b'EWA JZEFOWICZ AMADOR You Are Going to Want CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER,SEED WORLD CREATEejozefowiczamador@seedworldgroup.com a Seat at the Table! @SeedWorldGroupseedworldgroup.comWhat is UX and How Can itI SENSED Acollective sigh ofFarmers and seed business lead-relief from the agricultural com- ers are rightly frustrated with some munity when President-Elect Joeof the current discussions in DC. Help your Business? Biden announced his intention toEvery year, the nations leadership ask Tom Vilsack to reprise his role asbecomes more disconnected from WE ALL WONDERwhat the websites of the futureSecretary of Agriculture. The formerrural America and agriculture. Even will look like. Since the internet went mainstream in theGovernor of Iowa is well-knownpolicy-makers from rural areas have 1990s, websites have come a long, long way. across the Corn Belt, in commodityshown a lack of understanding of The market is constantly looking for newer solu- circles and in the livestock industry.the realities of feeding, fueling and tions that will more effectively sell a given product orHis time as Secretary of Ag underclothing the insatiable appetite of service. But we must never lose track of that which isPresident Barack Obama was largely330 million Americans, let alone a most importantuser experience, or UX for short. seen as favorable to farmers and thegrowing, global middle class.The user experience focuses precisely on the usersindustry.Vilsacks presence at the USDA of your product and their needs. A well-designed web- The farmers and business leaderswont matter if our industry isnt site is attractive, functional, intuitive and fast. All theseIve talked to about Vilsacks selec- engaged. This is the time to make things combined will ensure a positive UX.tion are pleasantly surprised. Its seenyour voice heard in DC, in your Heres some things to focus on when working ata victory against the progressivesstate and in your community. If your designing your site or looking for someone to partnermoves to overhaul the USDA. Vilsackcompany isnt a member of the with in doing this. is seen as a calming presence and aAmerican Seed Trade Association, Be precise. These days, people using your websitebuttress against activists dictatingjoin it. If you arent a member of and online content want an enjoyable experience freethe terms to American farmers. the Independent Professional Seed from hassle. The website must be built precisely, adjustThis, however, is not the time toAssociation, join it. If you arent a to many devices including phones and tablets, andrelax.member of your state agricultural the information on the website must be easy to findThe changing priorities of theassociation, join it. After that, join a and clear, so that potential customers do not have toextremes of both parties havecommittee, chair a working group search for it for too long.often put pressure on an industryand get in front of legislators in your Understand your user. The first of Googles 10that requires long-term planning,State House and on Capitol Hill.design principles is, Focus on the user and all else willdecades-long in many cases. FromVilsacks selection to lead the follow. When designing a good website, focus on theusing tariffs as a negotiating tool toUSDA is the opportunity to make user. What will their expectations and needs be? Ourregulating field waterways, deci- lasting change for our industry. homepage interface is clear and simple, and pagessions made in DC can reverberateTrust me, you are going to want load instantly. Placement in search results is never soldfor a generation on the farm. a seat at the table!to anyone, and advertising is not only clearly markedThe next four years will see as such, it offers relevant content and is not distract- debates on land use priorities, ing. And when we build new tools and applications,regulatory status of pesticides, the we believe they should work so well you dont have toexpansion of the post-patent GMO consider how they might have been designed differ- seed market and a fundamental ently, Google says. discussion of how modern farm-Make it easy. Do not overwhelm the user withing practices jive with modern life. unnecessary information. How the user feels whenThese discussions may fundamen-using your website determines how they feel abouttally change agriculture, and as a you. Having the best products or services at the bestresult, the entire U.S. seed industry. price or the highest quality will not guarantee your success. A poorly designed website may scare poten-tial customers away. Potential clients use a lot of websites every day. IfJIM SCHWEIGERT you want to get their attention, make sure they feelPRESIDENT, GRO ALLIANCEgood about your site. Focusing on UX will help you @jim_schweigert stand out from the competition. jim.schweigert@groalliance.comGroAlliance.com30/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2021'