OVERVIEW - RECONSTRUCT CLIENT WEBSITE
Empowering Word, “Client vision at conception stage”, shown in Figure 1 below, is a non-profit organization that requested a total re-construction of their website to better represent the company.
They wanted to create a unified and consistent look and feel with a new website designer and webhost provider, that could captivate the target audience. The newly designed website would be created for Mac and PC OS platforms, on three basic devices; desktop computers, and on tablet and mobile devices.
The website should be tested on various web browsers; Safari, Chrome, FireFox, and IE. The project inception to delivery time-frame was 6-12 months, with the potential to gain further projects; website maintenance and company logo mark design.
OLD WEBSITE LAYOUT
In reviewing the client’s old website condition, as shown below in the “Old Home and About Pages” - Figure 2, it was obvious there was a lack of thought in incorporating the clients vision and audience user ability. The website contained very odd choices in background, layout and use. It was easy to see the need for a website overhaul.
There are so many problems with the old website; the main header or title, “Empowering Word Ministry” has gray/white gradient fill and light shadow that blends into the nature background. It’s not very legible. There are various font types and colors, some look blotchy or like they are bleeding through the letters. The green color filled fields and the type used for transitions; green, yellow, gold and gray, make no sense and look horrible. The photographs are not aligned in any manner. Also, the nature looking background does not represent any particular theme or setting. The “Old Landing Pages”, in Figure 3, on the left side of this page, are just another example of what you would’ve seen on the old website’s landing pages.
RESEARCH PROVIDED
The two examples above show the vibe the client was looking for in the new website.
TECHNICAL CONFIGURATION OF SERVER AND EMAIL SERVER SET-UP
There were various stages to conquer throughout the design process. Key features to highlight; 1. Interviewing client to provide vision, goals, time-frame, budget, website features and content. Also, client audience and other requests. 2. Organize a structured outline and schedule timeline for both client and web designer to follow, review and meet technical deadlines and payment terms. 3. Obtain technical details from old web host server and email server. 4. Transfer client domain and email to new webhost server and email server, as well as configure the client primary email to access on Gmail server. 5. Create website wire frame to show client content and website user-flow.
WRAP UP
The client’s new website needs to maintain consistency throughout. Providing the client with a website that not only conveys consistency, but also seemlessly unifies the colors,and typography, such as headers, sub-headers, and the body. The website should also contain logical spaces for images, videos, slideshows, workshops, resources, and internal and external web links. There will also be an improved user work flow; the website roadmap of main menu tabs and submenu landing pages will be logical and sequential.
REFLECTION
The new website look and feel, is not only visually appealing, but it has consistency, user-friendly easy navigation and flow. One key element that the landing pages will show; less clutter and website maintenance, by removal of the numerous addict pages. These pages were simply replaced with an “additional resources” link, which was the website the client was going to, to obtain the website addiction content.
KEY EXPERIENCE
What I learned is that website projects are very time consuming and I need to reconsider the market value for future clients; when creating websites from scratch. Most likely, I will consider creating various website templates, to make it easier or less time-consuming. Also, this will allow clients to easily pick and choose appropriate web site layouts and/or landing pages and a pre-organized structure for various content.
