http://refreshthetriangle.org en peyton.crump@viget.com Copyright 2008 2008-06-27T20:28:01-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_009_fresh_perspectives/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_009_fresh_perspectives/#When:21:28:01Z Location TBD — Thurs, Jul 24, 2008, 6:30-8:00PM As we’re trying to do once each quarter, we’ll take a break from the formal presentations this month to have a group share. We’ll take 30-45 minutes to geek out on some of the latest web industry news and share some personal favorites, valuable secrets, tips, tools, or whatever you feel could benefit the group. Come ready to share anything you’d like — a headline or news item, a site, a tool, a snippet of code, a device, a book excerpt — anything large or small that you feel is current and elevates our web knowledge. And don’t think it has to be entirely unique (as in no one else knows about it already), it’ll kill the vibe. Just come with something that you know has been valuable/noteworthy to you, and don’t over-think it. It can be as quick as sharing a URL and a sentence about why we should visit the site. Or it can be as long as 5 minutes in a text editor demonstrating a few lines of code. So stop for a few minutes before you head out and think of something to share. Do that, come relaxed, and the results will be sweet. See you there.  Location: TBD Refresh Events 2008-06-27T21:28:01-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_008_recap/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_008_recap/#When:20:21:00Z Thanks to everyone who came out last night to watch and discuss the webinar from Jared Spool. We drew a small crowd by the usual standards (about 17 people attended), but our discussion afterwards was Refresh at its finest.  If you were there and you learned something or shared something, feel free to leave a comment. Mindy Wagner wrote up a recap of the meeting and we posted photos on Flickr. We’re looking forward to seeing you next month on July 22nd. We’re looking for a host / sponsor - let us know if you’d be up for it. General Discussion 2008-06-27T20:21:00-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/a_great_opportunity_for_a_great_designer/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/a_great_opportunity_for_a_great_designer/#When:20:51:00Z Overview You understand beauty. You care about both form and function.  You understand the power and possibility of AJAX technologies to make a web experience that is dynamic and compelling. You are comfortable in Photoshop but also in the guts of CSS and HTML. You might even know Javascript and frameworks like Ruby on Rails. Come join our product team in RTP. We’re using cutting edge technologies on a leading Web 2.0 collaborative community site. We have a dynamic start-up environment with proven leadership and established market traction. Help shape the future of the web together. Responsibilities * Generate compelling UI designs balancing powerful features with approachability for a broad audience * Implement designs using standards-compliant markup * Establish and maintain a robust CSS strategy including effective cascading and theming * Collaborate with a talented product team on all elements of the development process * Contribute to standards and best practices in an evolving, agile work environment Qualifications * Strong Expertise in CSS, along with cross-browser issues and workarounds * A hunger to learn and a commitment to excellence * Familiarity with current trends in web development * Experience with UX principles and practices Bonus Points * Experience with Ruby on Rails * Experience with event-based Javascript and AJAX * Familiarity with agile programming methodologies * Experience with Web 2.0 dynamics and concepts Contact charles@near-time.com. Jobs 2008-06-26T20:51:00-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/information_architect_ue_specialist/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/information_architect_ue_specialist/#When:16:55:01Z Information Architect. Web Strategist. Usability Pro. Client Champion. Could all of these be in your title? If so, you could be the one to help grow the User Experience practice of Ironworks Consulting’s Cary office. Ironworks Consulting, an established web technology consulting company, is seeking a well-rounded Information Architect/ User Experience Specialist for our growing Cary, NC office. We might be for you if you: - Are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about many areas of User Experience - Can not only come up with great ideas, you can execute them in Information Architecture deliverables - Have a solid portfolio demonstrating wireframes, sitemaps, and case studies - Are confident and polished when giving client presentations - Have excellent collaborative skills when you work with internal teams - Know what a usability lab is - Have a record of delivering to your clients on time and on budget - Understand the importance of look and feel, but aren’t looking to be a full time designer - Have experience in developing web strategies - Don’t mind some work related travel - Are dedicated to making your clients and coworkers successful - Enjoy working with a team that actually likes to hang out together even when they don’t have to If this could be you, send your resume and samples to cnicolls@ironworks.com Ironworks is a consulting services firm that doesn’t believe in big-bang approaches or seemingly endless sales pitches.  We provide the flexibility and dedication of a smaller firm combined with the broad experience and deep expertise of a large consultancy.  Ironworks hires smart, honest people who measure personal success through the success of our clients. Our mission is simple: never fail a client. Learn more about who we are and what we do at www.ironworks.com. Jobs 2008-06-25T16:55:01-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_008_uies_strike_up_the_brand/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_008_uies_strike_up_the_brand/#When:21:22:00Z Location: Durham, NC — Thurs, June 26, 2008, 6:30-8:00PM In this virtual presentation, Jared M. Spool, User Interface Engineering’s Founder, will discuss UIE’s recent usability research into how people perceive brands on the internet and how teams can ensure their designs strengthen each user’s relationship with the brand. You will learn: The two important outcomes of branding efforts—affinity and dispositional returns—and why designers need to understand how these work Why ‘message’ branding doesn’t strengthen engagement, but ‘experience’ branding does The important role that user experience research plays in the design process for branding How measuring brand engagement can show the effects of a design In his presentation, Jared will show how Amazon, Walmart, Ford, Apple, and Netflix have attempted to increase their users’ brand engagement. Location: American Tobacco Campus Teach for America Offices Washington Building, Bay 12 Suite 1120 Durham, NC 27701 (Map) Refresh Events 2008-05-23T21:22:00-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_007_recap/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_007_recap/#When:18:10:01Z Refresh 007 was a big hit! Stuart Halloway was highly engaging and his presentation, “Ending Legacy Code in Our Lifetime,” gave everyone lots to talk about - not just the developers, but the designers and “others,” too.  Stuart’s slides are available, and I know of at least one recap of the event. Many thanks to Stuart for being our speaker. We’re also grateful to the West End Wine Bar - they let us have their downstairs, The Cellar, all to ourselves at no charge.  The ceilings were low, but the vibe was great. I think everyone had a lot of fun.  Photos are on flickr.  See you next month! Refresh Events 2008-05-23T18:10:01-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/designer_developer_and_writer_oh_my/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/designer_developer_and_writer_oh_my/#When:16:15:01Z The DukeHealth.org team is looking for a Web: designer, developer, and writer.  Follow the links for more details. Jobs 2008-05-14T16:15:01-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_007_ending_legacy_code_in_our_lifetime/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/refresh_007_ending_legacy_code_in_our_lifetime/#When:17:22:00Z Location: The Cellar — Thurs, May 22, 2008, 6:30-8:00PM Most software developers don’t have an exact definition of legacy code, but to paraphrase Potter Stewart, they “know it when they see it.” Unfortunately, legacy code has something else in common with Stewart’s famous subject — it is embarrassingly ubiquitous. It doesn’t have to be this way. Stuart Halloway, CEO of Relevance, will share: A better definition of legacy. How existing technologies and development practices guarantee that most code will slide into legacy immediately. How you can stave off legacy by writing low-ceremony, essential code. Agility can be done right. By respecting the dynamic, living nature of software/human systems, you can create systems that evolve to meet changing needs. Location: The Cellar (downstairs at The West End Wine Bar) 450 W. Franklin St. Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Refresh Events 2008-05-07T17:22:00-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/006_meeting_recap/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/006_meeting_recap/#When:16:05:00Z Refresh 006 was a major success. Nathan Huening from OnWired gave a great talk called “Dr. jQuery (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the DOM),” and his passion for the material was evident. In a series of increasingly complex examples, Nathan showed off the power and simplicity of the jQuery JavaScript library. He demonstrated that most of jQuery can be reduced to “grab things, do stuff,” starting with simple CSS modifications and moving to AJAX, animation, and custom functionality. To get a good taste of the presentation, you can use FireBug to run Nathan’s sample code against the demo page he set up. You’ll want to be running FireFox 2, as FF3 Beta 5 gave me a lot of grief while I tried to follow Nathan’s examples. Big thanks to Nathan and to Duke’s Blackwell Interactive for hosting the event, as well as to everyone who came out; maybe we’ve got you pictured on our Flickr page. Hope to see you next month. Refresh Events, Sponsors 2008-04-28T16:05:00-05:00 http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/wanted_best_web_designer_in_the_rtp/ http://refreshthetriangle.org/site/wanted_best_web_designer_in_the_rtp/#When:19:59:01Z We’re Looking for the Best Web Designer in Town Are you passionate about pushing pixels? Are you a typographic genius? Do you always design on a grid? Can you produce gallery-worthy designs in a variety of styles? Are you one of the best and brightest in the web world? Do you thrive on delivering top-quality work time after time? Have you thought about joining one of the premier web design and development firms around? Learn more on our site and we look forward to chatting with you. Jobs 2008-04-15T19:59:01-05:00