out that a significant competitive advantage will be had by those companies who truly leverage their online data.

Your Experience?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on web testing and optimization.  Have you recently formed a team or are you considering it?  What methods and/or tools have brought you success?  What real world challenges has your organization overcome (or is still struggling with)?

Interactive Industry News & Events, Internet Marketing, User Interface Design, Web Analytics, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Google Website Optimizer, User Interface Design, Web Analytics, Web Project Management, Website Testing

Podcasts remain one of the best ways to keep up with the latest trends and to learn new methods and approaches.  Whether listening while getting ready in the morning, during commutes or business travel, or even while working, there are more options than ever before as the medium has truly matured.  Even better, the vast majority are free.  Make the most of your downtime (in this economy, there may be more than usual), and never stop learning.

Below are some of the best podcasts that we “keep an ear” on:

INTERACTIVE INDUSTRY & TECHNOLOGY

Boxes and Arrows (Site | iTunes)
As the preeminent website for information architecture and user experience design professionals, it should come as little surprise that their podcasts are highly valuable as well.  Regular interviews with IAs, authors, and a variety of professionals can be heard along with full recordings of conferences and keynote speeches by some of the best in the biz.  Save money on air fare and conference fees.

CNET News Daily Podcast (Subscribe options)
Daily updates on all things tech.  Get insight on the latest Google inventions, what Apple is up to next, Twitter news, the top gadgets, and much more.

Marketing Edge (Subscribe options)
Albert Maruggi, a 25-year marketing veteran from Provident Partners has been publishing this podcast since 2005.  Each episode is around 30 minutes and features a combination of interviews, insights, and analysis related to internet marketing and social media in particular.  Recent topics include, Is there money in Communities? and Using Experts to Get Better Media Coverage.

Internet Marketing (iTunes)
Hailing from the UK, Andy White of Wire World Media hosts this monthly podcast which goes into a fair amount of detail on specific tools and tactics.  You’ll benefit from latest SEO trends, Google Analytics tips, and blog and podcast promotion to list a few.  We’ve only recently picked up this one, but it’s becoming a favorite.

Boagworld Web Design Advice (Subscribe options)
Another British podcast, Boagworld is info-heavy with minimal fluff.  Episodes tend to lean more toward development topics, but marketing strategies and tactics are also regularly covered.  Prepare yourself for some pretty heavy accents.  It’s a bit like Spinal Tap delivering the latest interactive news and tips.  This podcast goes to eleven!

Internet Marketing This Week (Subscribe options)
Mostly informal, this podcast requires a bit of sifting through conversational chatter, however there are always some good nuggets to be discovered. Four marketing experts scattered across the country Skype and conference call in each week to review the top stories.

BusinessWeek: CEO Guide to Technology (Blog | iTunes)
With varying frequency (most often monthly), this podcast highlights important technologies affecting business, with only the details top management needs to know.  Rachael King, the regular host, is by-the-numbers, and a little stale, however the guests she interviews spice things up and and are knowledgeable experts from a variety of industries.

BusinessWeek: Technology and You (RSS | iTunes)
Steve Wildstrom has been publishing this column in BusinessWeek since 1994 and every week offers this engaging podcast.  Steve puts all the latest gadgets and software to the test and his breadth of experience yields some great reviews.  The iTunes page for this podcast shows some bad reviews, however these are old (from 2007) and the issues they raise (mostly in terms of production quality) have since been resolved.

NPR: Technology Podcast (Subscribe options)
A handy-dandy summary of all related technology coverage across NPR over the last week.  It doesn’t get any more convenient than this.

Marketing Yak (Marketing Sherpa) (iTunes)
Most of us are aware of the great tutorials and reports from MarketingSherpa.  Here’s its closely related podcast.  They seem to be on hiatus right now (last publishing from November of 2008), but the past episodes are still available and worthwhile.  Hopefully they’ll ramp things up again soon.

BUSINESS & PRODUCTIVITY

Here are a couple general podcasts that are worth your time.

BusinessWeek
Behind This Week’s Cover Story with Executive Managing Editor, John Byrne offers in-depth interviews with the writers of the latest cover story.  If you read BusinessWeek, this is must-listen material.  Also, The Business Week hosted by Assistant Managing Editor, Jim Ellis, give you a summary of the week’s major business events along with interviews with the publication’s major columnists.  The Business Week is available in both audio and video.

David Allen Company Podcast (Subscribe options)
Getting Things Done personal productivity guru, David Allen serves up highly actionable tips every week to help you organize your hectic life.

HUMOR

All work and no play…  Be sure to throw some laughs into your podcast mix:

Car Talk (Subscribe options)
Resist the urge to set your car on fire and blow off steam with Click and Clack.  Test your brain with the weekly puzzler and laugh along as the two brothers poke insults at one another, read hilarious fan emails, and occasionally help people with their car troubles.

The Onion Radio News (Subscribe options)
America’s Finest News Source is hilarity at its finest, now in podcast form.  Don’t miss hard hitting stories such as “McDonald’s Unveils New All-Beef Bun.”

The above list is a just small sampling of what’s out there.  What’s on your iPod?  We’d love to hear about your favorites.

Information Architecture, Interactive Industry News & Events, Internet Marketing, Social Media, User Interface Design, Web Analytics, Web Development, Web Graphic Design, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Information Architecture, Internet Marketing, Podcasting, Social Media

Microsoft just can’t seem to win these days.  Their huge roll out for 2009 complete with expensive television ads is an effort (Bing) designed to compete with Google’s oldest product.  Shortly thereafter, Google responds with a tool that may revolutionize business e-communication as we know it.

Google Wave is living up to its name by causing more than merely ripples in the blogosphere.  Unveiled at the 2009 Google I/O Developer Conference, the hour and 20 minute YouTube video has received over 2 million views and more than 4,400 ratings (overall five stars).  While not scheduled for release until later this year, Google presented the tool to a highly enthusiastic crowd of select developers and subsequently provided them with accounts to start playing with.  A number of APIs were developed, and Google hopes coders will take full advantage of them, creating a myriad of new tools and apps designed to utilize the power of Google Wave.  Bolstered by this supporting framework of related applications, Google will enjoy firm footing when they launch the tool worldwide.

Below are some of Google Wave’s key features and some insights on how they’ll impact the way you communicate online.

A Permanent Home for a Discussion
When your discussion “goes wave”, from that point forward, you’ll be able to instantly add participants and reference it from any other wave or point online.  Similar to an email thread, you’ll be able to see the history of a discussion, however Google Wave does so much more to group the history as well as notify participants of any updates.  Being Google, the built-in search function received a lot of attention.  As such, searching for waves is powerful, instantly updating the results as you type a query.  You don’t have to rely very heavily on your organization skills, and gone are the tedious days of sorting messages into proper folders.

Streamlined and Realtime Collaboration
Many of Google Wave’s features are forehead-slap-inducing; the kind where you’ll wonder why humanity has trudged along without them.

• Instant sharing and linking: You can add new participants to a wave simply by dragging them from the contact list into the wave itself.  Similarly, you can link to any other wave by dragging that wave from the list into the current wave.  It automatically creates a neat link at a point of your choosing formed with the title of the wave you’re linking to. Photos?  You guessed it; just drag and drop from your desktop.
• Inline comments: You’ve seen inline comments in Microsoft Outlook or some other email client.  These go further by neatly containing the statement along with the user’s avatar and a timestamp.  No more alternating colors.  It’s obvious who said what and when.
• Playback:  Big wow-factor here.  A person new to the wave can get caught up by viewing a post-by-post playback at their own speed.  That person can add comments to any point of the discussion contextually.
• Editing: Here’s a great way to disseminate meeting notes.  Post your notes as a wave.  Any person can edit the notes and their notations will be clearly identified.  If you have viewed the original message before, you’ll see any changes the next time you view the message. If you see a message for the first time that has multiple edits, you will be able to see who contributed to the edits, but won’t see the markups. To see those, use the playback feature. You’ll know who changed what and can select any version you want as the final and then send it on as the official version as a new wave.
• Instant messaging: This feature elicited some major applause at the conference.  You can see comments being posted to a wave as they’re being typed; backspaces and all.  This is an optional feature, but when enabled, eliminates having to stare at a “typing” status while the other party keys in their complete comment.  In fact, two people can update a wave at the same time and both participants will see each other’s updates as they’re being typed.
• Integration with blogging: Waves can be instantly added to a blog and future comments are synced with the wave.  Reach multiple audiences at once.  Even photo captions are synced.

Enhanced Communication Power Through Wave Extensions
It’s incredibly easy to embed and share a wide variety of online media within your waves:

• “Searchy” lets you do a quick Google search and instantly add results to your wave including destination links, images, videos, even maps.
• Twitter: Can install a “Twave” which is a wave of tweets. Posts within this portion of a wave will automatically post to Twitter.
• “Buggy” integrates a full featured bug tracking program with easy options to change assignees or comment on specific bugs using waves.
• Automatic language translation:  During the demo we saw a conversation between a French speaker and an English speaker being translated in real time. Wow.
• Forms and polls are native to waves and can be directly embedded. Add whatever fields you want and solicit information from your wave participants.
• “Linky” automatically creates links (google.com).  No need for “www” or “http://”

Mobile-ready on Day One
The team demonstrated interfaces for both the Android and iPhone operating systems.  You’ll be able to access your waves from anywhere without waiting for a separate app to be developed.

Many companies are accustomed to using some combination of email and instant messaging as part of their normal project communication.  The more savvy also utilize online collaboration/project management tools.  One thing’s for sure, the introduction of Google Wave will make them reevaluate their methods.  A strong reason they’ll be willing to do this is of course, the standard Google price of free.  For long discussions across multiple people, or even mini projects, a single wave could likely handle all related communication.  A big missing element, however, is the ability to manage tasks and assignments, but a third party app (if not an enhancement by Google) will likely surface relatively soon following launch.

In general, email’s dominance in corporate communications will quickly wane and a number of us won’t be too sad to see that.  Google Wave demonstrates that there truly is a better way to collaborate.  Get ready to rethink.

Interactive Industry News & Events, Social Media, User Interface Design, Web Project Management Google Wave, Social Media, User Interface Design, Web Project Management

We love Basecamp.  Just wanted to get that out of the way.  For over five years, we’ve watched Basecamp evolve from a very basic project management tool with messages, basic to-do lists and file uploads, to a wonderful collaboration system with Writeboards, comments at a to-do level, advanced notification and permission controls and more.  Our projects and clients continue to benefit from its superior features and usability.

Because we like Basecamp so much, we thought we’d point out a few features that less-expensive competitor, activeCollab offers which would make Basecamp even better.

Progress tracking and due dates for tasks
Basecamp of course has integrated milestones, however tasks can easily go unfinished and unnoticed.  Sure, to-dos can be associated with a milestone, but unless the parent milestone expires, team members may be unaware of individual task dates until it’s too late. activeCollab supports due dates for checklists and tickets and as such, alarm bells can ring if important sub tasks aren’t met.  Many companies have tried to get around this in Basecamp by creating more milestones than to-dos, however this gets unwieldy and results in a very long list of milestones that cannot be categorized or grouped the way to-dos can.  People have been pleading on Basecamp forums for to-do due dates for a long time.  Hopefully someday soon they’ll get their wish.

On top of this, activeCollab has a nice progress bar which shows the number of tasks completed out of all existing tasks and a percentage calculation.  Another good way to sound the alarm if tasks aren’t being checked off as they should be.

Starred objects
This relatively simple feature can be powerfully useful.  It gives each user the power to select, on an ongoing basis, any item(s) that they want to keep an eye on. For instance, tasks may be grouped into various lists, but on a given day say, five of them are being focused on.  Rather than breaking up carefully constructed lists, an individual user can star those items that need to be taken care of or monitored without affecting what the rest of the users see.  This puts more power in the hands of the individual to use the system as they see fit.

Updated items since last visit
Here’s another simple feature that is more powerful than it may seem at first glance.  Project managers love quick summaries of project activity since they’ve been gone.  The Basecamp Dashboard does indeed show all latest activity, but seeing what’s new since you last looked can immediately bring you back up to speed.  Did something happen related to one of your starred items?  You can quickly be aware.

Status updates
Similar to Facebook status updates or tweets, these can help teams that are under tight deadlines, but aren’t using a chat tool like Campfire to quickly see who’s working on what.  This helps a project manager know if reminders should be sent out or if a person should be interrupted.  Sometimes it takes a while to get into the “zone” and any feature that helps team members remain there is valuable. 37 Signal’s internal collaboration tool, Backpack actually has this feature so it should not be difficult for Basecamp to implement.

Pages
Another example of a feature that both activeCollab and Backpack offer is the creation of individual pages.  The ability to highlight certain information in a permanent spot that doesn’t get pushed down as more content is added (such as is the case with Messages), is of high value to a team.  A particular collection of files, a summary of key business goals, a list of URLs to competitive sites, are just some examples of content that deserves a permanent home.  Backpack’s pages are excellent in that they allow drag and drop modules of text, images, files, and to-do lists.  Even if pages for Basecamp only included text and file attachments, it would be a great start.

Calendar month-view
Sometimes viewing a calendar in month format just helps communicate the bigger picture better.  A simple addition which again, is already in Backpack.

Ability to resize Message/comment edit windows
In activeCollab you can grab the corners of a text box you’re working in and drag it to whatever height you want.  When you’re typing a message and it becomes larger than you anticipated, it’s great to have the extra breathing room.  Basecamp’s messages auto-expand only once when a certain content amount is reached, but the customizability of dragging to fit is truly a step up.

To reiterate, Basecamp is a fantastic tool, and it’s only out of love that we post these suggestions which we feel would take it to yet another level.  There are plenty of other great ideas circulating in the forums and we encourage you to add your own two cents.

Social Media, Web Development, Web Project Management activeCollab, Basecamp, Online Collaboration, Web Development, Web Project Management

The Challenge
Lead the effort to overhaul the web presence for a major Milwaukee law firm with nearly 200 attorneys. Bring a fresh approach to the firms content and the site’s information architecture, and ensure the proper migration of thousands of publications, press releases and news features as well as extensive practice area content and attorney biographical information.

The Solutions
Godfrey and Kahn has been providing expert law services to major businesses and industries for over 50 years with offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton, Green Bay and Waukesha, Wis.; Washington, DC; and Shanghai, PRC. Over that time, their ranks have swelled along with their web content.

Molstad Consulting was brought in by regular partner, CI Design to design and define all information architectures and content requirements and act as liaison to Godfrey & Kahn and the firm’s external development resource. Initial meetings with Godfrey & Kahn focused on key audiences and user tasks as well as project logistics to ensure the varied and occasionally daunting committee structure within the firm didn’t slow the process down. An information architecture was designed to streamline access to key content as well as focus on the benefits of a career with the firm.

From there, interface specifications and wireframes served to bridge the gap between the new information architecture and legacy systems and content. Functions to be re-thought and adapted included a full content management system, robust attorney search, overall site search, practice area content database, career opportunity system, and an extensive news and publications resource area. Molstad Consulting worked closely with the development team mapping new pages and sections to key functions and enhancing overall usability.

The Careers section of the site features a unique brand designed to demonstrate a focus on the needs of this crucial audience. A custom Flash animation showcasing the profiles of successful attorneys and staff members was combined with a new web video and social media delivery system. All this was coordinated around a CI Design photo shoot for nearly 200 attorneys across multiple offices as well as multiple video production sessions.

Once key screen templates were confirmed, all content to be created, collected, and repurposed was outlined and Molstad Consulting led weekly status review meetings tracking each element and resolving issues through to launch.

Next Steps
Godfrey & Kahn enjoyed an enthusiastic response to the new site both internally and from its clients. Molstad Consulting and CI Design continue to collaborate to increase and enhance Godfrey & Kahn’s overall business intelligence and marketing ROI via a targeted web analytics methodology.

Flash, Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Development, Web Graphic Design, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Flash, Information Architecture, User Interface Design, Video, Web Project Management

The Challenge
Guide and lead the definition, launch, and expansion of an extraordinary organization’s new web presence.

The Solutions
Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin provides immersive, experiential learning opportunites and entertainment for many thousands of visitors each year. Offering such attractions as a fresh and saltwater aquarium, the S/V Denis Sullivan, and elaborate exhibits dedicated to science, technology, water stewardship, and overall education, Discovery World is a truly unique destination with something for everyone.

Molstad Consulting worked closely with Discovery World senior management, art directors, developers, and content experts to define a new information architecture and overall website framework that would serve to increase public understanding and drive visitor action in a measurable and scalable way. The massive effort was broken into multiple phases with a focus on quick wins and revenue-driving features. Prototypes of interfaces and key templates were created to serve as context for decisions and blueprints for developers.

The site features detailed content supported by targeted imagery, Flash animations and video specifically tailored for each of the primary audiences. In addition, the development of a state-of-the-art ecommerce/order management system was managed utilizing agile methodology resulting in the ability for users to purchase tickets and buy/renew memberships online. The vast and diverse selection of Discovery World programs and published and managed via a customized, integrated blogging system. In addition to streamlined content management for the staff, site visitors can also take advantage of social media feature, search, tagging and bookmarking of content.

A web analytics methodology has been established which has measurably improved business intelligence and increased conversions. Business goals have been mapped to key audiences, and in turn, to specific metrics. Molstad Consulting regularly monitors site performance, summarizes insights gained from optimized analytics tools, and assists senior staff in prioritizing web initiatives. Email marketing campaigns are also regularly reviewed ensuring their alignment with the website and organizational marketing goals.

Discovery World now enjoys greater visibility than ever before into their site usage and marketing performance due to targeted web analytics and modernized site structure/coding standards.

All communication, tasks, and schedules were (and continue to be) orchestrated via Basecamp and Molstad Consulting’s proprietary methods for online/remote collaboration.

The Results
Discovery World now has a web presence that provides them the page real estate, scalable information architecture, design cohesion, and marketing intelligence befitting a highly visible and ever-evolving organization. The site serves as the foundation of all internet marketing efforts. Insights gained from web analytics has removed the guesswork from web initiative prioritization and keeps web team members focused on key audiences and visitor tasks.

Ecommerce, Flash, Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Analytics, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Basecamp, Ecommerce, Flash, Information Architecture, Market Research, Online Collaboration, User Interface Design, Web Project Management

The Challenge
Establish a new website architecture, showcase product lines more attractively, and bring the Klement’s Sausage online presence up to speed with their offline marketing campaigns.

The Solutions
Klement’s Sausage is well known nationally and in the Milwaukee area especially for their delicious sausage products and their beloved Racing Sausages that entertain crowds at every Milwaukee Brewers home game.

Molstad Consulting worked closely with the Klement’s IT and Marketing departments, advising on content strategy and presentation as well as leading discussions on graphic design direction. The Molstad Consulting team analyzed the company’s existing and upcoming marketing materials and designed a look and feel that combines the “taste and fun” as well as the tradition of excellence Klement’s is famous for. Flash animations were created to showcase products and their popular “Patio Daddio” television commercials.

The Famous Klement’s Racing Sausages, were featured on the site complete with their history, bios, downloadable wallpapers and a custom-designed Flash video game. The game allows site visitors to race as their favorite sausage through the streets of Milwaukee to the Brewers opening day game.

The Response
“I’m extremely pleased with the way our web site project went from concept to completion. The Molstad team took the time to listen in order to make sure we got what we wanted. Their great service, knowledge and art talent is incomparable. They have assisted in driving our brand image by offering exceptional ideas and a unique design that has also translated into sales. I’ll definitely be calling Molstad Consulting the next time I’m in need of the services they provide.”
- Jim Westerman, Marketing Director for Klement’s Sausage

Ecommerce, Flash, Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Development, Web Graphic Design, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Ecommerce, Flash, Information Architecture, User Interface Design, Web Development, Web Graphic Design, Web Project Management, Wireframes

The Challenge
Clearly define and document all requirements, and orchestrate a multi-disciplinary team leading to the launch of enhanced technology and innovative design within an aggressive timeframe.

The Solutions
Brookstone Homes is one of Southeastern Wisconsin’s largest home builders, and have reached that status through progressive ideas and excellent customer service.

CI Design had established a beautiful and highly effective campaign of marketing materials for Brookstone. Recognizing the size and scope of the website redesign project, Molstad Consulting was called in to manage the entire process.

Working closely with Brookstone Homes, Molstad Consulting advised on long-term content strategies and defined and documented a new information architecture and metrics for success, dividing the project into manageable phases.

Next, information design was analyzed and wireframes were created to gain consensus on key screen layouts as well as serving as blueprints for CI Design’s creative team and Brookstone’s developers. These areas include a fully revamped community and ready home search, a customer portal allowing new home builders to track and view their home’s progress, customer service forms and many other design-intensive layouts.

Once production began, Molstad Consulting tracked all communication and decisions via a project extranet, moderated discussions, evaluated progress and performed quality assurance leading to launch.

Molstad Consulting’s search engine marketing team has set up a successful pay per click ad campaign and continues to monitor its performance, driving traffic after achieving the top position for numerous competitive keywords. An organic search engine optimization campaign is currently underway.

In addition, our analytics system was set up to monitor all site traffic and referrals giving Brookstone a clear picture of site visitors, the paths they take through the site and an easy way to track desired actions.

The Response
“The development, design, and launch of the new Brookstone Homes web site went smoothly and efficiently thanks in large part to your valuable contribution to the team. You played a critical role in keeping the many moving parts and pieces in order throughout the process. It was due to your hard work, expertise, and project management skills that we were able to accomplish all that we did in such a short period of time.”
- Dawn Wilson, Vice President & Director of Marketing for Brookstone Homes

“You were a vital part of the project, the glue that held it together, and we couldn’t have done it without you. You kept us efficient by managing all the details and delivering the requirements and content we needed when we needed them. Your wireframes and approval system eliminated unpleasant surprises and kept all accountable, including the client.”
- Jim Taugher, President of CI Design

Brookstone Homes, Inc. was honored with several recognitions at the 2006 Metropolitan Builders Assocation’s Standards of Excellence Awards. The annual event recognizes innovative use of sales and marketing techniques and practices. In the marketing categories, Brookstone Homes earned gold awards for Best Web Page Design.

Information Architecture, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Information Architecture, Online Collaboration, User Interface Design, Web Project Management, Wireframes

The Challenge
Expand, enhance, and improve the online services of a world-class tea producer’s ecommerce website to satisfy a sophisticated and steadily growing customer base.

The Solutions
Rishi Tea is synonymous with quality. Partnering directly with tea artisans from China, Japan and other regions, they offer their products in fine food stores, restaurants, and coffee shops throughout the United States.

The third-party system powering Rishi Tea’s ecommerce website provides a core technical structure, however its default output sometimes falls short in the areas of layout and aesthetics. Rishi Tea approached Molstad Consulting to help optimize the overall user experience and expand the site’s offerings.

Molstad Consulting led discussions to prioritize short term and long term goals, mapped out requirements and implemented numerous custom solutions. Featured additions and enhancements include:

• Online, automatic credit card processing via a gateway
• Ability to process Canada orders
• Electronic gift certificates
• Retail locator search application
• Setup of Google Analytics including advanced ecommerce data tracking, local traffic exclusion and consulting
• Checkout process and customer experience optimization through many modifications and additions (improved navigation, information design, system response, form validation, shipping instructions, email content, and more)
• User account area enhancements
• Security and version upgrades
• Consulting on internet marketing techniques and technologies
• Troubleshooting and squashing of many system bugs

Operating as an exension of Rishi Tea’s internal staff, Molstad Consulting continues to make recommendations and provide services on a flexible, as-needed basis.

The Results
Rishi Tea enjoys improved business intelligence through analytics software, better customer relationships and fewer support calls, lightened internal staff responsibilities, and a clear, prioritized plan for future enhancements and internet marketing efforts.

Ecommerce, Information Architecture, Molstad Consulting Case Studies, User Interface Design, Web Analytics, Web Project Management, Web Strategy Consulting Ecommerce, Expert Review, Information Architecture, User Interface Design, Web Project Management