Brewing a Revolution: Beta Launch of ArmRev

I‘m excited and proud that Armchair Revolutionary launched the Beta version of their website Armrev.org earlier this month. The project has been percolating for some time now with ambitious goals: to change the world by supporting projects in science and technology that would create positive social change worldwide. The idea behind the site is to empower tens of thousands of participants to raise funds, organize large phone and email campaigns, and educate the public about the site’s various causes.

I got involved last summer when the team at ArmRev approached me to redesign an earlier version of their user interface. After learning about the project and its goals I was happy to take on the role of User Interface Designer. Over the next few months I rolled up my sleeves and got down to the nitty gritty of reworking some of the primary screens to incorporating an interface for a gaming model. And a few months into the project the ArmRev team poached 2 Out of Three’s VP of Engineering, Kenny Carruthers, luring him away from his cushy position to become their primary Ruby on Rails developer. Since then we’ve been responsible for a series of new designs, Flash animations, and major revisions to the code base to get the site to its current Beta release.

Last week’s Beta release was met with a flurry of press, garnering articles in CNet, Variety, and USA Today. Things have come a long way since last summer, but like all websites there is always work to do. Over the next few months Armrev.org will evolve, polishing what has been developed and adding new features. Feedback is rolling in from users after their initial visits, and the next round of planning is being staged. So head over to Armrev.org and request a Beta Invite, go ahead kick the tires and let us know what you think.

What do you think?