PixelMEDIA Inc.

If you have participated in taking a website in a new design direction, you may have noticed the difficulty in separating the form from the function. Here at PixelMEDIA, we employ a useful deliverable know as a mood board. In its simplest form, a mood board combines numerous elements into a collage that establishes an overall tone and creative direction. In many cases, we use it when a brand “refresh” is needed or if there is a lack of defined brand guidelines for the web channel. If you are currently working on a complete rebrand, you may consider this method as way to explore and establish typography, a color palette, or a style of a photography or illustration.

(Read More…)

Last week, I had the opportunity to listen to a panel assembled by the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange (MITX) discuss what they define as “user experience” and how it is evolving. Even though my days are filled with the development of user experiences, I felt I needed a fresh perspective – someone else’s perspective. I also wanted to see if we, user experience designers, truly speak in a similar vernacular outside the confines of our own workspace.

In all, each member of the board had a slightly different definition but it was evident that each description was cut from a similar cloth. Surprised? Not really. Comforted? Yes.

(Read More…)

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending the Ad Club’s Edge Conference. Positioned as “It’s where you go to get inspired,” the conference focused on topics ranging from the effects of technology on the creative process to the extremes agencies go through to retain a large client.

The presenters included an impressive list of industry heavyweights like Baba Shetty, Chief Media Officer at Hill Holiday, Suzie Reider, Director of Ad Sales and Marketing for YouTube, and Lance Jensen, Creative Director for Modernista! All had engaging presentations but the most profound (at least to me) was Brian Collins, Chief Creative Officer and Chairman of COLLINS. His discussion touched on a few, well articulated points, but the most interesting to me was the effect of society and its direct influence on art and creative endeavors. (Read More…)