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Author: Clockwork
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How to Combat the Brainstorming Blues
Brainstorming is hard. In theory it’s a wonderful place where creativity meets logic and something magical happens. Where Instagram and Twitter and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was born. Yet, even when we try to approach it uncontrived, it still frequently falls just short of useful. Earlier this year while managing a project that demanded a lot […]
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Why Contextual Observation Is So Valuable
Understanding user needs is critical to the success of any product, and usability testing is one important tool that helps us build websites, programs, and apps that users love. But not all usability tests are created equal. I recently had the opportunity to conduct a contextual usability test with Wits, a Minnesota Public Radio show, and […]
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Beyond Family-Friendly
On my way into work the other day, I was struck with a sudden lightning bolt of gratefulness. I had just dropped my son off at his new daycare, and was able to give him the long goodbye that he seemed to need. Before that, I had been standing at the bus stop with my […]
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Building Loyalty in a Card-free World
Recent articles in Inc.com and Slate have made the case against card-based loyalty programs, arguing that they are bad for business and that companies should focus their energy on creating a superior experience. They’re right that following a cookie-cutter or “me too” approach to loyalty will likely not pay off, but that doesn’t mean loyalty is dead. It just […]
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What is Direct Traffic?
So you’ve got a website and you’ve installed Google Analytics. That’s a great start, but don’t stop there! With a bit of time and attention, Google Analytics (GA) can provide valuable information regarding conversions. Conversions are those key moments when visitors do something interactional or transactional on your site, e.g. complete a sale or donation, sign up for […]
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When Powerball Attacks
Clockwork websites live on a cluster of redundant, load-balanced servers. On any given day, this cluster handles hundreds of requests per second, or millions per day. This is boring; it’s what we do all day, every day. I want to talk about a different kind of day. What Happens One of our clients is the Minnesota […]
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Meeting Indra Nooyi
In early May, a few of us Clockworkers were invited by our PepsiCo clients to see and hear PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi speak at The Carlson School of Management’s First Tuesday Series. What struck me, and what was evident from the minute she took the stage, was how much of a class act she is: she was genuine, […]
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I Wasn’t Like Everybody Else
When I came out in the late 80s I felt like there was no place for me. It was considered a really rebellious thing to do. More than not, the people in my life reacted well (except for my parents, but they eventually came around). But culturally speaking, coming out was like saying there was something […]
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CEO Nancy Lyons honored with Progress Minnesota award
On Tuesday, April 16th, our CEO Nancy Lyons was honored by Finance & Commerce with a Progress Minnesota award. The Progress Minnesota program recognizes individuals and companies who are driving business and industrial growth and economic development in Minnesota in unique and innovative ways. Only 19 companies and eight individuals received awards, so not only is […]
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The real solution to the “Work From Home” debate
Sparking the debate Yahoo’s CEO, Marissa Mayer, caused a pretty significant wave across corporate America yesterday with her sweeping mandate requiring all employees to report back to the office for active duty. In other words – Mayer is eliminating a work from home policy – the kind of policy that Internet companies made famous in […]