process

PhizzPop Design Challenge - Creating a winning application in 3 days

Turning out an application using new software with only three days to do it is quite a challenge, to say the least. But that is precisely what we were challenged to do in the Microsoft sponsored, PhizzPop Design Challenge, Boston.

PhizzPop posed a particularly interesting challenge regarding process. No one builds applications in three days. So the challenge isn't really how do you produce a quality application, but more how do you squeeze weeks/months worth of work into three days to produce a quality application?

To answer this question, I thought it might be interesting to bring folks into our PhizzPop War Room and explain how we did it.

PhizzPop Design Challenge War Room

Brainstorming:

Moments after the challenge was presented, we opted not to go out for Microsoft-sponsored drinks and chose instead to take over a quiet room in the Microsoft offices to brainstorm. We immediately began to review the personas for user tasks and discuss what we believed would be possible with current technologies. Then, prompted by Jon, Outsight's Creative Director, we talked about "If the application was magic... what would we want it to do?"

Most modern web designers are aware of web standards and their positive impact on the web. Although the importance of using web standards isn’t an issue for many of us, how we talk about them, especially to potential clients in a sales pitch is.

The Pitch

Imagine the following: You’re pitching to a prospective client that is in need of a site redesign.

You’ve got one hour.

You talk through your prospective client’s challenges, maybe even solve a few along the way. You discuss look and feel, messaging, and how the site will work. The excitement builds as you both begin to “see” the site.

Twenty minutes to go.

You present your process and your work. Time line and budget are discussed, and the potential client begins to feel like a new client. You should feel happy, but the meeting isn’t complete.

What’s Missing?

It’s your duty as a web designer to explain the importance of web standards to a potential client. The problem is, if you try explaining web standards during a sales pitch, there’s a good chance that your prospective client’s eyes will glaze over.

Why?

It is my belief that it comes down to two specific reasons:

1. Client Expectations During a Sales Pitch

   Prospective clients more than likely will hire you for your ideas, and not for your knowledge about web standards.

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