The answer is really quite simple: Partnerships make us stronger. By design we are a small company. Our expertise in branding, graphic design, web design and ExpressionEngine make us who we are, but we will not be all things to all people. When a project includes certain aspects outside our sweet spot, we first look to see if it lines up with our values, if so then reach out our network of trusted partners like eecoder and others.

Our partner's strength's compliment ours, not only in services but in values. In collaborating we provide a stronger team of experts for the client… ultimately delivering better work because we all focus on what we are best at.

The tides are turning and I believe we'll see more collaborative partnerships delivering innovative work than big agencies. The secret to great partnerships is honesty on all fronts - with the client and with each other. It's really all about relationships.

Responsive design serves any and all industries or public sectors well, but for the purpose of this article I'd like to focus on healthcare organizations, physicians offices, providers, insurance companies…etc. We've had the pleasure of partnering with a number of these clients and we have seen a several benefits from taking a responsive approach when crafting their websites.

First, responsive design focuses everyone on the content. People come to healthcare sites for the content. They have a need, a question, or are seeking something you offer. The process of creating a responsive website focuses you on the content priorities, the hierarchy of your messaging, and the elements you want to promote. Why does this matter to a healthcare organization? Because people are often confused by the language, amount of content or lack thereof. Presenting the user with a pleasant web experience is a breath of fresh air in a world filled with information that is often confusing. Have you ever tried to find information on your health insurance company's website? I bet that you'd rather have a colonoscopy. Now imagine what it would be like if they had really honed in on their message around what users really want and built a site around that - this is the focus responsive design requires.  

Second, responsive website design ensures that you have refined and tested navigation so that it makes sense for all users on all devices. Once you've determined your content and created an information architecture that suites the content needs, you can create a navigation scheme to help users through the site. This flow is critical for usability in responsive sites because you must account for several factors: touch screens, limited mobility, number of clicks…etc.  

Third, the craftsmanship required to design and build a responsive website creates the best overall user experience. As we mentioned before, healthcare matters to every person in this country and it often confuses. With the right content and craftsmanship, a responsive website can help your audience find the information they seek, build trust, and share it with others.

Finally, it's about access. User's want access to your site no matter what device they choose to pick up. Responsive design provides them with the best possible layout of your content for their device, makes the same content available, and creates a better user experience.

Conclusion

As I mentioned before, these points don't just ring true for a healthcare organization, they matter to everyone. Whether you are the church, lawyer, butcher, cheese maker, custom home builder, or retailer, responsive design is almost always the right approach.

However, there remains an itch that won't go away. A desire to push harder, do better work, keep learning, and keep helping. This itch is the difference between companies that stale out and those who keep pursuing something greater. If you lose that desire, you become complacent and you settle for what's comfortable. Don't. Have faith, keep pushing, keep reaching, keep learning. Stay itchy.

But, what about other business needs like accounting and legal counsel? The service provider gains an intimate knowledge about your business operations, goals, aspirations and even your personal life. You develop a deep level of trust with these people and it actually becomes a relationship. They become connected with you and care about where you are going, and this is exactly the approach we take.

We care about our clients - not just the project at hand. We dig deep to gain a true understanding of their DNA, which helps us make the best decisions for them. It also provides us with the foundation for future-scaping their branding and marketing initiatives. It allows us to analyze the success of our long term work with them.

A bigger reason we value partnership is because we are not a drive through. People don't have a deep conversation about life and business with the person working the checkout window of the burger joint. When a project ends our relationship is not over. We check in to see how things are going, get a pulse, and see how we can further assist you because it's a relationship. We want to see you succeed. We want you to enjoy your work. We want you to be happy.

In the midst of 2011's EECI Conference, the yearly ExpressionEngine CodeIgnitor gathering, an idea was born between Masuga Design (the great folks behind Devot:ee), eecoder, and ourselves. We realized the need for a tool that when installed, could analyze active add-ons in your ExpressionEngine installation and report whether these add-ons were up-to-date. We sketched some things on napkins, high-fived and set to work.

We started the design process by taking a content inventory of what information is beneficial to developers and what information should be required. From this documentation we created several sketch concepts for the visual design and eventually set to work on the polished layout. The final design is purposely app-like to set it apart from the normal EE interface. Each add-on is featured in its own row and identified as a module, extension, plug-in, field type, or accessory. We also display whether the installed version number is out-dated and if an update is available, the user can download it on devot:ee.com.

We are excited about where the Devot:ee Monitor is headed - we've made some UI improvements that will be released soon and new features are on the way!

Check it out

Download the Devot:ee Monitor

Read about it on EE Insider

Read eecoder's project profile

So why do we love ExpressionEngine so much? We've been building content-managed websites since 2002 and we've worked with several open-source options, some commercial CMS options, a few proprietary systems, and even built a few of our own. When we stumbled upon ExpressionEngine, we knew we finally found what we've been longing for. EE is the most powerful, flexible, and secure content management system we've found. ExpressionEngine allows us to develop very dynamic content-management capabilities for our clients in a cost-effective way. EE also allows us to scale our clients’ websites as their needs change without costly rework. ExpressionEngine also provides an easy-to-use interface for administrative users to manage, update, publish, and maintain content without the knowledge of code. Not only does ExpressionEngine make life easy on your staff, but also provides valuable flexibility for future development and growth.

We completely agree with the wise Mr. Rand. Good design is memorable. It lays foundational perceptions about your company or service. Good design sets you apart from the competition. It shows that you understand your competitive landscape and are setting yourself apart. Good design followed by precise execution proves that you value excellence. Doing something half way is hardly worth at all. Doing something with excellence never fails. Design matters.

Design is no longer "something extra". Design is an expectation. Not just good design, but a thoughtful and strategic design that creates a brand experience. This can take several forms – all the way from a logo, packaging, web, retail environment, customer service, your emails… I could keep going but I'll stop. The point is that your audience places greater value on design than you may realize.

Maybe it is time to step back and see your brand through someone else's eyes. Are you designing your brand experience?

Lately I’ve been wondering, “Do we really fight for the user?” In a typical web design and development project, are we consumed with usability or are we consumed with staying under budget? Do we care about the user’s needs or are we concerned with meeting keyword density and enlarging the logo? Are we making the best user experience possible or are we appeasing the board of directors?

So, how do you fight for the user?

• Ask user-centered questions.
  
• Develop accurate user personas based on qualitative and quantitative research.
  
• Conduct usability testing and refine accordingly to correct bad user experiences.
  

You may think I’m crazy. You may say “it will cost to much.” You may say that you don’t have the time for that. I would say, we can’t afford not fight for the user. These elements don’t need to be elaborate, expensive, and time consuming. Start small, keep it simple, and by all means…keep it about the user.

On usability testing

Don’t wait until a site is functional. Have a user analyze the information architecture, the wireframes, and then the polished designs. Making these efforts early will save you later. Once the site is functional, you can always conduct proper usability testing with software like Silverback by Clearleft.

Say it with me:

I will fight for the users.

I won’t let obstacles stand in the way. 

End of line.

The same is true in our world. We can’t slide every project down a creative assembly line and expect to meet our clients’ needs. We also can’t force results by applying the same formula each time. Each project is a journey; and, as with any journey, we evaluate the desired outcome and craft a path that makes sense. Though we don’t use the same route for each opportunity, we do follow the same methodology. What is methodology, you ask? So glad you asked! Methodology is a series of methods, principles, and rules that guide a discipline. A typical process is a series of checkpoints where methodology allows room for iteration, recreation, and flexibility – while keeping everything en route!

Antistatic’s methodology is truly scalable and flexible – much like any successful journey needs to be! This methodology can be applied to projects of any size – allowing them to stay on course and flow beautifully. Following a methodology, much like picking the best route off a map – takes the mystery out of the equation.

Our methodology involves the following pinpoints: discovery, strategy, ideation, refinement, and delivery. These points are a vital part of each project’s path. A proper discovery allows us to dig deep into an organization’s DNA and understand their goals, values, audience, etc. Strategy allows us to align these goals with the audience and their desires. The practice of ideation grants us the space needed to generate multiple ideas and solutions. Refinement provides the opportunity to take a good idea and make it a great one. Delivery...what good are any of the other steps if you never make it to your final destination?

Here’s to the journey!