To keep scaling and moving easy, I’ve done my best to be smart about what shapes to combine as unions, group as objects, keep editable text, or keep separate. I’m sure is a place to improve, please leave a comment or suggestion.

Page Utilities

Page Utilities are common to many editorial sites for encouraging sharing and downloading. Typically, site visitors will find them in close proximity to the main content.

Social Interaction

Common interactions in social sites are to tag, comment, favorite, subscribe, and link, etc. These controls help site members interact with other site members and non-members. Additionally, there are icons for mobile media and messaging.

Friending Objects

“Friending” is a key interaction to all social media sites. Use these UI components to build a “Friend Farm” or a profile page.

Media Interaction

Use this collection of rich media elements when building audio and video social objects. Additionally, I’ve included the common Starring Pattern used for ranking objects.

General User Interface

Use these common UI elements in combination with icons and other elements to build up any social object you can imagine.

Download

Social Media Objects_Palle?.zip

The idea to do this didn’t just come to me while standing in the shower thinking… actually, I think it did, *but* that was because I found some really helpful, freely available stencils I was using. So, big thanks to:

• Michael Angeles for making an awesome collection of standard wireframe objects for free.
• Yahoo Pattern Library
• All the social media sites I use out there on the interwebs.

Questions:

How can I support this project?
So glad you asked. :-) There are several ways:

• Use it and leave a comment or suggestion. Even if you don’t use it, please, tell me what could use improvement.
• Use the “Share this” Link and share with your favorite sites.
• Tweet about it
• Blog about it
• Vote for it on Graffletopia
• Give it away, but please keep my contact information or Web site address intact
• Visit a sponsor on the right.

Why are there no typical wireframe objects like boxes, arrows, etc.?
There really isn’t a need since there are several very good stencils that already do this.

Coming Soon

• More Icons
• More Logos
• 960 Grid integration
• More Media Objects
• Weblog Objects
• Anything you recommend (so, leave a comment ;-)

Recently (Well, June 11th, eons in Internet time) they went through a revamp. So, don’t forget to stop by Meetup.com and see what’s new.

Also, check out their new campaign: Unplug Your Friends

This video is brilliant.

Update: If you’re looking for the video conference. There ya go!

Another Tick for Webkit

First Safari and iPhone as well as Nokia and Adobe took Webkit to mainstream adoption, but Google has also announced their use of it. I called it months ago. Now is great time to start using Webkit as a primary starting point for Web design and development. Using design principles such as Progressive Enhancement and Graceful Degradation, browser inconsistencies can be mitigated.

Google is also using Webkit in Android. So, mark another.

A New Experience for Home and Search

Tech aspects are all good and well, but I’m most intrigued with the experience Google is proposing.

First, the UI for Chrome will give visual prominence to the tab. Each tab will have its own URL or address box. Functionally, that’s really not much different from what we have now, it’s just flipped.

The URL address bar does get interesting though. Called the “Omnibox” this new approach will be – from what I can tell – an amalgamation of QuickSilver, Spotlight, Google Search, and Autocomplete from history. Oh, with a cross-reference to create personalized suggestions from multiple resources such as Wikipedia and Amazon. Anything that combines that many features frightens me, but it could work out.

Obviously, this is pretty exciting. Maybe it’s not Aurora from Adaptive Path and it’s still the same old browsing paradigm, but frankly too much change just irritates people.

There’s a lot more to Chrome in terms of features such as better security and handling of pop-up windows as well as Gears integration (of course). So, go check it out for your self: Read the Google Chrome Comic there is also a blog post. 

(update: Melanie from AideRSS had indicated this is an solution provided by ID Selector.)

AideRSS’ Initial OpenID Log-in Region

Clicking the OpenID button reveals a layer with a selection of various OpenID access methods:

When you click on your OpenID Provider, a “username” field appears. Where you just enter your user name, hit return, and proceed through normal process.

Interestingly, Facebook is missing… Maybe that will come later.

What is OpenID?

From OpenID.net, “OpenID eliminates the need for multiple usernames across different websites, simplifying your online experience.”

Yahoo!’s Allen Tom gives a well-balanced view and explanation:

Have you seen cool OpenID implementations in the wild? What are your thoughts on OpenID?

Linkage

1. Yahoo! Developers Network for OpenID
2. OpenID.net
3. AideRSS

via Laughing Squid

Of course, as with any good support group, some of us lamented our recent experiences with twitter’s infamous downtime and the possibilities of FriendFeed. (<hypnoticVoice>come to FriendFeed Rebecca </hypnoticVoice> ;-)

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the tech/start-up scene in NYC is impressive. This time, it was Whitney Hess’s fault for getting us all together. I’d never met her before, but began following her randomly on twitter through Livia Labate, who I began following through Christina Wodtke. I thought for sure it was going to be all awkward, but was pleasantly surprised to find several familiar faces and some familiar names of whom I’d only talked with online (glad to finally shake hands, Charlie) Plus, met a few others with whom I share new connections. (@mknell, thanks for getting me on the right train!)

Whitney was saying that one of the reasons she did this was because she promised herself to get out in the community more this year. I’m on the same track actually. Well, she did a great job and I hope to see more… (hint hint: use meetup.com or upcoming)

Actually, funny thing about meeting Ms. Hess. Turns out we’re closer than we thought. Apparently, she worked on the new Earthlink site at TribalDDB with Brian Regan (to whom I owe many thanks for giving me a shot in UX) before I did and then came back on after I left. Knew her name sounded familiar before following her. {insert small-world cliché here}

Glad I followed the randomness because the “Tweetup” was teh awesome! Tony Bacigalupo showed up with Sanford and I hadn’t talked with him since the CooBric opening. He and Brett Petersel of Mashable fame shared a bit about Tech-Karaoke which just sounds like a blast. Awesome seeing you guys again, really glad you could make it out. (Can’t find linkage for Tech-Karaoke!) Sanford had to bail early, though. (Boooo!)

I’ve probably missed some people. Sorry! :-)
Update:Whitney posted an excellent round-up of everyone. (with easy-to-read bullets too :-)

Some Benefits of Getting Out for Face-Time, Post-Online Time

This is when our inter-connected technologies literally come to life. Here are people all met entirely through online activities (for me anyway) now with the chance to meet in person. And because most of our interactions had been sans-physical, there was an excitement set to see and hear who we all are in a real-time, real-world interaction. Interestingly, and I’m sure there could be an entire psych dissertation written about this, it seems that experiences like this have some pre-existing social grease on them because a common ground is already established.

The Web is finally becoming the *Web*.

Shout-Outs

d.b.a. was the spot: great service, great priced drinks.

I want to give an awesome big thanks to Tom Limegello from CrispMedia for getting the pizza. Owe you one.

This was the only good photos I got. Brett has some on his FB page, though.

Oh, and @webmetricsguru has some video, need to find links, though.

NYC Tech Scene is Quiet?

Pishaw! The New York Web scene always seems somewhat quieter compared to the freewheelin’ West-Coaster Valley folks, but don’t be fooled. There is a mighty reserve of fine peeps here creating fun, ad-hoc cross-polinating events all the same. Maybe it’s just quality trumping quantity. ;-)

Not-To-Miss NYC Internet Social Events for Summer 2008

• Internet Week New York
• Mashable’s Exhibit Hall for Internet Week NY
• Follow Web2NewYork
• LinkedData Planet
• Digg NYC Meetup with a Live Diggnation!
• More NYC Tweetups?!?
• Anything else??

Someone contacted me today from Calvary Chapel Camarillo to share another rendition. It is absolutely awesome; more moving in some ways.

I’d love to share and discuss some thoughts about some differences in this version, but I don’t want to give it away.

Enjoy:

Found an article⁽¹⁾ over at Read/Write Web that really hits spot-on to the persistent state of my overwhelmedness of late. There are so many great sites that crop up everyday and it is long gone become unruly to try them all. Under the heading “Drowning in Awesomeness,” Sarah Perez makes the best point for all of us webbish early adopters:

“The double-edged sword that comes with keeping abreast of all the latest developments in technology means that we’re always aware of the latest and greatest applications and services to try…but it also means that we’ve tried all of them. Unlike the average user, who doesn’t even bother creating a Facebook profile until several of their friends cajole them into doing so, technology early adopters are the first to sign up and create profiles on every service that launches.

“…However, sometimes they’re not so great after all, and they end up fading away into nothingness in that area we’ve affectionately dubbed the ‘deadpool.’

“These failures don’t seem to dampen our enthusiasm for trying the ‘next big thing,’ though…

Deadpool? You mean to say that some of these sites in which we invest our time to “test” for these folks may be a waste? Yep. Louis Gray mentions this with a dozen sites he tried. Now he finds about half of them either failing or looking like they’re about to⁽²⁾. The fact that it doesn’t slow us down may not necessarily be a good thing, though.

Another good point she makes:

“…We’re supposed to live, breathe, eat, sleep, and dream this stuff. The problem is, while we’re busy experimenting with this new thing and that new thing, we might miss out on actually enjoying the services that are already there for us, working just fine, thank you very much.

Now, what I find ironic with her post is that after pointing out a clear issue of our attention being robbed in the beginning of her article, from the middle to the end she name-drops a dozen or so popular beta sites titillating in all their glory with links we could follow. In fact, someone in the comments area mentioned they enjoyed the article, but then stated–perhaps somewhat cheekily–they now had 15 new tabs open waiting for them. That can’t be good for them.

All this info-waste concerns me on few fronts, but one, for the individuals who are drowning in it all and secondly, for the overall implications on societal productivity. Can our economy really sustain all these distractions?

Aggregation is the Answer?

So, almost with a tone of exasperation, Ms. Perez asks “What Can We Do?” I partially agree with her predicted solution. I believe 2008 is the “year of aggregation.” And don’t get me wrong, as an experience designer, I know some of us have to stay on top of all the latest apps and innovations (as an aside, I’m not seeing much in the way innovation), but even with all the promise of “tying it all together” the problems will not be solved by aggregation alone.

We may be at a point where we need to wait it out some; stop running around looking at all the latest apps and get productivity. There are many (I’m reviewing at least a half-dozen myself) projects that are promising to tie all my social sites together, but the reality is, it may be a good time to take a holding pattern until I see the whuffie⁽²⁾ value. And to see the potential for whuffie dividends.

Over-Consumption of Media Makes Our Heads Fat with Rich Information, But Our Economy Thin on Vital Productivity

The bigger question that needs answering is: what is going to make me stick at one place and stop me from looking around at all the others? What is it going to keep me investing at one site so I can move on to investing in my clients/employer? Better still, how is a *social* app going to help me stay focused to further invest in my clients/employers?

I don’t need the newest little API-hookin’ app and I definitely don’t need YA GTD app promising to save me from myself with oodles of flexible organization tools. I like nice, usable, pretty interfaces and useful mash-ups, but if they do little for me to easily share traffic with my friends so we can truly “Do Things,” I find little usefulness let alone desirousness.

Again, can our weathered economy really sustain all these distractions? It might be the right time to just stop signing up for beta invites and let the shake out begin; let a bunch of little bubbles (developer’s and “serial entrepreneur” egos) burst before the bigger bubble (our economy) bursts. Anybody else feeling this?

Linkage

1. Too Many Choices, Too Much Content
2. Where Are They Now? A Look at A Dozen Services That Debuted Here
3. Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

(Via Read/WriteWeb.)

There’s actually a real word that matches up closely: “twaddle”

twaddle |?twädl| informal
noun trivial or foolish speech or writing; nonsense : he dismissed the novel as self-indulgent twaddle.

Frankly, I still have yet to figure out what they’re doing with these feeds. They do have some followers, but they’re likely just other follow-bots like themselves.

Well, anyway, found a useful site if you want to see the stats of the folks following you. It has a great name for these… twerps: TwerpScan. That’s such a great name them.

It’s useful, but does take a little while to zap out your twerps because every block prompts you with an “are you sure?” back at your twitter site. That’s not a total deal breaker, though. Just have to come back to it chunks.

Hope that helps!
Update: Here’s a more helpful run-down of how it works.