Dear FEED – [RE: your first boards]

We unanimously agree that what we have in our hands for now is a graphic representation of the architecture of our website, a first layout of the information.

We now have to finetune a few items regarding the architecture itself and to start working on a proper art direction. At this stage, the very much wireframe-like and minimalistic design should be balanced with a few strong graphic statements. We favor a somehow ‘geeky’ art direction to add an essential techno feel to the overall design and layout.

Here are a few bits & bobs that need being taken care of:

“Service” Page:
We’ll take the number of columns down to 3 and add the relevant expertise on each Service Page. ‘Services’ will then pile up in a left hand side column and push the content down and make it available for the filtre menu.

Left section menu:
It is important to make sure some space will remain available underneath for other sections – ‘techno partners’ Page, ‘Qatar’ Page, etc. – that will be added later, either temporarily or permanently. (see below)

‘Project’ Page:
We want to keep the iPad-feel modular layout, where all the main info is available in one single frame. A little finetuning on both right hand side columns (‘services’ &  ‘clients’) could help giving it a little texture. All related contents remain underneath.

AD:
- the colour chart has to be developped further and integrated to the navigation processes;
- give a ‘geek chic’ or ‘old school funky geek’ flavor to the whole thing;
- test a few different backgrounds. White? Others?

Changes in the structure:

1.The Lab Section as we first imagined it is somehow too messy with a bit of everything and several elements that should rather appear in the Services section. Mini applications will be accessible in the R&D section, with a separate page for each application to allow its online presence independently from the Bluesponge site.The Lab section will be renamed ‘Snaps’ or ‘Observations’ and will feature daily snapshots of what we’re doing and thinking that will be easily and quickly uploaded through mobile phone and dated.

The question of the day: do we use Kontain.com (Check it out here (http://www.kontain.com), some sort of ‘flickr meets twitter’ new application – considering it was launched recently by Fi, a similar company to ours from NYC/Stockhom (brotherly solidarity suggests we should) – or do we stay within a unified word-press  environment with Flickr viewer plug-in, that would feed off the Bluesponge Flickr account? After discussions with the boys, we feel it’s too early for Kontain, especially that it doesn’t seem to offer open APIs meaning all our collaborators would have to migrate to the new platform to contribute. For now, we’ll start by uploading daily snapshots from a mobile flickr app. I love the app though, and its ability to instantly connect to all followers and make sharing fun. Is it the next Flickr everyone’s been looking for? Can’t wait to see how it grows.

2. BDMI Module (the Bluesponge Digital Media Index)
The index is still in prototyping mode for now. So on the home page, we will only display the index with daily % growth. on lick, it will take us to the prototype individual index page (as discussed above). Wit time we could add a javascript function that would scroll through the companies constituting the index (nytimes front-page module)

A last note, we discussed with the integration team and they are very comfortable with the proposed architecture as it would be very efficient to integrate and grow. So we’re on the right track from that angle as well.

Can’t wait to get your feedback with new stuff. We’re getting closer.

Big up.