The Process

Solid flexibility.

Content and context.

Solving problems & documenting solutions

Your process is a means to an end.

The Project

IMDbAn information design challenge.

Very little time.

Limited resources.

Par for the course?

No client.

No other stakeholders.

Solving problems

“Solutioneering.”

?So… what areSome problems with IMDb?

Very Top Heavy

Not the best use of space.

Not supporting user behavior.

Not the best use of ad space.

Starting withgoalsWhat the heck are we doing here?

Define.

Group.

User Goals

Busi

ness

Goal

sTech

nical G

oals

SweetSpotPrioritize and balance.

User Goals

Busi

ness

Goal

sTech

nical G

oals

SweetSpot

Pairing your goals with content.

Use your words

Writing + Design = BFF.

“Great web design reflects the way we interact, and the

primary vehicle for that interaction remains text.”

- Bronwyn Jones, Better Writing Through Designhttp://www.alistapart.com/articles/betterwritingthroughdesign/

Make it clear.

Make them care.

The beauty ofanalogDon’t let the digital pin you down.

The power of the pen (or pencil.)

Photo by Svet Ivantchev http://www.flickr.com/people/svet/

Moleskine FTW!

Photo by Paul Worthingtonhttp://www.flickr.com/people/paulworthington/

Sketching for problem solving.

DocumentingsolutionsPage Descriptions and Wireframes.

Primary NavigationUsers need the ability to navigate with ease at all times.

Global Search FieldOn the home page there will need to be a way to search globally.

“Movie Lists”

The home page should keep the vari-ous movie lists (Tops / Opening / Coming soon, etc.) as this provides the user a great jump off point.

Movie newsAs this is updated regularly with great content, more emphasis should be placed on movie news and headlines.

About BlurbClearly state the IMDb position statement.

Login/Register AreaUsers will need to be able to easily login.

Latest TrailersIn the current site this is the focus of the page, while this is still an impor-tant part of the home page, I think this can be downplayed a bit.

DVD ReleasesThis is one part of the page that could be brought up. It serves both user and business goals well.

Featured Release

There is opportunity to highlight one movie on the home page, maybe the current box office leader or some-thing opening that week.

New Feature Spot(Character Pages)

This is an optional spot used to high-light new features or sections.

Born Today

This is a nice way to feature actors on the site and to get users to the photo pages.

Snapshot/FAQ/Poll

Pulling little bits of content from the site is a good idea, however I don’t see how it adds a whole lot of value here. This isn’t a priority though as it’s pretty lightweight content.

Footer Navigation

There needs to be a way on the page to navigate to standard information such as copyright information, pri-vacy policy, etc.

The goals of the home page reflect the overall goals of the site; to pro-vide a gateway to exploring movie and related information, to drive sales through Amazon and to generate ad views.

The home page should provide a good snapshot of what IMDb is all about and what kinds of information can be found here.

The home page should be focused, and clear, yet provide many options for a user beginning to browse or search for movie-related information.

It’s also important to note that an-other goal of the site is to generate revenue via carefully placed ads. These ads should be prominent but not overwhelming and a good bal-ance should be struck between ads, featured content and links.

IMDb.comPage description diagram

1 2 3 Notes

Highest Level of Need Lowest Level of Need

Home Page

Page Description Diagrams

Primary NavigationUsers need the ability to navigate with ease at all times.

Global Search FieldOn the home page there will need to be a way to search globally.

“Movie Lists”

The home page should keep the vari-ous movie lists (Tops / Opening / Coming soon, etc.) as this provides the user a great jump off point.

Movie newsAs this is updated regularly with great content, more emphasis should be placed on movie news and headlines.

About BlurbClearly state the IMDb position statement.

Login/Register AreaUsers will need to be able to easily login.

Latest TrailersIn the current site this is the focus of the page, while this is still an impor-tant part of the home page, I think this can be downplayed a bit.

DVD ReleasesThis is one part of the page that could be brought up. It serves both user and business goals well.

Featured Release

There is opportunity to highlight one movie on the home page, maybe the current box office leader or some-thing opening that week.

New Feature Spot(Character Pages)

This is an optional spot used to high-light new features or sections.

Born Today

This is a nice way to feature actors on the site and to get users to the photo pages.

Snapshot/FAQ/Poll

Pulling little bits of content from the site is a good idea, however I don’t see how it adds a whole lot of value here. This isn’t a priority though as it’s pretty lightweight content.

Footer Navigation

There needs to be a way on the page to navigate to standard information such as copyright information, pri-vacy policy, etc.

The goals of the home page reflect the overall goals of the site; to pro-vide a gateway to exploring movie and related information, to drive sales through Amazon and to generate ad views.

The home page should provide a good snapshot of what IMDb is all about and what kinds of information can be found here.

The home page should be focused, and clear, yet provide many options for a user beginning to browse or search for movie-related information.

It’s also important to note that an-other goal of the site is to generate revenue via carefully placed ads. These ads should be prominent but not overwhelming and a good bal-ance should be struck between ads, featured content and links.

IMDb.comPage description diagram

1 2 3 Notes

Highest Level of Need Lowest Level of Need

Home Page

IMDb.com Wireframes

Home Page

Movie and TV News

New on DVDNow Playing IMDb TV Message BoardsShowtimes and

Tickets

Login | Register

GO

The Internet Movie Database: Visited by over 50 million movie and TV lovers each month! Welcome to the Internet Movie Database, the biggest, best, most award-winning movie and TV site on the planet.

IMDb Logo

Movie NewsWeds, October 10th 2007Sutherland Pleads No Contest to Drunk Driving

Lohan Speaks out From Rehab

Hospital Workers Suspended for "Leaking" Clooney Medical Information

Tops at The Box Office

1. The Game Plan 2. The Heartbreak Kid 3. The Kingdom 4. Resident Evil: Extinction 5. The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

Opening This Week

We Own The Night Elizabeth: The Golden Age Michael Clayton Slueth Lars and The Real Girl

Coming Soon

30 Days of Night Rendition Things We Lost in The Fire Reservation Road Gone Baby Gone The Comebacks Wristcutters: A Love Story Dan in Real Life Saw IV

New DVDs This Week

Roots - The Next Generation - DVD Surf's Up - DVD 28 Weeks Later - DVD

Upcoming DVDs

Macgyver: The Complete Series-DVD Rosanne Season Nine - DVD Studio 60 - DVD

User Favorites

IMDb Top 250 Films Award Winners Video/DVD

IMDb ProMy Movies IMDb Resume

SEARCH IMDb

Featured Movie: We Own the Night

Movie Poster

Ad Spot

Director: James Gray

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes (Full Cast)

Studio: Columbia Pictures

The Plot: Though nightclub owner Bobby (Phoenix) and his police officer brother Joseph (Wahlberg) haven taken decidedly different paths in life, a near-fatal incident causes them to unite in a deadly confrontation with the mobsters who run Bobby's club.

THE BUZZ: It's like The Departed -- except they're brothers! And they know it! Anyone jonesing for some post-"Sopranos" mafia action should get their fix with this one. More...

Ad Spot

ALL

Ad Spot

Wireframes. A tricky deliverable.

IMDb.com Wireframes

Home Page

Movie and TV News

New on DVDNow Playing IMDb TV Message BoardsShowtimes and

Tickets

Login | Register

GO

The Internet Movie Database: Visited by over 50 million movie and TV lovers each month! Welcome to the Internet Movie Database, the biggest, best, most award-winning movie and TV site on the planet.

IMDb Logo

Movie NewsWeds, October 10th 2007Sutherland Pleads No Contest to Drunk Driving

Lohan Speaks out From Rehab

Hospital Workers Suspended for "Leaking" Clooney Medical Information

Tops at The Box Office

1. The Game Plan 2. The Heartbreak Kid 3. The Kingdom 4. Resident Evil: Extinction 5. The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

Opening This Week

We Own The Night Elizabeth: The Golden Age Michael Clayton Slueth Lars and The Real Girl

Coming Soon

30 Days of Night Rendition Things We Lost in The Fire Reservation Road Gone Baby Gone The Comebacks Wristcutters: A Love Story Dan in Real Life Saw IV

New DVDs This Week

Roots - The Next Generation - DVD Surf's Up - DVD 28 Weeks Later - DVD

Upcoming DVDs

Macgyver: The Complete Series-DVD Rosanne Season Nine - DVD Studio 60 - DVD

User Favorites

IMDb Top 250 Films Award Winners Video/DVD

IMDb ProMy Movies IMDb Resume

SEARCH IMDb

Featured Movie: We Own the Night

Movie Poster

Ad Spot

Director: James Gray

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes (Full Cast)

Studio: Columbia Pictures

The Plot: Though nightclub owner Bobby (Phoenix) and his police officer brother Joseph (Wahlberg) haven taken decidedly different paths in life, a near-fatal incident causes them to unite in a deadly confrontation with the mobsters who run Bobby's club.

THE BUZZ: It's like The Departed -- except they're brothers! And they know it! Anyone jonesing for some post-"Sopranos" mafia action should get their fix with this one. More...

Ad Spot

ALL

Ad Spot

Your deliverables should document and inform.

Consensus is for losers.

Cinematic Web Design

I love movies.

?So… what is

Cinematic Web Design

apple.com/macosx

apple.com/ipodshuffle/features.htmlapple.com/keyboard

weightshift.com/memo

uxmag.com

bearskinrug.co.uksimplebits.com

Finding the rightbalanceEntertainment : Education : Editorial

EntertainmentShaveEverywhere.com

Entertainment

Education

Editorial

EducationTickSpot.com

Entertainment

Education

Editorial

EditorialABriefMessage.com

Entertainment

Education

Editorial

IMDbWhat’s the right balance?

Entertainment

Education

Editorial

Be quick andefficient

”It took me a few seconds to draw it, but it tookme 34 years to learn how to draw it in a few seconds.”Paula Scher (on the the citi logo)

The only things standing between you

and your vision are the tools you use

to realize it.

Look at it through

a viewfinderStep back and see the big picture

25%

12%

Quick TipsSome crap I’ve learned

Trust your instincts

Design at the highest possible standard

Use real copy

THE REVEALwww.justwatchthesky.com/imdb/

Thank you.