2010.03.29 21:59:10

Susan Jackman

Although the design looks the same my personal portfolio site has gone through a major overhaul. The old site had what was "at the time" a sharp cutting edge CSS gallery, but it did not prove to have good scalability.  As my portfolio grew the process of adding new work to the site became something I dreaded to do.  It took a while to rebuild such a large site, but that is exactly what I did.  Only this time I used a content management system (CMS) called Joomla.  I have used it for many clients to allow them an easy way to take care of their own sites and realized that I could benefit from this with my own site.  The nice thing about rebuilding your portfolio is that it gives you a chance to catch up with all the technology you've learned. The image gallery needed to be more robust and needed to "look" simpler, even though it is actually quite complex.   I structured the galleries a little differently and although it looks clean and simple, in reality I have three times more work displayed then before.

Joomla | Content Management | Web Development | Planning | Susan Jackman

2009.01.08 03:46:30

Susan Jackman

Understanding the constraints of the Web as a medium

The web is a growing medium but it is important to understand that a website is not on a piece of paper, you cannot control how anyone sees it, and it is a constantly changing medium.  There are principles and rules that need to be followed.

A website designer always has two customers:

The site owner

- who is paying the bills, who wants something professional, state of the art, exciting, and attractive.

The visitors to the site (or site user)

- who just wants to find what they are looking for as fast as possible.

It’s a very tough balancing act so I will share the following with you to help educate you about these constraints and rules.

Tips | Web Development | Web Design | Planning | Design Process | Usability | Susan Jackman

2008.12.04 16:28:12

Susan Jackman

Online Quote Form

In an effort to improve our service we now have an Online Quote Form. This will make getting a quote more convenient and efficient.

Planning | Improving Our Service | Susan Jackman

2008.11.20 14:56:33

Susan Jackman

Why is it important to follow a design process when designing a logo?

To have an effective logo, your logo must accurately reflect the core focus of your business and this can best be done with strategic planning.

Careful planning eliminates wasted time and money.  By breaking the logo design into separate parts, the research and brainstorming, the symbol, the font, and the color palette, you are ensured that each element of the logo is what you want and what works best for your company.    Following a process ensures that nothing is overlooked and that every aspect gets our full attention.

Design Process | Methodology | Planning | Logo Design | Susan Jackman

2008.11.20 14:52:48

Susan Jackman

What is the purpose of a Corporate Design Standards manual?

The Corporate Design Standards manual will act as a guide to employees and outside vendors to ensure proper use of your brand, identity and logo.

Methodology | Planning | Logo Design | Susan Jackman