It's been a while...

Dear Blog, I'm sorry that it has been a while since I last wrote on you. I hope that you will understand that the last year has been mental - new house, new job, new baby and all the time still running The Yard Creative. I promise that I won't leave you unloved for so long in the future. Cheers me dears, Sian xxx

Great online fast food experience

I never would have thought that ordering fast food online could be such a good experience but if you are a bit of a geek, like me, and you like pizza then try ordering online at Papa Johns



The online user journey is slick and encourages you to find your local store, the offers are easily applied and the live order status (aka knowing when to get your ass in to the car) is a real bonus.

But best of all, when you arrive to pick up (they do delivery too) the order has been processed, your pizzas boxed and clearly labeled with your name and the pizza type. All you have to do is pick up the pizza, sign a slip to say you have picked up and off you go!!!

Well done to Papa Johns in having such a well executed experience that seamlessly intergrates both online and offline services.

Oldie but a goodie

Just found this on my machine under 'Blog this', so I'm following my own instructions!

This was the BBC election site for the 2010 General Election - things I thought were worth blogging about:
- user generated video content
- interaction of the video content
- visual display of the video content

Very nice ineed! have a look and a play at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8602143.stm

The hungry basket

Found this and thought it was so lovely that I just couldn't resist blogging it!



http://www.threadless.com/

my digital life

://ionz.com.br/ to get your own personalised infographic. One thing I hope is that my life really isn't that simple to interpret!


Great example of a personalised info graphic. Check out http

break the form rules

Intersting conversion case study of a traditional form design v's an inline 'conversational' form... which one converted more...have a look for yourself:

online and in-store

Over the past 5-8 years the trend has been for companies to move services online in order to reduce costs streamline business processes and attract wider audiences. Is it time that online and in-store met in the middle of the road?

Moneysupermarket.com may have started this movement with their interactive shop window on Oxford Street at Christmas time. The window allowed shoppers to quickly and easily compare prices between stores whilst shopping.

With a little bit of creative thinking there could be bundles of opportunities for online services to appear on the high street:

• Design, save, share and compare your own bathroom/kitchen/living room within the furniture department of a department store
• Use mash-up technology to find products and stock counts when in-store
• Save gondola space in entertainment stores by using the online catalogue to browse music before buying the physical products
• Make more of the valuable space taken up by fitting rooms and reduce the annoying fitting room queues by using photo sharing sites to try on clothes and makeup

Both Tesco and Argos do a good job of blending their online experience with in-store due to their ‘order online and pick up in-store’ offering… but there is still the opportunity to take retail to the next ‘interactive’ level.