<Blog Roll-Feeds>

Adaptive Path: 
    http://feeds.feedburner.com/adaptivepath

Ask a Good Product Manager: 
    http://feeds.goodproductmanager.com/AskAGoodProductManager
How to Change the World:
     http://blog.guykawasaki.com/atom.xml

HubSpot's Inbound Internet Marketing Blog:
    http://feeds2.feedburner.com/hubspot

Internet Outsider:
    http://www.internetoutsider.com/index.rdf

Jeb Stone > Analytics PhD:
    http://jebstone.com/feed/

Make the logo bigger:
    http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MakeTheLogoBigger

Marketing Words Copywriting Blog:
    http://www.marketingwords.com/blog/?feed=rss2

MarketingExperiments Blog:
    http://www.marketingexperimentsblog.com/index.xml

Messaging News - The Technology of Email and Instant Messaging:
    http://www.messagingnews.com/rss.xml

Micro Persuasion:
    http://feeds2.feedburner.com/micropersuasion

NetBanker:
    http://feeds.feedburner.com/netbanker

Online Marketing Blog:
    http://feedproxy.google.com/OnlineMarketingSEOBlog

ReadWriteWeb:
    http://www.readwriteweb.com/rss.xml

Seth's Blog:
     http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/sethsmainblog

Signal vs. Noise:
     http://feeds.feedburner.com/37signals/beMH

TechCrunch:
    http://feedproxy.google.com/TechCrunch

The Retail Email Blog:
    http://feeds2.feedburner.com/retailemailblogspot

Threeminds:
    http://feeds.feedburner.com/threeminds

Web Ink Now:
    http://feeds2.feedburner.com/webinknow/EzoX

<Print Must-Reads>

   "Web ReDesign 2.0: Workflow That Works," is the book I wanted to write.  The authors, Kelly Goto and Emily Cotler, use a common sense approach to project management and have created the "go-to" reference when starting each new project.  So, put on your "common sense hat" and memorize these steps:

• Step 1 - Defining the Core Process: discovery, planning, and clarification
• Step 2 - Developing Site Structure: define content-view, site-view, and page-view
• Step 3 - Visual Design and Testing: creating, confirming, and handing off
• Step 4 - Launch and Beyond: delivery, launch, and maintenance

This book is the bible on all site design/re-design projects - it should come in a spill-resistant, laminated format!



   Are you a visual thinker without the skills to draw a straight line?  I was; then I found Dan Roam's book, "The Back of the Napkin - Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures."  This book breaks down the process of creating a visual image of a concept with the four steps of visual thinking, the six ways of seeing, and a methodology/framework to create the picture.  Get out the white board markers!



     Software = hard to use, lots of training manuals, modules, and $$$.  Web sites = easy to use, intuitive, "no-brainers" RIGHT?  Well, that's true if the site creators followed Steve Krug's book and learned user patterns, designing for scanning, wise use of copy, navigation design, home page layout, and usability testing.


Got a resource I should add?  Let me know!



<Recommended Firms>

  From the Sherpa's mouth, "MarketingSherpa researches what works in marketing via exclusive case studies, surveys, results data analysis, and lab tests. Then we publish what we learn so our community of marketers and weekly readers can improve their results and train their teams."  I have purchased many of their reports and the Sherpa carries the weight and delivers the goods; especially good - E-mail Marketing Benchmarking Guide - love heat maps!


   Ever wondered, within the marketing organization, where does product management stop and product marketing start, and more importantly, who does what?  Never fear - Pragmatic Marketing's Framework is here; well below, actually.  It clearly defines the roles and responsibilities for technology product management and product marketing.  Subscribe to their free journal. 




  Usability Sciences is a global leader in usability testing and online user experience research and has been helping companies improve their site experience for more than 20 years!  I can't recommend this company enough - I've used their services for lab-based testing and their WebIQ product, and have always had the "ah-ha!" moment during the test.  Sit behind the glass, just once, and you're hooked on the power of usability testing. 

 

     Lokion, a Memphis-based firm, designs and develops all aspects of large-scale B2C and B2B web sites, software applications, branding solutions, and more.  This firm was my "go-to" resource while I was at First Horizon/First Tennessee - top quality work, and all-around "good people!"