PixelMEDIA Inc.

Prior to the launch of the re-designed Mass Save website in 2010, a wide range of Massachusetts residential energy efficiency programs were spread out over six separate websites. The programs were sponsored by nine gas and electric utilities and energy services companies serving the state in conjunction with initiatives from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). Through incentives and education, customers were encouraged to lower their overall energy consumption and, as a result, save money and reduce the demand for fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases into the environment.

The sponsors and DOER asked PixelMEDIA to consolidate the 6 separate websites into one site and to create a single branded user experience: Mass Save.

Success Factors

Mass Save’s strategic objective was straightforward: to encourage residents and businesses to be energy efficient through increased awareness and through direct energy-saving incentives offered by the Mass Save sponsors. PixelMEDIA identified three key project initiatives to achieve this goal: Read More…

As one of the world’s leading not-for-profit genetics research institutions, The Jackson Laboratory maintains a website dedicated to helping non-scientists and the general public understand the impact of the laboratory’s work: Genetics and Your Health. In 2011, the lab asked PixelMEDIA to develop a pilot online campaign to determine if banner advertising would be an effective medium for raising awareness and driving traffic to the website.

Success Factors

Banner advertising on websites that included AARP and WBUR (Boston) would drive traffic to landing pages that featured a series of video interviews with people who had been affected by cancer. The landing pages were Read More…

In 2010, Vermont-based PKC was in the final stages of realigning its business offering from a consumer-focused product to a business-to-business OEM solution. That required a radical change in the company’s value proposition, message architecture, and website, with a focus on the business benefits of incorporating the PKC medical informatics technology into healthcare information systems, including clinical decision support, online medical records, and patient portals. PKC asked PixelMEDIA to develop a new approach the company’s messaging and website. Read More…

In 2011, Massachusetts-based Empirix Technologies was in the middle of a transformation. The company was moving away from a product-focused business model and embracing a solution-based approach that leveraged the company’s network testing and quality assurance products and technologies. A redesigned Empirix website was seen as a critical tool for explaining the company’s solution architecture and communicating its new identity. Empirix asked PixelMEDIA to help define and shape the new user experience.

Success Factors

Empirix had a solid internal working group in place to drive the messaging and content of the new website, including the re-alignment of its extensive product offerings with its new solutions framework. In addition, Empirix was developing a new logo and brand identity elements that would be incorporated into the new website. PixelMEDIA identified 3 key elements needed for a successful outcome:

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Prior to the launch of the Mass Save website in 2010, customers had to visit multiple websites to learn about energy- and money-saving opportunities. The programs were sponsored by nine gas and electric utilities and energy services companies serving the state, with goals and guidelines set by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). Because the design and navigation of each site was different, customers had to learn multiple ways to find information and application forms for energy-saving incentives.

Success Factors

The sponsors and DOER asked PixelMEDIA to consolidate the 6 separate websites into single Mass Save website and to create a unique brand identity. The new brand would serve as a recognizable focal point for a wide range of online and traditional marketing activities, and having a single brand would reduce the cost and complexity of maintaining multiple marks and identity systems. PixelMEDIA identified 3 key elements needed for a successful outcome: Read More…

Setting up a Google Analytics (GA) account correctly is imperative in order to view and analyze your website activity. By a correct setup, I don’t just mean adding the GA code to all pages of your website. You must configure the code and the settings correctly so you are receiving accurate information. Here are the steps to take to ensure your GA data is correct.

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Many sites utilize a search feature in order to help visitors find what they are looking for.  Especially with larger sites, visitors don’t want to take the time to manually navigate to the information they seek, but would rather use search to arrive at the most appropriate listings faster.  Here is an example of a site search box:

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Riding the Boston subway recently, I noticed several people crowded around one of the doors in the center of the car despite a clearly worded warning: DO NOT STAND IN FRONT OF DOORS. They stayed at the door during several stops, but did not get off. People getting on and off had to squeeze by them. The train wasn’t especially crowded; there was plenty of space away from the doors. So why were these people huddled in the one spot they were not supposed to be?

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For the majority of my career I’ve worked on and around e-commerce sites, and I’ve seen a broad range of database designs and site architectures. Within that broad range I’ve seen many good and bad practices, and one of the worst is to design an e-commerce site that can’t scale to meet the business’s future needs. These sites tend to be havens for odd bugs and are likely to become maintenance nightmares. Read More…

Exploring the “what ifs…?” of the user experience is the best way to avoid the “if onlys…” once the project is completed. And working with the client to prepare and approve an experience brief is the best opportunity to ask important questions about the fundamental underpinnings of a project, including audience, message, and purpose.

Here’s a quick look at other people’s briefs. No jokes, please.

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