Websites/Mozilla.org/Archive/Redesign/Communication Brief

The purpose of this document is to make sure we’re all on common ground. We’ve been through the kickoff session, had conversations, and taken lots of notes. The community has also provided additional feedback about the initial questions. Now, we need to articulate our understanding of the goals for this project. This basically serves to align all of us so we’re using the same terminology and working toward the same goals.

We will be referring to this document throughout the project. It is meant to be brief. This document identifies such things as style, audience and message, and sets the tone for the project moving forward.

The Task at Hand

Mozilla.org, launched in 1998, is the home of the Mozilla Project. The Mozilla Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving choice and promoting innovation on the Internet, makes use of the site to host some information about itself. The Foundation’s subsidiaries (Mozilla Corporation and Mozilla Messaging) and affiliates (Mozilla China, Mozilla Japan and Mozilla Europe) however each maintain separate sites.

Happy Cog is working with Mozilla Foundation staff and the Mozilla community to address the redesign of the site to accurately reflect the site's current role as a gateway site for the Mozilla Project and various Mozilla properties, along with being repository of official content. This site is the umbrella for all things related to Mozilla, and will give visitors a sense of being in a familiar place through not only the content and voice, but also by complementing and/or amplifying elements of the designs of other Mozilla properties.

Project Goals and Objectives

There are several strategic goals associated with this project.

Primary Goals:

• Make the site reflect the personality of community
  • The community is global
  • The community believes that openness, innovation, and opportunity are key to ensure the Internet benefits everyone
• Provide a design that's less product focused and more information and engagement focused
  • Teach people that Mozilla is more than just Firefox; that Mozilla is the defender of the open web.
• Move people into deeper levels of engagement. For example, move people from knowledge about a product like Firefox, to understanding why the values of open web are making better experiences online and in life.
• Create a sense of unity, with diversity within a larger community
• Produce templates that can reuse content across site without major changes
• Make site usable on mobile and other devices

Additional Goals:

• Home page:
  • Provide a clear introduction about Mozilla to site visitors
  • Make it easy for people to find Foundation-specific information, including:
    • Activities
    • Grants
    • Donations
    • Official documents and foundation statements
  • Get users to sites for products (Firefox, Thunderbird, etc.), if that's what they're seeking
  • News feed from Planet Mozilla
  • Link to Mozilla Store
  • Information and call to action to join the Mozilla community
  • Showcase capabilities of the latest version of the Firefox browser
• Make code and templates open and reusable as possible for other tools like Drupal, MediaWiki, Wordpress, etc.

Site Audiences

Based on our discussions, the following is a quick snapshot of the main user audiences of the site:

• *Firefox Users*
• *Experienced Community Members*
• *Potential New Community Members*
• *People New To Mozilla*
• *Web Developers*
• *Potential Donors*

The Mozilla Wiki has more complete complete descriptions of these users and their potential interactions with the site at: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mozilla.org:Big_Picture#Use_Cases. Designs should focus on specific ways to address distinct audience needs while maintaining a cohesive look and feel.

Perception/Tone/Guidelines

The redesigned site should feel warm and friendly, with an emphasis on values rather than products. The site should be a shining example of what's possible with openness, innovation, and community involvement. The site's written tone should reflect the community vision and voice and be approachable by all who want to learn more or get involved.

Key Design Attributes

In single adjectives:

• Open
• Important
• Flexible
• Conscious (not self-conscious, though)
• Smart
• Vibrant
• Strong
• Beautiful
• Stunning
• Alive
• Modern
• Helpful
• Happy
• Transparent

The “Boiled-Down” Communication Strategy

The main message of the site is that Mozilla is a community that is working together dedicated to improve the way people experience the Internet and ultimately enrich people's lives. Mozilla is more than the sum of it's parts and continues to encourage innovation and choice through it's community-based work and activities.

Single-Minded Message

“Revolutionary”