Site Design & Development
When working on a priority project, we can help you with any or all of the following aspects of design and development, each of which must be carefully addressed and interwoven in order to produce a successful website. To request our assistance creating a website, please use our Getting Started form.
Defining the Project
The first steps are defining your own communication goals, and understanding your audience's needs and expectations. Next, we assess available resources, site size, and the amount of custom design, content and technology that will be created. These assessments help us determine the project timeline and any costs that may apply.
Content Inventory
We can help you take inventory of your existing and needed content to determine the size of your site. Our Guide to Creating Website Information Architecture and Content (.pdf) can help you get started on this aspect.
Information Architecture
Our staff can help you establish a well-organized site to help your visitors find information quickly. Additionally, our information architecture guidelines will help you get started thinking about this topic.
Content Creation
Your content is the primary reason visitors come to your site. Yet, in our experience, our partners often underestimate the amount of time and care proper content preparation takes -- which generally leads to lengthy delays in creating a website.
We can help you strategize about the most effective ways to prepare your content and communicate with your priority audiences. Information architecture is a valuable part of content creation that helps you use the best of existing content, plan for new content and organize all content so that it makes sense to your website visitors. Available editorial services include crafting and updating text, and editing to ensure that content is accurate and consistent in tone.
Visual elements such as photographs, Flash movies and video also are considered content. Our staff can assist you with selecting the best imagery to support your messages and University priorities.
Visual Design
Visual design can be inspiring and motivating, as well as enhance the usability of your site. Our designers can provide expert assistance with choosing appropriate graphics, typefaces, colors and page navigation schemes. We also can help you arrange these elements so that visitors will know at a glance what is available in your site.
Integration with Content Management
We only develop sites that are integrated into the University's supported content management system, which currently is Roxen CMS.