With a built-in dependency on a third party database and inventory provider, All Foreign Auto Parts needed to approach their site redesign carefully. Taking into account the limitations on their functionality, technology requirements and their connection to their inventory system, we worked together to build an “acquisition point” for those wanting to search for parts using their tools.

Because their database / inventory provider imposed strict restrictions on technology that could be used on their server, I provided All Foreign with a minimal number of pages that functioned as a portal to their third-party-hosted search mechanism. All interface elements and navigational items were built using CSS and a lightweight browser-level gallery mechanism.

Visit the All Foreign Auto Parts website >

// All Foreign Auto Parts Background /

All Foreign Auto Parts is a small family-run used auto parts supplier with a big online business. With a very successful eBay storefront, All Foreign has managed to build a very strong national reputation as a quality  parts resource — with experience and reliability — especially among their commercial customers, including dealers and collision shops.

Firm: Software Engineering Institute

With its inaugural conference in 2006, the SEI’s Architecture Technology User Network (SATURN) Conference became the premier international conference for software architecture practitioners.

Annually, attendees convene on the SEI’s home turf in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to share updates and insights, present new tools and methods and participate in courses and workshops. With a small but enthusiastic turnout to SATURN 2006, the SEI claimed its first international conference a success, and quickly turned its attention to achieving growth.

As part of the SATURN planning and design team, I worked with the SEI’s Software Architecture Technology (SAT) initiative to craft a communications plan targeting steady annual growth. Through the focused analysis of demographics, reviews of attendee evaluations and feedback, and thoughtful budgetary planning, the team rolled out a integrated strategic communications plan beginning with SATURN 2007.

As the statistics indicate, with the help of a successful campaign, from 2007 to 2008 the SATURN conference increased revenue 350% and over doubling registration for the event. The plan included no- to low-cost tactics, including LinkedIn group, Google AdWords pay-per-click advertising and viral video.

The transition from 2008 to 2009 will be an evolution of the conference series, with an expanded family of subrands, including SATURN Technology (tools and architecture technology) and the SATURN Network (LinkedIn /user network). With an updated SATURN brand, a redesigned website, and a shift in focus from “Workshop” to premier “Conference,” SATURN 2009 is on course for increased growth.

View the SATURN website online >

/ SEI Background /

The Software Engineering Institute is a federally funded research development center (FFRDC) affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University. The SEI’s mission is to advance the state of practice for software engineering and related disciplines.

Firm: Freelance (in cooperation with Novaurora)

Working with Novaurora, I acted as design lead for the creation of a web acquisition point for a fresh new iPhone app, Proximi.

Like some other iPhone apps, the premise is simple – allow iPhone users to leverage the location-based services on their handsets to find each others’ locations in proximity to one another.

Proximi had one feature, though, that immediately set them apart from the others. Privacy. You want to be located…but not found. Not precisely anyway.

Providing users a platform to instantly get status on every contact on their list and to add, invite and meet up all from a single screen, while keeping a private rationale like, “your friend is now 2 miles away – invite them to lunch?” is their value proposition.

/ Proximi Background /

Proximi is an exciting new venture based in California that is changing the way iPhone users think about productivity and social networking through their innovative iPhone apps.

Along with Proximi, they also produce MagicPad, the first rich text editor for the iPhone, available through the iPhone App Store.

Some great ideas are short-lived, and unfortunately MarioLemieux.com has been taken down at the time of this post…

I handled all design for the MarioLemieux.com website, which included plans to support online memorabilia sales, multimedia features and links to Mario’s partner organizations.

/ Mario Lemieux Background /

Mario began his pro hockey career at the bottom rung when he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1984. The worst team in the NHL, with little fan support, the Penguins were a textbook example of hockey failure. Within seven years Lemieux led them to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.

Working hand-in-hand with Mario Lemieux’s organization has truly been an honor. Not only has it been an opportunity to cross paths with one of the greatest athletes of all time, but it has also been a chance to see a truly gracious and charitable person at work.

His work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, his establishment of the Mario Lemieux Foundation, dedicated to Hodgkin’s and cancer research and his overall community involvement make him a truly powerful force for the greater good.

Firm: Giant Ideas

I handled all asset design and maintenance of the Pittsburgh Opera website for the 2005?2006 seasons. Much of the artwork is based on the illustration of Michael Gibbs.

/ Award /
2005 ADDY
Illustration Campaign

/ Pittsburgh Opera Background /

Pittsburgh Opera is a world-class opera company with some of the brightest vocal and music talent of our time. Each season is a fresh new lineup of operas, both classics and reinterpretations, presented on a grand scale.

View all Pittsburgh Opera Materials >

Visit the Pittsburgh Opera Website >

Firm: Daniel Pipitone (freelance)

At the outset of the project, RevolutionWellness was only an idea on paper. After an extensive logo exploration and settling on an identity and positioning strategy, RevolutionWellness.com was created as the vehicle for building the program’s subscriber base.

The website presented the entire plan approach and background research to interested users. It also acted as the initial contact point between plan users and the company, with contact form and planner tools, including a BMI and calorie calculator.

/ RevolutionWellness Background /

RevolutionWellness is the result of one man’s heartfelt desire for wellness. A personal search for a balance in diet, exercise and emotional well being led to a platform from which he could share his research and plan for healthful success.

Visit RevolutionWellness.com >

Firm: Daniel Pipitone (freelance)

CASA of Allegheny County is just one local organization in a nationwide network of regional CASA offices. With strict national identity guidelines to adhere to, CASA of Allegheny County made clever use of their standards to recreate a full set of materials from the ground up.

Their new presence in the community started with a fresh new website, complete with smiling children and a warm and inviting look and feel. A primary goal for CASA’s new campaign was recruiting volunteers. An increase in these numbers means more help for the children — and that’s top priority. Launch of the new site increased their website traffic by more than 120%.

The CASA site also underwent a revamp  in February of 2008 to wrap the entire site architecture in a content management system (CMS). CASA staff can now handle all of the needed changes using a customized administrative interface.

/ CASA Background /

CASA of Allegheny County is a truly special client. CASA works hard for one sole purpose – children. They act as a child’s advocate in the courts, in situations of abuse, neglect and family-centered issues, when children would otherwise have no voice.

/ Award /
2005 ADDY
Website | Public Service

View all the CASA materials >

Visit CASA’s website >