Approach and Process

A thoughtful approach and process guarantee you a high-quality, low-cost product. My work is guided by the following:

Use proven strategies

Whenever possible, I use the current best practices and standards for Web design, development and writing for the Web.

Plan first, act later

I will work with you to carefully research and plan the project before beginning to build the site or application. Steps include:

• determining the objectives of your organization and site
• analyzing Web sites of any competitors
• characterizing and prioritizing audiences
• identifying key Web site tasks as indicated by objectives
• listing existing as well as needed Web site content
• organizing this content based on best practices for information architecture
• summarizing all of this in a project profile and estimate
• providing a click-through prototype with navigation for your review. Typical "click-through" prototype example >>

This type of planning ensures an effective Web site and minimizes expensive reworking time.

Graphic design: form follows function

After the information architecture and page content are decided, we will talk about the visual look and feel. Using a graphic design style tailored for the Web (subordinate to and supportive of site content) helps you get your point across with minimal distractions. Simple, clear, esthetically pleasing pages are almost always the best design approach for the Web. You will choose one design from two or three options.

Test for usability the easy and inexpensive way

Before the project is complete, it is a good idea to watch some typical users try it out to make sure it appeals to your target audience and is easy for them to use.

All platforms are NOT created equal

A Web site that looks beautiful on Internet Explorer 6 may not look so good on Netscape 7. Thorough testing on a variety of operating systems, browsers, screen sizes and connection speeds will bring the site as close to perfection as possible.

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