Passionate about our city? Check. Evangelists for the region? Check. But did this exuberance for our city really mean that the Happy Cog design process was adequate enough to shift the needle on the “Philadelphia” brand? Did we have the necessary methods and techniques in our toolbox to change decades of poor impressions? While everyone has personalized approaches to create beautiful web sites, designers should always BE hungry to improve process and product. This is especially important when the task at hand is changing the public’s impression of an entire region. Starting with our initial “anti-Rocky” inspiration and then ending with the creation of a simple yet nightmare-inducing UI element, you’ll get a frank step-by-step exposure to the potent mix of design-related exercises, methods, and tactics that Happy Cog design team employed at visitphilly.com.

1. CHRISTOPHER CASHDOLLAR
Creative Director, Happy Cog
Mars Area High School, Class of ’95

2. WEB DESIGN PROCESS VS.
PHILADELPHIA
Out with the old, in with the new.

3. NGC 3603
20,000 light-years away
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/iotd.html

4. PHILADELPHIA
A City. In Pennsylvania. Yes, really.

5. THEIR SITE
“gophila.org” R.I.P.

6. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH
THIS HUNK OF GARBAGE
http://www.phila.gov/

7. http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/phail-adelphia.php

8. http://visitphilly.com

9. TIPPING POINT

10. 1
PROBLEM
Stakeholders in the project don’t “get” IA artifacts

11. 1
Our Standard Process
PROJECT INFORMATION VISUAL DEVELOPMENT
DEFINITION ARCHITECTURE DESIGN

12. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, IF
NO ONE ELSE CAN HELP...

13. 1
Our Evolved Process
IA
PROJECT INFORMATION VISUAL DEVELOPMENT
DEFINITION VISUAL
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN
DESIGN

14. 1
Our Evolved Process
IA
EARLY PHASE
VISUAL
DESIGN DESIGN

15. 2
PROBLEM
Overcome biases using design research

16. OH, DEAR LORD
(Please don’t buy this t-shirt.)

17. THANKS, BUT GOOD-BYE.

18. WE WENT LOOKING
ELSEWHERE.

19. AND HEY, HISTORY IS
ALL AROUND US.

24. PRINT, NOT DIGITAL

25. TEXT

26. TEXT

27. 3
PROBLEM
“Youz guys fill good ‘bout deez concepts?”

28. CONTEMPORARY
FRIENDLY
NOSTALGIC
FASHIONABLE

29. CONTEMPORARY
FRIENDLY
NOSTALGIC
FASHIONABLE 1

30. CONTEMPORARY
FRIENDLY
NOSTALGIC
FASHIONABLE 2

31. CONTEMPORARY
FRIENDLY
NOSTALGIC
FASHIONABLE 3

39. CONTEMPORARY
FRIENDLY
NOSTALGIC
FASHIONABLE 4

40. “FORM AWESOME WEBSITE!”

44. “WOW.”*
– THE CLIENT
*(Not the actual quote.)

48. 4
PROBLEM
What do you mean we are out of hours?

49. I NEVER SAID THIS WAS A
HAPPY ENDING.

50. Our Major 404s
1. Your Cheating Heart
2. Embrace the System
3. Sweated the Small Stuff

52. SIMPLE IS BETTER.

53. “Philly’s Design Crimes Redeemed by Happy Cogs”
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/alissa-walker/designerati/philly-redeems-itself-sharp-new-website

54. THANK YOU!