While we love the theme as-is, we think it resembles Campfire more than Twitter. It would not be hard to modify the theme to allow file uploads. We also were unclear as to why login options weren’t readily available in the front-end, but that too would be easy to integrate. In fact, we’ll go ahead and make these modifications in the near future and post the revised theme right here (unless someone beats us to it).

Alternatively, the message and comment features in activeCollab BC already allow similar functionality, though not as simply presented. This might be a great feature to consider in our upcoming project management re-do. Stay tuned…

Perhaps one of the best reasons to bookmark the site is that it simply categorizes each technique based on its main function. So, if you’re looking for an intuitive way to “deal with data” or “get input from users” in that next big project, you’re golden.

Though at last visit this page was missing a title tag, the information it provides the customer is invaluable. Our favorites from this page:

• A chart provides a simple yet detailed breakdown of what’s changed and where you can find what you need.
• The FAQ, though it appears simplistic, accurately identifies the main issues returning customers might have with the new design and offers reasonable explanations. Heck, they even alliterated (Shopping, Searching, Saving and Buying). Everything is presented as a “good thing” for the customer, not some corporate decision based on research and stats.
• The tone is conversational. “That’s cool” and “Hmm” wouldn’t be found on most corporate sites, with the possible exception of focus group targeted marketing copy.
• They offer a special explanation for people that liked the old design. Many companies would try to downplay the old design to the point of not even mentioning it at all. They identify the location of moved features right up front.
• Perhaps this one’s a no brainer, but it is important that Amazon readily solicits customer feedback about the design of the site itself. No amount of planning and research can replace your customer’s experience once your design is in the wild. Amazon promises to continue to work to improve the site, meaning they want to convey that user feedback will not go unheeded. This can be the scariest part of web or UI design, but taking your users’ (or customers’) concerns into consideration will make your design that much stronger in the end.

The “red” and white, handsomely-Helvetica set includes such important safety announcements as “Please do not use Word Art”, “Microsoft Word is not a design tool”, and “Idea stolen from: [fill in the blank].” The site’s disclaimer aside, these will come in handy the next time you see an event poster cluttering a store window or the next time you shop at Wal-mart.

• Increase conversions: Successful redesigns can increase conversions by up to 100% or more.
• Increase adoption: Empirical research shows that perceived ease of use and usefulness are primary drivers of technology adoption.
• Enhance customer satisfaction: A good user experience will increase customer satisfaction and therefore drive repeat and referral business.
• Key differentiator: Apple elevated the user experience to a high art and look what it did for them.

If your client wants the popularity of Amazon with the flair of Apple for their thingamabob site, point out the things those companies have done right with their experience. You don’t have to copy a great experience to learn from it and use it as a good example for convincing stakeholders.