Blog A collection of our thoughts.

Recently, in addition to my client projects, I’ve decided that I want to expand into other ventures related to nonprofit where I feel that I could use some of my skills and connections to make a difference. I’ve been working with nonprofits for about ten years now and have learned quite a bit about their needs, the types of people that work at nonprofits and how design can be a powerful tool to bring awareness to them. Best practices in modern web design definitely still apply, but some of the focus points are different.

One trend in nonprofit web design is the use of the full width slideshow tool that cycles through current campaigns, initiatives or issues that need to be highlighted. It’s extremely relevant, but also something that becomes a challenge for a designer to think of better ways to make that area not only stand out but also think creatively to come up with different ways to navigate through that information. I use it on my website and I realize that it can become stale and overlooked when the content doesn’t change or even if it’s not fun to use.

Going back to some new ventures, I’m in the process of working on a tshirt business. What? Why? Tshirts? The idea had been brewing over the summer and after I returned from Haiti, I decided that I needed to make it a reality. There are so many issues in the world that are overlooked or forgotten. Even something as devastating as the earthquake in Haiti which occurred a year ago is a distant memory. The plan was to come up with a tshirt each month, but I’ve decided to start with 3-5 shirts and build from there. At the moment, I’m still researching silkscreen companies and also the possibility of partnering with nonprofits to donate proceeds to their cause but my main focus initially is coming up with tshirt designs to purchase and educate the buyer about the cause and ways to make a difference either by volunteering, spreading the word or donating. The site will be at http://theboringmachine.com. Please sign up and I’ll let you know when it launches.

Another project I’m working on that will probably come later down the road is connecting nonprofits with designers for small gigs. I recognize that many nonprofits don’t have in-house designers and might just need a designer or developer to assist with quick one off gigs. More info as that project evolves. Until then, work has been busy and we’re ramping up for the end of the year rush.

I’m currently in Port-au-Prince working for a disaster relief organization that is going through a full rebrand. The process has been pretty smooth and has been a great learning experience with a very compressed design cycle and also working directly with the client. Sitting on benches with mosquitoes buzzing around, 100+ degree heat is something I’ve had to adapt to, but I’m really enjoying it here. Although it’s quite a bit of work in the week or so I have remaining here, I’m pretty confident that being immersed in the culture, heat and the projects that the organization does has helped me better understand a client than I ever had. Also, sharing conversations over beer, listening to stories is all part of that experience. I hope to go out into the field either this weekend or early next week. There’s still quite a few projects to add to the Work section, but I won’t get to them until I return next week.

Its been three years since I’ve redesigned this website and a lot has changed in that time. Yippa started as a freelance business, but over the last year, Yippa has been transitioning into taking on more projects and working with other freelancers. It can be the natural evolution of a freelance business, but also one that has its challenges.

Over the last year, I’ve learned more about how finding the right people is so important to my business. And it’s not easy. It’s not necessarily design or development talent that I’ve had to look for (but of course this is really important), but finding trustworthy people who are flexible to working with hectic schedules that nonprofits often have. And working within a limited budget at times is another topic in itself.

Working with nonprofits can also be challenging when it comes to the process. It’s rewarding work, but due to the nature of every-changing issues, sometimes going in with a mentality that change is inevitable is necessary. Being flexible is key and designing something that can easily be changed becomes intuitive.

This site is the culmination of years of work and a collaborative effort with the Yippa team. It is a site that’s still evolving and because of that I think we’re ready to go live this week. Projects will be added and removed, content will be updated, but I think the new website presents more depth to our process, showcases the work better and uses some new fancy techniques that are supported by modern browsers.

I will be writing more about some of the projects we’ve worked on recently and about my upcoming trip to Haiti to help an awesome relief organization with a complete rebrand. Until then, we’ll be working out some minor quirks, working on client projects and taking on new work as usual. Yippa has changed, but the way I’ve been working with my clients will stay the same.