web design
"Web design" is the whole process of taking your idea and turning it into a website, up to the point of actually writing the code that will make the site work. In other words, web design involves deciding
- what your site should do,
- how it should do it, and
- how it should look while doing it.
These decisions should all fit together under a master plan — every decision you make should affect every other decision. So, you need a well-rounded designer who treats every element of your site as part of a whole.
For convenience, though, we can consider the parts individually:
information architecture
ec+g can organize your site for maximum effectiveness.
IA is the foundation of a successful site.
It's the process of organizing and structuring information for effective communication. To you, and to ec+g, it means:
- making sure your site visitors can find what you need them to find, and
- seeing that they have an easy and enjoyable time while they're at it.
Like the foundation of a building, the effort that goes into a site's IA isn't visible to the visitor; but they'll sure notice if it isn't there.
ec+g's experience and skill in information architecture can give your site a firm base to build on.
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visual design
visuals are part of the message
Everybody wants a great looking site, with awesome graphics and ultra-high cool factor. And if your site is personal, or if its goal is simply to impress, then go for it!
But for most people, what you need is a design that
- appeals to your target audience,
- is appropriate to the purpose of the site, and
- highlights what you need your visitor to know, and helps them do what you need them to do.
Most of your audience will judge your site at least in part on its look. And they'll judge you by your site.
That's why a suitable visual style and appearance is extremely important. As with Flash and multimedia, you shouldn't overdo the graphic element of your site. But, the look of your site will influence users' opinions of your professionalism and personality.
People should feel something about your site — that it's pleasant, exciting, interesting, even (for example, if you're an artist) challenging or disturbing. You don't need them to love the site for itself; but you want to influence how they feel about you or your products or services through the site.
Visuals are a perfect way to make the psychological impact you need — they allow you not just to tell people how great you are, but to show them.
ec+g's combination of design sense, business sense, and expertise in communication helps you strike the right balance between style and substance. Let us give you a design that both you and your visitors will love.
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functionality and multimedia
ec+g can help you figure out what your site needs to do, and what you can afford to skip.
Sometimes websites, like people, try to do too much, and end up ignoring what really counts. Chances are, your site doesn't need a bucketful of Flash or a Facebook-esque number of funky widgets.
What you really need are
- ways to make it easy for your visitor to achieve their (and your) goals,
- ways to keep your visitors interested so they'll enjoy the site and want to come back, and
- ways to make it easy for you to maintain your site and keep it current.
ec+g's expertise in web development and multimedia/flash can help you make the right choices, and put them into action.
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content and seo
Although it's really a part of design, this area is important and specialized enough that we've given it its own page.
usability and accessibility design
ec+g can help you expand your audience and serve it better.
"Usability" involves making a site easy and enjoyable for the visitor to use. ec+g understands the issues (such as navigation, proper use or disuse of cutting-edge technologies, and page layout) which affect how happy your visitors will be using your site, and how easily they can accomplish their (and your) goals.
"Accessibility" is concerned with making the site usable for the largest audience possible. Some people have a challenge using the internet because of a physical disability; others simply have an old browser. In either case, design decisions will determine whether those people can use your site.
ec+g understands that usability and accessibility should be built into your site from the beginning — not added as an afterthought.
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