NOTE: This was the last of the web re:Brand posts going back to November 2010. We have kept the re:Brand posts as a legacy archive but, on a go forward basis as of October, 2011, the new DATA eh? content takes over this space.
After a year and a bit of active posting*, the web re:Brand blog is signing off. The blog will stick around as an archive for the time being (no fixed dissolve date) and you can still comment here - though I will no longer respond.
Two reasons for the wrap up now:
(1) Your author has a new position within the City of Toronto focusing on Information Management and (2) the rebranding process itself is heading into a phase 2.
One of the items I'm personally most proud of in our rebranding efforts (phase 1), is how we exposed user comments through the process - that was the whole point. I recently posted how we (The City of Toronto) are unique in presenting comments around our process. Rather than say "users told us", but not point to a place where you can see the dialog, you can read what users have said here and on our Comments Wall.
It's an important point as far as I'm concerned - especially when you are talking about information sharing in a social media world.
Phase 2
We joke on the team that we're rebranding the re:Brand next and that's not far from the truth. We learned quite a bit from our user engagements here, on the Wall, in-person focus tests, interviews, presentations, staff evangelizing, meetings, discussions, arguments, more meetings, etc. None of it was wasted and even the negative was positive!
All of the insight has gone into a melting pot and plans are to bring more draft pages forward to the web. You will see some changes into 2011. The "beta" space or "labs" space, where users can comment directly on new features, is still in the cards and there will be great value in that.
My previous post, equated the delay in getting The Beatles music to iTunes was akin to our taking a long time with the process of changing the website. Indeed, it isn't (or hasn't been) a fast process. We used to want to apologize for that but I'm not sure we should, given many of the items and factors talked about here on the blog.
Cheers!
So my role here is done for now. Really have to thank those who stopped by and, especially those who engaged with me. I also want to credit the re:Brand team members for their energy and support in the project.
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Thanks a bunch and stay well! Hope to represent the City again in social media sometime in the future.
Keith
*There were 70 posts in total ... for those who like to count.
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