It’s been a busy last couple of months here at iiRe Productions. We have several new websites under construction in several different categories. Click the thumbnail to view a full-size screenshot or the link in the caption to visit the actual website. You won’t be disappointed!
 Cowboy's Lodge |
 Pellerin Electric |
 Gran's Trade Post |
I recently had a couple of conversions with a long-time client and friend of mine, Sharon Tara about updating her existing website, Sharon Tara Transformations (If you ever need a home stager in the New England area, Sharon rocks!) and bringing it into the new decade using WordPress. We’ve spoken before about the latest features, the advantages of using the blog format, driving traffic to her site, etc. With all the excitement of a giddy schoolgirl, she ask me to help her get started, so we did…
Blank Page Syndrome
After backing up her existing website, creating a new instance of WordPress, and a quick WordPress tutorial, we proceeded to dive in head first… Then it happens… the dreaded “Blank Page Syndyrome“. Over 20 years creating designing interfaces and I see it happen every time…
“So, What would you like to do next?” … “Humm… I don’t know.”
The first thing that I always ask my clients is “What is the purpose of the your project? What do you want to accomplish?”… more time than not, there is no clear vision.
Since Sharon has a previous site and there is content available, I assigned homework:
Your client can easily achieve their project vision… You just have to listen, have some patience and do a little hand-holding; your client (and Sharon) will greatly appreciate it.
Another interesting take on wrapping your arms around a client’s vision, read this article by John Vincent of Yulan Studio
* Note: Sharon is trying to learn WordPress while her two grandchildren rummaging thru the trash and eat paper towers and her husband calls every five minutes on the land line.
On the verge on a government shutdown in the mist of a fragile economic recovery, you have to ask yourself… ”Is this the time to be starting a new project?” The answer is resounding “YES”! While everyone else is pulling back, now is the time to take risks.
Your first response would be something like “But, I have no money for my project!”. What do you do next?
Contact iiRe Productions and let’s talk about your project. Obviously we can’t do it for free, but if you need quality work done at a reasonable price, iiRe Productions is an excellence choice for your next multimedia presentation, website or video. Just ask our clients!
I try not to be an unforgiving cynic (I’m much better than I used to be), but working on projects as a designer and programmer for dozens of companies and individuals over the years has led me to believe that there is almost always one constant in an ever-changing universe…
A horse is a camel designed by Committee
Why is this important? It’s expensive, it’s time-consuming, counter-productive and does not necessarily produce quality results. Our latest ongoing project with a large international real estate company confirms my theory.
The Coming of the Apocalypse:
Here’s one of the usual combination of factors that can plague the project from the start. The names have been changed so I might actually get paid.
Sound familiar? Most committees end up in this kind of circular, unproductive feedback loop because the group operates on many or all of these principles:
Despite the obvious pitfalls of design by committee, there are effective strategies for navigating the process that can produce positive results. When done right, the product of a well-run design committee will satisfy all parties involved and produce a better design than if just one person were in control.
Here is some interesting reading to help you pass the time:
Matthew Inman’s How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell, it is the one of the most entertaining portrayals of design-by-committee-gone-wrong to date.
Gary Hartley at The Floating Frog describes a typical design by committee outcome.
A few years ago creating a pretty site was enough to attract visitors, today that no longer flies. The internet user of today is looking for more than eye candy. They want a website that is engaging, provides constant connection, virtual reality and is responsive. Take a look at a few other trends that are emerging this year and only expected to grow over the next 10 years.
While the line that separates the web designer from the web developer has become nothing but a blurry line in murky water, you still need to know how to create an environment that will not only charm the visitor but captivate them to the point that they don’t want to get off the site. Keep in mind that your custom web design must also contend with tablets, netbooks and smart phones. So what are some of the top trends this year for custom web design?