ipk

American Museum
of Natural History

The world-famous New York City museum is an architectural behemoth -- a labyrinth of 25 inter-connected buildings and 46 exhibit halls. To facilitate an optimal experience for its 4 million plus annual visitors, we developed a user-friendly mobile app -- a state-of-the-art tool for traveling through natural history.

We began the app-building process by making reference videos of the entire 1.6 million square foot facility and sketching out a master plan for intuitive, "any gallery / any time" touch screen navigation. We then developed a series of detailed 3D renderings of the museum's permanent exhibit halls, complemented by a series of extensive 2D floor plans. The renderings were then transposed into a customized format that would allow visitors to see dynamic, animated turn-by-turn directions to any location within the museum. Getting lost and asking for directions is now, well... a thing of the past.

Marvel Entertainment

Marvel executives sought our help in redefining its online presence as they were transitioning brand identity from niche comic book publisher to mainstream entertainment company.

We helped re-evaluate the company's digital marketing needs and develop a new strategic model for Marvel.com. During Discovery, one-on-one interviews were held with 26 Marvel employees in both NY and LA. We then analyzed site traffic, reviewed industry competitors, and surveyed users to define core recommendations and requirements for the new site.

During the Design phase, user experience wireframes were developed, outlining key areas of functionality including the comics catalog, character pages, feature film hubs, TV hubs and the Marvel store. We generated extensive flow charts and feature lists, defining global screen templates and navigational systems. Third-party testing was conducted to ensure the new design resonated with Marvel's target demographic.

Capital Group

The Capital Group, one of the world's largest investment management organizations sought a more personal web presence -- an experience that would appeal directly to both individual investors and potential employees. We developed a range of strategic design and content solutions to help achieve their goals while remaining easy to implement.

After careful evaluation by our user experience team, a new home page and more informative "About Us" section were created. We used friendly, human-centered imagery to better appeal to new investors and for recruitment we incorporated employee testimonials, photo galleries of offices, and an improved job application process. After launch, The Capital Group reported a large increase in qualified candidates.

This project was a classic example of how IPK works collaboratively to meet client needs without imposing our own agendas. "The IPK user experience" is holistic, versatile and client-centered.

Las Vegas
Springs Preserve

This 180-acre "edutainment" destination houses four interactive-media-enhanced galleries that engage visitors in the history of Las Vegas and the future of sustainable desert living.

IPK was selected as lead developer of the Preserve's mobile visitor guide. We met with exhibit designers and sustainability experts to evolve an initial prototype mapping all key features. We then developed a user-friendly interface designed for easy, on-the-go, finger-swipe operation. Custom content was created for each exhibit including slideshows, games and videos. Location-aware maps brought the tour full circle, enabling touchscreen wayfinding from anywhere on Preserve.

IPK handled full execution of the mobile guide, overseeing the procurement of 500 devices as well as custom charging stations and delivering the programming and implementation of the mobile guide's web-based update and maintenance system.

Sony Pictures

SonyPictures.com is the promotional hub for all of Sony's film, television, home entertainment and mobile products. IPK was asked to help define strategic priorities and redesign the site to better meet the marketing needs of four diverse business units.

During Discovery, we interviewed executives and key personnel in all departments, forming a comprehensive picture of the site's redesign requirements. In addition to design, Sony Pictures needed a cohesive content delivery system easily utilized by each division. We developed a global navigation and shared template system to streamline ongoing updates and maintenance and in the Design phase, created an overall look and feel that identified the site as Sony Pictures while allowing divisions and properties to visually customize their own content.

Our comprehensive solution included a branded set of versatile marketing and promotional modules for quick and easy announcement of time- and date-sensitive information.

Sony Connect

In response to the success of iTunes, Sony enlisted our help to improve the performance of its online music and video store. An earlier launch of the service was underperforming and usability was in need of a fresh approach. We developed a suite of discovery tools and social networking features, and re-architected the storefront to better facilitate the sale, purchase and management of both music and video content.

During the course of development, IPK created a wide array of user experience prototypes, from simple wireframes to Flash-coded interactive demos. We designed interface features for content discovery, purchase, downloading and file management. In addition, we created user experience models for all modes of store entry -- via web browser, downloadable application (a la iTunes), Sony PlayStation or PSP. Selected designs were finalized and usability tested for the lead product development team in Tokyo as they planned the new store release.