<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
    xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
    xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
    xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/"
    xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
    xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">

<channel>
    

    <title>The nGen Works Blog: Transition Strategy Part 1: Who Do We Think We Are?</title>
    <link>http://www.ngenworks.com/blog/detail/transition_strategy_part_1_who_do_we_think_we_are/</link>
    <description>nGen Works is blogging openly about their transition to a more strategy focused online agency.</description>
    <dc:language>en-us</dc:language>
    <dc:creator>carl@ngenworks.com</dc:creator>
    <dc:rights>Copyright 2010</dc:rights>
    <dc:date>2010-02-20T15:17:00-05:00</dc:date>
    <admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.pmachine.com/" />



    <item>
      <title>Comment by Mary McDonald</title>
      <link>http://www.ngenworks.com</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[I contributed Jack Morton, Creative Good and Digital Mash to the mix.

"Jack Morton":http://www.jackmorton.com is on five continents, but they have managed to keep their conversations personal, particularly through the blog and articles at "Jack360":http://360.jackmorton.com. They're generous with their considerable insights and ideas, which is good for everyone in the business of helping organizations talk to people.

"Creative Good":http://creativegood.com has been bookmarked on my machines since Ctrl-D was invented. They were among the very first to start talking about customer experience (and probably coined the term) as a company's true and most important product. While they're completely technologically literate, technology in their hands is just one of the ways they promote and teach the simple value of listening to customers — "To make something good, ask someone what they need."  Common sense rules.

I included "Digital Mash":http://digitalmash.com just because I love the clean, inviting way Australian designer Rob Morris presents his work there. If anyone knows how I can get my hands on his "Love problems like ice cream" poster, I have cash.

Keep the conversation personal, be open with ideas, stick to common-sense strategies and stay in love with great design — as we keep chipping away at the task of imagining nGen Works' future, it would be hard to go wrong with examples like these.]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-23T14:05:47-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by Carl Smith</title>
      <link>http://www.ngenworks.com/team/carl</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Hey Geof. Those groups you mentioned are all great companies and are definitely doing inspirational work. For myself, I did research several of them at the beginning of this process but there wasn't really a connection for me. Maybe because they are so big. That's when I started researching more on topics than companies and through that research found groups that inspired me.

Now I keep digging up references I found on some of those key sites. It's like reading liner notes to find new bands I guess. Also I have some saved twitter and google searches on case studies and strategy that are serving up some good info everyday.

Thanks for asking.]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-22T09:38:35-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by Geof Harries</title>
      <link>http://subvert.ca/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[I'd never heard of Third Tribe before you showcased them in this post. Some good reading and insight, for sure. Have you researched some of the bigger, full service digital agencies out there for inspiration?

Companies such as Code and Theory, Odopod, Noise Digital, Big Spaceship, Organic, firstborn, SapientNitro, Engine Digital, R/GA, Razorfish and The Barbarian Group, all come to the front. These are on my list of leading digital agencies, based on innovative thinking, client list and results. Yours?]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-22T00:57:31-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by Beth</title>
      <link>http://resistmedia.net</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Best of luck with the transition, I really am just posting to say I really like what happens with the avatars when someone from nGen replies :)]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-21T19:14:51-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by Jeff Croft</title>
      <link>http://jeffcroft.com/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Huge and Forty were both my suggestions as inspiration points, and the reason is simply that both of them are interactive firms that do a good job of positioning themselves not as "people who build websites," but as "people who help their clients succeed in today's world."

I really didn't choose them because of their work (although they both do great work) -- I chose them because of the way they market themselves. On the HUGE website, for example, you have to dig pretty deep before they start talking about building websites. Instead, most of their messaging is about how they help build their client's business. Forty's marketing mentions websites a bit more, but the overarching message is still about something much bigger than that. This is where I want to see nGen Works go. Why? Several reasons:

1. Because it's what's I think is important. 
2. Because it's what the clients I want to work with respond to.
3. Because I want to do a lot more than "build websites."
4. Because "building websites" is still undervalued. People still think their nephew can build a website -- so why should they pay tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars for it?
5. Because in five years, I don't think any of us will be "building websites" -- at least not in the sense of what we know as a "website" today.
6. Because I want to have lasting, meaningful relationships with clients, not one-night-stands where I pretty up their website, hand it over, and never hear from them again.
7. Because I want to be a partner to my clients, not a consultant.
8. Because I'm more interested in changing the world than changing from XHTML to HTML5.
9. Because the "standards movement" is over, and web standards is no longer something we can use to differentiate ourselves.
10. Because I'm looking for ways to make Fred Boyle unnecessary.

JOKING! :)

Note that I say "I" instead of "we" in all of these -- that's because nGen Works is still very much at the beginning of this transition process, and I don't want to speak for the entire team until the entire team has had a chance to go through the process and settle on a vision collectively. So for now, I'm just speaking for myself. 

I want nGen Works to be more than just a firm that "builds websites," and I mentioned Forty and HUGE because they do a good job of positioning themselves that way.]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-21T14:33:50-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by Carl Smith</title>
      <link>http://www.ngenworks.com/team/carl</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Great question Geoff. This is a collection from the team so I'll speak to mine and ask the rest of the team to answer on theirs.

"Zeus Jones":http://www.zeusjones.com - I had not heard of Zeus Jones before my research led me to a presentation that Adrian Ho gave about their approach. Once I started going through their blog I found posts like "Social Media (for marketers)  is not a communications vehicle":http://www.zeusjones.com/blog/2010/social-media-for-marketers-is-not-a-communications-vehicle/ which resonated with what I've been feeling. I also started reading books they referenced and case studies on their projects. Everything made sense. And at every turn I found myself inspired that we were on the path something good.

"Third Tribe Marketing":http://thirdtribemarketing.com/ - Just like Zeus Jones I hadn't heard of Third Tribe before starting this transition. Third Tribe is a paid blog and the content is really fascinating, especially for someone like me who isolated themselves from the other aspects of the web for so long. But that's not what inspired me, it was this explanation of their name:

"Over the last several years, online marketing has been split into two opposing teams.

Two tribes, if you will.

One tribe is called the Internet Marketers. They use aggressive hype and obnoxious tactics to fool people into believing there really is a "get rich quick" magic bullet.

The other tribe is the Social Media Cool Kids. They reject hype and aggressive sales tactics in favor of relationships, community, and value . . . and yet seem to have taken a vow of poverty along the way.

The Internet Marketers make tons of cash, often by taking advantage of fools. Most Cool Kids make little to no money and don't seem to understand how business works at all, which might lead some to consider them fools as well.

Obviously, that's oversimplifying things. Here's the real point.
The black and white division of online marketing into two tribes is not real. There's a big (and growing) middle tribe, one that avoids spammy IM approaches while having no problem asking for the sale and making money.

This is the Third Tribe."

I'll get my fellow nGeneers to post their explanations. Thanks again for the great question Geoff.]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-21T09:47:24-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by Geof Harries</title>
      <link>http://subvert.ca/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm interested to hear how you picked the "Companies for Inspiration". Do you consider them leaders in the digital space or did they come from a similar origin as yours (a focus on web design/development)? Perhaps they have common values or principles?]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-21T01:01:33-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by nGen Works</title>
      <link>http://www.ngenworks.com</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Martin, we may be insane but we're not crazy.]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-21T00:49:21-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title>Comment by Martin Ringlein</title>
      <link>http://nclud.com</link>
      <description><![CDATA[	<p>{body}</p>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[I do like and respect the client-centric approach, but I was happy to see that you're not losing focus on the little things that mean the most :-)

"Beer and video games are not optional but mandatory!"]]></content:encoded>
     <dc:date>2010-02-20T20:02:57-05:00</dc:date>
    </item>


</channel>
</rss>