Design Ideas for myfamily.com
Just a quick “behind the scenes” post today, as I’m busy working on another project that I should launch in a couple of weeks.
I recently had the opportunity to work with myfamily.com (a sister company to Ancestry.com) on a redesign for their control panel. While I was working on that project, they also had me do up a few home page designs to give their internal design team some different ideas.
Using their existing site as a base for content, I created a few mockups for them that appear to being the starting point for their newly launched redesign.
Comments
But Mac’s are PC’s… just good looking ones.
Point taken.
Well, I think Cinema displays and the Safari browser have a nice way of “getting out of the way” and showing off your work since they’re so minimal. But I’m a total Mac addict, so I may be biased :)
I think their attention to detail on the final falls far below your mockups, but oh well. Amazing job, as always.
@Jonathan Longnecker true, there are few screens that get out of the way so much. I’ve been using direct screenshots instead of monitors in my websites because I feel the monitor itself gets too much attention as opposed to what it’s showing.
I think they should have gone with the darker version – It’s a whole lot more successful than what they decided to do.
Nice work, indeed.
Far and away, v3b.
Clean, anti-tech (sans laptop), fresh, airy and friendly.
Reversed concept is nice but feels a bit mysterious and dark – not quite conducive to the family-vibe.
Either way, nice work across the board.
Mike
Let’s just be real, though. If you’re selling your site/webapp you want to display it on something that actually looks really good. : )
On the design, I’m thinking you’re right about them picking up some starting points from you. IMHO, their end result still feels a little clunky and unfinished, though. Ah well. I bet the Control Panel looks slick.
I like pretty much all of your mockups. While their final result may have been inspired by what you did, I don’t think it’s anywhere close to the quality of your original work. They clearly mishandled the pot of gold that you served to them. It’s a shame.
@wolf. Just a note – you’re able to connect a Cinema Display to your PC and run Safari for Windows.
3a and 3b are stunning.
Ignore what these people say of your use of hardware to display design elements. It looks good. Period. I work on PC equipment all day and frankly, none of it has a hint of style or class. Thank you for having good taste. Furthermore, the depth your designs convey are a testament to planning and understanding of aesthetic properties and their application to real world design. Every one of your pages gives me food for thought. Being a full time Director of Development lends my opinion some credibility. I will always look to 31Three for inspiration and benchmarks to push my developers and designers to where I want our company to be. Pixel perfect. Keep up the fantastic work my friend. I look forward to seeing many more of your sites launch so I can begin a new round of “catch-up”. You set the bar high, and for that we all should thank you.
Best regards,
Steve Fuller
As with everyone else 3a & 3b are truly nice, the attention to detail you put into every site is something to be inspired by.
Although you can tell their final design was inspired by your mockups, it does feel rather clunky compared to what you’ve put together. I think something easy they could do is implement sIFR, this would help rid the site of that cold corporate feeling I’m getting from the use of Arial.
I always look forward to your posts, thanks for the inspiration and keep up the great work!
Super design men! Cool
You are truly awesome.
I love these “behind the scenes” posts.
Thank you.
What are your favorite fonts to use?.. I love you choice of fonts
Hey Jesse-
Your designs are beautiful.
I do think to myself though that your designs are the less greyed out version of a mac website.
I love the mockups. I think #4 was the best.
I think that you should use a Mac monitor from the 80’s.
Actually, I really like your layout.
They are all very nice. I really admire all your work.
I’m partial to the first one. I think you did something elegant and very different there that really stands out. The dark one also looks different and I like it too, but I think it doesn’t quite give the impression it should for a site like this one.
I’m not really feeling the 4th one, but I do like it’s simplicity. The right hand focus on the “Get Started” button is clever.
Btw, I had a really hard time getting the captcha to work. I had to hit refresh a few times to get the image to show up. Could just be me, but thought I’d let you know.
Amazingly well done. The first comp has a very approachable, organic sense that ties wonderfully to the branding. You have a great sense of color and an very keen understanding of creating a visual hierarchy for the user – a true marketer’s designer. I always enjoy visiting your site for inspiration.
Great designs as usual! I’m familiar with ancestry.com and its sister sites. It would be nice if they had you redesign the main ancestry.com site! I think it was done not too long ago, but it could use some freshening up if you ask me.
It’s too bad they only partially used your ideas for myfamily.com. The in-house designers version is a bit “off” somehow.
I always appreciate your work and I’m grateful that you choose to share the process with your fellow designers. I know it has done a world of good for me personally to see how others work.
Thanks again!
Nice designs/color schemes! I like seeing the Cinema Displays…gives me something to shoot for.
3b Kicks man. I love all of them, but 3b is the most unique. I don’t feel like I’ve “seen it before”. the rest are all great as well, but feel very web 2.0 (not a bad thing) just becoming more common.
My second favorite is the the fourth, but it probably appeals more to my demographic (30 year old male). The others hit much more the young mother wanting to get her family online. Which might be the exact demo for your client. All that to say, great work. I just tripped across you while I was looking into Expression Engine.
You’re bookmarked!
3a is perfect.
I know I’m way behind the curve on this post, but i must say sing the first 3 my first thought was, do they sell computers? or , do i get a computer to design my website with.
I think version 4 is the clear winner here, its clean its and updated look it focuses on the family’s and relationships between people, it seems to invite participation. I dont know, it to me embodies the values of what i would expect to see logging onto family.com, but it seems they we the laptop way.
By the way you say “that appear to being the starting point “ so they took your mocks and are having their inhouse people frankenstien it … i hate that. they should spend a bit more money and just have you do it all the way.
Hi Jesse, I’m from Argentina and I want to know if you did your 31three site background… And if you can tell me some technic to do it; everyway thanks you
They should’ve went with one of your designs. Sad to say I’m a web designer myself and I know how it is when non-visual people have the final say on a project.
It is frustrating. Everyone has specifics that he/she likes about any design but each can not see the whole picture. End result, what they have now, which looks blah, blah, compared to your original designs.
Thanks for sharing.
I would have to say Design 3a is my favorite. Although I really like Design 1 it seems to have too much going on with it. All the designs look amazing, an excellent job.
Hi Jesse Bennett, I’m a great fan of your designs. I liked the 4th screen very much. Keep up the good work.
I just come every once in a while to your site, just to look at it. In my modern day life it’s like going to a lake and watching the sky over it. It makes me feel calm and excited at the same time. A great inspiration place.
Keep on the G-R-E-A-T work!
Its very beautiful template …Colors gives warm feeling…But my personal choice is your first design
Thanks for sharing your creative work
Anush
Hi Jesse,
Looks great! It seams I’m not the only one with this opinion. I stumbled across this… http://www.stracka.com.
Grts,
Michel
Very well done, great style.
Hi Jesse. This design looks fantastic (as usual). Well done.
I like Design 1 the best, but put the intro text (and those exact icons) in for the intro on Design 1. I do not like the dark theme for family.
Hi, I like design 4. It is more simple to the eye but yet gives a clear understanding of what the site is all about.
Dont forget the people that you are targeting. thanks
Wow, stracka.com looks extremely similar to their finally design. Too bad they didn’t use one of your comps. They look much better, especially 3b.
Hi Jesse,
Nice work. I’m a fan of #2.
How long did you spend on these mock ups just out of interest?
I have to say that I favor design #2 best, as the “Sign-In” is VERY obvious. People who have been invited to join an MF site have confused the “Get Started” with “Sign-In” because the “Sign-in” is so small and obscure.
very nice, love it
Help Wanted
Not to undermine what you do but not every design needs a Cinema Display or Safari Browser window in somewhere. The rest of the world works on PC’s.
Wolf - April 01, 2008