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Town of Whitehall Book Club: “New Media for Designers + Builders”

September 30, 2013 / ,

Too much media to consume!

For years, we have been fed a steady diet of social media tools, trying to figure out which ones to pick up, which ones to digest, which ones were good for us professionally, which ones were good for us personally and which ones were junk food.   The topic can be overwhelming.  FINALLY, an easy to read and comprehensive look at new and social media tools, their interrelationships, and their utility has been written.  Breakthrough author, Steve Mouzon has laid out all of the elements in a tasty buffet that he has entitled, “New Media for Designers + Builders”, and he’s served it up on a silver platter.

Restoring #order from #chaos

New media and social media are nothing short of chaos.  And while the author discusses the need for each, it’s still chaos for many of us. Steve Mouzon took the time to break down his iBook in a way that imposes structure.  Steve created order out of the chaos by establishing chapters on Why (Why new media, why his book, why we should be interested), How (How to use each form of new and social media and how each piece feeds the other), Who (Who are the emerging authorities on related topics) and What (What are the published resources that can help the reader delve deeper into the topic).  The best part is that Steve Mouzon took the time to develop “New Media for Designers + Builders” in a digital format that allows you expand into the topics via links, take notes within the book, converse with other readers on topics as you are reviewing and to literally experience the technology that is being discussed. You’ll see one type of that voluntarily pushes you to anther part of the book, you’ll see another that allows you access to the glossary for complicated words and another that is linked to an external recourse.  It is simply a brilliant alignment of the topic and the prose.

shutterstock_95792515So why read the book?

Each form of new media needs to be considered and evaluated for you as a person and for your form of business.  The book goes to the trouble to breaking down as many forms of media as possible, from traditional publications and print media to Twitter, Facebook and web pages.  You will walk away with a more creative look at how to use each and (here is the best part), how they all work together.  Steve Mouzon does an excellent job helping the reader understand that each component, on it’s own, is an invaluable as using old style media.  Rather, he suggests, one take a look at the entire menu and develop your strategy in a way that each form feeds another.

What is Steve Mouzon’s glimpse of the future?

Stop thinking about brand promotion and start thinking about adding value as a person and as a profession.  Gone are the days of seeing your logo with a sexy photo next to it and here are the days of seeing your logo or face with information that will help your customer or colleague.  Conversation will now be the catalyst by which you add that value.  Conversations via social media, conversations via public speaking and roundtable discussion, and conversations through creative means found in this book and in the minds of your coworkers.

profile-photo-whtThe Town of Whitehall case study

Mouzon tells the reader that every good blog needs a case study.  So how could I critique the book without one!  I am a co-founder with others of the Town of Whitehall, a mixed-use community being formed in Delaware.  We knew that in order to activate our community, we couldn’t wait until the sales trailer arrived and start running ads.  Instead, we began a multi-year conversation with the community, using many of the techniques espoused in “New Media for Designers + Builders”.   We have used live interaction through speaking engagements and small workshops.  We have made our work product public and have seen people sharing it, but the most fun we are having is on social media.  We have created a community of virtual residents who give us suggestions, curse our bad ideas, and has begun sharing element of our vision with each other.  Now THAT’s cool.  Check us out atwww.TheTownOfWhitehall.com .

So get ready, Steve Mouzon has done it again.  In a decade when reference material has radically changed, we will look at this book and say, “I saw it when it all began.”

Want to learn more? Click here to purchase Steve Mouzon’s book, “New Media for Designers + Builders”.

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