Johnson Publishing Company: Custom Site Management

www.johnsonpublishing.com

Like many companies, Johnson Publishing Company was grappling with a cumbersome, buggy content management system when I started working with them, and was only using it for website content updates. At the same time, a half-dozen department heads told me stories about the time-consuming, repetitive tasks they were dealing with. I built an administrative system that connected these departments directly to a unified database to handle new subscriptions, back issue orders, online advertising, promotions and customer email. In the process, I moved their five websites to a reliable server and oversaw the redesign of each site's user interface. This renovation allowed the business to expand their promotional activities with less effort and project a more modern image to customers.

Content That Works: Custom Content Management

www.contentthatworks.com

Content That Works provides content to print and online publications across North America. Their biggest challenge was preparing each week's content for multiple online formats as their customer base grew. I built a custom CMS that allows them to enter content in a plain text format, and allows customers to log in and retrieve the content they want -- the system does all the processing in between. Automating the delivery process allows the business to offer more formats to more customers with no additional effort.

Type A Learning Agency: Custom Project Management Tools

typea.net/software/suite

Type A develops top-notch e-learning software, but their hallmark is a project management process that allows flexibility during development while meeting all cost and time requirements. I translated this process to a suite of online project management tools, which provide budgeting, scheduling, change tracking and personal organization to the company's staff and subcontractors. And these tools don't just create more work -- the project managers say they couldn't live without them!

One Place for Special Needs: Integrated Social Network

www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com

The founder of One Place for Special Needs wanted to create a site with standard social networking functions like friends and groups, plus searchable resource directories that offered more control, and e-commerce capabilities to support her business model. I streamlined an off-the-shelf package to make it more accessible to users, then seamlessly integrated custom pages to offer additional features. The resulting website has enabled the organization's growth from a local, volunteer effort to a national, for-profit venture.

Money Savvy Generation: Integrated E-Commerce

www.msgen.com

Money Savvy Generation took their business online so long ago that we created a fully custom online shopping site (many off-the-shelf options are available now). More recently, we have integrated Constant Contact for monthly newsletters, UPS Online Tools for shipping cost calculations and a Wordpress blog into a companion site. The main site includes a full-access administrative interface for the internal staff, plus a limited-access version for warehouse fulfillment staff.

SaveChicago.org: Integrated Marketing

www.savechicago.org

The SaveChicago website has a custom framework, with a merchant login to post paid listings and a member login to view them. It also integrates some third-party software for additional functionality: the Yahoo! Maps API to display local listings and the Amazon Products Feed script for affiliate shopping within the site. A custom admin interface allows the site's managers to fulfill customer service requests, create promotions for new members and run reports on member activity.

Even if you just need a basic web presence now, I can implement a web design using flexible technology that will allow you to add functionality in the future. All of my sites include a content editing interface that puts content updates into your hands, and site traffic reports to let you monitor the site's popularity. I can use a graphic design you provide, or introduce you to one of my design partners. Here are a few examples:

Workhorse Software

workhorsesoftware.com

This is a unique, modern design with a main menu and a two-level section menu. Design by Sandstorm Design.

National Adoption Center

adopt.org

This site is much larger and includes drop-down menus. The site includes a variety of content, and affiliate links for an easy way to cover some expenses. Design by Sandstorm Design.

Gradient Design Studio

gradientarch.com

This very unique design uses the concept of a gradient for its framework. You can hover over the lines for a ripple effect, then click and the menu appears through the lines. All content is preloaded for fast navigation. Design by Greenblatt-Wexler.

Redmond/Research

redmondresearch.com

This project was a design refresh and a move from individual pages to shared page templates. The companion site is a Wordpress blog, customized to match the parent site. Design by gForce Design.