Jordan Viator

"Opening the kimono" and seeing the ins and outs of wireframing for web information architecture is something many of us never actually get to see. Seeing the "behind-the-scenes" work that goes into sketching, laying out and setting up the foundation for a web site is not well shared in the industry, but in the session "The Right Way to Wireframe" at this year's SXSWi, Todd Zaki Warfel and Russ Unger worked to change that.

For the layman web user or designer, you might be asking - why is wireframing important? Well, wireframing is the foundation of your web site, and thus one of the most important aspects any web site should focus on in the beginning stages of formation or redesign. Having worked on full-scale web designs, I was intrigued to see what some of the leaders in the industry had to say about wireframing and user research for web design -- an imperative aspect for nonprofits I might add as every organization should have a web site designed for optimal user experience and effectiveness.

The great part about the workshop was that the speakers worked with Lend4Health, a nonprofit focused on micro-loans for health issues and children, run by one woman (Tori Tuncan) out of her home to use as the focus for their work. Tori is currently using a BlogSpot, one page website. Tori knew she needed a more effective website and got paired up with a set of Information Architects/User Experience experts to help come up with ideas and wireframes of a new site for her nonprofit organization.  Oh, and they were concurrently competing with each other on how the others would approach the project and the tools they would use, not sharing an information with each other along the way.

The Goal: turn her website into multi-page, effective web site that would allow her to handle the volume of work that was coming her way.

This video shows one of the processes from start to end, looking at sketching to actual technical design (sans the first 10 seconds of the video).

All in all, the main elements the speakers harped on included:

• Any process always begins with RESEARCH! -->interviews, remote observation
• Research should be put into all aspects of your design and structure
• Sketching before using creating any final design or wireframe is crucial (dump all your ideas out on paper before embarking on any actual draft)
• Use persona- based roles when thinking about how people will interact with your web site
• You'll still begin to uncover new/different "stuff" as you begin to wireframe
• After you hand sketch out, then you can introduce the technology to help with the technical design (true wireframe)
• Pitch and Critique the work in front of a group of peers (iterate based on feedback)
• The technology you use for this work, the actual software for wireframing, isn't important. It's the communication of the elements you want to portray that's important.

And, one of my personal favorite quotes from the panel that I thought worthwhile to share"If you're not considering mobile on your site in 2010, what's wrong with you?"

The session was chock full of great information for anyone interested in gaining perspective on what goes into a user experience research and information architecture on the web. The presenters were able to show how they're working to "change the world through design" one day at a time.

So what about you? Are there any great tips you have for information architchture work? Or any questions you have about the work for the experts out there? 

It’s less than 24 hours until the masses start filling the Austin Convention Center for one of the biggest and best Interactive conferences of the year: South By Southwest.

My favorite part of SXSW in recent years is the flood of nonprofit and socially conscious topics, speakers and movements that are becoming more prevalent on the line-up. And for anyone attending the event and looking for some insight into how to get in on the philanthropic and social advocacy action, here are some of my recommendations on sessions, events and activities that have gold stars next to them on my personal event agenda. (For news and happenings from the live event, feel free to follow me at @jordanv on Twitter)

1. SXSW Web Awards: Last year was the first year SXSW introduced the Advocacy award and this year there are some amazing nominees up to be recognized for their creative and effective use of interactive for social good.

2. The Nonprofit Technology Bash will be the best place to mingle and meet with folks from all across the nonprofit technology sector, as well as kick back and have some fun on the last night of the Interactive conference. And for all you people using Four Square, it's also one of the official Check-in for Charity locations (hint: new badge anyone?)

3. The Beacon: Lounge with a Conscience! Beaconfire Consulting will be hosting the “Lounge with a Conscience” throughout the Interactive festival.  The lounge will be the place to meet the best and brightest socially-conscious Geekeratti at SXSW and catch some unplugged local music. 

4. The HardlyNormal Cup of Coffee, Social Media for Social Good series. For three mornings (Saturday, Sunday and Monday) in the BeaconFire Lounge, respective leaders and experts in the field of using social media for social good will be speaking and recording an online tv series. Chris Brogan, Beth Kanter, Jeff Pulver, Kari Saratovsky and LifeChurch.tv will all be featured and sharing their standards of “now communication” with Mark Horvath who is leading the discussions.

5. Games for Good panel Monday, March 15 at 12:30 PM– “You made an amazing, educational, and progressive game using the latest in gaming technology- now how do you get people to actually play it? Hear from the nonprofits that have made it happen.”

6.Technology For Results Not Profits panel Saturday, March 13 11:00 AM– “When technology is leveraged around passion and purpose for the sake of results not profits, powerful things can happen. While most non-profits are not known for technology, some are, and they are defying the traditional business models that drive technology.”

7. Crowd Sourcing Innovative Social Change panel Sunday, March 14 at 03:30 PM – “Social media builds buzz and raises money, but what about real, on-the-ground change? The Social Change Challenge will crowdsource innovative ideas from nonprofits to change the world. We'll share big ideas for using social media for nonprofit program delivery and some good tips for crowdsourcing for social change.”

8. Digital Marketing for Non-Profits panel Saturday, March 13 at 03:30 PM– “How to work with limited marketing budgets and a failing economy to build an online brand, raise awareness of a cause and fundraise effectively.  We'll also talk about how you can get sizeable online grants and free/discounted help from key professionals.”

9. Change the World, Lives, with Bikes core conversation Tuesday, March 16 at 11:00 AM– “This core conversation will talk about how cycling, the bike, and social media are changing the world and lives. You'll learn about Livestrong's community and Bike Hugger's blog, events like the Mobile Social, and the millions who follow Lance Armstrong on Twitter. It's a discussion of bike and pop culture and socializing the good with these Interweb tools”

10. Uprising Tide panel Saturday, March 13 at 03:30 PM - "Inciting Online Communities into Offline Movements - Ready to put your tech community on the map? Some unlikely instigators from New Orleans did just that with little more than passion, a bus, T-shirts, and some duct tape. Let them show you how to create an organic net-roots movement that upends traditional power structures
and galvanizes your community."

11. Yes Mr. Lessig we can Change Politics panel Sunday, March 14 11:20 AM- "Last year at SXSWi, Larry Lessig introduced Change Congress, a movement to clean up corruption in Congress. But that's only the beginning. All elected offices (local, state, and yes even Congress) need more techies, scientists, and engineers. Now! Why techies should run for office -- and how they can win."

12. I Don’t Trust you One Stinking Bit panel Saturday March 13 12:30 PM- “What gives people confidence on the web? Bringing together experts in social capital and online trust, we help you build the company your users can love and call their own.”

13. In code We Trust: Open Government Awesomeness panel Friday March 12 2:00 PM- "In Code We Trust" is the new motto for Government in the 21st century. Across the country, geeks inside and outside of government are developing a new model for a participatory and transparent Federal, State and Municipal governments. Built upon open-source tools, open standards, and best practices, this panel will highlight practical examples of initiatives from private, public and government sectors."

14.Don't Stop Believin: Singing our Way to Changing the World Monday, March 15 at 05:00 PM - "Karaoke came on like a ninja...stealthily entering North American pubs and Koreatowns. But it wasn't here to enterain, no. Karaoke came to unite us in song. In fact, Karaoke is a core part of our reMix culture and this panel will show you how. This stellar group of speakers (some of whom wrote books on the subject) will uncover the real impetus behind the karaoke revolution."

15. The Future of Influence Saturday, March 13 at 11:00 AM- "The ability to share online has allowed consumers to control and filter the web. For brands and publishers, tapping into Influence is critical to social media's future. What is influence and how is it measured? Leading voices in social media from multiple backgrounds will define the value of influence, discuss best practices, and predict future impact. Data will be shared! This panel is sponsored by ShareThis."

16. Why Gen Y Wants to Wrok “With” You , Not “For” You Monday, March 15 at 03:30 PM- "Put aside the negative stereotypes of entitled, rebellious 20-somethings and take a minute to dig deeper and see what makes us tick. At almost 80 million strong, the Gen Y workforce is shaping the cubicle nation and the way brands are forced to engage consumers. It's more than a desire to wear t-shirts and jeans to work; it's a new mindset. As we digital natives migrate into a workplace full of Boomers and Gen Xers, worlds collide. Truly learn the concept of ''with'' vs. ''for'' straight from the minds of 5 diverse and successful Gen Yers!"

Of course there are a TON more sessions, events and yes, parties I'm looking forward to but these are all the to-dos on the top of my list so far. Looking forward to seeing all you other do-gooders and techies out and about it the coming days. I'll be posting from the event, and if you see me around the convention center stop by and tell say hi!

**Addition: As my buddy Chad Norman at Blackbaud reminded me, I neglected to include "Debunking the Myth of Social Media Fundraising" on the list above. And while the panel has come and gone, it was a great session filled with some wonderful material...blog post coming soon on the takeaways! And great job Stacey Monk, Brooke McMillan, Frank Barry, Donna Wilkins and Jodie Kolkowski!

Rapid response is a top-of-mind topic for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes right now. Earlier this year Molly posted 7 quick tips to taking action quickly in times of need and numerous other resources and learnings have been put out since with the issue at top of mind for nonprofits and charities around the world (see: 5 Social Media Lessons From the Haiti Earthquake Relief Effort by Geoff Livingston, Helping Haiti: Places to Donate, Creative Fundraising Ideas and Being a Smart Donor by Britt Bravo, How to Communicate in the Shadow of Disaster -- Guidelines for Respectful but Effective Outreach by Nancy Schwartz, The Social Media Response to Disaster in Haiti by Amy Sample Ward and Text-to-Give Fundraising Campaigns Take Off by Joanne Fritz amongst others) 

Being prepared for an unforeseen surge of donations is something every nonprofit should be positioned for, and the swell of attention doesn’t need to come only from a natural disaster. Unanticipated press coverage and subsequent attention on your cause can be the result of change of law or a court’s ruling. It may even be as simple yet unexpected as a pop culture figure bringing an issue to the forefront through controversy. The lesson far too many nonprofits learn the hard way is how to be prepared for unplanned events.

In a follow-up piece to Molly’s original 7 quick tips, a new guide entitled “Be Prepared When Your Mission Calls” is now available with an in-depth look at rapid response preparedness and case studies on nonprofits that have leveraged the best practices outlined here to maximize fundraising and outreach success in times of need. 

A few of the top takeaways from the guide include:

Respond Quickly - When communicating during times of crisis, simplicity and effectiveness are far more important than design or prose.  A straight-forward communication will help your supporters understand your organization’s position to the crisis and how they can support your efforts.

A quick response requires a quick setup – the more time you spend on approving messaging is less time you have to harness the energy and interest around your cause. Plan and prepare to the best of your ability so that you can respond rapidly.

Adjust Your Message - Sometimes messaging around an event requires sensitivity. But don’t let that inhibit your creativity to turn this concentration of awareness into something positive for your organization.

For example, The Polly Klaas Foundation,  a national nonprofit committed to promoting child safety, demonstrated a unique way to adjust its message to help with emergency response while remaining true to their mission.  In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, the Polly Klaas Foundation sent an email to their house file urging people to donate to specific international disaster relief agencies that “focus on protecting children who have been separated from their families, and helping those children reunite with family members.” This was an exceptional example of an organization finding a creative way to further their mission and adjust to a disaster despite the fact that donations would support other organizations.

Know the Plan - Working quickly sometimes is accompanied by haphazard decision making. The unintended fallout of such mistakes can be missed opportunities, offended donors or worse, PR problems. The number one mistake any organization can make is not having the right message on the right donation form at the right time. Planning for these events and knowing your anticipated response helps you to minimize the opportunity for error and maximize your capacity to seize the benefits a media spotlight can provide.

The Guide outlines the above best practices in detail, provides additional best practices and tactics to follow and offers examples from nonprofit peers highlighting successful ways they've followed the guide's tips.

Have any other lessons learned or tips to add to the list? Know of an organization who exemplifies how to respond rapidly in times of need? Share them here so the nonprofit community can be better prepared the next time the need arises.

In the past 8 days, the surge of generosity for Haiti relief has been amazing.  In less than a week, nonprofits using Convio systems have raised over $100 million through email appeals, websites and social media outreach and many other organizations are raising record amounts. Most importantly the support continues to roll in.

Unfortunately there are some bad people in the world too. It’s at this point that some begin seeing frauds and schemes for individuals to capitalize on the relief efforts. And while every donor should take measures to be as savvy as possible when it comes to giving to organizations, there are many resources available to make this a simple task.

In an article by the Seattle Times, the FBI has advised on a short list of tips to help avoid scams including not responding to unsolicited emails, being skeptical of anyone representing themselves as a survivor needing help through email or social networking, verifying  non-profits through independent Internet searching rather than following links, making contributions directly to known organizations and not giving out personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions.

Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, provided last week the following in-depth list of tips and tricks to help fund Haiti relief efforts and ensure funds go to deserving, good-intentioned organizations:

1. Avoid Newly-Formed Charities and Give To An Established Charity That Has Worked In Haiti - Establishing a new charity is hard enough, but in a crisis, the odds of succeeding are slim to none. Think of it this way: would you entrust all your savings in a financial firm that just opened, doesn't even have stationery, and whose employees have no experience in investing money? Doubtful. Find a charity with a proven track record of success in providing disaster relief and one that has worked in Haiti. Start with the list of charities on the right and if a group you are considering supporting isn’t there, then take the time to thoroughly research it before making a gift.
2. Do Not Give To The Haitian Government – Haiti is known to be a corrupt country. And news reports post earthquake indicate that the government is pretty much not functioning. If that isn’t enough reason not to give directly to the Haiti government, then consider the fact that contributions to foreign governments are not tax deductible.
3. Designate Your Investment – Generally, it is best to trust your chosen charity to spend your donation as it sees fit. But with disaster related giving, you should specify that you want your donation only used to respond to this particular crisis.
4. Do Not Send Supplies – Knowing that millions of people are desperately in need of food and water, it is hard not to want to pack up a box of supplies and send it to Haiti. But this type of philanthropy is simply not practical or efficient. Even if mail could get to Haiti, no one is set up to receive these goods, much less organize and distribute them to the victims. Furthermore, charities are often able to partner with companies to acquire large amounts of in-kind donations such as bottled water and new clothing. Instead of boxing up and sending your old clothing, have a garage sale and turn your used goods into cash and donate that to a worthy charity.
5. Be Careful Of Email Solicitations
   
   • Be Leery Of People That Contact You Online Claiming To Be A Victim – Unless you personally know someone in Haiti, anyone alleging to be in this position is most likely part of a scam. Obviously, people affected by the earthquake are in no position to contact you directly for assistance.
   • Delete Unsolicited Emails With Attachments - Never respond to unsolicited emails. Do not open any attachments to these emails even if they claim to contain pictures from Haiti. These attachments are probably viruses.
6. Seek Out The Charity’s Authorized Website – Refer to our blog from yesterday as to why this is important. 
7. Is it safe to make a text donation? - So long as you do your homework, yes. Please visit our blog for a longer explanation.
8. Consider The Nature Of The Charity’s Work – Not every charity is responding in the same way. Some are providing medical assistance, some shelter, some food and water. Others will be more focused on either short term or long term rebuilding efforts. And some are just helping to fundraise for other nonprofits. Think about what it is you want your philanthropic investment to accomplish and then take the time to find the charities doing that work. At Charity Navigator we link to each charity’s website so that you can quickly learn more about their plans to help in Haiti. 
9. Be Inspired By Social Media, But Still Do Your Homework – Social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs are delivering heart-wrenching images and information about Haiti to our computers and phones. Many of them include pleas to donate. While these tools can be a powerful tool to inspire your desire to help, you should not blindly give via these vehicles. You must take the time to investigate the groups behind such pleas for help to ensure that it comes from a legitimate nonprofit. For example, you can donate $10 to the American Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999. As of today [when this article was first posted], this tool has raised $3 million for the Haiti earthquake relief efforts. (*this number has been greatly supassed at the time of this posting) 
10. Avoid Telemarketers – As always, hang up the phone do your homework and give directly to a charity. 
11. Do Not Expect Immediate Results, But Do Keep Tabs On What Your Donation Accomplishes- It takes time for charities to mobilize, to assess the problems that need to be addressed and to develop effective solutions. Donors need to be patient so charities will not feel pressured to plunge in and offer ineffective aid, simply to placate impatient donors. That doesn't mean donors shouldn't hold the charities accountable for delivering on their promises! Be sure to follow up with the charity in a few months to find out (a) how your donation was put to use and (b) if the organization needs additional support to complete the recovery effort.

Note: as we compile additional tips to follow during this time of increased likelihood of fraud, we will continue to update the above list.

Guest post by: Emma Zolbrod, Marketing Consultant

Reading the news in early January, I came across a few “Top 5” and “Top 10” lists for a variety of topics tied to 2009. These individual snapshots of what transpired over the past twelve months along with the Convio Resolutions Guide got my wheels turning. Would it be possible to sift through a year’s worth of engagements as an independent marketing consultant and boil down the lessons I learned in 2009 into a series of “Top 5” lists? Well, I decided to give it my best shot, starting with social media.

Top 5 Lessons Learned in 2009: Social Media

1. It’s growing … fast. And there aren’t any signs that it’s slowing down in the near future. So, there’s no time like the present for nonprofits to start dabbling in the world of social media, ideally with some sort of idea about what you want to accomplish and how you’re going to make it happen. 
2. Everybody’s doing it. I have to admit that I was a bit surprised to receive a friend request from my mother-in-law, especially since she doesn’t even own a computer. I just chalked it up to being a sign of the times.  And then I was friended by my 13-year old niece. There’s quite the age gap between these two individuals, but I guess that’s what’s so great about the Internet: it’s accessible to people of all ages. Social media just brings everyone a little bit closer to each other. For nonprofits, it means just that, as well as getting a better glimpse into the personal lives of supporters.
3. Brush teeth. Comb hair. Tweet. Yes, it’s that natural for Generation Y. Social media is a part of their everyday life. It’s clearly one of the best channels that a nonprofit can use to reach this demographic. They live, eat, and breathe social media in its various forms – from Facebook and MySpace to Twitter and YouTube. Telemarketing? Forget it. (By the way, landlines are apparently a thing of the past.) So, if you want to connect with the folks of this generation, then you’ll need to meet them where they are.
4. Don’t underestimate the power of influencers. Just like in the offline world, the online world is full of influencers. And when it comes to Generation Y, these individuals have a significant impact on the masses. What’s cool these days? An influencer will let their friends know through something as subtle as a status update or a logo in their profile picture. And she’ll tell two friends, and they’ll tell two friends ... you get the idea. Now figure out how to make it work to your nonprofit’s advantage.
5. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Life is different in the world of social media. In a recent conversation with James Young, Senior Product Strategy Manager at Convio, I was reminded of the fact that these social networks have been around longer than I thought. If you’re a nonprofit arriving late in the game, it’s important to be smart about your strategy for reaching potential supporters. In most cases, there’s little point trying to start from scratch if somebody else is out there doing something for your organization already. This is probably the most difficult lesson to digest because old habits die hard.

I’m sure many of you learned other lessons in social media in 2009. So, please share them so that we can learn from each other and figure out this wacky thing called the “information super highway”. (Psst ... I hear it’s going to be the next big thing!)