When we’re neck-deep in the weeds getting our clients’ work done, it’s often helpful to take a step back to see what we’ve been doing and how we’ve done it.
No magical solution works for every project, but if we can celebrate our successes and reflect on the challenges, we can learn how to improve on what comes next.
The high cost of a bad customer experience
One of the more interesting aspects of this new store concept the company is opening next month, where shoppers can check in by scanning an app, pick up their items, and walk out—no checkout lines, no fumbling with debit cards. (Back in my day, we called it shoplifting.) In essence, Amazon’s answer to solving issues […]
How Clean Becomes Culture: A case study
I had the opportunity this week to participate in a Design Swarm as a part of the Seattle Interactive Conference. A design swarm consists of multiple groups of people, many of whom previously didn’t know each other, come together, in an environment of controlled chaos, to solve a problem. Hopefully, as was the case here, […]
Reflections on a year out on my own
According to LinkedIn, I’ve been doing my own thing, known affectionately as The Refined Story, for a year now. Who knew (besides LinkedIn, anyway) it had been that long? Now that I’ve made it this far, I suppose it’s a good time to reflect on what I’ve done, where I’ve been, and how it’s gone. […]
Weeks 4 through 6: The blueprint begins
Author’s note: I’m building a museum! I’m working with the Washington State Jewish Historical Society to create a digital museum — essentially a way to showcase the organization’s vast troves of historical content while engaging new audiences to explain how such an organization benefits its local community. This is Episode IV (A New Hope…ahem) in a […]
Week 3: The direction home
Author’s note: I’m building a museum! I’m working with the Washington State Jewish Historical Society to create a digital museum — essentially a way to showcase the organization’s vast troves of historical content while engaging new audiences to explain how such an organization benefits its local community. This is episode 3 in a multipart series. In […]
The ocean’s content strategy
Annie Crawley didn’t grow up near an ocean. The Chicago native had Lake Michigan just a few miles from her home in the city’s working-class Northwest side, but the first time she put on a scuba suit, in her early 20s, something shifted inside her. Today the ocean is Crawley’s life. Given what she calls […]
Quick study: Setting a posts page on WordPress
I taught a WordPress class tonight and was stymied by a simple question that I should have known the answer to. So Austin, this one’s for you: To create a page that lists all of your blog posts, in the event that you want your homepage to be a static page, do the following: Go […]
Week two: The museum exhibits
I am working with the Washington State Jewish Historical Society to help them build a digital museum and history portal. I’m chronicling my direction and strategy for the project as I go along. Now that I’ve gotten more comfortable in the office and have an idea of where to find the bathroom and emergency exits, […]