How to win before you start and keep winning

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A design brief is a written explanation of the objectives you wish to achieve from your design. The design brief also covers milestones, possible problems, your design tastes and information such as target audience.

Most importantly of all, the design brief enables you and the designer to discuss any differences in opinions before any work takes place. Agreeing a solid design brief will save time and money further down the line.

This article outlines some of the most important factors to consider when writing your design brief for a new website.

Company Profile

Start your design brief with a short, honest synopsis of your organization or company. Don't take this information for granted, and don't assume that the designer will necessarily know anything about your industry sector.

Tell your designer:

• What you do
• How long you have been established and how many staff you employ
• Do you have a niche market
• How you fit in to your industry sector

Your Goals

Good design can have a huge influence on how successful your company is at achieving its goals. Deciding these goals from the outset and working towards them will ensure success. Working and deciding goals as you go along will only result in a half-baked idea that achieves relatively little by comparison.

For example, do you want to:

• Generate sales?
• Encourage enquiries?
• Gain newsletter subscribers?
• Obtain information from your audience?
• Encourage them to tell a friend?

If your aims and objectives are not this clear, then your design brief has already achieved another purpose... One of most rewarding parts of actually sitting down and writing a design brief is that it helps to clarify your thoughts and can indirectly help to find flaws in what you initially thought was a solid idea.

Your Target Audience

Explain to your designer whether you are looking to encourage customer loyalty, appeal to new customers or both.
Detail any demographic figures about your audience that may be useful to the designer.

These may include:

• Age
• Sex
• Income
• Occupation
• Location

Recognizing your audience and how to target them; that is what design is all about. The design for MTV would not be suitable for CNN.

Your Budget and Time-Scale

It is important to realize that your budget is a feasibility factor, affecting the end product. The more development a design takes, the more it will cost. Again, by ensuring you have clearly defined your audience and goals will help the designer advise you on what is possible with your budget.

Time scale is also an important consideration. If you need a website to coincide with any other marketing, let the designer know the deadline.

Consult with Colleagues

Consult with as many people within your organization as possible before sending the brief. Showing the design brief to lots of different people will highlight remarkable differences in opinion about the operating circumstances and aspirations of your organization.

Resolving any differences in opinion will save considerable time and expense further down the line.

Language

Whilst you should write clearly and concisely, there is no reason why you cannot use emotive language to emphasize what you are trying to say.

Design Examples

Provide examples of design you like and design you do not like. Your designer may have a lot of ideas about what they think is a good or bad design for your organization, but in order to really meet your expectations, they need to listen to your design tastes and ideas as much as you need to listen to their experience.
Include examples of your company’s current marketing materials, even if it is just to show what you do not want the new design to look like.
Try to explain why you like particular designs, whether they are TV ads, websites, or another company’s business card. If you are not sure what you like about it,

try starting with these:
• Colour
• Imagery
• Quantity and quality of text
• Typography
• The atmosphere that particular designs create

If there is any design that generates an atmosphere that you like, such as a particular music video, then tell the designer about it. Even if you are just having business cards printed, there is no reason to only show the designer business cards you like. A good designer will recognize the look and feel of any media and take inspiration from it.

iSo can create whole corporate images for projection of many different mediums. If you are unsure of exactly what design style would suit or if you are having trouble defining your goals, then contact us.

Paul has more website design articles at iso-design. co. uk .

Yes your dog will be happier if you use these dog grooming tips

Most dogs handle their own grooming needs. But, you can offer a helping hand as necessary. If you do this, you will have many benefits to it. For example, it helps the two of you to bond. And, it allows for you to catch diseases or other health problems that can affect your pet. Can’t get your dog to sit still long enough? Then, do a small portion of her each day. Eventually she will enjoy it and allow you to do it easily.

Dogs use licking, shaking and scratching to stay clean. If you brush them, you can help the fur to stay clean and unmated. Some dogs that have longer hair will require this attention daily. Others who have shorter hair can be brushed just once a week. Most dogs will enjoy the brushing. Others will not right off the bat. In order to help this process, use the brush in a small amount while talking soothingly to her. Afterwards, give her a treat for being good. Add a little more time on each time.

Dark specs on the skin can be fleas. In order to check for these types of problems, run your hands down here coat as you brush her. If you see quite a bit of black flecks, which are flea dropping, then you need to seek help for your animal right away. You may also notice rice like debris near her tail. These are a sign that the dog has worms. Again, you need to take your pet to the vet in this case as they will need treatment.

Just like you, your pet needs her teeth brushed daily. You can do this using a child sized toothbrush or just a finger toothbrush that is designed for your pet. The paste that you use should be one designed for dogs only. Your toothpaste can seriously make your dog ill. To help keep dog’s teeth in tip top shape, give them rawhide chews to gnaw on. This helps keep teeth as well as gums healthy.

You’ll need to do other types of grooming as well, but not as frequently. You should check ears and nails weekly or monthly. Look into your dog’s ears. If you see small, black/brown specks, this can be ear mites. For nails, walks that are given on sidewalks as well as in the driveway can help to wear them down. Make sure, though, that the nails are not too long. You can learn from your vet the proper way to trim them to help the dog to stay healthy and to walk correctly. You should not trim them without getting some training though.

The weight loss program that s right for you

An estimated 80 million Americans will go on diets this year. Some will succeed in losing their unwanted pounds but very few, perhaps 5 percent, will maintain their desired weight long term.

If you have ever surfed the net looking for a weight loss program that's right for you then you have no doubt been overwhelmed by the huge range of pills, potions, exercises and diets available. Which one do you choose? How do know if its going to work or that the secret ingredients are not sawdust and ground up egg shells. Yep, its scary but true! So much to consider and all you want to do is Loss Weight.

So what are the do's and don't s of Weight Loss Programs.

The Do's List:

1. If possible, it's best to go with a weight loss program that has been recommended by a friend or trusted source.

2. Check to see if it has the approval of Doctors and/or herbalists.

3. Look to see if the ingredients on supplements are listed.

4. Always go with a program that offers complete support.

5. Investigate any known side effects of supplements.

6. A good program should involve a well balanced diet.

The Don'ts List:

1. Never buy from spam mail offering unbelievable results. If it seems to good to be true it probably is.

2. Don't sign up for a long-term, big bucks program unless you're sure what you're in for. Check out what's being offered. It might not work for you at all.

3. Stay away from rapid weigh loss regimes. Losing weight too rapidly can be dangerous to your health.

Weight loss is such a huge market that it unfortunately attracts many unscrupulous profiteers. So how do you choose a program you feel comfortable with?

If you are going to spend good money on a weigh loss program it pays to choose wisley and personally I always prefer a recommendation over a cold hard sell any day.

Great tour to kenya

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The Aberdares are an isolated volcanic range that forms the eastern wall of the rift valley, running roughly 100km north south between Nairobi and Thomsons Falls. The Aberdare National Park was formed in 1950 to protect the forested slopes and moors of the Aberdare Mountains. While the park has elephant, rhino, black leopard, lion and the beautiful but elusive bongo antelope, it is rarely visited by safari companies and individual travelers. Soils are volcanic origin and red. There are two main peaks Kinangop (3,906m) and Ol Donyo Lesatima (3,999m) separated by a lengthy saddle of alpine moorland at over 3,000m. The high rainfall turns the roads to mud and you need a 4x4 to get anywhere. The park often closes in the wet season. There are many clear streams and waterfalls.

Shaba National Reserve, which lies east of the road linking Isiolo with Marsabit, form a trio of unusual and attractive game sanctuaries very different from others in Kenya. Shaba National Reserve has a particular place in the history of Kenya game conservation for it was in this reserve that the authoress, Joy Adamson, died; her trilogy of books on the rehabilitation of the compliant leopard to a wild environment remained unfinished. Shaba was one of Joy Adamson's greatest African loves; it was in this tranquil wilderness where she released the first hand-raised leopards Shaba took its name from the Mount Shaba (1525 meters), a volcanic mountain that became extinct around 5,000 years ago. Mount Shaba lies on the border of the reserve.

Mt. Kenya is an imposing extinct volcano dominating the landscape of the Kenyan Highlands, East of the Rift Valley. Mt. Kenya lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator. The mountain has two main peaks - Batian (5200m) and Nelion (5188m). The mountains slopes are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub and moorland giving way on the high central peaks to rock, ice and snow. Mt. Kenya is an important water catchment area, supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. Lake Nakuru is a very shallow strongly alkaline lake 62 km2 in extent. It is set in a picturesque landscape of surrounding woodland and grassland next to Nakuru town. The landscape includes areas of marsh and grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia forest on the eastern perimeter.

The Masai Mara is one of the best known and most popular reserves in the whole of Africa. At times and in certain places it can get a little overrun with tourist minibuses, but there is something so special about it that it tempts you back time and again. Serengeti national park in Tanzania occupies 14,763 square km. The park boasts the highest wildlife concentrate in the whole of Africa and one of the best places to see the “big five” elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo. The annual animal immigration led by the thousands of wild best starts in May and lasts until June. Gazelle, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and eland in search of water share the movement. Along side this migration are predators and scavengers such as lions, hyena and vultures. Other common species fond here include hippo, giraffe, eland, impala, baboons, monkeys and a profusion of almost 500 bird species.

Mara Balloon Safari
1-hour Hot air Balloon safari over the game filled plains and riverine forest of the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Champagne type breakfast is served on landing followed by a game drive back to camp.

For Information: right-travel. com/

Heart diseases heart attack the most common heart disease i

A heart attack is a sudden serious medical condition in which someone's heart stops working, causing them great pain. It is the most common of the heart diseases and occurs when blood flow to the heart and part of it is blocked, often by a blood clot, which is a thick almost solid mass formed when blood dries.

This situation is usually caused by arteriosclerosis a disease in which arteries become hard, stopping the blood from flowing through them smoothly. Sometimes, the clot is called coronary thrombosis or coronary occlusion, since is often caused by rupturing or tearing of plaque in an artery.

Muscle cells damaged and die, if blood supply is cut off for a long time, leading to disability or death depending on the extent of the damage to the muscle.

A heart attack it is also known as myocardial infarction, which can also occur when a coronary artery temporarily contracts or goes into spasm, decreasing or cutting the blood flowing to the heart.

A heart attack represents on or about half of all coronary heart disease deaths and can be caused by nearly all types of heart illness.

There exist three main symptoms to know when a heart attack occurs. One is the pressure or pain in the centre of the chest, lasting more than a few minutes or going away and coming back. A second symptom is when pain spreads to the shoulders, neck or arms. A third symptom consists in a chest discomfort combined with light-headedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.

Closing your credit card account

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It is one of the most frustrating feelings in the world. You’re trying to rid yourself of your debts. You’re putting more and more of your paycheck towards your credit cards. You’re gradually paying them off. Finally, the day arrives when you clear the entire outstanding balance. The card is finally cleared. A huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders and you can go to sleep at night knowing that you’ve got one less worry in life.

Credit Card Company

Does your credit card company share your joy? Do they congratulate you on taking care of a pressing anxiety in your life? In fact they do the exact opposite. It’s not really surprising, after all you’re their customer and they’re losing your business. But who would have guessed the lengths they go to stop you closing your account. Recently my wife has been closing a couple of credit card accounts and when she zeroes out the account and calls to tell them to close it, she’s sometimes insisting with them for ten minutes that she doesn’t want the account any longer, she doesn’t need it for emergencies, she doesn’t want a lower interest rate, and she doesn’t want any special offers. She just wants to close the account.

Our Personal Experience

Bad as that sort of behaviour is, it’s not the worst. On one of her credit cards, she had a magazine subscription. She had tried cancelling the subscription but the company involved refused to stop charging her account. So when the time finally came that she could close her account she paid them off, paid off all her other bills, and told the credit card company that she wanted to close her account. After the usual to and fro, they finally agreed to close her account for her.

Hey! We Cancelled!

Thinking all her accounts were closed we went on a trip. When we returned two months later, two bills were awaiting her from the company. The magazine company had not surprisingly attempted to bill her again. She thought she was free of them by closing the account they had access to. Well, the card company, without notifying her or conferring with her in any way, simply paid the magazine company, and billed my wife. When we didn’t pay they that they allowed a charge from the magazine company for the next month and added a late payment charge. When we returned she owed over $100 on an account they had confirmed with her they had closed.

We’re still disputing the charges but the bottom line is it’s pretty hard to escape the nasty clutches of credit card companies.

Is your child ready for kindergarten

It is that time of year again. If you child is already 5 or will be turning 5 on or before Oct. 1 (date depends on your state) then it is time to start thinking about registering your child for kindergarten. However this is also the time that many parents begin worrying about whether or not their child is ready for kindergarten.

First, it is important to note that entry to kindergarten is based primarily on age. In most U. S. states that simply means that if your child is or will be 5 years old on or before Oct. 1 (date may vary in some states) then your child must start kindergarten that school year.

The good news is that most primary programs are designed to take children with a variety of social, emotional, and academic needs and work with them based on their strengths.

However we also know that children who start kindergarten with a good grounding in six skill areas have a head start and a higher success rate than children lacking these basic skills.

The skills that ease transition into kindergarten and help lead to a successful kindergarten year fall into these basic areas: cognitive skills, listening and sequencing, language skills, fine motor skills, social emotional skills, and gross motor skills.

Cognitive skills that will help your child be better prepared for kindergarten include the usual suspects such as knowing the alphabet, primary colors, shapes and being able to count to ten.

You should also work with your child to make sure she knows her phone number, address, birthday, and age.

Some emergent literacy skills also include being able to identify his own name in writing, writing his own name, answering questions about a story, understanding that words are read from left to right, knowledge of some nursery rhymes, recognizing written numbers, and vocabulary.

Listening and sequencing are also important skills and this includes the ability to follow simple directions, paying attention, retelling a simple story in sequence, repeating a sequence of sounds, and repeating a sequence of numbers.

In addition to the emergent literacy skills connected with cognitive skills, there are also language skills connected to relationships such as big and little, short and tall, more and less, up and down, top and bottom, in and out, over and under, front and back, and slow and fast.

While we often associate school simply with cognitive skills, it is important that children also have fine and gross motor skills as well as social emotional skills.

Fine motor skills include being able to tie shoes, hold crayons with fingers, copy a straight line, copy a vertical line, copy a circle, hold and use scissors correctly, cut on a line, button buttons, work a simple puzzle (six pieces), and zip clothing.

Gross motor skills include hopping, jumping, walking a straight line, skipping, galloping, throwing a ball or bean bag, catching, clapping hands, and kicking a rolling ball.

Social emotional skills include sharing with others, getting along with others, maintaining self control, verbal self expression, and the ability to take care of toilet needs independently.

If your child has all these skills mastered then they are well on the road to success in kindergarten. Don't worry if your child has not yet achieved success with all these skills. You can continue to work on the skills right up until the start of school and certainly after school has started you can team with your child's teacher.