http://www.babysfirstcalendar.com

The build
This was a very intense, but fun build for us.  We delivered this site in just over 48 hours.  We used Wordpress for the Blog, and followed the site template through.  The rest of the site is static HTML & CSS, with a smattering of DHTML, JavaScript and PHP.  This site has a very simple implementation of e-commerce – which is essentially using a PayPal and Google payment buttons.  This is a superb method for sites with one or two products

SEO
We have done a few things to aid SEO in the build.  We will be re-visiting the SEO for the site in the near future
Feature list
- Static HTML front end
- Blog – styles to match the rest of the site
- Simple implementation of e-commerce using PayPal & Google Payment buttons
- Validating contact form using PHP for mailing

CSS
We spent a lot of time setting up the cascading style sheets (CSS) for this site.  This has provided a uniform framework for user content.  Typography was something we looked at carefully.  The two coulomb designs, and the expanding rounded corner boxes are all controlled to some extent with CSS

Technologies
This site uses PHP, SQL, DHTML, XML, AXAX, CSS, HTML and JavaScript

Security
We some time securing the Wordpress side of the site.  We won’t discuss security details here, but would be happy to discuss the issue as a topic on the phone with prospective clients
Working with the clients
We worked really closely with the clients.  The clients were a dream to work with – being really organised whilst providing really accurate and speedy feedback

Client testimonial
I had launched my product at The London Baby Show and distributed many flyers; however due to unforeseen circumstances with my previous web coder, I did not have the website to back this up. The visuals of the site had already been created and I needed a professional web designer to make it all work

The communication from start to finish was fantastic, I was kept aware of exactly what was going on throughout. Richard also went above and beyond by adding features to the site to make it more user friendly and manageable, even for a novice like me! I would highly recommend Richard’s services to anyone looking for a completely approachable professional; my only regret is that I did not go to Place of Design from the beginning

Danny
Baby’s first Calendar Ltd

The design
The design was a two way process with the company. The brief was to faithfully represent the company and present a smart business like, organised, operating worldwide, but based in the UK feel. We feel we have achieved this

We used a crisp readable typography, which follows through to the article editor on the backend. This allows new articles, to have a consistent feel to them

The build
This was a fascinating build for us. Partly we migrated content from the old site. We then restructured and re-formatted the content to fit the new site. We created a template, and then the content framework. We created templates for the content, and the corresponding CSS for the templates. Once the content was dealt with we concentrated on users. Firstly we modified the registration process, to collect specific customer data.

As the site is aimed at a global market, and because the laws and regulations and paperwork vary form region to region, we implemented an ACL, allowing different users to be presented with different content. Depending on if they are a customer or not, the size of the account, and the region they are in

Once we had sorted all the customer issues, we dealt with the SEO and security side of things

The Platform
This was based on Joomla 1.5. We migrated some content and users from the company’s previous Joomla 1.0 website
Dealing with users

APS Global wanted a system where registered users all over the world can be presented with different content. We have provided a structure and framework to facilitate this. We are using ACL (Access Level Control) systems to manage users in pre-determined groupings. This is especially useful for ensuring content relevancy and very useful for marketing. The site is set up to automatically contact users that have not logged in for a while etc.
Content management

We are using a ACL, we also created templates with the relevant CSS in the back end, to enable the company to add new content, including coulombs etc.

SEO
The site as we type is too young to report back on search engine optimisation. We have done some structural on-site / on-page SEO and put in systems to ensure new content gets the same treatment. Titles and URL’s are dynamically generated for optimum SEO. We have implemented a clever URL re-writing regime which creates pretty, readable URL’s. We are also doing some off-site SEO to drive targeted visitors to the website. Down the line we will be doing a SEO analysis, looking at site stats, Google analytics + commercial data, and we will tweak out the site as needed

Feature list
- Multi user CMS site
- Owners can update content as needed
- One touch site backup (database and files)
- Firewall, and other security features
- Automatic CRON based database backups
- Specific user data capture on registration
- Features to promote user loyalty
- Newsletter manager
- ACL – for granting differing users different rights to view content
- Form management (stores forms contents on database and also e-mails)
- Document management
- SEO by design
CSS
We spent a lot of time setting up the cascading style sheets (CSS) for this site. This has provided a uniform framework for user content. Typography was something we looked at carefully, which included the introduction of coulombs within content articles

Technologies
This site uses PHP, SQL, DHTML, XML, AXAX, CSS, HTML and JavaScript

Security
We spent a long time closing doors, adjusting server settings and generally locking the site out from attack and spam. We are using a firewall, white list and black list protection and obfuscated administrative login etc..

We won’t discuss security details here, but would be happy to discuss the issue as a topic on the phone with prospective clients

Hosting
We are providing our unlimited commercial hosting package for this site

Working with the clients
We worked really closely with the clients, listening to their needs, and delivering features and ideas that will allow the website to evolve with the customers business as it expands. It was a pleasure to be involved with this very two way process

The brief
We were to design and develop a bespoke site, which represented the way the customer sees her business, both in terms of style and delivery.  The site would have a portfolio, secure contact form – along with a tightly integrated gallery and blog

Site history
Caron previously had an incomplete Joomla installation, which was attempting to sell and show photography using a Virtuemart store.  Joomla + Virtuemart is normally an excellent combination, but as a vehicle for showing and selling photographs, it really doesn’t work

The design
We worked really closely with the client to produce a template, and the typography for the site.  We bounced around ideas for a few weeks, fine tuning some ideas, and resigning others to the recycle bin.  In the end, we produced a really clean fresh airy template, that lets the customers photography shine out

We wanted the blog and gallery to have a total visual integration with the site

Working with the client
We had a very close working relationship with the client allowing us to produce exactly what the client asked for.  We developed some ideas, demonstrated them to the client, and then had a 2 way discussion with the customer.  We then modified these ideas, taking onboard the clients comments.  Working like this allowed us to produce a unique site, which the client is delighted with

Feature list
- Customer updatable portfolio – with a beautiful slideshow
- Static information based site
- Fully integrated, secure, fully featured photo gallery with e-commerce
- Fully integrated blog
- Security by design
- SEO by design

CSS & Typography
The typography for the site was developed in-house, and then tweaked to the client’s specification.  The seamless integration of the very diversely different dynamic parts of the site with the static parts of the site is due to the smart way the template and CSS are put together

Cross browser support
By design the site is coded to support and display correctly in Safari (on a Mac + PC) IE 5,6,7 Firefox 2, 3 and Opera

Technologies
This site uses HTML, PHP, SQL, DHTML, AJAX, A server firewall,  CSS and Javascript

SEO
As with all of our sites – the site has SEO built in – across both the static and dynamic parts of the site

Portfolio’s
The client shoots a range of different types of photography.  The portfolio section is simple, and to the point, allowing the work to showcase itself.  We used a particularly pretty reflection slideshow which we heavily modified and crafted into the site design

Photography gallery
We used a standard installation of Gallery2, and then got to work on the templates to fit the site design.  This has produced a visually unique installation of G2 retaining all of the backend and front end functionality.  One feature that is particularly excellent for photographers is Gallery Remote – which allows drag and drop of images from the photographers desktop

Blog
We used an installation of WordPress, and then wrote a template for it, to match the sites template

Training
We don’t just install and run.  We install, and bring our customers up to speed with the front and back ends of the website.  WordPress and Gallery2 have fairly steep learning curves, and we are there all the way through the learning process with the client, ironing out issues, and explaining how to use the site

Total integration
It might seem that we are banging on about this, but a bespoke static site, with a blog, and gallery, with a seamless integration between all of the component parts is a big deal, and not seen very often.  Often, sites have 3 different looks, as users jump between the different sections.  We are really pleased with the overall look

The future
We will continue to support and work with the customer over the following months and years, providing further training, minor tweaks and updates as required

Address: www.lencarta.com

Building the site
The build was to a very specified time scale, and included formatting all the product images.  The build involved very close cooperation with Lencarta on a day to day basis during the build, and then some followup work with customers after the build.  The build was done in phases, with a server move and dealing with the existing site to minimise downtime and disruption

Content management
This is a CMS site.  That means the staff at Lencarta can edit content themselves from all corners of the country, and access the back end of the store and process orders remotely.  It was important for our client to have a site that was instant and reactive to their very flexible needs

Feature list
- E-commerce based on a heavily modified Virtuemart set up
- Automatic CRON based database backups
- Manual full site (with database) zip backups
- Multi user CMS
- PROTX credit / debit card integration
- Clear efficient organisation of information
- Security by design
- SEO by design

CSS
We spent a lot of time setting up the cascading style sheets for this site.  This has provided a framework for user contents which is uniform.  At the templating stage we spent a lot of time and attention to ensuring cross browser compatibility, and ensuring the more interactive features gracefully depreciate for older or non compliant browsers.  Like all of our builds, the site was rolled out in phases – Template, store, content and backend features

Technologies
This site uses PHP, SQL, DHTML, XML, AXAX, CSS and Javascript

SEO
We used a really neat system on this site – the site automatically generates some of the SEO, by design.  Som is more manual and pinpointed.  The result is a broad spectrum of very individually marketed and high ranking page.  Considering that google and firefox had blacklisted the previous site on the same domain, We are very proud to say we had a few page 1’s placements, not to mention the No. 1 placements on Google in under 3 weeks!

Hosting
The previous site we replaced was hosted on an un-patched old server with PHP 3 on it.  This explains why it was unfortunately hacked and full of viruses.  We provided the client with a superb commercial hosting package on fully patched servers with unlimited SQL databases, unlimited bandwidth and a clever e-mail solution

Training
You can’t provide a site like this without providing training.  We have set up a totally separate training site in another domain for the Lencarta staff to learn how to edit and add content, and how to use the web store.  We also provided one-to-one remote desktop training where we instructed on the basics even though we are at different ends of the country.  After a few hours, the staff at Lencarta learnt the backend.  The provision of a training site is a real bonus, as ideas and processes can be tested away from the real site, allowing user errors to be ironed out before they are able to edit on the main site

Systems integration
We provided a method of exporting orders into a third parties remote warehouse computer system.  This involved formatting the orders into .CSV files which are feed into a warehouses back-end computer system

The future
Over the years we expect the Lencarta business to grow.  By design the site can evolve with Lencarta’s growth, which will come with 100% support from the Place of design team

Customer testimonial

Historically, Lencarta has relied on Ebay sales for several years and when we decided on a new e-commerce website for our new range of studio lighting products we simply didn’t understand the value of a professional web designer and we didn’t realise the importance of good hosting either.

As a result, we bought an expensive and totally useless website that both we and our customers found impossible to use. Sales plummeted and we then asked Richard King to start from scratch, with what turned out to be a very complex, highly technical operation that needed to both work well and look good.

The new website was completed on time and it works brilliantly. We have no hesitation in recommending Richard, who is extremely helpful as well as being creative and producing technically excellent work.

H Liu – Lencarta
Contact lencarta

We used DHTML, AJAX, HTML, JavaScript, and some server side technologies to pull this off

Address: www.journeyafrica.co.uk

Design process
We provided the client with an initial template which covered a few page variants.  We bounced a few ideas back and forth, and come up with a winning idea that stuck. One notable part of the design is the scrolling tab method of embedding lots of information in a small space on the page, also incorporated into this was a DHTML AJAX slide-show that could accommodate differing amounts of images from property to property

We then begun a process of populating the site with the very varied content, and the flexible design provided a good framework for presenting very differing content structures from page to page

The template
The template was designed in house, and reflects the subject matter perfectly, a warm rich easy going template, offering easy navigation and a even site flow, from page to page

Sub template
There is a sub-template for the accommodation pages, which is presented in a small tabbed slider.  Within the tabbed slider there is layered information about the properties, pricing, a individualised contact form and a mini image gallery. This technique is really useful for presenting lots of unified information quickly, which from a usability perspective is the goal

Technologies used
We used DHTML, HTML, JavaScript, and some server side technologies to pull this off

Presenting the images for each property
The gallery / slideshow component we used was implemented because of it’s ability to show differing numbers of images between each page, each image being in any dimensional format – either landscape or portrait orientation

Information
There are so many different webpage’s on this site that early on we decided to have two consistent menus. Information related pages on the left hand menu and destination (product) pages from the top drop down menu.  Our testing panel found this really easy to find pages and loved the consistent look

E-commerce?
Not on this site – the point of the company involved is a true bespoke package, tailored to the customer. Any form of e-commerce would have destroyed the human input.  However, due to the nature and scale of the site, we have used personalised contact forms, so the client knows what page of the site a client used the contact form on

CSS and typography
From the outset we wanted nice clear, crisp consistent typography. We took a standard web font and carefully adjusted the line, word and character spacing to achieve this

Search Engine Optimisation
This is the next stage in the site build.  As per all the sites we build, SEO comes naturally. We tend to individually SEO every page on the site, not just the front page, this gives us great results. As we will say time and time again – content is king, and the best way to ensure great search engine placement is to have lots of relevant content

Customer testimonial

Journey Africa was a life long dream and eventually became a reality when I faced up to the fact that I was in a boring full time job and even worse a nightmare of a boss. Then along came Place of Design and Richard King.

It was mainly through Richard’s positive outlook, creativity and patience that I have the website that I thought would never reach this standard of work. I had never attempted anything like this before but knew what I wanted, Richard has been on the same page as myself throughout, his contribution has been worth its weight in gold and an absolute pleasure to work with.

From start to finish communication has been open, honest and transparent, and full credit must be given for Richard’s insight into dissecting my sometimes many vague requests and ideas.

Would I hesitate in recommending Place of Design, no not at all, to find a trustworthy, honest, hard working and amicable person to work alongside in creating your Company is truly a rare find. It is without doubt that Journey Africa and Place of Design will be working together on future projects.