Next Workshop:
April 25, 2003
Chicago, IL (10am - 5pm)
$395
Where is it held?
37signals Chicago Office
314 W. Institute Place
Top Floor
Chicago, IL 60610
(map)
Where can I find out more about contingency design?
Learn more about contingency design by downloading our Contingency Design White Paper (PDF, 510K, 17 pages), or visit Design Not Found, a site where we publish reviews of good and bad contingency design issues from around the web.
Sample pages from the White Paper:
Snapshot Examples
This page highlights two examples of bad contingency design (one from Target.com and one from CDNOW.com).
Comparisons
This page provides a side-by-side comparison of good and bad contingency design (one from bluelight.com and one from Walmart.com).
[NEW] View results, photos and attendee comments from our 2002 Contingency Design Workshop Series. 99% agreed that it was money and time well spent.
Workshop title/details
Making Mistakes Well: Improving Error Messages, Help, Forms, and Other Web Crisis Points. April 25th, 2003. 10am - 5pm (lunch included). Registration for this unique workshop is limited to 15 people. Previous workshops have sold out so get a seat while you still can.
Workshop summary
Let's admit it: things will go wrong online. No matter how carefully you design a site, no matter how much testing you do, customers will still encounter problems. Sites must plan for these inevitable breakdowns.
Join the industry experts at 37signals for a hands-on workshop exploring the concept of online contingency design (i.e. the art and science of error message design, preventing visitor mistakes and helping visitors get back on track once a problem does occur).
At the workshop, you'll learn the contingency design rules that can radically improve your site's customer experience, usability, conversion rates and more.
Plus, you'll see the best and worst of contingency design in action. Together we will analyze, compare/contrast, and evaluate the crisis point handling of major sites, including Amazon.com, Walmart, E*Trade, CD NOW, Google, Yahoo!, Citibank, SprintPCS, eBay and others.
You'll leave the workshop inspired and armed with real world solutions that can improve your site immediately.
What you'll learn at the workshop
- The top 40 contingency design rules that every site developer should know.
- Why contingency design is often overlooked and how that decision costs companies revenues and customers.
- How to evaluate your site's contingency design.
- Quick fixes that can bring you immediate results.
- ...and lots more.
Who should attend
- Information Architects and Visual Designers (Why? Because contingency planning needs to be an integral part of the site design, not an afterthought.)
- Programmers and Developers (Why? Because error recovery begins with error prevention.)
- Content Managers and Copywriters (Why? Because helping your customers overcome crisis point easily means speaking in a language they can understand.)
- Project Managers (Why? Because helping your customers solve their problems easily can reap big rewards for your bottom line.)
Workshop schedule
| 9:30am | Coffee, tea, and bagels | |
| 10:00am | Workshop starts | |
| Introduction to contingency design | ||
| Contingency design guidelines | ||
| 12:00pm | Catered lunch | |
| Contingency design guidelines (cont.) | ||
| 10 head-to-head shootouts | ||
| Learn how to test your site's contingency design | ||
| Q&A | ||
| 5:00pm | Workshop ends |
Workshop Q&A
Why is contingency design important?
Contingency design must be a top priority for any site interested in providing successful customer experiences. Web sites that invest in contingency design will increase customer loyalty and significantly improve the rate at which site visitors purchase, subscribe and register.
How many people attend each workshop?
We limit workshop enrollment to only 15 people in order to assure personal attention and an intimate learning environment.
Who is 37signals and what makes you experts?
37signals designs web sites, conducts usability reviews, and educates people about the real-world advantages of simplicity and clarity online. We publish our contingency design research on Design Not Found. We've written an informative white paper on contingency design and are currently working on a book on the topic of contingency design to be published in 2003.
I'm coming from out of town. Do you have hotel recommendations?
The following hotels are within walking distance or a short cab ride:
Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, 20 East Chestnut Street, Chicago, IL 60611, (312) 324-4000
Claridge Hotel Chicago, 1244 N Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60610, (800) 245-1258
Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, 163 E. Walton Place, Chicago, IL 60611, (312) 751-8100
Do you offer workshops on other usability/design topics?
Yes. We've spoken at leading design/business conferences and universities on a wide variety of subjects dealing with the intersection of simplicity, design, usability and business. We are happy to develop a custom workshop/presentation to meet your needs. Get in touch and we'll discuss what we can do for you.
What if I paid and I can't make it?
Refunds will only be issued up until April 21st. 37signals reserves the right to postpone or cancel the workshop due to unforseen circumstances. In the event of a cancelation by 37signals, 37signals will refund the full amount of your registration. 37signals is not responsible for hotel or airfare fees.
Can you help us with contingency design issues on our site?
Absolutely. If you'd like help making sure your site's contingency design is bulletproof, we're here to help. Check out our usability review services for the details, or get in touch and we'll put together a proposal for you.
What if I have other questions?
Get in touch and we'll gladly answer all your questions.
Get started working with 37signals today:
Get in touch and we'll deliver a proposal in a week or less.
Download "Why Should I Hire 37signals?" (PDF, 46K) to learn why we're the smart choice.
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