Mudboard.

com – it’s about all creativity

Design Brief Questions for 99 designs project May 2011:

What is your business name?

Mudboard

Briefly describe what your business does:

Mudboard is a global website that is unique in that it allows everybody to share all their creativity.
That’s anything from images and writing to videos, music, narration and animation – and all in the
one place. That means that hobbyists, students, amateurs or professionals have a place where like
minded creative people can inspire each other, collaborate, and have fun.

We are also building a trusted community where people can buy and sell creativity to a global
audience, which allows artists to generate revenue through Mudboard.

Existing website?

www.mudboard.com

How many pages do you need designed for your website?

We need a redesign for the following pages:

 Homepage to become Landing Page – current example: http://www.mudboard.com/

 Viewing a creation page – current example: http://www.mudboard.com/view?pid=wprxOYWaLu
 User profile page – current example: http://www.mudboard.com/JPatience
 Mudboard Market Place - current examples: http://www.mudboard.com/explore and
http://www.mudboard.com/marketplace
 Item Preview – current examples: http://www.mudboard.com/saleview?pid=hw8BFrwZ3D

Importantly we are looking for a common graphical theme throughout each page. Mudboard is
about creativity, inspiration and fun, with a ‘business’ element also. The ‘branding’ needs to be
consistent and something we can carry through the whole site.

Describe each page and what you want

Home Page/ Landing Page:

The home page/Landing Page should carry the brand of Mudboard which will run through the site.
Be free to use colours on the site that fit in with your design i.e. current colours need to be more
‘creative’

- We have two streams of activity for users:

1) to share their creative content with the community
2) To sell their creativity
There are three main CTAs:

1) Users to register to share their creativity

2) Users to List their creativity for sale – register as a seller
3) Users to purchase creative content

Secondary to the main CTAs we need to have examples of current creativity and sales items on the
page – a guide is 12 thumbnails of each of the latest. Thumbnails need to be more appealing/ or
larger.

Ultimately, this page has to say to the user that it is Mudboard:

- A creative environment
- Encourages users from hobbyists to professional
- Is serious about users being able to sell their art
- Is about endeavour and respect – so those that are passionate about their creativity

Viewing a creation page:

- Skin of Document Viewer and Media Viewer to be redesigned – looking for a less intrusive,
minimalist look that focuses in the creation

- Need to keep the functionality of this page, but make it look up to date – with a creative theme

- Crisper commenting aesthetics

- ‘More items’ list – more appealing – maybe larger and more attractive thumbnails

User profile page:

This has a very basic look at the moment. We want this page to carry the signature of the user:

- Apart from the avatar – a place where a user can upload an image so that the profile can be
identified as theirs – maybe a banner – check out the www.etsy.com user’s shop
- Larger and more thumbnails of users work
- The left hand bar needs to look more aesthetic and professional
- Where the latest comments are – we will replace with a creativity feed
- Want to make a user’s Bio more prominent (but not to take away from the importance of the
content)
- Better way of displaying followers and those that are following
- Making social sharing more prominent
- There are sellable creations as well as non sellable creations attached to each user profile. It
shoud be very clear to the viewer about them and easy and prominent navigation.

Suggest that you create an account in Mudboard and check out the Personal Studio, as we will want
the design of the profile page to be carried through the Personal Studio.

Mudboard Market Place Page

Currently the market place (which has just been launched) is very poor, in our own critical eyes. It
needs to look more professional, but still maintain a creative feel. The Thumbnails need more
prominence, but they have to say to the buyer that these items are for sale – you can draw a lot of
ideas from etsy.com and redbubble.com, docstoc.com

Categories down the left need more appeal (we will add more categories over time). They do expand
into sub categories - feel free to display these how you feel best

Sales Item Preview

Currently the process for purchase is:
1) Click on item in market place page
2) Goes to sales view page – click on Preview/ Buy Item
3) Goes to preview page – add to cart
4) View cart – final review
5) Pay for item with Pay Pal.

Step 2 is completely unnecessary. What we need to do is go from 1 to 3. However, we want to take

elements of step 2 and put them in to step 3 – comments, sharing, favourites, follow, send message,
category, sub-category – more to buy from this user – more sales items in Mudboard – we do not
need the description as there is a more comprehensive description in 3)

Also in the preview page we will put our document/ media view where the current image of an item
resides – best way to understand the current site is to check it out.

Again, look at Etsy, Red Bubble etc... for ideas.

Overall:

As part of the redesign pages all pages above (maybe the landing page is an exception) the following
to be done:
- redesign header (and footer)
Search bar needs two selectors:
- All/Users/Shared Creativity/Sales Items
- Categories dependent on selection in 1)
And Keywords entry box and Search button

- Upload to be more prominent

- Clearly show current cart

- Clear buttons/links throughout the site to Share, Buy, Sell

- If a user is not logged in then register needs to be prominent – for pages that can be viewed
without being logged in

We feel that there is too much in promoting Mudboard and not enough around the creativity. Just to
remember though that the content and the ability of users to promote themselves socially are the
main drivers behind Mudboard
We want to maintain the logo (the hand/MB squiggle) and the Mudboard. However if you feel you
need to move it around/ change colours/ font etc to fit better in to your design then please feel free
to do so

We will be in very regular contact with designers throughout the project, so will be on hand for
clarifications and direction.

What websites can designers draw inspiration from?

We recommend checking out:

www.redbubble.com
www.etsy.com
www.scribd.com

Not too keen on www.deviantart.com

Please use these as guides only – we are not interested in copying them – we need Mudboard to be
able to carry its own brand and look.

Do you have any images, sketches or documents that might be helpful?

Attached is:
- Mudboard Logo – PSD

Anything else you'd like to communicate to our designers?

Like to pitch the site at those that are ‘serious’ about their creativity – hobbyists to professional. The
current perception is of a young person’s site. We need to try and raise the pitch of the site to those
in the 18-30 categories – such as redbubble