Plasterdog Web Design

Introduction: Every project we do is unique, defined by special circumstances, and custom designed and constructed. We follow a logical and efficient progression of design steps that keeps the client involved in all editorial and functionality decisions. Our orientation is to make it as easy as possible for the site owner to manage their site in a secure and flexible environment. We believe that given a proper framework, tools and orientation, any site owner can be put in control over their content and free to manage their website without elaborate tools or extensive technical knowledge. I am a front-end WordPress developer who can address the full range of duties involved in planning, designing and executing any website project. My skill set includes: INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE: The success of any website hinges on how logical and intuitive the presentation of information is, and so this is the starting point of any project. My process is to start by identifying key objectives, functional requirements and available content to effectively translate them into effective “calls to action” in an environment where site visitors find information intuitively configured and navigation is efficient and straight-forward. VISUAL DESIGN INTERPRETED INTO CODE: As a longtime printmaker and sculptor, I have always known that process and technology is an integral part of visual presentation. The tools used to convey web based content involve unique characteristics and limitations which dictate a proper approach. For this reason web design is best moved into the browser and out of static documents as quickly as possible. Thinking in presentation language first is more efficient and effective than a translation from mediums that do not live naturally in a browser… especially in a dynamic database driven environment. I am also quite accustomed to taking an existing visual design from an outside source and breaking it down into the proper layers, segments and components to work well in the browser environment. USER EXPERIENCE / INTERFACE DESIGN: The guiding principle of creating workable site is to structure it around the point of view of the site visitor. At some level each website functions as an interface that the visitor must use to access information. The clearer the path to that information is, the more successful the site will be. Starting with the premise that the purpose of the site is to make it efficient and intuitive to use, all other factors will fall into place. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION: Search algorithms are being continually refined and perfected to produce valid results, so the process of optimizing a site for organic search visibility directly mirrors what makes a site a better user experience for its’ human visitors. I practice what is often termed “on-page SEO” which includes: Optimizing meta-data to incorporate selective keywords Optimizing page copy and other related elements to incorporate selected keywords Clean and well formatted page URLs Optimized page load speeds