Behind the Project: Facebook Redesign

In this series, we’ll look deeper into some of the projects on Behance.net that were especially admired in our community. Fred Nerby designed a Facebook redesign concept that has absolutely exploded on the web – over 300,000 views, 15,000 appreciations and counting! He streamlined the experience, adding responsive panels, splitting the News Feed into two columns, for example. Take a deeper look into how this was created below!

What was your inspiration for this project?
As funny as it may sound, the project was not actually inspired by visuals or UI work created by other platforms, but more so a deeper understanding and a personal interest in user behavior. For a while I’ve been researching Systematic Design and what it actually represents and how it’s best applied in the digital space because it’s changed the making of media in the modern world and also how digital agencies are now working.

Understanding behavior and the psychological success behind a platform such as Facebook is crucial before you get in to the creation or execution of design. People around the world are already connected on a personal level with the platform (or the brand that is Facebook) for many different reasons; main factor is that it’s fulfilling a need in people that wasn’t there a few years ago. If you understand the power of systematic thinking then there are ways of drawing that emotional connection out of people with clever design that will make the experience even more powerful and engaging for the user; and that is where it all started.

Can you describe your process in creating this project?
First off, when dealing with a platform such as Facebook, which is heavily focused on a suite of behaviors you need to get an understanding of how to actually design for that. The process of thinking is very different from how people have worked in the past at more traditional agencies. It’s important to understand that most traditional agencies are coming from a pure narrative space where the idea is to interrupt you to think of a brand you haven’t thought about and connect you through a story. Their greatest challenge in the modern world of media right now is to recognize that you can be creative within “Systematic Design”.

For example, the world is embracing the products and media invented in places such as the Silicon Valley (Apple) and the innovation that has been driving such places forward is NOT the innovation of narrative, it’s the innovation and more importantly the understanding of systems and behavior. And today; that has become a creative discipline! Companies like Apple and Facebook are focusing on creating platforms and it’s a new world where you “invent media to frame behavior”, which in itself means that the production is now creative and your relationship with the “making” is very different. If you want your UI to be successful you need to have a solid understanding of all this before you move on to architecture and design when taking on a platform.

All in all, the setup was thought through before I got into the making of design so the overall process of creating the artwork went fairly smooth with a few minor hick-­‐ ups on the way. Again, you can’t jump straight in to a design of such a project without understanding the user behavior and then try to figure things out as you go along. That will never work!

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The next Portfolio Review Week is here!

It’s that time again – the next Behance Portfolio Review Week is coming up from May 13-20th. Last October, there were over 175 events in 56 countries – over 4,000 creatives attended an event to get feedback on their creative work. This is your chance to get personalized feedback on your creative work from the Behance community! We’re looking for event organizers to step forward and plan a Portfolio Review in your area.

More info here:
Behance Portfolio Review Week: http://be.net/reviews
Info for Organizers: http://be.net/reviews/info

If you’re interested, please fill out this short form and then get started by following these steps.
(https://behance.wufoo.com/forms/organize-a-behance-portfolio-review)

P.S. Check out the results from the first Portfolio Review Week, back in May 2012, here: Infographic

Behance’s 99U Conference: It’s Not About Ideas. It’s About Making Ideas Happen

When inspiration strikes, ideas flow freely. But seeing those ideas through to completion is another thing entirely. That’s why 99U focuses on the hard part — idea execution. This May, we’ll bring together a handful of the world’s most productive creative visionaries and researchers to share pragmatic insights on how to push great ideas forward, create incredible art, build businesses, and change the world.

Learn more about the 2013 99U Conference here.

This Week’s Most Appreciated Projects

Appreciations are a way to send genuine kudos to another creative professional on Behance. This is our community’s way of curating the network, so that the best projects gain the most exposure. Here’s a look at two of the most appreciated projects on Behance this week:



Pavel Emelyanov created a brand identity for a vintage store called Crow’s Nest, pulling inspiration from raw materials and natural textures. Check out the full identity here.


As part of a campaign for Interstate Batteries, Mike Campau created a series of narrative images. According to Campau, “each image was a combination of stock, CGI and some Photoshop wizardry.” Take a look at the full series here.

This Week’s Most Appreciated Projects

Appreciations are a way to send genuine kudos to another creative professional on Behance. This is our community’s way of curating the network, so that the best projects gain the most exposure. Here’s a look at two of the most appreciated projects on Behance this week:



The Slovakian branding agency Higher created an expansive corporate identity for Speechwell, a new Powerpoint competitor. From their thought process and initial sketches to visual renderings of the new logo, check out their amazingly thorough identity project here.



Cam is on of the most important baby companies in Italy, so when it came to creating their visual campaign, Art Director Matteo Pozzi let his imagination run wild. See the full, magical series here.

Meet the Team: Roxanne

Who are you and what do you do at Behance?
Hey there! My name is Roxanne and I am a Community Manager at Behance. As the voice of Behance both internally and externally, our team is always working towards a happy community through a number of communication channels. Being that we are the “first line of defense” and advocates for our members, most of my day is spent interacting with, and listening to members, helping to fix issues that may arise.

2. What are three desktop tools you can’t live without?
1. TweetDeck. Managing a number of Twitter accounts can be challenging, but TweetDeck has become an integral way of incorporating technical support into Twitter. With its customizable columns, custom alerts, and translate tool, staying on top of member communications is super efficient.
2. Spotify. I love listening to music and sharing songs with co-workers. Spotify is absolutely awesome and its “offline mode” is perfect for your mobile device on the subway.
3. Stickies. The next best thing since real post it notes. And has come on every Mac computer since 1994!

3. What have you worked on recently that you’re extra proud of?
I am very excited about the new ProSite Beginners Guide. We teamed up with the designers to create an easy to follow outline for members who are new to website building. This step-by-step guide is a great way for our community to get excited about, and comfortable with, one of our great tools.

4. What do you listen to while working?
At work, I’m usually listening to something that gets the blood flowing, mostly Indie Electronic or Rap.
Favorites right now: Grimes, POLICA, Kendrick Lamar, Alt-J, A$AP Rocky, The XX, Icona Pop, Frank Ocean, & Hot Chip. Get at me! 

5. Can you name a few favorite blogs and sites?
Buzzfeed is my go-to for hilarious top ten lists and animated GIFs. Plus, their Beyonce-related posts are always spot on. Immaculate Infatuation is another one of my all time favorites; from one foodie heart to another. And lastly, I get my social media news and geek fix from Mashable.

Follow Roxanne on Twitter @RoxanneNaomi.

17-Year Old Offered Internship on-the-spot at Behance Portfolio Review!

Twice a year, Behance hosts “Portfolio Review Week,”  seven days of community-run events that give creatives around the world a chance to present their work and get feedback from their peers. We were psyched to hear this success story from young photographer Cody Min, who presented at an NYC event last year and received an internship offer on the spot!

One day last spring I opened an email from Behance and read an invitation to attend the April 2012 Behance Portfolio Reviews. I was excited to go, but even moreso when I found out I could actually request to present my own work. The organizer, Tom (founder of AIR ) emailed me back later that week, and approved me to be one of the five presenters.

On the night of the event, a lot of other people in the creative field showed up. I chatted with Oriole Poole, Experiential Designer, Richard Borge, an illustrator whose client list includes the NYTimes and Coke, and the team from Bazaart, a hot new fashion iPad app. It felt great to be there as a presenter – especially at age 17! I met some of the most interesting creatives on the planet, learned more about different industries, and also made valuable connections. You could feel the energy in the room.

My presentation went smoothly, and I received fantastic feedback. It was interesting to hear opinions not only from photographers, but also illustrators, art directors, and designers. The highlight of the night was meeting Becky Yee, fashion and commercial photographer. Her work was amazing, and I learned a lot in the brief time talking with her. She was so impressed that I was presenting my work at a young age, that she offered me an internship on the spot. I was floored.

My summer internship with Becky was probably the most I’ve ever learned about photography. By the end of the summer, I knew how to set up and collapse a studio, navigate the subways while loaded with 70+ pounds of gear, and how to organize clients. I learned how to light and shoot everything from lookbooks to ballet dancers, and everything in-between (including designer picnic baskets). Coincidentally, one of the most memorable shoots was with Bazaart, the startup team I met at the Portfolio Review. They had also met Becky at the event, and were as hooked on her work as I was.

Behance made this incredible connection with Becky possible, but going to the review also inspired me to keep creating and presenting my work. Behance has become an integral part of my creative process, and I’m excited to participate in future Portfolio Reviews.

Cody Min is a photographer and filmmaker. His client list includes Google, ING Group, The Foundation for Economic Education, and various politicians. You can view his work on his website: www.codymin.com and Behance: http://www.behance.net/codymin Give him a friendly shoutout on Twitter: twitter.com/codysogunmin