designer (countingcrows.com) interview
What was your role in creating the site?
Mike Hollingsworth and I designed the Crows site. I was the creative director and Mike was a contributing designer and artist. We have a number of entertainment sites under our belt, including recent additions like Bruce Hornsby and Willie Nelson.
How big was the team, what was its composition, and what was the relationship of the team members like?
About five people: one Creative Director, one designer, two programmers, and one project manager.
How long did it take from concept to going live?
About four weeks.
How did you plan the design and functionality of the site?
We were given photos and music from the band. I listened to the music and tried to get "into" the music and develop some kind of relationship with the artists through their music. It was important to communicate the music visually.
Did you start with an idea of the existing market and demographics?
Yes. We were provided the target market and demographics of the band's fans.
Were there any limitations imposed by a client or someone else that constrained your development of the site?
Yes. We had bandwidth restrictions, and we limited the amount of technology we used. This was primarily due to the relative simplicity of the music itself. With such a pure product, we felt it was important to have a pure Web site...without many bells and whistles.
What did you have to leave out of the design that you would have liked to include?
At the time Flash was not available. With it's current state, I would love to include some appropriate Flash animations. Well placed audio as well.
What feature on the site are you most proud of?
The feel of the site. The introspective nature of the imagery and typography.
Is there anything you'd change on the site now that it's live?
The press section.
What was the most important lesson or tip you learned while building this site that you'd pass on to other Web builders?
Less is more and get in touch with the band's work.
What's your favorite Web site?
AIDM.
What site do you wish you had designed?
Madonna's site and Star Wars.
What was your background before becoming involved with Web site design and development?
Markus - Fine artist (painter)
Mike - Graphic designer
When you're not busy building sites, what do you enjoy doing?
Markus - Exercising, painting, being with my family, PlayStation.
Mike - Exercising, boating, playing with his dogs.
