March 2008

The Evolution of Compelling User Experience

Nordstrom was on to something when they put forth their customer service mantra "the customer is always right." This focus on users - their needs and their feedback - has become a mainstay in the world of product design, commercial marketing, and also in web site usability. Looking forward, users will expect effortless usability, and richer, more interactive experiences - an ever changing expectation as technology evolves.

We'll explore these issues at our Web Executive Seminar on May 8th to hear how non-profits and government agencies have put their users at the center of their redesign efforts, so please join us. Additional details below.

A few recent blog posts on user experience:

• Persuasive Architecture
• It's Called Usability Testing, Not User Testing
• Jakob Nielsen on Usability ROI

In this newsletter, we also share upcoming events, Forum One news, and news about our clients.

See you soon,
Sophie Campagne, Managing Director of User Experience & Design
scampagne@forumone.com

Upcoming Events

Web Executive Seminar
"Putting Online Audiences First, Again and Again"
May 8, National Press Club, Washington, DC
8 a.m. - 11 a.m.

In this Web Executive Seminar, our panel of speakers will provide tips and case studies about how they've applied user-centric techniques throughout the lifecycle of a redesign. Policy organizations, government agencies, think tanks, and other non-profits will benefit from hearing how persona design, usability testing and similar techniques have provided powerful insights -- not to mention time and cost savings -- to organizations.

• Learn more and register, and view our WES schedule for 2008.

LIVE Interview Online
Steven Clift on Building Town Halls Online
April 2, Liveinterviewsonline.com
11 a.m.

Forum One is pleased to host a live interview online with e-government expert Steven Clift. Steven will talk about opportunities, and barriers, to public participation in politics and the public sector online.

• Ask Steven a question, and join our live interview online on April 2.

Online Community Business Forum
April 14-15, Sante Fe, New Mexico
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Forum One's Online Community Business Forum is an invitation-based event bringing together business leaders to focus on online community business models, tactics, and trends.

• Contact Bill Johnston for more information, and view our online community event schedule for 2008.

Forum One News

Forum One Launches Forum One Networks

We've launched a new business unit focused on a growing need in corporate America: how to use online community and social media in business. Forum One Networks provides events, research, a professional network and related online community consulting.

• Read the press release.

Forum One in the News: "Characteristics of Successful Online Communities" in Idealware

Forum One's Andrew Cohen wrote an article summarizing attributes of successful online communities that has been published on Idealware. In this article, Andrew uses a neighborhood metaphor to explain the user-centric strategies that help online communities thrive.

• Read the Idealware article.

Client News

Does Your Neighborhood Have Good Carma?

With CARMA.org's new widget you can find out how many powerplants will be built in your backyard by 2010, and how much Carbon they'll be pumping out every year. "Carbon Monitoring for Action" is an initiative of the Center for Global Development. Check it out and embed the widget on your site, blog, or social network profile!

• More at www.carma.org/widgets.

Client Highlights

• Rebuilding Together has partnered with HGTV and others to launch the "Change the World. Start at Home" campaign.
  More at www.rebuildingtogether.org.
• The USAID-funded PSP-One project hosted the first online conference on social marketing in the developing world. More than 900 registrants participated online from more than 60 countries, and the top three panel discussions received approximately 3,000 views.
  Visit the conference site.
• Middle East Youth Initiative (MEYI) in the News: The New York Times (February 17) discussed obstacles to marriage for Egyptian youth and the negative impacts of the resulting social exclusion, citing work by the MEYI.
  More at www.shababinclusion.org.
• The Alliance for Aging Research launched an interactive osteoporosis treatment tool as part of its "Standing Strong Against Osteoporosis" campaign.
  More at www.agingresearch.org.
• The National Council of La Raza: Take the hate out of the immigration debate.
  More at www.wecanstopthehate.org.
• The National Alliance to End Homelessness will host its Annual Awards Ceremony and Reception, April 9 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
  More at www.naeh.org.
• InterAction will host its annual forum, May 6-9 in Washington, DC, with workshops and speakers on international development.
  More at www.interaction.org.
• Population and Health InfoShare: As of March 2008, more than 2,270 documents have been posted on reproductive and child health, HIV/AIDS, and population issues.
  More at www.phishare.org.
• Building Healthy Teen Relationships / Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Deadline is April 16 for proposals to develop new methods to prevent relationship violence.
  More at www.rwjf.org.

New Clients

We're very pleased to be working with a number of new clients, including:

• Health Care Improvement Foundation
• P.W. Feats
• FXB USA
• Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Center for American Progress

• Read more about what's new at www.forumone.com.