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Internet Solutions
Website Design
Modcom offers a well-defined and comprehensive approach to
developing websites. The process begins with meeting our client
and determining their project expectations; identifying and
connecting with our client's target audience; then integrating
client and target audience expectations into a innovative,
intuitive website. The translation of information is important,
because if a website does not resonate with the target audience
it won’t be effective.
Modcom works with our clients throughout each phase of production,
providing regular updates and project documentation. We pride
ourselves on our collaborative approach to every site we produce.
We consider ourselves an extension of our client's team.
Phase One:
Consultation and Assessment
We begin each project with a project kick-off meeting between
Modcom and our client. Modcom staff, together with client
staff make up the website development committee. The committee
develops the site’s goals and objectives. We organize the website
by category or “navigational buttons” to create
an architecture for the site. Modcom works with the committee
to discuss the overall project, quality control protocols,
and the focus group interviews and their purpose.
When needed, we conduct focus group/telephone interviews
with target audience members. This method of extracting
information is invaluable to designing a website that meets
our client’s
needs and expectations.
- As a team, we discuss interview results; design ideas;
and review navigation. Modcom then provides our client with
a strategic plan--a blueprint for the remainder of the project.
Phase Two: Content Development and Design
Modcom provides three separate “look and feel” graphic
design choices that give users reasonable loading times.
All design work is created following Section 508 (Americans
with Disabilities Act) requirements. Page layout, including
navigation, is designed on usability principals. Modcom is
the only Sacramento communications firm that conducts website
usability tests for various clients, and we draw on this
experience to design sites that are appealing and user-friendly.
We gather, write, and edit all content under this activity.
We combine several levels of editing reviews to ensure the
highest quality standards are met, including: structural editing,
copyediting, and global integrity editing.
Phase Three: Program
Our programming experience allows us to implement site designs
from project blueprints; develop innovative technical solutions
to interface challenges; design flexible databases and redesign
existing databases; design and develop custom software solutions;
implement image systems; implement templates and cascading
style sheets; design, develop and implement e-commerce solutions;
create client self-maintenance administrators (for content
updates, live pdf uploads, calendar updates, etc.); develop
comprehensive, flexible databases; and launch completed sites.
Phase Four: Train
We offer our clients the ability to maintain their own website
through on-site training sessions. We teach our clients how
to: edit text; add, delete, or edit and upload files; update
and backup files; create internal and external links; and use
simple HTML code. As part of this training, we provide a website
user manual.
Phase Five: Maintenance
Maintaining a website is a large task. To support our clients
in this effort, we offer maintenance as a service. Maintenance
includes:
- Editorial Changes – we make editorial changes
to existing site pages. Editorial changes are defined as:
text changes, addition/removal of hyperlinks, and addition/removal
of pre-designed graphics.
- Content Review—we check the site each month for
broken links; make recommendations for updating content;
copyedit and correct errors to content changes; and
check and update external links (links to other websites)
as needed.
- Monthly Site Analysis— we develop
monthly reports that track visits to the site using the
Webtrends software program. The five-page report contains
of statistics on the total number of visits to the site;
most common entry page; most common exit page; and search
engine keywords used to find the site.
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