Our Work : Portfolio

Creating a new digital service with Shutterfly.
When it was still a startup, Shutterfly sought our expertise before its 1999 launch. Shutterfly was searching for its initial identity and needing to capture the attention of an emerging digital customer.

From the alpha site to the mature site redesigned seven months later, we directed customer research for a first-generation digital photo site that is now a publicly traded company valued at $750 million dollars. Bringing in the voice of the customer built consensus between founders, executives, and marketing, product and engineering groups.

Along with establishing customer-centered design and business processes, we contributed to the Shutterfly navigation, voice and brand identity that have endured for more than six years. Within six months, photo orders increased 200%. We introduced the first photo book and card products that exceeded sales projections by 85%. Much of our pioneering design was imitated by Kodak and Hewlett-Packard-owned competitors.

Services

  • Participatory Design
  • Product Story Creation
  • Prototyping
  • Interaction Design

See Also

  • Why It Worked: Shutterfly Case Study. Co-authored with John Skidgel. Download a 1MB PDF.
  • Each Sold Separately: Ethnography as a Tool for Integrating Online and Offline Use of Educational Toys. Co-authored with Patrick Larvie, PhD. Download a 556k PDF.

Photo by Flickr user blmurch (http://flickr.com/photos/blmurch/329695633)