On the Hunt for Whuffie in Seattle

March 19, 2009

We’re always on the lookout for speakers who are passionate about what they do, and who can also shed light on aspects of web design that may not immediately come to mind, providing attendees with a new perspective on their profession.

Tara Hunt fits both criteria to a T.

On the first day of our 2009 Seattle show, Tara will present “Whuffie-Rich Design,” based on her book, The Whuffie Factor. Her talk will look at the most-loved online brands—those that people not only talk about, but step forward and defend to others. She’ll also review the key elements used in design, and how those elements help support the approach to and connection with customers.

“I started my book thinking that Whuffie-rich design would be, by-and-large, driven by beautiful (a.k.a. aesthetically pleasing) design, but that isn’t always the case,” says Tara, co-founder of Citizen Agency. “Some sites that people love, like Craigslist, are not visually pleasing. However, there are subtle ways that the design of Craigslist allows the site to connect people and engender a healthy community.”

In the process of writing her book, Tara interviewed the creators of those best-loved brands to determine whether the decisions made were conscious or happy accidents, and how those same companies view those decisions now. Those findings will be part of her presentation, illuminating not only the nature of strong community ties but also the ways in which design can help or hurt a site’s relationship with its community.

Tara has spent her career developing and building communities for the web, and co-founded Citizen Agency to teach clients to work more effectively with the communities they serve, while embracing and adjusting to changes in both business and culture. Named a “Digital Utopian” by The San Francisco Chronicle and one of the “Most Influential Women in Tech” by Fast Company, Tara has a reputation for bringing cost-effective, relationship-building marketing and product development to a wide roster of clients. We’re excited to have her as part of our Seattle lineup as we kick off a great series of shows for 2009!