Around here we just LOVE company names with numbers in them. Chalk that up to all the good domains being taken. Studio430 is the home of Jared McDaniel, one of my very closest friends, and the guy behind about 98% of the design work we do. Jared makes all of us look good.

Several months ago, we started working on a new site for his company, which also does unbelievable identity/branding, packaging and print work. Studio430.com is the result.

It's always fun to do a site every once in a while that can be a little more edgy and unique, so we decided to go horizontal. It was really fun, but doing horizontal layouts is not for the faint of heart. Be warned!

From the screenshot, you may notice a new and improved Project83 logo. I'm really excited about how our company is growing, and look forward to finishing some on-site remodeling in the near future as well.

So check out Jared's site and be sure to consider Studio430 for your next big print or branding project!

"Coming Soon" is a perpetually bad habit I see on the web. There is no doubt you have seen the following many times over ...

• "New website coming soon"
• "This website is under construction"
• "The store section of our site is coming soon"

Why do we feel the need to tell users that something bigger and better is on the way? In any case, "Coming Soon" sends a bad message about you ...

1. It sets expectations.

9 times out of 10 when people say "coming soon", they don't have a definite time that they expect whatever it is to be ready. So why set expectations with users when most times it leads to a total letdown? It just makes you look bad.

We live in a world that is more intrusive and distracting than ever. It takes more coordination and concentrated effort to complete a list of tasks in a productive fashion than ever. Getting a project done without at least one interruption of some sort is seldom at best.

I'm even being interrupted as I write this article ... excuse me while I take this call.

Okay, I'm back, sorry about that!

In order to be happy with your personal productivity, you have to control distractions. The first step is to minimize noise. Incoming emails, instant messages, twitter updates and text messages ALL make noise by default, and it is literally killing your productivity.

None of these communication methods are ways to inform someone of anything urgent, so why do we feel the need to stop what we're doing and go check something every time we are summoned by the noise? Here's a thought ... turn them off!

That is my challenge to you: turn noises for email, instant messaging, twitter and text messages OFF for a week. Check them on your own time, not when it causes you to be less productive. I am willing to bet you will like the change of pace, and get more done in the process.

The only noise I am willing to stick with is the phone. Everything else can wait until you are finished with what you are doing. If it's urgent, believe me, they will call.

Although we have been hard at work on various projects over the last several months, the Showcase area of our website has been neglected. Today it gets a minor update with 2 projects that have launched recently

Ergonomics Made Easy

This was a really fun and challenging project for us, as it is probably the most advanced eCommerce integration we have done thus far from beginning to end. The company (obviously) sells products for people in some sort of pain at work. They sell everything from keyboards to foot rests to office furniture. Here is a quick before/after comparison:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Merchant Plus

I had the privilege of sharing an office with the swell people that run this company over the summer in New York. Merchant Plus is OUR merchant provider, and services thousands of other companies with the BEST in customer service. It was a real pleasure work with them on the new site.

BEFORE:

AFTER: