No Excuses for Poor Signage

It was an honor to present concepts discussed in this blog on Friday to the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life. A wide range of organizations were represented by their avatars in the central arena. There to discuss signage, I reviewed the best reviewed here and discussed tips and ideas for how they can improve their signage overall. Although most of the organizations, unfortunately, design their own signs, there are still ways that they can improve by following some basic considerations. Hopefully they will grow enough where they can afford to give their group a graphic face.

Sitting off to the extreme left, my avatar waits to make the next presentation. My title slide is up, a cube of my sign designs, and four examples of inworld books.

So here is a synopsis of the presentation that I made to them:

LESSONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR VIRTUAL GRAPHICS:

Perhaps the biggest frustration for visiting any location in SL is to figure out where you are. How many times do you tp into a spot and it takes five minutes just to figure out if you are in the right place? On the assumption that I am not alone in this

In real life, my graphic design and publication practice primarily services nonprofit organizations. So naturally I have been studying the design of Nonprofit Commons. And because I write about design as a published author of print books and articles, I have been blogging about my discoveries and what I have learned here. I am thrilled to be asked to share my perceptions and hope that my comments are useful to you.

The most important thing any organizational director can do in their SL presentation is to take a step back and try to put him or herself in the shoes of the visitor. How easy is it to see the signage?

The most important concern, as your first face to every visitor, considerations that will help improve your presentation:

1.  Placement. It is better to have more smaller signs than a single large one. Many organizations place a sign above the door, causing the newly arrived avatar to have to look up. The first place to have a sign is where someone can see it at the landing point. Then, there needs to be one by the door. Finally, there needs to be one just inside. In NPC, it makes sense to also have one on the roof.

2. Clarity. Many signs are very hard to read. A good test is for how small it can be made and still be legible. Boldness in SL is very important because people move fast and look at images from a great range of distances and angles. Any image that doesn’t hold up misses an opportunity to grab.

3. Distinction. A simple, bold, and visually expressive logo combined with a unique color pallette works the best in helping to attract visual recognition. Consistency between visual components for an organization is achieved through a defined identity.

4. Welcoming. Beyond the placement, the more creative the greeting, the more quickly the visitor will become engaged. Visual techniques, modular content, special concerns, publications, events—these are all opportunities to entice.

5. Informative. Presenting a sign of more than a very short paragraph is presenting a sign that won’t be read. Four sentences maximum. It is better to have more signs with less on them than fewer signs with more on them. Also, psychologically, people always seem to read captions. So caption photos wherever possible. Make the content as visual as you can with a photograph, diagram, or chart.

Visiting all of the organizations in NPC, evaluating what you do visually and in marketing, I also learn more about how you operate, meet expectations, and fulfill your missions. My fascination with business is equal to my fascination for virtual reality as a publishing medium. Like blogs, websites, wikis, etc., Second Life has a role to play in the suite of communication tools. But what makes it much more special are the collaborations, personal friendships, and international stage.

Basic signage: The SL Chicagoan Office

It seems that good virtual signage should not be difficult. Applying just a few principles is pretty basic:

1. Make the sign big enough to read. If it can’t be seen from a short distance, it is too small.

2. Place the sign in a position where avatars can see it (and not have to scroll around to find it).

3. Place more than one sign around entrances. Coming from different directions for eyes looking at a variety of images are in a hurry and can miss single placments.

4. Put identity information at the bottom of information posters. So if a visitor does come inside without seeing the entrance signage, there is still the reinforcement with consistent identifiers.

Yet as obvious as these principles may seem, why do so few organizations and presenters consider them? Fully one-half of the commerical places—from shops to nonprofits to art galleries to cafés—the visitor has to SEARCH for the identity of the location! Often they leave without knowing whom they just visited!

Within a recreation of Chicago in the 1920s a backdrop for a role play sim,* the publication from that era has also been brought back to life: The Chicagoan magazine. Unfortunately this jazz-era publication only had the short life of nine years, yet captured the essence of the era’s culture and character.

-Street signs hang just above head level so that avatars can easily see from down the street and when approaching.

On a street corner of the recreated historic “Loop,” The SL Chicagoan magazine has an office—set up for visitors and as a distribution hub of the inworld publication** with links to the blog, is a collaboration of those writing historical fiction in a virtual setting.

Magazine image hangs in the window. Large banner sign on the inside wall can be seen from the doors and through the windows of this corner space.

The virtual office for the Chicagoan demonstrates a simple strategy for signage and placements. Integrating into the historic setting, conveying the spirit of the original magazine, and making the location easy to find all work effectively for this now popular hangout for tea and conversation.

The counter identifier is for the complimentary classified section.

* a role play simulation creates a historic setting and the residents assume various roles and then act the parts. The Chicago Roaring 20s sim has over 500 members with dozens active at any given time. The recreation assumes the form of a real city, but in a fictional environment.

** inworld publications are virtual books that avatars interact with like print books–turning pages, housing on shelves, etc. They can easily have a real world tie-in equivalent and vice versa.

Kiosks around the sim display for distribution.

The Thrill of Discovery: Virtual Native Lands

It is rare to be dazzled by a visual presentation when you’ve seen and reviewed as much design as I have. Always searching for gems motivates me to continue my quest for finding design that works—not just attractive, but compelling, intriguing, and impactful.

So impressed am I with Virtual Native Lands that I halt in my tracks. Although I have completed my tour of the next 24 nonprofit presentations (begun in my post “Second Life: A First Glance at Nonprofit Graphics),” this presentation stands such head and shoulders above anything I’ve seen in the nonprofit arena to far—now with a total of over 50 visited out of the 80 in Second Life.

Entrance signs and map of three islands—representations of North America, Central America, and South America.

Not only do their signs have good placement, Virtual Native Lands’ logo is crisp and identifiable. All logos in Second Life are wise to be bold and simple. For a nonprofit group representing native American populations, however, this symbol does need some explanation or it risks of looking too corporate.

Information signs explain terrain and act as a portal from the organization's virtual office.

Here’s the most amazing part of their pressentation: from this room, the visitor can teleport to their islands representing the various segments of the Americas.  The other informations signs begin the ambiance of the gorgeous topology and historical accuracy. They describe their mission:

“Virtual Native Lands promotes the use of virtual worlds technology to strengthen and sustan real world Native American communities.
The diversity of authentic Native American culture is displayed on three beautiful islands depicting North America from Mexico to the Arctic. You can get the picture of how different Native American cultures developed around their natural environments”

Although I have yet to take the formal tour that they offer, I dropped in the island at my location, the North American Midwest. There I landed in a grove of trees but could see a log cabin nearby.

The indigenous cabins from various regions and tribes allow the visitor to enter, walk around, and explore. Information signs near by give details about the history.

Wandering throughout the entire site, I learned about the dwellings, both inside and out, of all the indiginous populations on the two continents! As an educational/historical tool, VNL showcases some of the best features SL has to offer!

Free Isn’t Free: the case against give-away graphic design

Obtaining creative design is crtitical to an organization’s growth and success. As the world becomes more visual, design grows as a strategic investment. Generally an initial project sets up a graphic foundation that gains momentum and keeps implementation costs to budget. However, initial costs are paid for before ideas are fully developed and benefits reaped. This can make many clients nervous, especially those without experience. They are concerned both about choosing the right designer and also about selecting the best concepts. Some think these risks can be avoided by asking for initial ideas as part of the proposal and awarding the project to the group with the best. Or, they may take up offers for free work from a designer who isn’t busy or one that is willing to donate. There are forms of obtaining professional-level design without paying for it:

SPECULATIVE DESIGN is when creative concepts are required with a proposal without compensation. The assumption is that when comparing concepts from several sources, you reward a winner. The other contributors are dismissed, possibly with a presentation fee. You hope to end up with the assurance via example that you made the right decision.

FREE SERVICE is when the designer doesn’t charge for creative services. Motivations to give away work, however, aren’t usually in your best interests. A designer willing to give away work:
• wishes to get a foot in the door—wanting to grow the business into paid projects
• wants to build experience and expand into a new area, thus learning on your project
• needs work, is hungry, and doesn’t know any better (see my blog about why this is such a bad idea for designers to undertake)
• is willling to donate services but doesn’t understand pro bono contributions—trading for a non-monetary exchange (see my blog that gives more description).

Asking for speculative or free design is counter to your goals and undermines creative efforts:

1. Project parameters are not completely formulated when starting a project, especially when deadline is an issue. When you aren’t paying for the designer’s time, it is easy to be too casual in gaining initial consensus, identifying expectations, and defining the decision-making process. Rather, speculative work falls lower on the priority list for busy executives. To impress decision-makers into attentiveness, put money on the table. To begin a project without an agreed upon plan is to conduct a time-consuming experiment that falls apart through disorganization.

2. It is difficult to thoroughly brief more than one designer—solutions after one meeting will be superficial. Effective design results from a relationship that builds as solutions are explored. To place a speculative competition on completely equal footing means a serious investment in setting up the project with each—time that can be better spent in other ways after choosing the designer with the best rapport and portfolio.

3. It is a major challenge to compare concepts. Different designers don’t develop approaches from equal resources. Design approaches are based on very different capabilities, talent, and knowledge. Concepts may be presented like apples and oranges and ultimately not scaled enough to the unique assignment. It usually ends up that any presented concepts need a lot more work because new parameters surface.

4. Results are insufficient—there are very few documented cases where spec design turns out favorably without the in-depth commitment of a collaboration. The designer who wins generally has to begin again with additional specifications. In the end, it is a case of being penny wise but ends up being pound foolish.

5. Best efforts can’t be applied. The designer is unable to spend as much time as he or she could if getting compensated. Paying work must take priority. Few clients wish to have their needs be less important! And the most talented designers are too busy to undertake unpaid work. So the best talent for the project is not used. Also, while working on unpaid projects, a designer is forced, by limitations of time, to go with first ideas instead of exploring possibilities that results in ideas worth the most.

6. Designers don’t gain an in-depth understanding of the project. They can’t afford to build a background or gain the administrative support for worthwhile collaboration. There is no such thing as a good design without a good client—which means working together towards the same goals.

7. The competition arrangement is inappropriate for developing creative solutions. If there is a contest between several creative sources, then one or more groups will not get paid for their work. The purpose of portfolio reviews, proposals, and interviews is to differentiate one designer from another. Choosing rapport, trust in insight, and strong project approach is a better way to apply efforts than to gloss superficially over the important nature of informational communication.

Those who embark optimistically on finding such donations must beware that the results are not beneficial to their organizations. Design may seem easy to give away because ideas are tough to put price tags on. However, design—especially in its initial phases—is the most valuable of visual equity. Because this is the least tangible of the publishing phases, because it requires the greatest amount of market understanding, because it uses the greatest talents, and because it is the basis for all other initiatives, the design is the spark that sets the other processes in motion. It is a mistake to undervalue this service. Fortunes have been made through strong and communicative design approaches.

Perhaps Milton Glaser is one of the most famous graphic designers in the U.S. He said:
“In our society, we express our respect for work by paying for it. When we refuse to do so, we are expressing contempt for the work and the worker. In difficult times, the fundamental rules of human conduct are under attack in and out of business. The only appropriate response is not to allow our own sense of values and self-respect to erode in the face of it.”

Second Life: A First Glance at Nonprofit Graphics

The power of first impressions is either ignored or overlooked. Perhaps the poor state of design in Second Life is due to myopia—no one can see his or her own face objectively. A stroll around the Aloft group in Nonprofit Commons is a lesson in visual frustration. (Because the 30 organizations there comprise about 1/3 of all nonprofit residents, I hope the other groups fair better in my upcoming analysis.)  Many have beautiful architecture and interior design. But the signage, the information, and the communicative power of graphic presentation is virtually ignored! This is so surprising when the resources for space and furnishing is a major effort (albeit a cheap one). Here is what I found so far:

Preliminary Evaluation of Graphics
30 Nonprofit Commons Aloft organizations:

1. Placement of signs is better than the average Second Life presentations. For 23 out of 20, isn’t too difficult to tell who is who, though camera work is necessary when the signs are placed too high. The most legible use several sign positions—outside of building, near the entrance, just inside, and prominent in every room. Redundancy is important. The most astute also place a sign on the roof of their buildings so that it can be found from the air. [photo of sign on roof]

2. Legibility is poor. Fully 1/2 of all the signs are difficult to read. Because the point of a sign is to be read, such oversight is hard to understand. Editing can be difficult for anyone wishing to tell a story. But the rules of visual seduction, brevity, and even composition are still necessary. Residents put hours of work into avatars to represent them with sophistication, yet make presentations that are difficult to comprehend! It makes me wonder both why they are there and what kinds of responses they have garnered. This is not to say that compelling signs will guarantee that marketing goals will be met, but there is a certainty that meeting them will be more difficult if communications are unsatisfying.

3. Images are crude. 3/4 use images from logos to illustrations to photographs. But unfortunately, less than half of those look amateurish. (If I investigate the websites of the same organizations, I wonder if I will find the same thing?) The best use the organizational logo, furthering identity recognition.

4. Poor informations signs. Those groups that have signs inside their spaces either overwhelm the visitor with too much or underwhelm with vague content. Most have publication offerings, links to websites and blogs, and videos of activities. How these are presented seems more of an after-thought rather than as strategic tools.

5. The honeymoon is over. Two organizations are gone. The others discuss concerns in the Friday morning conference. Having attended, it is a challenge are to be taken seriously in the business community. The novelty has worn off and expectations altered. Second Life’s role is now being defined for fundraising, presentations, education, and publications. It is a more direct form of communication with members that the belief in its future holds strong. But the idea of foot traffic is dashed. Instead, being event driven, what you put in is what you get out; it is no panacea.

6. Three are the best. They are worth visiting as examples of what to do right. I will review these three in more depth and investigate the components. For now, effective graphics are most used by:

AAUW displays corporate approach to signage.

AAUW (American Association of University Women) hits all the bases with outside and inside signage. Although not very imaginative, their communication is clear, crisp, identifiable and inspiring.

Kiva.org has signs that always provide orientation.

 

KIVA: Loans that Change Lives demonstrates a corporate design approach very effectively. Every view reinforces their identity and the viewer is never lost.

Project Jason expresses their mission visually.

 

PROJECT JASON: Assistance for Families of the Missing has a mysterious name so graphics become even more important to communicate mission. Very compelling in their portrayal of finding missing children, the visitor gets swept into awareness.

The more a viewer becomes engaged during a visit, the more inclined he or she is to drop a donation in the tip jar on the way out. The fundraising aspect of Second Life has only begun to be tapped. A much wider-reaching audience can augment the real life performance of these organizations. Graphics have a major role to play in compelling that audience to action.

Evolving and Adapting: from regional to international

Perhaps the best part of electronic publishing is the ability to change quickly. Yet once a commitmnent is made, it is usually a bad idea to redirect midstream. The test of a strong concept is the flexibility to expand or shrink, choose related forks in the road, or redefine parameters—and still carry out the original goal.

When I embarked on this Sebastian Study a few years ago, I envisioned a national study of nonprofit graphics—illuminating the best and those that could be great but aren’t. I have a large developed database containing 1500 nonprofits—the largest organizations based in the U.S.

Breaking down this mountain of analysis after my initial categorization (viewing 1500 websites took over two years), I chose to focus just on the Midwest (half of the total) first. Then I would follow up with the national evalutation. However, this planning was before I joined  Second Life. I have no choice but to set aside the national version in favor of reviewing the 80 international organizations with presence in Second Life. Last Friday, I attended their weekly meeting, and there were 50 avatars who showed up. Concerns discussed are real life concerns—they complain about the business perceptions that inhibit the acceptance of virtual business—the same tune sung by every new medium. But different than any other media, virtual reality brings all of the others together. Plus it is truly an international marketplace. I was surprised to learn that only 40% out of the 2 million avatars come from the U.S.

Jumping past the planned national study, I am going right to one that is international! Super-excited about the possibilities, I see virtual reality as the next evolution of not only communication, but of commerce. There are many bridges to cross before virtual reality really penetrates everyday business exchange. I hope to do my part in making sense of it. I just added a new page and category to this blog for the upcoming evaluations: “Virtual Reality: Birth of a New Evo(revo)lution.” Here, I outline the current uses of Second Life and how organizations are adapting.

Back in 1983, I felt this same way about desktop publishing—and paid dearly to be on the bleeding edge. Then in 1994, I knew that the internet would not only take over my world, but the world of all businesses! Then, with the development of web 2.0 over ten years ago, I knew that connectivity, forums, blogs, and social media would transform communication and business practices. And now, I feel most srongly about virtual reality. As it becomes harder to get people away from their computers, it has become easier to engage them online!

With growing virtual eperience, I begin the next phase of this blog to embrace a new frontier. Watch how I mold and expand… and help others navigate the terrain.

Look for me wandering about the Nonprofit Commons, wearing a cute hounds-tooth suit with long blond hair!

The Sebastian Study: Midwest Nonprofits is completed in this blog. If  you wish to know if your organization was considered, please visit www.wofw.com and contact me; I will be happy to share the review ranking with you.

The Sebastian Study: Second Life Nonprofits now begins, so watch for reviews, overviews, and experiences shared in upcoming posts. The ten best presentations will be analyzed, the almost-greats critiqued, and new conclusions drawn to help evolve effectiveness.

Association of Rotational Molders International

Few logos can best the Association of Rotational Molders International‘s in symbolism, simplicity, memorability, and flexibility. Perhaps ARM doesn’t realize the potential branding equity that they could enjoy through using it more effectively. Their site design is an expression of missed opportunity that demonstrates obvious ways to improve. (It is easier to change a site design than a logo.)

Five Criteria for Graphics that Work:
Association of Rotational Molders International

Use of logo: An organization’s logo has a story to tell—encapsulating the personality, philosophy, and tone of an entire organization.
Purely descriptive, ARM‘s geometric logo uses the most universal symbols in an unusual way. It makes a sphere and a plus sign mean something new. It is a visually striking and memorable composition!

Theme: The visual first impression is dominated by the total gestalt—look, feel, purpose, and benefit. Further contact is consistent and supports personality and philosophy.
ARM‘s graphics do look industrial, and in that way are appropriate. But brevity, organization, blue bands, and minimalism do not make up for material that is hard to read and visually nondescript.

Content composition: Building from a recognizable theme, the presentation is easy to grasp, clear, and engaging.
This is where ARM could make the most improvement. The site navigation is hard to read and visually all the same. The space at the top of the home page is trying to sell its first banner ad. Unless they have one to start, this space can be better used. (Perhaps the blankness can remind members of its availability each time they enter.) Though you have to know initially what rotational molding is, with its depth of content, ARM‘s site could be really engaging! Constructed only of type and a generally unchanging frame, this is low budget probably at its potential. With a bland page design, the logo actually stands out more!

Consistent style: A series presents a visual language and an ambient atmosphere, promoting a positive experience and relationship with the audience.
ARM seems to have placed no emphasis on visual development beyond the logo and a brief decision-making process about the website. As imaginative as is their logo, that’s how unimaginative is their other graphics. When exploring various benefits and services, the eye is jarred by a secondary level graphic that brings in new colors and a different design approach, such as in their Library section and Annual Meeting presentation. Here, visual gimics are used on the logo that don’t contribute to its visual strength.

Distinctive: The most successful presentations have a memorable twist—something extra that is unique.
ARM has many resources for building visually, especially within their “Design Applications” section. Members love to have their work showcased! Another resource untapped comes from their “Awards” program. It is unfortunate to see such unrecognized opportunities.

Many organizations have dynamic logos but stop there in graphic development. The most common reasons for accepting “Okay” include: lack of budget, executives have other priorities, no one can handle, or no one cares. In a visually-sensitive marketplace, even small improvements that make content easier to find, read, use, and enjoy, can make major differences in member perception.

See the Overview of the best Midwest organizations to present strong and compelling graphics.

The Sebastian Study 2010 national review will be available at the end of the year. If you want to be sure that your organization is included, please click here.

Theme Opportunities Missed

For-profit businesses, due to more consistent management, are better at developing a consistent communication theme. It seems that the nonprofit sector has little knowledge of using a cohesive strategy. Instead, it is most common to vary graphic directions in response to management shifts. From the most basic symbol of the organization through thematic recognition, most groups don’t build on what they have. For example, it is typical that those who have great logos don’t maximize their use into a visual language that can elevate memorability.

See “Thematic Language” for the best in the Midwest.
Exploring effectivenss reveals a new classification:

NOT THE BEST BUT COULD BE

These organizations have a good start out of the gate to graphic recognition but stall on the track. Perhaps they don’t perceive the race they are running, have too many political hurdles to jump, or haven’t made their visual communication a priority. Regardless of the reasons, much can be gained from perceiving missed opportunities.

American Osteopathic Association,
http://www.osteopathic.org/
AOA combines an acronym and illustration in their logo that also sets up an elegant typestyle. No where is this graphic potential expressed. It is obvious that few resources are committed to the online graphic presentation, causing this group to look less professional than is appropriate.

American Society for Bioethics and Humanities,
http://www.asbh.org/
ASBH stereotypically uses stock photography—like a painting on our wall that you stop noticing until you move it somewhere visually unfamiliar. The simple geometric logo could spawn a symbolic geometric language to house the content. Unfortunately, a really exciting group is made to look pedestrian.

International Special Events Society,
http://www.ises.com/
Although the logo uses the most common of elements, the arrangement of the letters within boxes is unusual and adds a special movement to the composition. The parts become greater than the whole. Such a playful typographic/geometric relationship could carry into the website graphics, but it doesn’t. If it did, the visual presentation could represent the exhibit presentation of the organization.

National Safety Council,
http://www.nsc.org
NSC doesn’t have a very visually appealing logo but it does communicate. Taking advantage of the universal “+” (as established by the Red Cross), this logo has instant validity. Although the it is as basic as it can be, the site does build from it with appealing icons and pleasing content composition.

Northwestern University Alumni Association,
http://alumni.northwestern.edu/
NUAA has a logo that is both friendly and formal. It is a beautiful blend of an “N” with the the oak leaf illustration. Though the website is basic, it is friendly. Further visual development could make it more engaging. NUAA has the beginning of a graphic foundation with the purple color to tie into NU’s colors, typographic style from the logo, and illustration potential.

Creating a theme suggested by a logo is not difficult yet missed so often. The fastest way to give all materials and communications unity is to set up some basic stylistic rules and stick to them. Care must be taken not to choose rules that are too restrictive or too lax, but act as tools to generate appropriate and consistent uses.

Nonprofits are particularly vulnerable to losing consistency due to too many cooks in the kitchen. Writing bylaws for design use can also support a process for decision-making, minimizing personal power plays. Design can be a volatile political football because it reveals motivations, misunderstandings, and missions. It becomes the organization’s self-portrait by first becoming its mirror.

The Sebastian Study: Midwest Nonprofits is completed in this blog. If  you wish to know if your organization was considered, please visit www.wofw.com and contact me; I will be happy to share the review ranking with you.

The Sebastian Study: Second Life Nonprofits now begins, so watch for reviews, overviews, and experiences shared in upcoming posts. The ten best presentations will be analyzed, the almost-greats critiqued, and new conclusions drawn to help evolve effectiveness.

Second City

Second City’s graphics snuck into this study. Usually the top visuals begin with a strong logo. A script handwritten-style symbol is an easy solution—too easy for a high visibility group. Yet their site is exceptional and worth a study in style and navigation.

Five Criteria for Graphics that Work:
Evaluating Second City

Use of logo: An organization’s logo has a story to tell—encapsulating the personality, philosophy, and tone of an entire organization.
If the name “Second City” is covered up, this logo could be for any organization that wants to appear friendly. The script has a thick/think brush quality to make it bold. The overall shape is easy to use and the script can appear in a variety of sizes and media. If the image were distinctive, these would be positive attributes.

Theme: The visual first impression is dominated by the total gestalt—look, feel, purpose, and benefit. Further contact is consistent and supports personality and philosophy.
A theme for a theater is obvious, but Second City presents with panache. Carrying excitement from one metaphor to another is rarely better accomplished. On their website, there is a visual unity between their long history and their great variety of productions, training, and locations.

Content composition: Building from a recognizable theme, the presentation is easy to grasp, clear, and engaging.
Second City’s website is engaging through its big picture presentation: the current attractions along the top and history along the bottom. Consistent throughout page visits, this frame allows the central portion of the screen to change—like a video controlled by the viewer. This site conveyis a love-affair with the subject and the audience. Their navigation is particularly masterful. I feel inspired every time I view it. But, of course, the point is to inspire me to attend, which I do regularly.

Consistent style: A series presents a visual language and an ambient atmosphere, promoting a positive experience and relationship with the audience.
Second City’s visual language uses the casual handwriting for headlines which makes them inviting and easy to read. Strong black backgrounds and small areas of jewel colors offer a platform like a stage for their many subjects. Study this site for how it both carries the elements and varies them throughout the sections of the website.

Distinctive: The most successful presentations have a memorable twist—something extra that is unique.
Overall graphics give Second City its personality. With much to be proud of, this organization also keeps its cutting edge and status in national theater. Successfully bridging double audiences (those who attend productions and those who are students for training), this is one of Chicago’s best examples of an arts group bridging to business relevance. The graphics reinforce this connection though an identifiable and enjoyable visual approach.

Second City slips into this study due to their strong website. There are other groups that have average or even poor logos but good sites that may be over looked, so suggestions for inclusion are invited.

See the Overview of the best Midwest organizations to present strong and compelling graphics.

Interactive Integration

Overall, organizations put more resources into websites than any other graphic category. Requiring an ongoing budget and sustained attention, an association’s website compiles and represents their largest projects. Allocating resources to the pages that are read the most, using templates for informational pages, and featuring visuals to augment versus dominate, the best sites are engaging.

A small percentage of organizations pair a strong website with a strong logo. A standard has been formed that places the logo in the upper left corner. Commercial sites can deviate but nonprofit sites are wise to follow viewer expectations. Having a site even provides the opportunity to closely study viewer participation. A marketing tool like no other, the interactive quality can build a cyber community. The best graphics create a personality and an experience, combining relevance, mystery, point-of-view, style, clarity, and focus.

Of the nonprofits that possess memorable logos (27 out of 700 Midwestern organizations), only 6 have truly exciting websites(view three currently reviewed). Then there are those with good logos but don’t realize the potential begun.

NOT THE BEST BUT COULD BE:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
A moving target, this site changes often—a recent one has gone from warmer to more aloof. Of all sites that should be welcoming and demonstrate the personalities of their musicians, CSO could enhance online offerings.

Mainstreet Organization of Realtors
Illustrations used in logos run the risk of looking cartoonish, are stylistically dated, or become too complicated. MOR finds a great balance in their aesthetically pleasing and classically appealing symbol. But they don’t carry this exciting beginning into their website design which?

Strategic Account Management Association
Making a great use of icons, SAMA offers a website with easy navigation. But what it has in intriguing visual elements, it lacks in finesse. Confronting the viewer with many choices, the structure is average and the most interesting graphics underplayed.

Urban Gateways
Many websites depend on engaging photography to give the site a personality. Urban Gateways demonstrates the conceptual rift between photo image and the rest of the site. Though the information presented is appealing, how it is presented could match but doesn’t. Of particular interest that has potential to increase the online experience: meet the artists, use the blog for more than a news vehicle, and develop a graphic theme that supports the photographic images versus the opposite.

Word of Mouth Marketing Association
This site offers warmth, engaging content, and demonstration of their own expertise of using technology to connect. However, the parts are greater than the whole: individual elements are fun and upbeat, comprehensive offerings include guides, blogs, videos, and social media. It is unfortunate that the graphics don’t represent the vitality of this group.

Please see reviews of several other organizations with have graphically communicative elements that could be better integrated:

Giving Institute and Foundation: Preview; Review
Green City Market: Review
Madison County Chamber: Preview; Review
Metal Construction Association: Review
Water Quality Association: Review

The Sebastian Study: Midwest Nonprofits is completed in this blog. If  you wish to know if your organization was considered, please visit www.wofw.com and contact me; I will be happy to share the review ranking with you.

The Sebastian Study: Second Life Nonprofits now begins, so watch for reviews, overviews, and experiences shared in upcoming posts. The ten best presentations will be analyzed, the almost-greats critiqued, and new conclusions drawn to help evolve effectiveness.