From Our Archives
New PhlooQ Widget, Logo and Site.
byMichael Baumert on November 10, 2008 9:17 AM
We've done more work on PhlooQ and we're excited to share progress. To the left, you'll see the new PhlooQ widget (now available with green accents and the new logo.)
We've also tweaked the logos a bit and come up with a new phlooq.com page.
Continue reading New PhlooQ Widget, Logo and Site..
PhlooQ: Widget Winner
byEric Gaither on October 22, 2008 12:24 PM
After weighing in all of the pros and cons, a finalist has been selected. The PhlooQ team and the web community really gravitated towards the open, approachable look and feel of the widget above. Everyone found the "maybe state" a welcomed addition and also emphasized a strong desire for natural looking hands in lieu digital versions. We're happy with the overall direction.
Next on the agenda, redesigning the website.
Next on the agenda, redesigning the website.
PhlooQ: Widgets
byMichael Baumert on October 13, 2008 10:54 AM
Our first iteration of the PhlooQ widget is here and we'd love you to comment (over at greatamericanstartup). In general, we'd attempted to translate the users' commitment to the event into a binary yes or no answer - but we're not clear if that's the right approach - perhaps we need to introduce a 'maybe' state?
Continue reading PhlooQ: Widgets.
PhlooQ: How The Widget Works Part II
byMichael Baumert on October 8, 2008 10:58 AM
From a publisher standpoint, the PhlooQ widget works as illustrated above. The event publisher sends updates through PhlooQ to the attendees who can view it via one of the three PhlooQ widgets: the mobile widget, the web-based widget or through Facebook.
Continue reading PhlooQ: How The Widget Works Part II.
PhlooQ: Interacting With The Widget
byMichael Baumert on October 8, 2008 10:10 AM
Here's a new iteration of our ongoing expression of how the PhlooQ widget would work.
In a nutshell, here's how it works: The widget is spawned by an event publisher and the user can invite or message members of his or her social graph as well as view users in the area of the event. The user also indicates their attendance at the event and can comment.
PhlooQ: How It Works
byMichael Baumert on October 4, 2008 4:14 PM
It's time for another PhlooQ update, and this time we're focusing on what makes PhlooQ work. We've got three illustrations that capture, at a high level, what the widget is comprised of, how the user interacts with it and what the widget does in response to the user interaction.
At its core PhlooQ is quite simple (from a user interaction standpoint) but there is complexity which comes in what makes it tick and what it does below the surface.
Two more illustrations after the jump
Continue reading PhlooQ: How It Works.
PhlooQ Identity
byMichael Baumert on October 2, 2008 1:53 PM
Part of PlhooQ's coming out might be a new (or updated) Identity.. Or maybe not.. We've put together two options in addition to the original, and if you've got any ideas, please let us know - this should be a collaborative process
So here's what we were thinking
We asked a few friends and family what they thought of the existing PhlooQ logo (the gray and orange one) and while no one had anything overly negative to say about it just about everyone thought the company was pronounced "Floo Cue" not "Fluke". We thought de-emphasizing the Q might be the correct approach.
We spoke with David about this and he explained why there was a large "Q" there in the first place; it looks a bit like a magnifying glass - the now universally accepted symbol for 'search' and 'explore' so we played with making the "Q" a more literal magnifying glass.
So What Do you Think?
So, do you think we're heading down a good path here? Even if these new logo concepts aren't perfect, are they an improvement, and what could we do to evolve them even more?
Next Up: The new PhlooQ widget - stay tuned!
Also - since comments aren't working on our site yet (preview release!), register your thoughts at greatamericanstartup
LiftAgency + PhlooQ: Getting our bearings
byMichael Baumert on September 27, 2008 7:23 PM
After about an hour's worth of discovery time, mostly spent hammering David with questions, we've sketched out how PhlooQ is going to function (and how we're going to communicate how it works visually). This is an important first step and one that often times is overlooked in the haste to bring a seemingly endless stream of web 2.0 products to market.
PhlooQ is deceptively simple.
Upon first glance PhlooQ may appear to be a bit uhhh.. complex. It features a mobile phone activation system, Facebook integration, phone call initiation as well as messaging directly from the widget screen and there is proposed future functionality that will extend even farther. Here's the thing though: at the end of the day PhlooQ actually simplifies event participation, network collaboration and communication through its unique approach. Interaction with the PhlooQ widget is seamless and requires little special instruction and that's why we think we're on to something here. It's simple and powerful and has the potential to make a real impact.
We're going to work on a sketch of the PhlooQ service offering and post it here soon, so stay tuned and tell us what you think.
LiftAgency + PhlooQ: ...And We're Off!
byMichael Baumert on September 25, 2008 6:20 PM
As David mentioned in his post yesterday, our design firm liftagency llc will be working with PhlooQ to do a new user interface and appearance, and we're taking the extra step of sharing the process with anyone who cares to participate.
A Bit About liftagency
We like to consider ourselves a different type of design firm and one that has firmly embraced the web 2.0 communication methodology of rapid access to information - even if it's not 100% perfect. We've worked on a number of interface projects and been involved with re-designs of all sizes and scales and we are excited to be working with PhlooQ. Onward and upward.
Read on to get a peek into our process for PhlooQ
Continue reading LiftAgency + PhlooQ: ...And We're Off!.
Lift + PhlooQ: It's a Go!
byMichael Baumert on September 24, 2008 8:05 AM
Liftagency was selected to re-design the user interface and overall look and feel of PhlooQ, a revolutionary location-aware social networking project. In the coming weeks we'll be sharing our progress with the PhlooQ team and documenting the entire process from soup-to-nuts.
Stay tuned.
