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About This Site
We get a lot of kind compliments and inquiries about our site design.
So many, in fact, that we thought it may be helpful to add a small page addressing some of the most frequently asked questions.
First…thank you.
We’re sincerely flattered that so many have been quick to notice the great design and clean layout of our web site. It was done by friends and family of our members, and we’re delighted to give accolades where they’re due.
DESIGN
The site is not based on a template, but was custom-designed by two web professionals. Mark Steinruck of Steinruck Design produced the graphics, and Rob Soule did the build-out.
Before we decided to go custom, we’d looked at a variety of online vendors who specialize in delivering easy-to-build-and-use church websites. They’re attractive, and many are very good and have options for different budgets.
However, since we had these guys available to hire, we considered the uniqueness of our church, and how difficult it would be communicate that uniqueness in a template-based system. We knew we wanted a old-fashioned, classic, small-church feel combined with a clean modern edge that appeals to the growing suburban neighborhood around us.
PROCESS
This is the 4th iteration of our site.
After several versions that were done in-house and managed locally through FrontPage, we decided that the primary goal with this version was to build it using a content management system, or CMS. A CMS will allow a site to be managed using a web-based interface that can be accessed anywhere.
We focused on ease of updatability first, realizing that having current information is vital to a successful site. The easier it is to keep current, the better the site is.
While the designers developed samples to capture the art direction we gave them, it was our job to work on the site map. We worked out a navigation structure – what menu headings we wanted, and what pages would fit under each – analyzing it from the standpoints of both existing members and visitors. After that, we wrote content for each page, keeping the feel of the writing consistent toward our intended audiences.
All of that up-front work helped the build-out process go more smoothly.
Whether you choose a online service or a custom job, determining the navigation and content is a huge job, and should be given a lot of consideration.
TECHNOLOGY
Our site is built using TextPattern – a CMS primarily used for blogging.
Since it’s inception, Expression Engine has advanced and is being used more for sites like ours with a custom build-out.
If you have further questions that we haven’t answered here, please feel free to contact us.