Comments on: Brighter Planet beta http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/ Web design news and insights since 1995 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:54:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jeffrey Zeldman http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-45816 Jeffrey Zeldman Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:36:12 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-45816 Sir, you have every right in the world to say what you think. I appreciate your honest feedback. Thanks! Sir, you have every right in the world to say what you think. I appreciate your honest feedback. Thanks!

]]> By: Josh Stodola http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-45813 Josh Stodola Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:55:08 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-45813 You're right, the design has grown on me significantly. It is effortless to navigate, and has quite a bit of quality content. In fact, I am memorizing some conservation tips and plan to start exercising them on my trip to Philly next week. I do still feel the main navigation should be left aligned and a different hover color (currently goes from green background to red). Regardless, I had no right to say anything negative about the design without putting the site to use first. Sorry! You’re right, the design has grown on me significantly. It is effortless to navigate, and has quite a bit of quality content. In fact, I am memorizing some conservation tips and plan to start exercising them on my trip to Philly next week.

I do still feel the main navigation should be left aligned and a different hover color (currently goes from green background to red). Regardless, I had no right to say anything negative about the design without putting the site to use first. Sorry!

]]> By: Peter Magellan http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-45791 Peter Magellan Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:27:39 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-45791 Love it! Clear, simple, readable, easy to navigate. I reckon it's a triumph. The only fault I could find on a quick trawl is that it doesn't recognise UK postcodes, but what did I expect? It's a US site. I'm with Josh on the red/green thing - but I don't see them being used on BP, so no issue. Nice one - I'll be a frequent visitor! Love it! Clear, simple, readable, easy to navigate. I reckon it’s a triumph. The only fault I could find on a quick trawl is that it doesn’t recognise UK postcodes, but what did I expect? It’s a US site.

I’m with Josh on the red/green thing – but I don’t see them being used on BP, so no issue.

Nice one – I’ll be a frequent visitor!

]]> By: Brighter Planet Blog » Web app update: another release out! http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-45511 Brighter Planet Blog » Web app update: another release out! Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:32:27 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-45511 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] And Jeff Zeldman — founder of Happy Cog, our design partner on this project — had some nice words, as did Happy Cog colleagues Whitney, Aaron, and Naz. Thank you all!! What a great pleasure [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] And Jeff Zeldman — founder of Happy Cog, our design partner on this project — had some nice words, as did Happy Cog colleagues Whitney, Aaron, and Naz. Thank you all!! What a great pleasure [...]

]]> By: Ronald's Website - News Feeds http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-45441 Ronald's Website - News Feeds Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:33:45 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-45441 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Brighter Planet beta The Happy Cog-designed social network for Brighter Planet is now in public beta. Come on down and kick the tires. Brighter Planet helps you take control of your environmental footprint: measure your climate impact, discover simple ways to reduce it, track your progress, and share your experiences with other people ... [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] Brighter Planet beta The Happy Cog-designed social network for Brighter Planet is now in public beta. Come on down and kick the tires. Brighter Planet helps you take control of your environmental footprint: measure your climate impact, discover simple ways to reduce it, track your progress, and share your experiences with other people … [...]

]]> By: Mike Gray http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-44994 Mike Gray Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:49:36 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-44994 @ Benjamin and Josh Try to keep some perspective guys. Those are very subjective comments based on your own personal opinions. The measure of success for ANY design project is that it meets the objectives set by the client and design team. Regardless of any expectations you may have of a design agency (whether it JZ's or any other) if the design achieved its objectives and the client is happy with the job, its a winner. Simple as that. @ Benjamin and Josh

Try to keep some perspective guys. Those are very subjective comments based on your own personal opinions.

The measure of success for ANY design project is that it meets the objectives set by the client and design team. Regardless of any expectations you may have of a design agency (whether it JZ’s or any other) if the design achieved its objectives and the client is happy with the job, its a winner. Simple as that.

]]> By: Jeffrey Zeldman http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-44993 Jeffrey Zeldman Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:39:37 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-44993 Wow, @Josh, harsh. Everyone to his or her tastes, of course, but we like this design. It feels friendly and organic yet not too crunchy-granola. We feel that the design is a simple platform that will only get better as it fills with content. It is a low-key design to be sure. We were not going for flashy. More like Facebook in earth-tones. We were going for something clean and unobtrusive that facilitates user activity and won't outwear its welcome. Maybe it doesn't grab you initially, but it grows on you over time. That, anyway, was our hope and goal, and I think Naz Hamid did a spendid job on the design. There are a couple of placeholder illustrations on the home page that are fine for now but not great, I'll grant you. Those will be replaced soon. But the overall design, to me, strikes a nice balance between formal and casual, and facilitates a great deal of activity without feeling cluttered. If we failed, it's my fault as creative director, but I feel the design has an understated merit and winning, quiet friendliness about it that feels right for its community and the company behind it. Wow, @Josh, harsh. Everyone to his or her tastes, of course, but we like this design. It feels friendly and organic yet not too crunchy-granola. We feel that the design is a simple platform that will only get better as it fills with content. It is a low-key design to be sure. We were not going for flashy. More like Facebook in earth-tones. We were going for something clean and unobtrusive that facilitates user activity and won’t outwear its welcome. Maybe it doesn’t grab you initially, but it grows on you over time.

That, anyway, was our hope and goal, and I think Naz Hamid did a spendid job on the design. There are a couple of placeholder illustrations on the home page that are fine for now but not great, I’ll grant you. Those will be replaced soon. But the overall design, to me, strikes a nice balance between formal and casual, and facilitates a great deal of activity without feeling cluttered.

If we failed, it’s my fault as creative director, but I feel the design has an understated merit and winning, quiet friendliness about it that feels right for its community and the company behind it.

]]> By: Josh Stodola http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-44983 Josh Stodola Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:13:27 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-44983 Wow, this is anything but vintage Happy Cog. I don't like it! The purpose of the site is fantastic, but I think this design is totally subpar (for <em>your</em> agency). The navigation doesn't feel right at all (centered). And regardless of what Christmas brings, red and green simply do not belong together. And it looks like Hamid used <a href="http://weightshift.com/" rel="nofollow">his site</a> as a template for this one. Boring. Where's the creativity?! Wow, this is anything but vintage Happy Cog. I don’t like it! The purpose of the site is fantastic, but I think this design is totally subpar (for your agency). The navigation doesn’t feel right at all (centered). And regardless of what Christmas brings, red and green simply do not belong together. And it looks like Hamid used his site as a template for this one. Boring. Where’s the creativity?!

]]> By: Benjamin Alijagić http://www.zeldman.com/2009/07/16/brighter-planet-beta/#comment-44949 Benjamin Alijagić Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:38:50 +0000 http://www.zeldman.com/?p=1804#comment-44949 Simple and nice but that header looks empty and weird, coz of center aligned navigation I guess. Some subtle illustration in header would be great too. Simple and nice but that header looks empty and weird, coz of center aligned navigation I guess. Some subtle illustration in header would be great too.

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