Have you ever heard of Samuel Pierpont Langley?

At the turn of the century, when the quest for a “flying machine” was running like today’s social media revolution, he was the guy everyone thought would develop the first airplane. He had the money and backing from the US government, held a seat at Harvard and worked at the Smithsonian, and hired the best people money could find. The New York Times followed him around and reported on his every move.

But, in the end, he lost to Orville and Wilbur Wright. Two guys with no college education, who funded their dream from the proceeds from their bicycle shop.

The TED talk above makes the case that this is because the Wright brothers were pursuing a central idea, a why, where Langley was pursuing, well, the cash.

It’s well-worth watching the TED talk, and asking yourself: what is the why of my business? Especially after watching the first part of the TED talk, where he discusses Apple . . . versus everyone else. The cash, he says, is an effect. The why is, well, why people buy in the first place–and most businesses can’t articulate their why.

It’s a thought-provoking talk, and one that got me thinking about Evolve Media’s why. Yes, we do interactive and web development and design and marketing and all that stuff, and yes, we like to think of ourselves as a leading innovator, but why do we do what we do?

And I’m pleased to say I have a reason, a why.

But first, a little history: from the start, we’ve never intended to be the biggest agency on the planet, nor have we embraced the growth-at-all-costs, burn-the-interns model that so many operate on. We’ve always been balanced, fair, and–at the same time–forward-looking. We were doing web development when other agencies didn’t even know what it was. We did web marketing before the term solidified. And we were one of the first into the social media fray.

But our why isn’t progress for progress’s sake. We recommend cutting-edge marketing where it’s appropriate, and warn clients away from it when it isn’t.

So, what’s our why? It’s this:

In an era continual marketing change, you need an honest and forthright partner to help you sort it all out, and make the most of it.

Have you wondered why your conventional agency continually pushes print and TV, despite the fact that online marketing is more effective? Have you ever wondered why everything is an app for your iPhone app developer? Have you every wondered why “everyone’s gotta be on Facebook!” for your social marketing firm?

Because, for the most part, companies sell, well, what they’re selling. If they do conventional, they sell conventional. If they do social, they sell social.

We don’t. We’re not partial to any one strategy or tactic, old or new. We’re happy to tell you what won’t work for you, and warn you away from it–even if it takes money out of our pockets.

Stupid? Maybe. But that’s our why. What’s yours?

With so many companies claiming to build usable sites, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? The simplest method is to ignore their recited cookie cutter pitch, and take charge by asking specific questions that are designed to determine exactly what they know and how they would go about the work.

There is no doubt about it – usability, (how effortlessly your audience gets around your site), is a mainstream concern in website development. The benefits that accrue from taking a user-centered perspective, and involving those users in the design process itself, have convinced large sectors of the industry that ‘usability’ is something that they want. Rightfully so, making sure that your site is developed with industry and audience specific usability is just as important as a installing proper wayfinding signage in a mall.

Don’t let yourself be misguided in thinking that the demand for usability is in high supply and easy to accomplish. Choosing the wrong agency for your company will produce disappointing results and cost you financial heartache. That financial heartache may not necessarily be in the upfront costs of developing your site, but could also come in the form of lost sales and revenue if users can’t find what they’re looking for easily. Any web development company who knows the market will be reassuring their clients that they ‘do’ usability – just as two years ago they did video streaming and flash animation. Many of these companies will do a good job, but others are merely jumping on the bandwagon.

The following are some suggested questions along with comments on the answers you might receive. Armed with this knowledge, picking the right agency should be a piece of cake. Good luck.

Choosing a partner with confidence Interview Q #1:

Which sites have you worked on in the past?

This simple question is usually all that is required to choose a partner with confidence. The agency you are interviewing will probably list off a string of clients. The agency will most likely have an online portfolio to review as well. Now ask the design agency to reduce that list to recent clients that have their existing website designed and developed by the prospective agency that you are looking into.

Do conduct an Independent Evaluation Process. Now that you have a list of existing clients, go online, visit the sites and see the results for yourself. It may appear extreme to subject these sites to your own independent evaluation process, but taking this precaution can help you judge the capabilities of the prospective agency. If they cannot show you at least a couple of sites designed with usability in mind, you’re probably talking to the wrong people.

Don’t take anyone’s word for it. Most satisfied customers are willing to speak on a company’s behalf to potential future customers. Always ask for some names and numbers and follow up – but remember that some customers may have different criteria for measuring a successful site than you.

Paying attention to key words and phrases Interview Q #2:

How do you propose to build a usable site?

It’s easy to boldly announce that the final result of a site will be usable, but difficult to explain exactly how. A good answer to this question will concentrate on the processes and techniques involved. Ask about their process for gathering content, task profiling, expert input and possibly user testing if your budget allows it. “User-centered design” or a design that fits your audience, will be a key phrase here.

If the prospective agency answers your question by quoting ‘laws’ of usability and not taking into consideration your unique offering, it’s a good sign that they are not used to meeting the unique and specific needs of each individual project. Stated objectives such as “we will only use up to five sections within your site” or “we will make sure the user never has to scroll” are often unnecessary and counter-productive. More likely than not, a proposing agency that tends to answer in this manner will simply proceed using a conventional design process while attempting to incorporate whatever usability ‘rules’ they can.

Communication and Compromise Interview Q #3:

How will you manage the trade-off between usability and my unique technical or business requirements?

Having a usable site doesn’t necessarily mean you have to dismiss graphical elements or technical innovation. While for some audiences, text-only sites are a sign of sophistication, they probably aren’t ideal for selling fine art. Determine the needs of your audience to find an appropriate solution. If the proposing agency responds to your question with a dogmatic answer, it’s a good sign that are too divorced from reality to focus on creating a design that fits your unique company.

Have an open door policy. Allow the agency you choose to discover your unique needs with you so you’ll find a realistic solution together. You should feel comfortable and trust in your new agency as design professionals and true partners and not merely as a “vendor”.

As a true partner, a good agency will look to harboring a long term relationship and offer proactive suggestions and recommendations along the way.

For additional information, as well as marketing, media and analyst inquiries, please contact Don Grantham at 714.528.1133 ext. 201. You can also follow us on Twitter(tm)