Viget Labs is a web development and consulting firm who can boast a well known web app such as Squidoo in their projects section. They have four “labs”: strategic consulting, application development, online marketing, and interactive design. A few weeks ago I spent a couple of hours in their very impressive Falls Church office, peaking over the shoulders of their designers and kicking back in their “fishbowl” lounge. They have fun. They innovate. They practice web standards. They design Bad-ass websites. They flourish.

These guys have been on my radar for a while now. Last June their Team Viget site caught my eye on CSS Import with their sexy java-script skills. Upon further investigation I realized… “hey these guys are right around the corner from me”. They have since been featured on galleries all over the web including the Web Designer Wall’s Best of CSS Design 2007. Back in August I literally walked into DC Barcamp and met Rob Soulé a member of the Viget Design team, who then went on to co-lead a fantastic presentation on the “Challenges we face as Designers”. Interested in the team’s enthusiasm and community involvement I added the Four Labs Blog to my RSS reader and followed along from afar.

The concept of a company’s brand has really evolved in the last few years. What used to be considered a logo and a tagline has transformed into a full blown experience. Not only does a strong brand transcend the products and services a company provides, but it amplifies the attitudes and personalities of the individuals creating them. When you walk into Viget not only do they have swank offices that just shout “web 2.0″… there is an indescribable vibe amongst their team. A buzz. A feeling of anticipation and excitement. The word “viget” comes from Princeton University’s motto “Dei sub numine viget” and means be strong or vigorous; thrive, flourish, be active, be effective.

I am very excited to say that this Monday will be my first day as a Web Designer at Viget Labs.

In the last few months (what many are referring to as) the DC “Tech” community has really ramped up. I first started seeing it after Barcamp and since then there has been the addition of lots of interesting events in the DC area and even the online formation of the DC Tech Community on Ning.

First off I want to say I hate calling this the “DC Tech Community”. While yes it is sort of “techy” I think it paints the picture of Urkel-esque socially inept nerds who sit around and code all day and then go home and have LAN parties. While there is nothing wrong with that (I do have a few friends that fit that bill.. and I love them to death) the people who show up to these events don’t all really fit that MO. I would prefer to call this community the “We Know our Way around the Web” kids. They are back-end developers, front-end developers, designers, marketers, lovers of social media, twitterers, and business owners. Most of them know there shit and some of them like to act like they do. Everyone shows up to meet new people and they all have one thing in common… they are hungry to learn.

Thats what has me so addicted to many of these events, I love to learn… and there are people willing to teach out there. Everyone has something to offer and these events provide a casual atmosphere to make those connections in.

I have a LOT of print designers ask me how I learned web design (html, CSS, IA, User Experience) and other than the tutorials on the web, a few books and sheer determination I have to give all the credit to my friends. I have friends who were willing to teach me (and thank god for their patience). A lot of times a great first step in learning something new is just meeting the biggest bad-ass out there doing what you want to learn and find out if they are willing to teach you.

So come on… get out there.. there is so much to learn! If you are interested in finding an event to take part in near you try upcoming.org. Some events to check out…

RefreshDC (local and National)
Refresh is a community of web designers, developers, and other new media professionals working together to refresh the creative, technical, and professional aspects of their trades in the Washington, DC, area.

Barcamp (All Over)
an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from participants

NextDC (local and NYC)
Our mission is to connect young people both socially and professionally who have a stake in future of tech and new media in Washington DC.

MashmeetDC (local and National)
A Gathering of those interested in the world of social media.

Web Standards Group (all over)
The Web Standards Group is for web designers & developers who are interested in web standards (HTML, XHTML, XML, CSS, XSLT etc.) and best practices (accessible sites using valid and semantically correct code).

Social Media Club (all Over)
is being organized for the purpose of sharing best practices, establishing ethics and standards, and for promoting media literacy. This is the beginning of a global conversation about building an organization and a community where the many diverse groups of people who care about social media can come together to discover, connect, share and learn.

Type Directors Club (all over, but mostly NYC)
Love Type? well so do these people.

Art Directors Club (local and Global)
People who love design.. you don’t have to be an “art director”

Did I miss any? Please feel free to add on!

While in the User Experience discussion my ongoing experience with my ex VW Beetle came up. Is the overall brand experience a part of the user experience?

So this bridges the discussion at BarCampDC with a book I am reading (Interaction Design by Dan Saffer) with a convo I had with Cindy about her Beetle at BarcampDC…

Dan Saffer on emotional design:

“What would the Volkswagen Beetle be without whimsy?”

My answer: a piece of shit car.

While talking with Cindy at Barcamp she confessed that if her car died (knock on wood) she would be at odds to what new car to consider. I faced this same problem when mine died… forced myself to listen to logic and just bought the first Honda I test drove. If its not a beetle, it doesn’t really matter what kind of car it is as long as it doesn’t fall apart.

I cried that day.

The overwhelmingly positive emotional response a Beetle owner has can actually outweigh the negative fact that the car physically is a turd. A Beetle can have the windows fall out, the locks pop out of the door, the dashboard peel off and the owner still longs to buy another.

Every morning since the loss of my Beetle I walk out of my apartment and am disappointed not to see my car smiling back at me. Emotional design can be a heavy contributor to User Experience.

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