RSSApril 25th, 2008
Design Gallery: eCommerce Progress Bars
We do a great deal of eCommerce research, design and development for clients, and one design element I am always fascinated by are progress bars. A progress bar is one of those “best practices” for a checkout process, which shows the user how many steps are in the checkout process, and what step they are currently on.
I always find myself searching for good examples of progress bars, and decided to devote significant time to seeing what was out there. It was interesting to see the ones that got creative, the ones that were downright boring and even the merchants that lacked a progress bar at all. Here is a gallery of what I found, in alphabetical order by merchant. Just click on the thumbnail to see the full-size version.
1-800-Flowers
Abercrombie
Amazon
Apple
Armani Exchange
Bare Necessities
Best Buy
Blue Nile
Buy.com
Cafe Press
Coach
Crate & Barrel
Crutchfield
Disney
Drugstore.com
eCampus
Endless
Evogear
Fossil
Free People
Fresh Direct
Godiva
Home Depot
Ikea
J. Crew
Jet Blue
Lego
LL Bean
Macy’s
Oneida
QVC
Sears
Threadless
Victoria’s Secret
Wal-Mart
Williams Sonoma
Yankee Candle Company
Posted in Design - 16 Comments
April 11th, 2008
Highlights 4/11
Interview with the Founder of Mint.com
Mint is one of the coolest, more well-done applications I’ve seen in a long time. And boy, what an ambitious market to go after. As an entrepreneur, I found this interview with founder Aaron Patzer quite inspirational.
Corporate Client Afflictions
Some hilarious illustrations of client interactions that are all too familiar for web developers. For help in avoiding these types of clients, see “Identifying Your Ideal Client”.
Gone Indie - What it’s Like to Work at Apple
I was very fascinated by this rare glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes at Apple, some of which is not that appealing. A great read with great insights about working in the corporate world.
Hidden Secrets of the Amazon Shopping Cart
This is a superb historical look at the Amazon shopping cart, and it’s evolution through the years. Really great stuff.
How to live happily with a great designer
No one says things quite like Seth Godin. Digging into his archives, I thought this post on some things clients should know when working with a designer were right on.
I want to make it clear that I nor anyone on our team is bitter about any current client relationships. We have GREAT clients and love working with them. Regardless, I think Seth’s thoughts are on the money, as usual.
Building a Web Application? Read this first.
Jakob Nielsen provides a top-10 list of mistakes made when building a web application. Some of them are more obvious than others, but always worth a refresher.
uTest- Pay-per-bug Testing Services
Put this in the “ideas I wish I thought of” category. uTest is a community of professional application testers. They will test your software for you, and you just pay for each bug found. Awesome.
Creating Glossy Test with CSS
Here’s what I consider a really great idea for creating “glossy” text with CSS and the clever use of PNGs.
Finally, a rap song about SEO and design
Describing this video would not do it justice, just watch . . .
Posted in Highlights - No Comments
April 2nd, 2008
The Problem with “Busy”
Have you ever heard or said the following?
“Oh I’ve just been so busy that I have not gotten to . . .”
Then fill in the blank. We have all been on both ends of that sentence at some point. The problem with “busy” is that it is a cop out; an excuse in disguise. It’s as if the person is not only making an excuse, but feeling a sense of self-pity at the same time, without ever truly addressing the needs of the person with whom they are speaking. Translation . . .
“I clearly chose not to make it a priority. This is not as important as the other things I have going on.”
Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? Fact is, we all have the same 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week. We make time for what we consider to be important. Period. Being “too busy” for something is not so much a lack of time, just the inability to make it a priority.
My point is that being “busy” is no way to Win Friends and Influence People. Hopefully you can see how a statement like the one above can rub someone the wrong way, or make them feel unimportant. And that should never be the goal in any relationship.
When we let others down, how we communicate in that moment is crucial on a number of levels. It’s always better to face personal responsibility head-on and make a change. No one likes excuses.
Posted in Business - No Comments
March 18th, 2008
Dropbox: File Sharing made Perfect
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a beta for Dropbox. Like so many people, I have experimented with tons of various file sharing/storage applications, and most of them did not last half a day. Dropbox is not only the exception, but it has made my workflow and communication with our team fundamentally easier. Here are 3 of my favorite things about it:
2 Minutes to Setup and Start Syncing
Simple setup was the key to hooking me. It’s mostly self-explanatory, and took less than 2 minutes for me to drag a bunch of files into my Dropbox and start the upload process. Within about 24 hours, I had 8GB of my files uploaded to Dropbox.
Dropbox has already bailed me out in a serious way. A couple of weeks ago, prior to leaving for a week of work in New York and Austin, my powerbook stopped working completely. No power at all after 2 batteries and days of charging. I had to get a new MacBook (love it, by the way) in New York when we arrived.
The first thing I did on my new computer was try to access all my important business files that I would need over the next week. Once I linked my account, I had the latest versions of all my files downloaded locally within 2 hours. WOW! Not only that, but when I got home and started up the desktop, it automatically downloaded the updated files from my laptop that were created or modified during the trip.
File Backup and Restoration
Another really great feature of Dropbox is that it constantly keeps backups of your files. Let’s say you save the same file 5 times over 5 days. All 5 versions of the file would be available from the web interface, and it only takes one click to restore a prior version. This feature also bailed me out recently.
Super Simple Sharing
Sharing files and folders is also quite easy with Dropbox. From your desktop, simply right-click the folder you want to share, and Dropbox has sharing options in the contextual menu. This takes you to the web interface, where you can instantly share folders with other people that you specify.
Sharing folders is also a nice way of providing your friends and family with Dropbox accounts rather than making them wait in line for the beta. In the last week, our team has gotten on board and is sharing files for projects and other work.
Obviously, Dropbox gets 5 stars from me. It’s the way file sharing and storage always should have been. I can’t wait for them to release plans with more storage space so I can ramp it up even further. You can visit their site to signup for the beta and also watch a cool video of the application in action.
Posted in Reviews, Software - 4 Comments
February 20th, 2008
Ricardo Semler - Catalyst for the 21st Century
Countless people around the world have fought and lost their lives in the name of democracy. Countries have been founded entirely upon the very ideals of freedom and democracy. Yet people around the world happily work in corporate dictatorships to this day. Have you ever wondered why there is such a disconnect? Ricardo Semler has.
Ricardo Semler is one of the true business leaders and innovative thinkers of our time. He is a strong advocate of workplace democracy, and a true master of harnessing the wisdom of people to build a great company. Ask questions. Give up control. Trust the resourcefulness and intuition of people rather than asserting authority and following rules just for the sake of history. These are only some of the ideas Ricardo has brought to light in his company, called Semco.
At the age of 21, Ricardo took over the relatively small manufacturing company from his father. Semco had peaked at $4 million in revenues during his father’s tenure. Ricardo immediately began asking questions about how and why things were done a certain way, and completely shook things up over the next two decades. Not only did Semco average 40% growth per year in a very unstable Brazilian economy, but in 1993 Semco revenues grew to $212 million. And Semco still enjoys great success, while fiercely protecting a democratic work environment with less than 1% employee turnover. It is considered one of the best companies in the world to work for, with literally thousands of applicants at any one time.
Here are just a few of the radical ideas implemented at Semco that brought such incredible success to their business:
- All meetings are optional, and attendees can come and go as they please. If no one shows up, then it is obviously not enough of a priority to warrant a meeting.
- Employees set their own schedules, and can work from home, or even a variety of remote offices.
- When hiring for any managerial position, qualified candidates are interviewed by the people that would be working for them. All hires are made through a lengthy process that is open to all employees.
- Company policies and major decisions are made collectively and democratically. Everyone gets one vote, no matter what their position in the company
- Many employees set their own salaries, and the company books are available for all employees to see. Semco even teaches classes to those that want to learn how to read the books.
- Employees on all levels are encouraged to rotate jobs and move into different roles or business units as often as every 6 months.
Most importantly, there is a method to the madness at Semco. His belief in some very foundational principles have resulted in radical change for the better, and organizations around the world now study his philosophies. The revenues are not nearly as impressive as the overall health and well-being of Semco today.
The Semco story is documented in two books by Ricardo Semler. Both are the most inspirational, life-changing books I have ever read. What I love about his writing is that it’s not instructional — it’s a way of life. It’s a mindset that Semler masterfully writes about while telling the Semco story. He simply says, this is our story; now take these philosophies and apply them to your business in whatever ways make sense.
The first of the books is called Maverick! — The Success Story Behind the World’s Most Unusual Workplace. It was first published in 1993. The book contains great anecdotes and ideas, all revolving around the Semco story and history. It is a fabulous introduction.
Ricardo Semler’s second book (published in 2004), The Seven-Day Weekend, is the slightly better of the 2 in my opinion. I feel it is a little better organized, and digs much deeper into his mindset. It asks great questions, and adds even further insight about applying his philosophies to your own business and personal life. Get ready to read each paragraph in the book a couple times, because it takes a minute for some of it to really sink in. Powerful stuff.
Practical Applications
Through reading everything I can get my hands on by this incredible leader, I came away with 5 main ideas:
1. Give up Control
Building a company much larger than yourself or your ideals means giving up control, and trusting those around you. If you hire someone, then you should trust them enough to make good decisions and give them a say in everything that goes on.
2. The Power of Intuition
There is no technological innovation that is more intelligent than human intuition. All people should be encouraged to make decisions based on their own ingenuity and intuition. By-the-book thinking actually discourages intuition and free thinking, thus leaving companies stuck to their old business models and ineffective procedures.
3. What it Means to be a Catalyst
Ricardo Semler is a catalyst, and he makes that clear in the second of his books. He asks questions, most of them beginning with the word “why”. He is constantly re-thinking the way they do things in his attempt to continue building a healthy company. He believes wholeheartedly in the process, so he never makes a decision on his own accord. Best of all, he leads by example, and constantly lives out the philosophies by which his company thrives.
4. Growth is not Synonymous with Success
The biggest companies are simply not the most successful companies. Companies that grow too fast get over-extended and don’t do anything very well. There is something to be said for companies that learn to grow at the right pace. Mergers also prove that bigger is not better. Combining 2 large companies seldom results in greater success, especially for customers.
5. True Leadership
True leaders think of those that they lead first, rather than themselves. They trust the people they lead, and share openly and honestly with them to encourage two-way communication.
Additional Resources
Below is a collection of additional resources from Ricardo Semler, all of which are fantastic.
Why My Former Employees Still Work for Me - This is an article Ricardo wrote for the Harvard Business Review years back, that has some great insights. It’s a good introduction into his writing and story.
Managing without Managers - Another Harvard Business Review article he wrote about the Semco management style and why it works.
Leading by Omission - This is an unbelievable talk that Ricardo Semler did at the MIT Sloan School of Management in 2005. His 48-minute talk is available by video or audio, and I would highly recommend watching or listening to it.
The SEMCO Survival Manual - This is the only set of written policies for the entire Semco family of companies. Printed out, it is less than 5 pages, and the original version in Portuguese is complete with cartoon drawings and illustrations. Pure genius.
Want a Copy of Maverick?
I have tried to order cases of each of Ricardo’s books, but they are relatively hard to find, at least in the US. I was able to get numerous copies of Maverick! from a seller in the UK. Email me your story and why you feel like you need this book, and I will send out copies for the 2 best responses.
Posted in Reviews, Business - No Comments
February 4th, 2008
Looking for a New Developer to “Date”
Our software company, Brightwurks, is looking to hire a developer for ongoing development with our content management product Springboard, and also to help with some large client projects. Here are the details . . .
Location: Anywhere, preferably in the US
Time Frame: Ongoing contract, potential full-time
Requirements:
- A personality, along with a great work ethic
- 2-3 years plus experience developing web-based applications
- Expert knowledge of working with Java, Struts, JSTL
- Expert knowledge of PHP, and CakePHP experience is a plus
- Expert knowledge of MySQL and/or other relational database management systems
- Understanding of web standards and xhtml/css layouts is a big plus
About Us:
We like to date our people before jumping in the sack, and we believe you deserve the same courtesy. What does that mean? It means we should spend some time getting to know each other and working together before making any long-term career moves. If it’s a great fit, we would love to have you!
To start, you will be working on a couple of large-scale projects with our team. This includes work on our customized content management platform, called Springboard. These projects will require 20-30 hours per week of work, and you will be paid as a contractor. Those hours can grow into a full-time position if we still like each other after a while. If you want to have another job or some projects on the side, that’s fine as long as you can stay on track with our work too.
The only way to get great results from a developer is if they really love the work they are doing, so we want to give you work that you are psyched about.
Benefits:
- We intentionally don’t have an office. Work when and where you want, as long as you can do quality work and meet reasonable deadlines.
- We treat you like an adult. No micro-managing or silly rules. We currently have a very close team of 4 guys, and you get a say in everything that goes on.
- Each project we work on is different, so the work should be continuously challenging and fun.
- We’ll be honest with you. We have nothing to hide. We just need more help!
What’s at stake?
The opportunity to get involved in a young, fast-growing company that is trying to build some very successful applications.
If you are able to refer the winning candidate to us, there is a referral fee of $200 in it for you. We would appreciate the help. Sorry, you can’t refer yourself.
That’s perfect for me! How do I apply?
Please send a resume, samples of work and a preferred hourly rate to hireme@brightwurks.com. Or just touch base and send what you can, but make sure you fill the requirements.
Posted in Project83, Web Development - No Comments
January 31st, 2008
[SHOWCASE] Chris Rice Store and Premiere Speakers
This past month, we had the opportunity to finish up a couple of really great projects . . .
Chris Rice Store
We love working on eCommerce projects, and the Chris Rice store was no exception. Chris is a fantastic musician, and an even better guy to be around. Quite simply, the main objective was not to stray very far from his current website design (done by our friends at Visual Inventor), but to still create something fresh and easy to use.
This project is running an early version of our Springboard store platform, which is coming along very nicely. Enough talk, here’s a screenshot and link to the site . . .
Premiere Speakers Bureau
Another one of our projects that just launched is for Premiere Speakers Bureau. Premiere works with the very best public speakers in the business, and their company is second to none in that business. They are very professional from top to bottom.
We worked with them to design and code 4 templates, then handed it off to John McGary and his team to implement with their current system. They did a really nice job, and it was fun working with them.
Here is a before and after look of how things turned out on the home page . . .
PremiereSpeakers.com (before)
PremiereSpeakers.com (after)
Posted in Project83, Showcase - No Comments
January 21st, 2008
Highlights - January 21
Put Buyers First? What a Concept
WOW. This is a must-read article about Amazon.com, and the principles of customer service upon which Mr. Jeff Bezos built the company. I wish executives at Apple would read this article and step it up.
Educating Users through Design
This article from Smashing Magazine was a great one, talking about designing your user interface to help people learn to use your product. The examples are fantastic, something we can all learn from.
Fancy Form
This is a superb little script that allows developers to have some fun with styling checkboxes and radio buttons. We used it recently, and it was super easy. Best of all, it degrades nicely for those that don’t have javascript enabled in their browser.
The Ultimate Office for Software Developers
While I have mixed feelings about having an office (our team all chooses to work from home), I found this article from Freshview to be really cool. I love seeing what others are doing in our business, and that is quite an office!
Checking Out Ecommerce Checkout
For those interested in eCommerce, this study of checkout pages by Varien is quite fascinating. Great examples and insight!
Wufoo Form Gallery
I have great admiration for the team at Wufoo. The design of their application is awesome, and the product is right on. I happened to really like the new form gallery they unveiled recently. Great design!!
New Window Links in a Standards-Compliant World
Ever wondered why target=”_blank” attribute does not validate under a strict doctype? I have, and this article not only explains why, but also provides a standards-compliant solution.
Mandolux - Desktop Wallpapers
A friend of mine discovered this website not long ago. It has very well done wallpapers, many of them meant for 2 or 3-screen setups. Very cool!
Posted in Highlights - No Comments
January 15th, 2008
Making Mistakes
A defining characteristic of great organizations is the ability to handle mistakes well. Mistakes are a part of everyday life both personally and professionally; yet very few truly understand the value of taking responsibility, and the effect it has on others.
I believe it’s human nature to struggle with taking responsibility or admitting a mistake. But nothing worthwhile comes easy, right? Being mindful your inordinate ability as a human to make mistakes is the first step to handling them well.
In a technical business such as web development, mistakes, errors and bugs happen relatively often. It’s the nature of our business in a sense, because the web is still in it’s infancy. Great developers find them before the client or the user does, but there is only so much testing that can be done. Sometimes mistakes happen, and handling these situations with integrity and humility is of the utmost importance.
When confronted with a situation where you could be responsible for a mistake, it helps to ask yourself the following questions:
- What role did I or my team play in this situation?
- What are all of the potential ways I could be responsible for what happened?
- If this is not my fault, how can I prove it and work towards a resolution with the responsible party?
Asking these questions always forces me to look into the situation and find an answer, rather than take the lazy, hands-off approach that can be frustrating for others. If you ARE responsible for all or part of the problem, handling it well means following up on 3 crucial levels:
1. Take Responsibility
Simply explain what happened, and apologize. Make sure you NEVER use “but”, “if” or anyone else’s name. Taking responsibility is not an opportunity to make excuses. Even if the problem was only 10% your fault, most times it is more appropriate to take full responsibility for your mistake(s) so that both sides can hopefully move on without hard feelings.
2. Make it Right
Steve Jobs recently did a great job turning a mistake into a great publicity statement for his company. Apple’s environmental policy had came under harsh criticism for quite some time, and he responded with a public letter. This letter not only addressed the problem, but he made it right by revealing their new environmental plan to remove toxic chemicals from their products and recycle them at a higher rate.
What it takes to make a situation right varies, but don’t hesitate to go over and above the status quo to keep the person or client’s confidence. This might mean a discount, a refund, a public apology or simply a heartfelt letter/email.
3. Prevent it From Happening Again
Early last year, JetBlue had a customer service nightmare on their hands after a winter storm. Hundreds, if not thousands of customers were stranded in the Northeast, and subjected to awful delays and phone hold times. This was a defining moment for CEO David Neeleman and the 7-year-old company at the time. The letter he wrote to customers can be found here.
Not only did they accept full responsibility and attempt to make the situation right with their customers, but they took pro-active steps to prevent problems like that from happening again by introducing the customer bill of rights. Considering the situation, I felt that Neeleman’s response was well executed.
When mistakes are made, apologizing and making the situation right is not quite enough. Very clear steps must be taken internally to ensure that the mistake does not happen again.
Our Mistakes
This article was written solely because this is something I struggle with daily, as most people do. We’ve made some bad mistakes too. Here are a couple of them:
Early last year, many of our clients experienced about 12 hours of downtime from a hard drive crash on one of our servers. It was the first crisis we had ever experienced with regards to our servers, and we were not prepared. About a week of work was lost, and it took weeks to get everything back the way it was.
Not only did I call each and every client personally to apologize and outline the plan to get back up, but we made sure it would not happen again. Now each of our servers has a RAID real-time backup drive, and each site is backed up every 24 hours to a separate server across the country.
Another mistake we recently made had to do with one of our clients losing a number of form submission emails from their site. A combination of about 5 separate things contributed to the problem. Were we responsible for all those things? Nope. But if we did our job as a server host and monitored our mail queue, we could have prevented it. Currently we are writing a script to monitor mail queues more closely so the problem does not happen again.
Posted in Project83, Business, Apple - No Comments
January 3rd, 2008
Update Your Copyright Notice
Welcome to 2008! Let this serve as a friendly reminder for all web developers out there to update your website copyright notice.
Many sites, including most of ours, have a copyright notice in the footer with the year. This is a very simple thing on your website that can make you look good or bad, so make sure your sites look good!
And set a yearly reminder so that you don’t forget in the future.
Posted in Web Development - No Comments