Thoughts and Articles from Blend Interactive

It's a new year, and that means many of us are focused on well-being. Here at Blend, we have provided a bit of extra balance. 

Corey and Deane discuss the four major parts of a content model. Then, Greg Dunlap, Director of Strategy at Lullabot, joins us to define a web integration, discuss the finer details of development risks and runtime risks — as well as real-time vs scheduled data — and praise the efficiency of using Google Docs as a workflow tool. Corey and Greg give Deane a music lesson, too.

Design and Front-End  |  Development

During the holidays, there’s a heightened awareness around philanthropic activities, and many use it as a time to focus on others less fortunate. At Blend, we believe the "season of giving" shouldn't be a season at all.

Corey asks Deane about his ideal web design, and Deane talks about how CSS ruined the web. (He’s kidding, mostly.) Then, Sam Otis, lead designer at Blend Interactive and designer of The Web Project Guide, joins us to talk about his history in design — from Flash to responsive web design, what young designers need to know about the web, and what he wishes clients would stop doing.

Design and Front-End  |  Strategy

In the early days of the web, analytics shifted from curiosity to a driving force. Now, the focus is on what you do with those analytics — what insights can you glean in order to help drive conversions? For Umbraco users, Engage helps put these insights into action

Strategy  |  Umbraco

Websites age, and need to be cared for. Here are a few thoughts on how to manage and prevent "code rot."

Development

One of the toughest parts of any web project is estimating how much the project will cost and how long it will take. Technical planning helps create better budgets, plan for more realistic timelines, and improve the efficiency of the entire project.

Discovery and Scoping  |  Strategy

Corey and Deane talk briefly about how hard it is to run a conference. Then, Sarah Winters, founder of Content Design London and author of Content Design, joins to discuss the difference between content design and content strategy, writing and designing for accessibility, and the work it takes to turn a big ship toward lasting content change.

Accessibility  |  Content and IA  |  Strategy

Corey and Deane chat about the first time they realized they really liked content modeling, and how modeling is the hidden language of content.  Then, Jeff Eaton, partner at Autogram, joins to define content modeling, the concept of content reuse (and its many issues), and the balance between philosophical modeling and actually doing the work in spreadsheets.

Content and IA  |  Strategy

Content management systems — like all software applications — are living, breathing systems of code and design. They are built with the intention of constantly improving. They are upgradable, and they are patchable. Here's what to do to ensure your Umbraco install doesn't fall behind as Version 7 is sunsetted in 2023.

Development  |  Umbraco