Website Redesign/2011/Nick Mockups

We've engaged Nick Mason, a designer based in Seoul, to produce a couple of mockups of a new okfn.org homepage based on requirements described via Skype, email, and etherpad conversations.

=Oct 2011: Mockup 2 of 2= http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6112/6347780776_1b9259d858_m.jpg

=Sept 2011: Mockup 1 of 2=

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6114/6347031271_99b4154e07_m.jpg

Our Feedback

 * We really like the clean look and whitespace on the mock-up, but we still feel it's a bit too busy regarding all the text. We need it to be ultra-obvious and understandable for people with a homepage design that we can then re-use in a comprehensive way for the more complex OKF website pages.
 * This means we need it to look much more like the simple, grid-based visualizing.org model (here: http://skitch.com/ardent_coeur/fgd4k/visualizing.org)
 * ie: with one large bar at top that explains in a sentence what we do;
 * then with one large carousel below that;
 * and then a few simple action buttons below.
 * We also need the design to be simpler in colour, and to be based on the older OKF logo (here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/okfn/sets/72157627475014266/) and to say "Open Knowledge Foundation" without the "Network" included in the main heading (as seen in that logo).

=Aug 2011: Design Brief=

Styles We Like

 * we like clean fonts/ clean designs w lots of whitespace (which we know you do already, but here's a few examples of this!)
 * example 1: (contemporary website)
 * example 2: (tycho/ISO50, mixes vintage 1960s/70s style with faded-out prints)
 * example 3: classic book covers


 * we like how visualizing.org just has 3 clean categories on the homepage (very easy for users to navigate complex website this way - something we need!).
 * example


 * we also really like the clean/readable/bright design of GOOD.com.
 * example 1
 * example 2
 * example 3


 * would be great to incorporate design styles like those above with the new framework/font combination of the design on our Facebook page:
 * http://www.facebook.com/OKFNetwork

What We Need Re:Content

 * social media integration more prominent (twitter, facebook, RSS feed email updates)
 * clear, simple homepage (we like the possibility of just having 3 categories of choice so is clear for people, with a mission statement above that (ie the open knowledge foundation is ______.) <-- like the visualizing.org idea (simple carousel addition is nice too).
 * the 3 categories we'd like on front page (much like visualizing.org):
 * What we do (Featured Events, Board, About, Projects, Our Network)
 * Get Involved (Future Events, Community, Working Groups, Volunteer)
 * How we can help you (Consultancy services, Coding, Open Data Manual, OKF Manual)
 * we also need the OKFN blog to be done (different conversation/needs here, but we'd like the mainframe to be consistent w other OKFN looks)
 * on other OKFN pages, we'd like to keep the breadcrumb url/menus under those 3 categories but perhaps w a dropdown effect for more complex page categories under each heading.

Aug 24th Conversation

 * nick will start w homepage design re: fonts and look, and we will work from there.
 * will have time to come up w the template/design (template will take longer than homepage though).
 * timeframe is september, but nick will work on having some initial thoughts by next week.