concept stories ::
from idea to launch by MA Neff
In project management roles, Picture the Worlds brings valuable knowledge.
One Internet broadband service provider founded by a group of former cable
executives retained Picture the Worlds to produce a promotional CD-ROM.
In addition to managing the collaborative and creative efforts of three
remote teams, our primary role was to translate the founder's vision into
a script, hire voice-over talent and manage the recording and editing
session at the post-production studio. In addition, PTW managed all phases
of storyboard creation and approval, including the production of computer
graphics by agency staff. We also selected and obtained all commercial,
archival and stock video and still images including reproduction rights
and licenses, then pre-edited these to fit the storyboard.
craft ::
- generative research
- heuristic evaluations
- visualization modeling
- customer maps
- personas & scenarios
- program of product & service concepts
- digital assets permissions rights
- treatments
chatter ::
In April rumors portending new online concepts skittered the web like
long due sunshine after a deluge of ad-showered surfing. First, Universal
Television Group CEO Jeff Zucker admitted there isn't enough interactivity
on shows like 'Dateline', 'Nightly News' and 'Today'. Zucker told the
audience at the Yahoo!-sponsored broadband conference in New York that
besides blogs, NBC had its eye on creating short shows specifically for
the web. Although fellow panelist Lloyd Braun, head of Yahoo! Media Group,
didn't spill the beans, other industry speculation suspects something's
up. First, immediately after announcing last November it was hiring former
ABC Television exec Braun, Yahoo! announced plans to open offices (read
"studios") in Santa Monica. Online storytelling is the lingo spilling
from the lips of Scott Moore, a Microsoft veteran who left his MSN programming
manager role to become VP of content operations at the fledgling Yahoo!
Media Group in May. The first thing conspicuously absent from the story
line so far is that the success of concepts will no doubt involve co-creation
with not only advertisers but also customers. The second mystery is how
to come up with original web concepts. And that's why creative work lies
ahead for all of us.
[20 & 27, 2005, Online Media Daily, Media Post]
areas of expertise ::
ambient retail
We conceptualized the centerpiece of the salons — the Ambience Bar
— where travelers experience pre and post flight mini spa treatments
featuring personal care products packaged to easily pass airport security
and to be used during flight, at travel destinations or in home treatments.
The Ambient DJ mixes sounds, scents, lighting to relax customers. Interactive
touchscreens let customers experience the salon products and promotions
or order products and treatments while relaxing at the Ambient Bar or
exploring floor displays.
project management
As a result of restructuring, we conducted a needs assessment study
by interviewing academic and nonacademic stakeholders including department
heads to understand the best way to redesign the college's website and
introduce the new structure and website the the college community of
users, including administrators, staff, affiliates and students. Based
on our findings we developed functional specifications and use case
studies which laid the foundations for information architecture diagrams
and wireframes. After finalizing the site's structural navigation and
feature lists, three interface design options were explored and presented
to the college. We hired the production team and worked with the college's
IT staff to launch the site. In addition we drew the entire college
site into the first comprehensive content map and provided online user
style guides, html templates and tables of downloadable icons, graphics
and headers. See project overview.
flash hang Tag
Prototype for an interactive hang tag wirelessly linking to all company
stores. See project overview.