Thoughts and Articles from Blend Interactive

So, we need a new website? The easy question is, “Now what?” The harder question is, “How did we get here?” Gain buy-in on the reasons behind a new project, define the problem in a way that gains traction, and avoid some early red flags along the way.

Accessibility  |  Content and IA

Content takes many shapes and connects in many ways. How these shapes and connections manifest – both in how they relate to the editorial and design model and in how they are converted into data that a content management system can manage – has considerable impact on every subsequent stage of the project.

Content and IA  |  Development

Your site won’t just magically arrange itself. Instead, you must provide organization in a way that speaks to those who visit your site. What labels do they expect? How do they get from one section to another? How do they hone in on an information scent?

Content and IA  |  Strategy

Content drives business goals, which means content drives your site. For content that needs to be changed, content that does not yet exist, and even content that will stay the same, we need a strategic plan that provides both high-level direction and a more detailed review of messaging and function.

Content and IA  |  Strategy

A website generates lots of numbers representing how visitors behave. What numbers are important, and what numbers can translate to some measure of “success?”

Digital Optimization  |  Strategy

One of the challenges in rebuilding any website is figuring out what to do with the existing content. But before you can make any decisions, you simply need to know what it all is. And once it’s unearthed and exposed, then you need to decide what information is relevant and worth recording, determine a method to store this information, and decide how (or if ) you want to keep it updated over time.

Content and IA  |  Discovery and Scoping

Your content and message – and your audiences – live on dozens of paths and hundreds of combinations. Understanding what they’re looking for when they access your project will have a large impact on the steps that follow.

Discovery and Scoping  |  Strategy

We build websites to prompt an action or convey information to humans. Who are your humans? What are their motivations?

Discovery and Scoping  |  Strategy

Determine the true time scope of your project. When does it start (hint: right now, perhaps) and how will you choose someone to help through to the very end?

Web projects are shaped by the people involved in decision-making. You can help prevent latestage rework by making sure the right people are in the room from the beginning.

Discovery and Scoping  |  Project Management  |  Strategy