Here’s just one more example of why good design really does matter. Terry Teachout, drama critic for The Wall Street Journal, recently posted his updated guidelines for getting him to review a theater company’s production on his “About Last Night” blog here. It’s a great reminder that ticket buyers aren’t the only people visiting your website and making decisions about your organization based on the site’s design and ease of use. Just as every performance on stage counts, so does every website hit - you never know who’s lurking in the audience.

Teachout says: “Web sites matter–a lot. A clean-looking home page that conveys a maximum of information with a minimum of clutter tells me that you know what you’re doing, thus increasing the likelihood that I’ll come see you. An unprofessional-looking, illogically organized home page suggests the opposite. (If you can’t spell, hire a proofreader.) This doesn’t mean I won’t consider reviewing you–I know appearances can be deceiving–but bad design is a needless obstacle to your being taken seriously by other online visitors.”

Our most recent theater company website launch: www.pigiron.org We think it’s a pretty good example, even if we do say so ourselves.

Join us at the Rosenbach Museum & Library today between Noon and 7 p.m. to celebrate the 16th annual Bloomsday. The Rosenbach, home of James Joyce’s original manuscript for Ulysses, holds this Philadelphia tradition every year on June 16th, drawing hundreds of friends, neighbors, Joyce enthusiasts, book-lovers, and curious passersby to Delancey Place. Bloomsday is free and open to the public and features readings on the steps of the museum from some of the city’s most interesting business, creative, and media personalities, along with performances from Academy of Vocal Arts singers and a special exhibition of Joyce materials. You can find a full list of readers, including Governor Ed Rendell, here.

Hire Us or We’ll Smash Your Face In

Clearly they’re not concerned with presenting a friendly face to the public. You’ll hire them, or it’s shoveling time. I guess it’s shoveling time either way.

UPDATE: The image we posted became the top Google image search result when searching for this contractor. They called us and were upset that our posting of their own advertisement would hurt their business. They also didn’t like the caption, but hey, look at that dude. He’s going to smash your face in! I blacked out their identifying info. I like my face the way it is, thanks.

The Water We-Take-Your-Money Bureau

Only a city service could get away with this. The name says it all: They’re set up to collect money, providing water is not the first priority.