“Every great idea starts in the design phase,” says Morrissey, who brings over 18 years of experience building and selling businesses, launching products and opening markets for both start-ups and Fortune 1000s. “And this presentation will highlight the benefits and opportunities that good design creates for start-ups, product developers and anyone interested in launching an idea.”

Please join members of the entrepreneur, information technology and marketing communities as they join forces with local businesses to offer this one-of-a-kind startup and innovation camp.

For more information, visit the St. Louis Innovation Camp site at http://www.stlinnovationcamp.com/.

Everyone, repeat after me:

- I am willing to give up features for a better designed product
- I am willing to give up features for a better designed product
- I am willing to give up features for a better designed product

OK, now go back to making the decisions around how complex you want your web product. Hopefully, the above exercise, if repeated frequently, will help frame the overall success of your initiative.

Why?

Because on national TV they admitted their pizza was bad, apologized and explained how their all new pizza will be dramatically better. As a customer, they listened to me and have taken bold steps to win me back. Awesome.

This kind of brutally honest self reflection is applicable to us all - especially when a sale could be worth millions of dollars. Do you actively search out what is said about your company, products or services through social media channels? Have you interviewed your clients to understand how they really feel? Is there is a separation of expectation? If so, how do you respond?

The brands that last are the ones that consistently make good on the promises they make. Think long term, embrace criticism and don’t be afraid to head back in the kitchen with a fresh perspective.

Ready Readers, a reading program for students in low-income communities, won the contest with more than 7,000 votes, and we’re happy-and-we-know-it excited to build them a site as amazing as their work. Think we’re exaggerating? Check this: Each Ready Readers volunteer adopts a preschool class for the school year, visiting that class weekly to read aloud and give the students new books. Amazing, right? Yeah, that’s what we thought. Now clap your hands!

The website redesign is revving up with meetings and greetings, and Ready Readers has big plans for a more interactive, user-friendly approach. Friend us on Facebook to follow the makeover, and watch out—once the new site is up it will be impossible to resist donating time and books to this amazing cause!

And where does PracticeLink go to punch up website usability and update its online brand?

Integrity, of course. After 15 years of massive growth and website additions, PracticeLink called us in to clean out the cobwebs and make sure all those physicians and employers aren’t getting lost in a maze of specialties, locations, CVs and alerts.

While we were rearranging and rebranding and pondering user-specific color palettes, we went ahead and increased SEO and improved usability as well. Perfectionists that we are, we just couldn’t help ourselves.

The result was a redesigned website that redefines the physician recruitment process—one that’s now faster, friendlier and way easier to understand than our doctor’s handwriting.

Friday, December 11 will usher in the first annual company foosball tournament. In preparation for this monumental undertaking, teams have been strengthening their flicking wrists, practicing their high-fives and trash-talking like Perez Hilton after three martinis.

“In honor of this time of holiday spirit and giving,” says Ed Morrissey of team Something Awesome, “We’re going to give John and Beth something to cry about.” His partner in crime, Catherine Betz, joins Ed in this festive proclamation of kicking ass.

Tensions are running high as more and more “important meetings about that website stuff… and things…” are being called-followed by the clicking and smacking of balls in the basement. And the occasional sob of defeat.

“We need our own theme song, we need our theme song!” cried Berrek Thompson, the other half of team Army of Darkness, along with Natalie Kurz, who was heard declaring, “That can of whoop-ass doesn’t come with a return policy, bubba.”

The office rivalries forming are epic—like Jacob and Edward, Harry and Voldemort, Jennifer and Angelina, Laverne and Shirley…oh, wait.

The winning tactics for team Tsunami, comprised of Reshma Chamberlin and Jake “the Viper” Wood, is for Reshma to squeal with delight at every goal in an attempt to unnerve the opposition.

Beth Buchanan, the other half of John Simanowitz’s team Master of Kung Foos, has been overheard shouting, “I’m gonna take down Facebook! Take it DOWN! Wait, what is this for again?” But it was shouted so ferociously, she has everyone shaking in their Uggs.

Robin Rath and Deanna Simanowitz, of team Master Paddlers, have taken the high road and refrained from partaking in the juvenile shenanigans of ribbing their opponents. Unless they are engaging in some form of silent mind control tactics. Freaky!

Check out the brackets and catch post-game highlights after we sober up enough to post them!

A self-proclaimed control freak, Jake loves the logic and structure of using code to turn the conceptual into the concrete. He also loves gaming, strumming his guitar and playing soccer with his mom. And we aren’t about to leave out Jake’s girlfriend, Mandy. She’ll be baking chocolate chip cookies for our holiday party this year, so she’s sort of our new best friend. Now there’s a reason for the piñata!

Originally from California, Berrek meandered his way around the country before landing in the Heartland, where he has discovered that surfing and beaches aren’t required as long as there’s live music in his life. Of course it’s his wife—a hairstylist who keeps his locks looking rockstar fab—and his “puppy-dog and kitty-cats” that really make his life complete, as does his job at the coolest interactive agency around (we made him say that last part).

We’re puffing out our chest feathers and waking the neighbors to announce and welcome the newest hen, Catherine Betz, to the roost. Catherine spent the past few years as a marketing writer at a large university where she worked her magic writing and editing SEO content, streamlining project-tracking processes and smoothing unruly content into pleasant, flowy prose. In fact, she’s so good at preventing reader headaches, her new nickname around the office is Excedrin. How about that for a week two welcoming? In addition to saving readers money on over-the-counter medications, Catherine spends time shaping the minds of young ones as a part-time English teacher at a local community college. Now that’s something to crow about!

When not at the office fielding questions about her recently acquired hens and their lifestyles, laying habits and personalities, Catherine can be found walking her dog in Tower Grove Park, biking, playing volleyball, cheering the Jayhawks on in hoops and traveling with her husband.

]]> http://integritystl.com/index.php/2009/09/catherine/feed/ http://integritystl.com/index.php/2009/09/welcomerobin/ http://integritystl.com/index.php/2009/09/welcomerobin/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:21:03 +0000 Natalie http://integritystl.com/?p=536

We’re excited to report that yet another teammate has rounded the bases and arrived home. Not only does Robin Rath possess a party-in-your-mouth name, he is our newest Director of User Experience Design, which is a fancypants title for “really talented fellow.” Robin is a designer who really cares about people - awe, warm fuzzies! What we mean by that is that Robin’s primary focus is on user experience and usability, skills he has fine-tuned through his 10 years spent acquiring, managing and merging startups. Robin has designed and managed projects ranging from large scale web-application development to brand-focused microsites. Ooohhhh… Ahhhh… We hear one of the biggest perks about his line of work is having the opportunity to use multi-colored Sharpies on a regular basis. So that’s why our supply closet is looking so empty…

When Robin isn’t busy wearing out office supplies and wireframing, he enjoys spending time with his soon-to-be wife and their weimaraner, Tycho. Robin also likes the outdoors, playing tennis, cheering on the Cardinals and traveling as much as possible.

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