AFTER:

The first would be the look and feel of the site. I needed to design something that was memorable and truly stood out against the competition.

Beyond design, the major element that differentiates MCS is its president, Wendell Mueller and his implementation process. To support this, Mueller had several videos made which explained the value, features and benefits of MCS' software solutions. These made a perfect addition to the site. With my research in hand, we identified the project goals as:

• Develop an informational site redesign that drives the audience to contact MCS.

• Develop graphics and navigation scheme that easily direct visitors to the videos.

• Provide general product information, features and benefits - enough to provide a background and whet the visitors' appetites for more information.

• Design the "look & feel" of the site to be professional, yet energetic, approachable and friendly.

• Create visuals and content that encourage the audience to take action.
Next, a preliminary site map was developed and I started to rough out several designs on my trusty legal pad. I do these for myself, not for presentation, so I keep them pretty loose. Then, I edited these down to the three I believed were the most appropriate.

The color palette on all the preliminaries was chosen to tie in with the videos' titling. We selected a final design direction that used elements from both A & B. The design fulfills the goals by setting MCS apart from the competition through a unique site layout and color palette that's memorable within the industry. Navigation is simple and intuitive. The phone number, email address and videos page link are prominent throughout the site.

  Design A

  Design B

  Design C

The site launched in June 2004, and by July the site's traffic had doubled with several referrals coming from various search engines.

Final Design. Click on the image to go to the site.

Alina's Feedback:

Neil has taken an information-loaded site that was to the point and neatly arranged... however, a bit dull, and turned into a much more dynamic, sophisticated and inviting site. Gone is the vast whiteness (I'm a big proponet of white space, but this white space was too sterile), and introduced are vibrant, business friendly hues. The site sings now! Not only is it more professional and attractive, but is easily navigated and user friendly, inviting user interaction.

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