Web Design Services~Development of Dynamic Websites
- Site Design
- Content Management
- Database Development
- Flash Design
Web Site Design
A visitor to a web site should be able to find their way around and get the information they were looking for in a matter of seconds. If that doesn’t happen, they’ll just move on to another site. Easily identifiable links and intuitive navigation are the keys to a successful web site. I try to stick to a fundamental rule: Don't make me think! Visitors to your web site will not spend much time trying to figure it out.
"What they actually do most of the time (if we’re lucky) is glance at each new page, scan some of the text, and click on the first link that catches their interest or vaguely resembles the thing they’re looking for. There are usually large parts of the page that they don’t even look at."- Steve Krug - Author
Branson West Therapeutic Massage - bransonwestmassage.com
One of my first graphics clients, the owner of this Massage Therapy practice wanted a site to take advantage of local and tourist traffic around Branson, MO. Search Engine Optimization was important so that her site would come up towards the top of any search for Massage Therapy in Branson.
The design is an adaptation of a Flash Site although this site is still static HTML and PHP. Plans are in the works to convert to Flash.
University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener 2009 Conference- conference.missourimastergardener.com
The design and implementation of the 2008 conference site for the Missouri Master Gardeners led me to be contracted to produce the conference site for 2009. Hosted in Jefferson City, the conference includes a number of guided tours and lectures. The site is detailed in its representations of these events, utilizing a number of dynamic and interactive features to display photos, bios, etc.
The site also includes a dynamic registration form with a link to PayPal for credit card payment and an administrative "backend" for the registration committee to access Registrant information and download it into MS Excel as CSV spreadsheet files,
Branson Comedian, Perry Edinburn - harleyworthit.com
The Harley Worthit website is a means for the Branson Comedian to connect with his audience and give them something to use to stay connected with him on a personal level (by means of a contact form and mailing list) and also a place to go for content, such as videos, audio snippets and merchandise.
There are also links to promotional material and photos, all available for download to further promote his act.
The site was designed and developed over a three month period in early 2007. All graphics, video editing, text (with the exception of his biography) and layout was done by yours truly.
Fantastic Talent - fantastictalent.com
This site is an ambitious undertaking to create a social-networking web environment for entertainers of all types. The programming is being accomplished by Matt Scalf at izoox.com and the design, for the most part, is the result of a creative collaboration between myself and the site owners. My role here has been to put their vision into the web-reality.
University of Missouri Extenstion: Master Gardener Conference Website - momg08.org
My wife, Julie came to me in the fall of 2007 and told me her Master Gardener group was to be the host of the 2008 state conference. Would I be willing to produce a website for them? I said, "Of course!"
In April of 2008, the site became a reality and a means for Master Gardeners across the state to check up on what's going on and register and pay on line for their conference tickets and events. The site was pretty much completely designed and developed by me including all the server-side code necessary to create the on-line registration and payment system.
HDS Design Group Website - hdsdesigngroup.com
A simple but effective site for the display and ordering of custom motorcycle parts.
The owners wanted a dark but business-like themed site, simple and to-the-point. A logo also had to be developed.
KRZK Radio Live Comp - rjjjacob.com/krzk/
A Branson radio station asked me to produce a comp of a new design for their site.
What was desired was an updated, "print media" look and feel. The site would be wholly dynamic. However, they stuck with their existing site due to budgetary constraints. I included this on my site as another example of my work.
Content Management
C ontent management gives the owner of a website the ability to update his content without the need for a person skilled in the languages of the web: HTML, CSS, javascript, PHP, etc. It fulfills the need to keep the site fresh without the large development bills.
Missouri Master Gardener Registration - Spreadsheet application
On line registration for the annual conference utilized a database to save registrant information. This database could be accessed by Registration Committee members and downloaded into a spreadsheet file which could then be opened in a program such as MS Excel.
Goldwing Express Content Management System - goldwingexpress.net
This Bluegrass band wanted a way to keep their fans apprised of their road schedule by checking their website. An administration section was developed for their site which included a management system which they could update from anywhere. The schedule is then displayed on its page in the site. I took the existing design of the site (done by someone else) and adapted to the admin section, then created a database for the road dates and the input system for updating it.
Harley Worthit Content Management System - harleyworthit.com
As I explained above, Branson Comedian Perry Edinburn needed a way to keep his site fresh and current to make sure his fans kept coming back for more. We came up with a contact form, a subscription mailing list, a "joke of the week" application and a road schedule application. The system allows him to update his joke database, keep sending out mailings whenever he wishes and maintain the subscriber list to do so. He can also keep his road schedule updated. All from the admin section of his site.
Database Development
D atabase development - using a web application to establish and maintain records of customers, clients, products, etc. - is just one advantage of the online presence. Accessibility to records by many people in many locations is another.
University of Missouri Extenstion Master Gardener Program - report.missourimastergardener.com
This website/database/application, which has been in operation since December of 2008, is a system for all Master Gardeners in the state of Missouri to log on to a web page and report their hours of volunteer service. This system also allows coordinators of the program at a county level to run reports of these hours and categories of service. Up until now, this has all been done by hand - paper forms which had to be filled out and mailed or delivered to the coordinators who then had to tabulate and collate in order to send the statistics up the line.
Iowa State University Extenstion Master Gardener Program - mastergardenerhours.hort.iastate.edu
Built over a period of 6 weeks in May and June of 2009, this application is an adaptation of the Missouri site developed and put into use 6 months earlier. The challenge of this site was completely developing it and getting it on line in 6 weeks to meet a deadline imposed by the IA State Extension Staff in order to meet fiscal and budgetary demands.
Oregon State University Extenstion Master Gardener Program - extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/vrs
Built shortly after the IA State site, this site also pulls most of its code from the development of the Missouri and Iowa applications, modified for its particular use.
Master Gardener State Conference Registration Form
A means of capturing all the information necessary to register for a state conference including personal name and address info but also choices for lectures and tours, special diet considerations, etc. The page then links to an order form to pick, a la carte, the days and events chosen.The database contains all relevant information about each registrant. The reporting system allows one to visit each registrant's details as well as run a report of all registrants.
Flash Design and Development
FantasticTalent.com "Tour Video"
When I was first contacted by the owners and creators of fantastictalent.com it was to produce a short video in the Flash format highlighting the purposes and services of their new website. During the development of the video they asked me to take over design duties as well. Eventually, the video was finished and has received rave reviews from website visitors.
