It has been about a month since we launched the latest version of Project83.com, and I have been pleasantly surprised by all the great feedback we have been getting.

Version 3 of the website is certainly something we are proud of internally. I feel it is a great representation of who we are and what we value as a company. We have grown a lot in 3.5 years, and it is cool to look back on versions one and two of the site to see how far we have come.

I wanted to spend a little time walking you through the process that got us here, which runs over seven months. Hopefully it will encourage or challenge you in some way:

The New Logo

I never asked for or desired a new logo for Project83. However, I could not be happier with how it ended up. Lesson #1: only great things can result from giving your design team (in my case, Jared) complete creative freedom.

The typography got a well-deserved update. We moved to all caps ("J" sure is a weird letter), changed the font and gave the letters a little breathing room. The new mark is much more relevant, and the colors are much less distracting now. The website matured a great deal in version 3, and it all started with the logo.

Old Logo:

Doing Less

Leaders in our industry have mastered the "less is more" approach to web design. As our team continues to learn more each day, we get better at doing less and making the most of it. Each version of our site has been no exception; less design, less code, less content and fewer overall distractions.

Easier to Update

Thankfully, Project83.com finally runs 100% on our content management system called Springboard. Adding new portfolio items, writing blog posts and updating content has never been easier. Whew!

Especially when it's your own site, you have to do everything possible to make sure it is quick and easy to make updates. Otherwise, you simply will not get to them as often as you should. Find a content management platform you love (if you don't have one try ours!) and make sure to update content regularly.

Copy is Everything

The website copy probably went through at least 15 revisions. This is the first version of our site that I believe was truly built around the copy, which is the way it should be. The site has fewer words than previous versions, yet speaks to our target audience more clearly and persuasively than ever.

I can't overstate the value of spending time on your website copy — and the value of having a little fun with it! It's something I preach every day, but it really hit home in working on this new design. Without quality content, the best designs in the world don't work.

Keep in mind that good content takes time. You won't get it right the first or second or fifth time. Keep at it, and I believe it will prove to be absolutely worthwhile in the end.

I hope you like the new design ... we appreciate your feedback!