Greteman Group adds senior digital director

Chaney Kimball may be laid back, but Greteman Group colleagues and clients alike confirm, he’s a monster of digital design. His promotion from interactive designer to senior digital director surprises no one, least of all Kimball. This lanky surfer dude who doesn’t surf just shrugs, smiles at the announcement, then turns his focus to the next challenge – developing a responsive website on a highly compressed timeframe.

“Chaney’s interactive genius reveals itself in how smart the final product is,” says creative director and agency principal, Sonia Greteman. “He puts the user experience first – stripping away needless complexity for compelling, welcoming, simple-to-navigate sites. You can find and do what you need.”

A Deep Drive

Kimball was one of the region’s earliest, and remains among its most formidable, digital experts. His degree in graphic design and deep web experience give him a unique perspective on interactive design and usability. He understands how to display information in the easiest, most user-friendly way. All while developing raise-the-bar designs that strengthen brands across multiple platforms.

Kimball began his career 15 years ago working at one of the region’s first web design and development studios. He went on to several other firms, building an impressive track record of innovative solutions for everything from email marketing to online advertising. After several years of co-owning his own business, in 2007 Kimball joined Greteman Group where he can fully unleash his unique and dynamic approach to digital design. He cares about every aspect – usability, content, design, code, analytics and more. A recent emersion at the 2013 An Event Apart conference reinforced his belief in intent-driven, outcomes-oriented websites.

Sites That Work

“You have to ask, ‘What does the person coming to your site intend to do?’” says Kimball. “Then you work to meet that need through storytelling and good, honest design.”

One question he doesn’t over think: Are your audiences primarily accessing your site through a smartphone, tablet or desktop? Kimball says, yes, you should consider how, when and where people get to your site, but ultimately it doesn’t matter.

“You should think of your website as one site, one experience,” says Kimball. “The platform can and will change, so you must build in adaptability. You want a site that automatically responds and reconfigures as needed. My job is to ensure the site flows seamlessly and works optimally whatever the device.”

Kimball works with clients and colleagues, mapping out and defining challenges. Creating personas that humanize and guide the development team’s understanding. Thinking through user scenarios from start to finish. Fixing points of confusion. Determining what interfaces ought to be present and when. Wowing users whenever possible.

People Come First

“You can study and discuss the latest practices in web design, coding and content, but at the end of the day, it’s an exercise in problem solving,” says Kimball. Having owned his own business makes him especially empathetic to the demands of the marketplace. Kimball knows interactive tactics – as cool as they can be – are a means to an end.

“You establish goals and how to achieve and measure the desired outcomes. Our web-enabled world makes so much possible. More every day. It’s not about designing for certain devices, but connecting and moving people to action. If you can delight them at the same time, all the better.”

For a downloadable photo, please go to https://www.gretemangroup.com/press/Chaney_Kimball