Shows
CTRL+CLICK CASTctrlclickcast.com Mobile Refresh, Part 2The grand finale! Emily and Lea discuss the technical execution of ctrlclickcast.com’s mobile-friendly refresh. We chat about what it took to translate the design into a more modular, modern front-end as well as the challenges and process to upgrade the site to the latest version of ExpressionEngine. Tune in to find out more—plus a major announcement!
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Show Notes:
Fitts's Law
ARIA roles
AblePlayer
Starter Files
Cloudflare
Podtrac
UTM...2019-03-0749 minCTRL+CLICK CASTContent Strategy with Carrie HaneTanzen’s Carrie Hane aims to demystify content strategy! We dive into how fundamental content strategy is to the success of a digital project — and ultimately, its organization! Carrie explains what to expect with content strategy, where it fits in a project life cycle, plus the value this strategy brings to designers, developers, and clients.
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Show Notes:
Tanzen Blog
Tanzen Newsletter
Designing Connected Content by Mike Atherton & Carrie Hane
Get Your Content Read...2019-02-2148 minCTRL+CLICK CASTExpressionEngine Community Association with TJ DraperThe ExpressionEngine Community Association helped organize the last couple of EE Conferences — what else is in its future? EECA president TJ Draper explains their dreams for the EE community, advocating for education, as well as its overarching goals. Tune in for details on how you can get involved, too!
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Show Notes:
ExpressionEngine Community Association (EECA)
ExpressionEngine Conference
EE Conf 2019 Golden Ticket
ExpressionEngine Slack
EE open source announcement
Greenfield projects
How to sell ExpressionEngine in a...2019-02-0730 minCTRL+CLICK CASTctrlclickcast.com Mobile Refresh, Part 1Why did it take 3 years to relaunch a modern, mobile-friendly ctrlclickcast.com? Lea and Emily dive into the business and logistical challenges in launching an internal project alongside client work. We chat about the plan and strategy we had 3 years ago, plus the content, IA and design process along the way. Tune in to hear insights on shifts we had to make to priorities and goals due to the delay.
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Show Notes:
CTRL+...2019-01-2453 minCTRL+CLICK CASTVector Media Group’s Acquisition of Happy Cog with Matt Weinberg & Stuart HenryAt the end of last year, well-renowned digital agency Vector Media Group acquired the equally-renowned Happy Cog. Why? And what does it mean for our industry? We get the details from Vector partners Matt Weinberg and Stuart Henry, who explain how the idea of an acquisition evolved over time and how quickly the deal came together once decided. They share the nuances of reassuring both clients and staff, as well as the challenges of merging processes and services. We also get their perspective on the digital agency landscape, along with advice for other agencies that are considering joining...2019-01-1047 minCTRL+CLICK CAST2018 Year in ReviewWe close 2018 with our annual Year in Review! What have we learned in tech, business and life this past year? We also share some fun faves to add to your watch, listen, read and play lists. Plus, special guest Erin Lewis is back to give a rundown on this year’s Rapidfire Questions. Spoiler: people have opinions about karaoke.
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Show Notes:
Craft Coding Challenge
Twig
Premiere Pro
Premiere Gal
Going Offline
Street Smarts by No...2018-12-1343 minCTRL+CLICK CASTDealing with Business ChallengesUps and downs in business are a given, but we don’t often talk about the downs. Without talking about our failures, though, how can we learn and find success in difficult times? So we’re giving you a peek behind the curtains at Bright Umbrella, sharing some of the business challenges we faced this year — including losing our largest client — and the changes we’re trying. No guaranteed solutions (just yet), but maybe we can all learn from each other!
< Download MP3 > < Listen...2018-11-151h 04CTRL+CLICK CASTDesigning for People Struggling with Mental Health with Francis RowlandCompassion and perspective. These are two elements that lead design toward a more accessible and inclusive future, says Senior UX Architect Francis Rowland. We discuss how inclusive design principles help audiences with mental health struggles while improving everyone’s user experience.
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Show Notes:
Mind UK locator
NHS mental health support locations
Alastair Somerville
Misuability worksheets
A Web for Everyone by Sarah Horton / Whitney Quesenbery
Microsoft's "Respecting Focus" booklet
Inclusive Design To...2018-10-2550 minCTRL+CLICK CASTThriving at Work with Gina DeLapaOur jobs as designers and devs can sometimes lead to burnout, bad habits, stress and worse. Career counselor and author Gina DeLapa joins the show to share practical tips that can help us thrive at work! Gina details the importance of self care and shares examples of what it really looks like in practice. We also discuss the importance of boundaries and self-reflection to help manage workplace drama and deal with negative feedback.
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...2018-10-1153 minCTRL+CLICK CASTBiz Growth & Hiring with Ross NoverIs your agency ready to hire its first employee? Friendly Design’s Ross Nover explains how his agency grew to eight full-time staff and why. We discuss business opportunities and time-saving, hiring vs. contracting out, plus the financial considerations involved when hiring. To help you decide whether to expand your staff, we share resources and advice on how to hire alongside its business benefits.
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Show Notes:
Owner Summit
AIGA
Bureau of Digital
or...2018-09-2747 minCTRL+CLICK CASTEditorial Design in Craft CMS with Travis GertzDon’t let technology constrain your design flexibility! Travis Gertz joins the show to explain the importance of art direction and creativity when designing for digital experiences. He outlines some simple, practical ways to apply these nuances as well as larger-scale design flexibility. We discuss how to apply flexible design with Craft CMS, share other site examples that showcase editorial design, plus considerations with client workflow and technical performance realities.
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Show Notes:
Coax
De...2018-09-1354 minCTRL+CLICK CASTOffline Web Experiences with Jeremy KeithFrom optimizing performance to enhancing the user experience, crafting a good offline web experience can be complicated! Front-end expert and author Jeremy Keith joins the show to make sense of service workers and progressive web apps. Jeremy details the technical aspects, as well as the more complicated UX considerations, and shares real-world examples of offline experiences with service workers.
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Show Notes:
Going Offline
Securing Sites Made Them Less Accessible
On HTTPS and...2018-08-301h 05CTRL+CLICK CASTPhilanthropy Tech with Chantal ForsterWhat is philanthropy tech? Technology Affinity Group Executive Director Chantal Forster gives real-world examples of technology affecting change in our communities. She shares the staggering $60B figure that goes into philanthropic efforts and how technology may be the way to put that to better use.
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Show Notes:
Technology Affinity Group (TAG)
Number of foundations in the US 1990-2014
Giving USA 2017: Total Charitable Donations
Ralph C Wilson Jr Foundation
Ford Foundation Public Interest Tech
#publicinteresttech
...2018-08-1649 minCTRL+CLICK CASTStandard Agreements for Digital Services with Gabe Levine & Josh BarrettThe service agreements you sign with your clients are more than just legal contracts. They are core to your business operations and client relationships. So you need to get them right! Lawyers Gabe Levine and Josh Barrett join the show to discuss what client services agreements like MSAs and SOWs need to include — specifically for creatives and digital agencies. They explain the importance of working with agreements that are custom to your services, as well as with a lawyer who understands those services. And they detail the Standard Agreement they created with Bureau of Digital, which is not only geared to...2018-08-0256 minCTRL+CLICK CASTDesigning a Modular System with Sarah FedermanDesign systems can be confusing, especially when people are still trying to define what it means! Adobe Design Engineer Sarah Federman stops by the show to explain what design systems are, why they’re important and the details in their actual creation. We explain how modularity is built in to design systems and how it’s evolved through the years. We touch on how crucial developers are to design systems, how to adapt design systems even for small teams, and share tips on explaining the time and costs saved when a design system is in place.
< Download MP3 &...2018-07-191h 04CTRL+CLICK CASTDemocratizing Tech with Fabian ElliottIf you want to solve a problem, you need to first understand the problem. That’s why data is core to Black Tech Mecca’s City Assessment Framework, which is helping increase Black participation in Chicago’s tech industry. CEO Fabian Elliott joins the show to explain BTM’s mission and how they use data as the foundation for change. He details their holistic approach, focusing on education, corporate and entrepreneurship. He also shares how BTM’s framework and model can help other cities and communities, including the annual State of the Black Tech Ecosystem conference.
< Download MP3 >&am...2018-07-0546 minCTRL+CLICK CASTCMS Upgrades & Migrations, Part 2No matter how many upgrades and CMS migrations you go through, there are always issues. In Part 2 of this series, we tackle the technical planning, gotchas and QA of CMS upgrades and migrations. We stress the importance of setting the right expectations with clients, not taking one-click upgrades for granted, and share our tips on how to tackle the often painful process of upgrading or migrating to a new CMS.
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Show Notes:
3 Signs...2018-06-211h 01CTRL+CLICK CASTThe State of Web Images with Kitt HodsdenFrom formats and techniques to performance and automation, images on the web can be complicated! Front-end developer and performance expert Kitt Hodsden joins the show to make sense of today’s options — and help you choose the options that are best for your projects. Kitt explains the historical background of web images, along with future-forward options like WebP and WebM. She also shares resources to help with virtually any approach to images, then dives into the solutions that consistently work for her, including srcset, automating optimization and lazy loading.
< Download MP3 >  ...2018-06-0753 minCTRL+CLICK CASTBiz Dev Strategies 101 with Alex MejiasBusiness development is the key to business success, but where to begin? Alex Mejias, Foster Made’s Director of Strategy and Business Development, joins to the show to explain the fundamentals of business development. We discuss the mindset required for business growth, the basic sales process plus how to qualify leads. We share both the small and larger agency perspective about growth and business dev, the challenges we face and the nuances to consider when filling your agency pipeline.
< Download MP3 > < Listen on...2018-05-241h 00CTRL+CLICK CASTFostering Diversity in Design Leadership with Timothy BardlavensHow can we improve diversity in design leadership? Access. Access to resources, education, other designers … access to the knowledge that design is even a career to pursue in the first place. We chat with Microsoft’s Product Design & Culture Lead Timothy Bardlavens about the lack diversity in the design industry and in leadership, in particular. We discuss the challenges of “diversity programs” that don’t actually deliver what people need, and how genuine leadership is needed for even grass-roots efforts to find success. He shares how basic access and radical transparency can be the start of change, but also r...2018-05-101h 01CTRL+CLICK CASTCMS Upgrades & Migrations, Part 1How do you decide whether to upgrade your CMS or if it’s time to consider new software? Do you understand the benefits of one or the other? In Part 1 of this series, Emily and Lea discuss the benefits of upgrading or migrating sites from a client’s perspective. We break down how the decision goes beyond tech, share processes with real-world scenarios, how we compare software, and quick tips on how to decide which direction to go.
< Download MP3 > < Listen on c...2018-04-2650 minCTRL+CLICK CASTWeb Design Fundamentals for Developers with Tracy OsbornShould developers understand design? Yes, says developer, designer and entreprenerd Tracy Osborn. She joins the show to discuss her “Hello Web Design” book, which gives developers and programmers a friendly intro to web design principles. We discuss why developers should understand design fundamentals and dive into some of the similarities with learning development principles. Tracy also details the handy shortcuts in her book — from color to typography to layout — that give developers instant, practical uses for these design basics.
< Download MP3 > < Listen on ctrlc...2018-04-1257 minCTRL+CLICK CASTLocalization Best Practices with Ira Frimere and Michael HarrisGo beyond Google Translate! Acclaro’s Ira Frimere and Michael Harris join the show to discuss the business, development and process that go into localization for the web. We dive into client workflows, the business benefits of localization, balancing machine and expert human translation, as well as the UX, front-end and CMS considerations for multilingual sites!
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Show Notes:
Creating a multilingual website can boost your global success.
Google Translate
Bing Microsoft Translator
Craft CM...2018-03-2956 minCTRL+CLICK CASTProject Management for the Web with Rachel GertzProject management isn’t just about tasks, time and budget. Good PM is about better communication, better outcomes and better profits! Digital PM Trainer Rachel Gertz returns to the show to dispel myths about project management and explain how essential it is to the success of a project and, more importantly, a client relationship. She defines PM for today’s digital projects, which is more than organizing and scheduling — it relies on a foundation of communication and empathy. Rachel also shares strategies for helping keep projects on time, managing expectations and dealing with scope creep, as well as advice for budget...2018-03-1501 minCTRL+CLICK CASTPractical Accessibility with Jason NakaiWith new federal laws in place, accessibility is a huge priority for government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding. But accessibility is more than just technical specifications. Information Architect and Usability Engineer Jason Nakai joins the show to discuss the practical aspects of accessibility projects — for websites and software. We share experiences from a “simple” website accessibility project to a large-scale, federal software accessibility effort. We detail the importance of setting expectations and training, and discuss different approaches for project management.
< Download MP3 >  ...2018-03-0101 minCTRL+CLICK CASTCreativity Thru Connection with Sonja RasulaIs your phone always by your side? Founder & CEO of the The Unique Empire Sonja Rasula says it’s time to disconnect in order for creativity to flourish and allow stronger human connection. In the first episode of 2018, we dive into the contradictory nature of technology as it simultaneously draws us closer and further apart. We discuss simple changes that allow you to regularly disconnect from your devices, how removing devices during meetings can improve communication, and ultimately, how to nurture human connection for better work and life.
< Download MP3 > &am...2018-02-1556 minCTRL+CLICK CAST2017 Year in ReviewFor our 2017 finale, we look back at all we learned in business, technology and life this past year. We reflect on ongoing goals, challenges we faced this year and how we overcame them, plus we also address what we hope for 2018. Of course, we touch on our fave Rapidfire questions — what are they? Tune in to find out!
We’re on hiatus for a couple months (tune back in February 15, 2018) but we’ll see you on the other side! Happy new year!
< Download MP3 > <...2017-12-1451 minCTRL+CLICK CASTImpact of Artificial Intelligence on Design & Dev with Jason TselentisWill artificial intelligence (AI) make designers and developers obsolete? Or does AI and machine learning offer opportunity? Designer and educator Jason Tselentis joins us for a thoughtful discussion about how AI and machine learning are impacting creative fields today, as well as what the future may hold. Jason explains the nuances between AI and machine learning, and offers examples of both already a part of many design professionals’ daily lives. We discuss the fears and paranoia often associated with AI “taking over,” as well as the idea of AI as an evolution — which means there is opportunity for designers and develope...2017-11-301h 00CTRL+CLICK CASTDesign Thinking to Smash Workplace Inequality with Vanessa DeweyWorkplace inequality is a tough issue to tackle — maybe a change in perspective is needed! Mattel’s Vanessa Dewey, lead of Development and Creative Experiences, joins the show to tackle how design thinking may be the way to break through. We discuss corporate policies and how to navigate being a woman in the workplace. We share communication techniques, impress the importance of empathy and the ROI of a more equitable workplace.
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Show Notes:
Fearless Feed...2017-11-091h 04CTRL+CLICK CASTDemystifying Web Maintenance for ClientsSurprise! We decided we needed another episode in our Demystifying the Web series. This time, we talk about web maintenance in client-friendly terms. We focus on how to help clients plan and budget for the life of their website and CMS, as well as how to explain different types of maintenance to clients. Using car and home maintenance analogies, we share examples of the maintenance services we provide our clients — including accessibility and performance audits, CMS updates and upgrades, and even site refreshes and redesigns.
< Download MP3 > &am...2017-10-2639 minCTRL+CLICK CASTDebugging our Feelings with Jamie StrachanYou can’t be a great web developer if you don’t take care of your mental health. Jamie Strachan, web developer and mental health advocate, stops by the show to explain the practical techniques that cognitive behavioral therapy provides and how it ties to developer mindset.
Listen in as we share our own stories alongside Jamie’s, what we’ve done to overcome mental health issues, how we can help others, and other practical therapies. Let’s help our industry and community be better mental health advocates so we can all live our best (personal and professional!) lives.
< Downlo...2017-10-121h 07CTRL+CLICK CASTStrategic Planning & Cold Outreach with Jake JorgovanNeed to grow your web agency, but don’t know how? Struggling to attract leads for your freelance business? Get practical advice from marketing expert Jake Jorgovan! Jake joins the show to discuss how forging new relationships — through strategic partnerships and outreach — can build your business. He offers tips on identifying strategic partners, connecting with them, and establishing and nurturing the partnership over time. Jake also dives into strategies for cold outreach, with a focus on being generous and building a relationship vs. selling.
< Download MP3 > &nb...2017-09-2757 minCTRL+CLICK CASTCelebrating 100 Episodes! Again!What have we learned in another 100 eps? We celebrate this milestone — again! — by highlighting must-listen episodes from our perspective and yours! Tune in for what we’ve learned, our most downloaded episodes, and some rather nice reviews. Let’s celebrate 4 years of conversations about the web!
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Show Notes:
Color w/ Geri Coady Niche Identity & Branding w/ the FlyDuo Emotional Intelligence in Design w/ Beth Dean Web Development Trends w/ Laurie Voss Data Dri...2017-09-1433 minCTRL+CLICK CASTWeb Development Trends with Laurie Vossnpm, Inc. co-founder and COO Laurie Voss joins the show to talk about trends in web development — frameworks, component architectures, performance and more. Laurie provides more than a technical view; he offers a nuanced, bigger-picture perspective about trends reflecting evolution and pushing innovation. We talk about the practical pros and cons of implementing a trend like React, but also how trends offer even broader benefits to the industry overall.
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Show Notes:
Every Bo...2017-08-3151 minCTRL+CLICK CASTEthics & Technology with Kristin ValentineDoctors and lawyers have a code of ethics — maybe it’s time web professionals do as well! Kristin Valentine explains how more of us should consider ethical practices when designing and developing for the web. We talk about the importance of privacy and security, how other industries address ethical concerns, and guidelines to help navigate the complicated topic of applied ethics in web work.
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Show Notes:
Ecommerce Shipping and Fulfillment
Emotional Intelligence in Design
The...2017-08-1748 minCTRL+CLICK CASTThe Mobile Web for Global Change with Rowena LukMobile devices have the power to connect people from underserved communities to empowering resources and information. Which is why mobile tech is so critical for today’s NGOs and aid programs to positively impact the people they serve. Special guest Rowena Luk, VP of Strategy at Dimagi, joins the show to discuss the challenges, and rewards, of using mobile apps and tech to drive global change. She details how Dimagi develops apps with a focus on in-field testing, as well as the design constraints that guide their process. She shares examples of other programs that have found success through mo...2017-08-0351 minCTRL+CLICK CASTDemystifying CMSs for ClientsOur final “Demystifying” episode tackles what powers the function and content of a site: a content management system! We discuss how CMSs tie into business and administrative goals, and explain tech terms to help break down client barriers. We share examples of what kind of non-tech questions to ask and how they serve the CMS, plus fun analogies that give further context and value of CMSs to empower our clients.
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Show Notes:
Demystifying the...2017-07-201h 02CTRL+CLICK CASTGoogle Analytics 101 with Terri JenkinsDo you know whether you your website actually supports your business goals? Google Analytics can help you find out! We talk with digital media expert Terri Jenkins about the basics of digital measurement and Google Analytics. She explains why analytics are important for both site owners and site developers, and offers examples of the basic measurements every site should have in place. She also details other Google products that can further enhance what site owners (and developers!) can do with Google Analytics, including Tag Manager, Search Console and Page Insights.
< Download MP3 >  ...2017-07-061h 00CTRL+CLICK CASTDo You Really Need a CMS? with Ben FurfieHow well do you know your clients’ needs and business? That’s where Ben Furfie suggests you invest time before forcing clients into a CMS they may not need. We discuss the pros and cons of CMSs, why a client may not need one, and the importance of business goals over tech. Ben shares the questions he asks clients to determine site needs, examples of the types of client that don’t need a CMS, as well as pricing alternatives to keep smaller projects profitable.
< Download MP3 >  ...2017-06-221h 01CTRL+CLICK CASTBanish Your Inner Critic with Denise JacobsCreativity evangelist Denise Jacobs returns to the show to illustrate how we can excel by banishing our inner critic! We discuss the real science with how we hold ourselves back, plus practical techniques that help you push through. We discuss comparisons and envy, define expertise and challenge perceptions of what self-esteem means. We share personal experiences but go beyond feel-good points as Denise shares actionable ways you can silence that inner critic today.
< Download MP3 > < Listen on ctrlclickcast.com &...2017-06-0856 minCTRL+CLICK CASTDisaster Planning Using the Cloud with Andy McCormickDeveloper Andy McCormick of DuBose Web Development stops by the show to explain why his entire team develops and works on the cloud—not only for disaster recovery, but for better efficiency, workflow and cost savings! He explains how he evaluated various tools with real examples (including coding in the cloud!), how long the evaluation process should take, as well as the importance of documentation.
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Show Notes:
Dropbox JIRA Atlassian HipChat Confluence Bitbucket Start wi...2017-05-251h 00CTRL+CLICK CASTDemystifying Web Development for ClientsDo your clients value the work you do and understand how it supports their business goals? If you don’t know (or the answer is ‘no’), then you need to start communicating better! We continue our client-friendly series exploring how technical web terms create a barrier between ourselves and our clients. In this episode, we tackle front-end development, explaining the technical terms and acronyms in ways non-web folks can understand!
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Show Notes...2017-05-1154 minCTRL+CLICK CASTFearless Feedback with Amélie LamontCreating a culture of fearless feedback not only helps foster better interpersonal work relationships, it ultimately helps your team, project, and company! Product Design Lead for the New York Times, Amélie Lamont, explains how to give AND receive feedback both in the perspective of a leader as well as a team player. Through practical and actionable communication tips, as well as anecdotes of best practices and fails, we discuss the nuances of what it takes to foster a culture of fearless feedback where you work.
< Download MP3 > &a...2017-04-2758 minCTRL+CLICK CASTNiche Identity & Branding with The FlyDuoThe foundation of a successful brand? Authenticity. Reuben and Sherri Johnson — AKA The FlyDuo — join the show to share their journey of embracing authenticity and forming their non-traditional brand. They discuss the challenges of their agency’s early days, including hard lessons about their identity, choosing clients and saying no. And they detail their evolution to a brand that reflects who they are and, most importantly, connects with like-minded clients.
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Show Notes:
BizCra...2017-04-1359 minCTRL+CLICK CASTContent Workflows for Statamic with Jack McDadeDoes an ideal content workflow exist? Listen to Jack McDade, creator of Statamic, talk about CMS content workflows both from a client and developer perspective. We chat about user experience expectations and verifying assumptions through user research. We discuss what makes a CMS easier to use, and how poor workflows can make users abandon a perfectly good system. Tune in to also hear how far Statamic has come since we last talked to Jack, plus what lies in its future!
< Download MP3 > <...2017-03-3057 minCTRL+CLICK CASTDeveloping Long-term Client Relationships with Susan SnipesThere’s no one size fits all approach to building client relationships. But if you want more long-term clients, you do have to be intentional. Susan Snipes joins us to discuss how she and her team at Q Digital Studio build long-term relationships. It starts with too-often forgotten basics like professionalism and good project management, but it also involves strategic communication after a project ends to demonstrate your ongoing value. We talk about being proactive with client communication and how to have “hard conversations” about things like rate changes.
< Download MP3 > &nb...2017-03-1650 minCTRL+CLICK CASTResponsive RetrofitsMore people are visiting the web on mobile than they do desktop today! Responsive retrofitting can be a cost-effective way to go beyond a desktop-only experience ASAP. Emily and Lea break down the importance of mobile-friendly sites and different ways you can tackle mobile-friendly projects based on client budget and priorities. We share front-end techniques and other processes that help prioritize audience and client goals, regardless of what device they use to access their site.
< Download MP3 > <...2017-03-021h 07CTRL+CLICK CASTDiversity & Inclusion at Peers Conference with Jess D'AmicoWhat does it take to run a successful, diverse and inclusive tech conference? Is it a mindset? A formula? Peers Conference founder and organizer Jess D’Amico joins the show to share her approach to making Peers a people-focused, welcoming event. Jess details her approach to diversity and inclusion, which is less about formulas and quotas and more about a mindset towards openness and support. She also shares how she seeks and encourages speakers, especially first-timers, as well as the Call for Proposals blind review. And Jess talks about codes of conduct, why they are necessary and what pr...2017-02-161h 03CTRL+CLICK CASTDemystifying Web Design for ClientsDon’t expect your clients to understand every aspect of the web — that’s our job! And the first step to improving sales and client relationships is to break down technical language barriers. Industry terms can confuse and intimidate, so Emily and Lea share analogies and scenarios that more clearly explains the value of web design at every step. Through non-technical explanations (complete with examples) Emily and Lea bridge the gap between what we do as web designers and how it relates to client values and goals.
< Download MP3 > &nb...2017-02-0250 minCTRL+CLICK CASTSuccess from Failure with Erik ReaganStart 2017 with a new perspective on success and failure! Web developer and entrepreneur Erik Reagan returns to the show to share his own lessons learned about finding professional success and managing failure. We discuss what success and failure really is (hint: it isn’t you), how to define measurable goals, and the importance of learning and reflection. Erik also offers suggestions for managing the ebb and flow of priorities, so that success (or failure) at work doesn’t negatively impact home.
< Download MP3 > <...2017-01-191h 02CTRL+CLICK CAST2016 Year in ReviewFor the final episode of 2016, Bright Umbrella assistant Erin Lewis joins us for one last Year in Review. We look back at all we learned in business, technology and life this past year. As we reflect on recurring and changing goals, we also address what we hope for 2017 with conviction and solidarity. And finally, the year’s Rapidfire Questions analyzed! Do pancakes triumph over waffles? Tune in to find out!
We’re on hiatus until the new year (tune back in January 19, 2017), and we wish you all the happiest of holidays!
< Download MP3 >  ...2016-12-0149 minCTRL+CLICK CASTEcommerce Shipping & Fulfillment with Noah Bernsohn & Peter CompernolleIt’s simple: Ecommerce development is complicated. There are a lot of moving parts, from understanding business rules and tribal knowledge to designing for user experience and building internal systems that work. We tackle all of these points with Noah Bersohn and Peter Compernolle, with a focus on shipping and fulfillment. Noah and Peter share two client case studies, each with unique shipping and fulfillment needs. They detail their approach, which starts with a strong focus on discovery and proceeds quickly to prototyping for validation before diving into full-scale development. They also discuss the ecommerce frameworks and CMSs they us...2016-11-1759 minCTRL+CLICK CASTMarketing for Web Freelancers and Agencies with Ilise BenunDo you have a marketing plan? If you’re a tiny freelancer or agency, the answer may be no — and can be contributing to your business’s feast and famine cycle! Marketing Mentor Ilise Benun helps peel back the realities of marketing to help your creative business. We discuss the three main marketing techniques to use, specific tips and examples from real-world clients (including Bright Umbrella!), and the mind shift required to be better at marketing your services to get the clients and projects you want.
< Download MP3 >  ...2016-11-0359 minCTRL+CLICK CASTSecuring Site Content with Rachel AndrewEver needed to build a login-protected “member portal”? Or support subscriptions for digital downloads? Then you’ve secured site site content. But have you covered all the bases? Rachel Andrew joins the show to explain the what, why and how of secure sites. We each share real-world client examples, particularly in context with content management systems. Rachel specifically details how Perch CMS supports secure content, including using a paywall with Perch Shop. She also explains the core server requirements for secure content and details how HTTPS may soon be the default for all sites. She wraps up with an int...2016-10-2055 minCTRL+CLICK CASTOverhauling Epicurious with Eric GillinHow do you rehaul a 21-year-old brand? Eric Gillin explains how he helped relaunch Epicurious’ site through a phased, practical approach. We focus on the most important features of the site and which tools helped narrow these assumptions down. We talk about the difficulty of launching new features on a site with exponential visitor growth, developer impact, user experience, and parsing criticism. We also chat about their upcoming mobile app, how it differs from the site, as well as the future of food and digital.
< Download MP3 > &am...2016-10-0647 minCTRL+CLICK CASTCopywriting and the User Experience with Stephanie MorilloIs copy the same as content? Can copy influence design? Professional copywriter Stephanie Morillo joins the show to explain copywriting and how it impacts user experience. She shares examples of copy on the web — such as headings, form labels, alerts and notifications — and details how copy helps you connect with your audience and support your brand. Stephanie talks about where copywriting fits into the project process, as well as the importance of collaboration with stakeholders. She also shares great resources to help improve your copywriting and be consistent with copy, not just on your website but in all of your mess...2016-09-2256 minCTRL+CLICK CASTDiscovery Only with J CorneliusEver dive into a project and realize the scope is completely off? How about realizing the client is the wrong fit? Paid discovery projects help minimize these issues. J Cornelius of Nine Labs explains how being more focused and intentional with a small discovery project benefits both you and your client’s business. We chat the various ways discovery projects can be executed, what they include, why they’re important, and how it sets the tone for the rest of the project.
< Download MP3 > &...2016-09-0848 minCTRL+CLICK CASTPerformance Optimization: A Tale of Two EE SitesPerformance matters. Tune in to hear real-world examples on how Lea and Emily tackle their client site speed issues! From fixing emergencies to thoughtful rebuilds, we discuss the specific ways we manage client expectations, budgets and resources while isolating bottlenecks. We reveal real solutions to fixing slow EE sites from different angles, including front-end, and discuss why it’s important to fix, test, and review in the first place!
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Show Notes:
Pingdom Di...2016-08-251h 14CTRL+CLICK CASTThe QA Process with Lewis FrancisQuality Assurance isn’t just testing. QA is a process that spans the lifecyle of a project. Lewis Francis, Director of Quality Assurance at Threespot, joins the show with a primer on QA for websites and apps. He talks about the difference between quality assurance and quality control, and explains where QA should fit into the project cycle. Lewis details how budget can dictate the scope of QA, but also the elements that are important for any QA process. And he shares a bunch of great tools and resources, from automated full-site validation to front-end testing to issue tr...2016-08-1150 minCTRL+CLICK CASTData-driven Design with Matthew OliphantUX expert Matthew Oliphant stops by the show to help define what data-driven design even means! We discuss testing assumptions before a project begins, as well as how UX research affects process and the project lifecycle. From critical business decisions to design and development, we chat about different ways to test a website or app, real-world scenarios of testing, and how to make sense of it all to fulfill client and user goals.
< Download MP3 > < Listen on ctrlclickcast.com &...2016-07-281h 02CTRL+CLICK CASTLanding Pages & CMS Workflows with Shawn MaidaLanding pages are bound to come up for almost any type of client. How can we designers and developers help clients reach their conversion goals, while making it easy for them to create these landing pages? Special guest Shawn Maida returns to the show to discuss how his company uses landing pages themselves, as well as how they build landing pages for clients. We run the gamut of different types of landing pages, as well as different client goals. We discuss solutions we’ve built in ExpressionEngine, Craft and Statamic, as well as alternative options when a CMS doesn’t make...2016-07-141h 03CTRL+CLICK CASTDeveloping a Signature Design StyleTired of websites looking the same? So are we! Hosts Lea and Emily discuss how signature design style benefits designers and their clients. We weigh in on the pros and cons, how to find a signature design style and apply it, as well as how other phases of a project cycle is affected by a design style. Lea also shares some resources to help designers create their own signature design style.
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Designers...2016-06-301h 09CTRL+CLICK CASTEmotional Intelligence in Design with Beth DeanWhen we go online, the stresses and triggers of our offline lives go with us. So the apps, sites and technology we use online need to account for those stressors. Special guest Beth Dean returns to the show, this time to talk about emotional intelligence in design. She shares her own lessons learned working at Facebook, trying to anticipate and avoid the friction that can occur when the design process doesn’t consider the human factor. Beth also offers tips for how to be more emotionally intelligent in both design and development, including embracing diversity in the workplace, identifying stress sc...2016-06-1656 minCTRL+CLICK CASTConnecting to 3rd Party APIs with Mitchell KimbroughWebsites are no longer silos. There is an increasing need to connect various services together through their APIs. Solspace founder and developer Mitchell Kimbrough returns to the show to explain how he approaches requests for 3rd-party API integration. He shares what a good API looks like, emphasizes a discovery-first approach, goes through technical tips like his “crud” script to help test assumptions and troubleshoot, but most importantly, shares scenarios on how to navigate the human element when juggling management of different APIs through various gatekeepers.
< Download MP3 >  ...2016-06-0259 minCTRL+CLICK CASTIntro to SVGs with Brenda StorerSVGs aren’t just another image format. They are code. They are infinitely scalable. And they can be manipulated with CSS and JS to create both subtle and dramatic interface experiences. Designer and front-end dev Brenda Storer joins the show to give us a primer on scalable vector graphics, from how they are different from the familiar PNG, JPG and GIF, to browser support, to the underlying code elements and attributes. Brenda offers recommendations for optimizing SVGs and making them more accessible. She also details real world use cases (an alternative to icon fonts) and shares her favorite resources fo...2016-05-1956 minCTRL+CLICK CASTProgressive Enhancement, Revisited, with Aaron GustafsonWhere does progressive enhancement fit in the web today? Developer Aaron Gustafson, author of Adaptive Web Design, returns to the show to update us on how progressive enhancement fits for today’s mobile web design & development workflow. Not only do we go through the technical specifics of progressive enhancement, we chat about how design and user experience work hand-in-hand alongside the business benefits inherent when building an inclusive site or app.
< Download MP3 > < Listen on ctrlclickcast.com >...2016-05-051h 22CTRL+CLICK CASTPlatform Agnostic Add-on Dev with Eric LambAn add-on with a single code base that supports five different CMSs? That’s the unicorn of platform-agnostic add-on dev, and it is just as illusive. Special guest Eric Lamb shares how he developed an efficient, smart approach to porting his popular ExpressionEngine add-on, Backup Pro, to four other content management systems (with more planned). The key? Abstraction. He also details the nuances of working with different communities and submitting add-ons to different marketplaces, as well as the challenges of support and how he keeps it manageable.
< Download MP3 > &am...2016-04-2155 minCTRL+CLICK CASTTime-Saving Tools for Running a Small BusinessThere are a lot of moving parts to running a business — how do you get through it all in an efficient manner? Emily and Lea go through the tools, resources, and services Bright Umbrella utilizes to run a business more smoothly. We chat about past and current experiences with task management and business development, invoices and time tracking, and everything in between — all to show you how to help you save time (and money!) for your business!
< Download MP3 > < Listen on ctrlclickcast.com...2016-04-071h 29CTRL+CLICK CASTBuild Automation Using Gulp with Dan TelloA good workflow means fewer hiccups in a project build. An automated workflow means fewer hiccups and faster production! Front-end developer Dan Tello joins the show to share how he and his team at Viget use build tools and task runners to automate their front-end (and CMS!) development. Dan details his process learning Grunt, then making the switch to Gulp and why he prefers it. He shares his Gulp Starter repo and details the various tools he uses for the different assets he builds. We also discuss some of the challenges of workflow automation and tips for keeping...2016-03-2450 minCTRL+CLICK CASTColor with Geri CoadyChoosing and applying colors on the web can get complicated quickly, especially when considering user experience and accessibility. Don’t rely on assumptions, urges designer and illustrator Geri Coady! She shares tips on how to make informed design choices that improve a site’s interactivity for all users. We talk about color’s impact on a site, compare color applications to other industries, and share tools on how to test color decisions that enhances a web experience.
< Download MP3 > < Listen on ctrlclickcast.com &a...2016-03-1057 minCTRL+CLICK CASTLarge EE Sites, Revisited, with Travis SmithExpressionEngine for large-scale sites? Yes, says EE expert Travis Smith, and he’s got the statistics to back it up! Travis returns to the show as we revisit one of our EE Podcast episodes on large EE sites to discuss what has changed and what’s stayed the same. Travis details his updated statistics about the largest EE sites on the web today, and discusses the factors that make a site “large.” He also shares tips for efficient development, good infrastructure and mitigating the challenges large sites introduce.
< Download MP3 > &am...2016-02-2555 minCTRL+CLICK CASTFlexbox with Zoe GillenwaterCurious about flexbox? Web designer, developer and author Zoe Gillenwater says the flexible box model ranks high among what seasoned web developers should learn now. We discuss what the hype is about, how it differs from other layout methods, and where it’s best used. We also talk about the changing landscape of layout methods overall, and Zoe shares simple and complex use cases for flexbox.
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CSS Flexible Box Module CSS Grid La...2016-02-1153 minCTRL+CLICK CASTPractical Pricing with Brad WeaverAre you pricing your services correctly? Do you know what it costs to just maintain your business? Are you making a profit? Do you know how to correctly estimate? How do you talk to clients and prospects about budgets and costs? If you work for yourself and you aren’t asking yourselves these questions, then you may be hurting the future of your business. Special guest Brad Weaver joins the show to offer practical pricing tips and strategies that can help your business today—as in right now! We talk about shop rates vs. billing rates and how to calculate both...2016-01-281h 09CTRL+CLICK CASTOverwhelmed by Code with Susan RobertsonThe fast-paced nature of the web industry can cause confusion as to how to prioritize what to learn, especially if a framework or technique is obsolete in a year. Our first guest of 2016, front-end developer Susan Robertson, urges us to take a step back before immediately diving into something new. We discuss why we think there’s such a panic to learn new things, how to avoid this panic, and also share tips on how evaluate what is actually worth investing time to learn.
< Download MP3 >  ...2016-01-141h 03CTRL+CLICK CAST2015 Year in ReviewFor our 2015 season finale, we look back on the past year and share some of our lessons learned with our Bright Umbrella intern Erin! From tech to business to life, we share the important lessons we learned this year, along with our goals for next. We also take a look back at our 2015 guests’ answers to our Rapidfire 10 Questions, and then turn the questions on ourselves!
We’re on a hiatus until the new year (tune back in January 14, 2016), and wish you all the happiest of holidays!
< Download MP3 >  ...2015-12-0357 min