Articles

What is it that makes a good Web site great? What captures people’s attention? Most of all, what entices users to linger longer, learn more, and ultimately choose your firm to fulfill their design needs?

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The banking collapse. The foreclosure crisis. Tom Fisher, Dean, College of Design at the University of Minnesota, views each of these disasters as a “fracture-critical system,” and he sees design thinking as a potential solution.

Websites are corporate resources. Jo Davison’s insights have to do with making them resources that generate real value in terms of brand, customer relationships, and sales. Design is the key to achieving these goals and, with illustrations from an industrial products company, a retailer, and a professional services firm, Davison details the elements of sites that are approachable, beautiful, and hard-working.

Do brands have a commitment to participate in social media? What new staffing arrangements are necessary? How do brands become more comfortable with less control? This article-length cartoon explores the issues.