What Makes a Good Website?

The short answer is, ‘too many things to mention them all here.’

A more helpful answer is progressive data, responsive design, and an adaptable means of production.

Data Progression

When publishing data we have to consider how people are going to want to read that data. There are many people out there who would prefer a card, a leaflet, or a book (something they can see and touch) to having to go online on their slow old desktop to find the information they’re after. For these people it’s critical that we don’t keep them tethered to their machines too long. The information they seek needs to be front and centre. Typically that's a contact phone number. The first information for them should always be who you are, and how they can find you.

The next step after contact information is to answer simple frequently asked questions. How late are you open? Where are you located? These questions then progress in difficulty. What is the nature of your business? How can I pay you? what does division of labour look like within your company? A good website tiers the importance of this data and lays it out so people can find what they’re looking for, while minimizing their seek time.

Responsive Design

From 4 inch phones to 4k monitors, and on all screens in between, a website has to look good. The best websites are engineered to utilize the space of the screen available. If you're currently on a desktop resize this window to be as wide or as thin as possible to see how the website rearranges itself to fit. You can get the same effect on your phone or tablet by switching it from landscape to portrait and back. It takes extra time to design a responsive site at the beginning, but once it's up you know everyone has good visibility of the data they want to access.

Adaptable Means of Production

For the sake of search engine optimization a website should be updated regularly. Websites then have to be written from the ground up with ease of updates in mind. If you are comfortable with word documents or pdfs, or basic html then the update folder should reflect that. If you want lots of images and the ability to easily change the images then the website should be built to reflect the dynamic nature of your company.

Dynamic websites draw from scripts, documents and folders to ease updates for you. At St John Bosco they have a weekly bulletin, and a collection of documents from their health council. bulletin.pdf is an example of a static link that’s easily changed when they overwrite their last week’s bulletin. The folder called ‘healthCouncil’ is an example of the website dynamically building a system of links to all documents within. When digitizing data and publishing it online there is always work. A well written, dynamic website makes that work easier.

Finally, there are some companies that simply want a set it and forget style website. While this is certainly possible, search engines are less likely to optimize the website if it's not regularly updated.

Services we offer:

We design websites. We build a digital space that reflects the needs of the client.

We redesign and modernize websites. Paying an arm and a leg just to use someone else's outdated software? The work we do you pay for once. After that it's yours with no yearly licensing fees. We can redesign websites to bring them up to date, making them responsive, and more easily updatable.

We maintain websites. If you have a great new idea to expand on what you’ve already built, we can help get it off the ground by integrating our designs and scripts.

We also offer consulting. Looking for tips to climb the search engine optimization list? We can look at your coding and point you in the right direction.

Services we do not offer:

We do not offer web hosting. However we can set you up with web hosting through a number of excellent services. The fees are to be paid by the client.

We do not offer online sales or e-stores for security reasons.

We do not work with anything rated above PG. Ethically we will not allow our work to make the internet a more dank place.

Pricing:

Pricing is determined by the size of the job. We estimate the number of hours required to create the website, and then add half of that time to work with you for editing and education. We do not charge more than the original estimate. If you later request major overhauls, redesigns, or additions we propose a new estimate and treat that as a separate job.

Timeframe:

With any new project our first priority is to open up a spaceholder site. No constructions signs, just a bare bones contact page that is up within a week, holding the address.

We then fine tune a proper website full of content to be released within a few weeks or months depending on the complexity of the website you want.

About Me

Over the last few years I've been staying home to care for my daughter. I love it. I have a lot of fun, and I get to see her grow. I am much blessed to have so much time to appreciate her sweet and funny personality. We've had our second daughter recently and I want to be just as available to Monica as I was, and am, to Claire.

I'm now starting Northerner Web Design so that I can support my family from home with flexible hours. I was recently contracted to write a website for St. John Bosco Saskatoon and I love the work. I like the process of building and coding. I like the different parts of my brain that computer work uses. I like solving all the small problems that present themselves as I test my code.

I have a background with technology from years of working with Top Logix in Saskatoon. I’d build and repair computers in the shop, and discuss with customers their needs for personal computing. I hold the Computer Science award from graduating class at E.D. Feehan High School, and I furthered my Computer Science with some university level classes.

My background in design elements comes through my English degree with the University of Saskatchewan, and my degree in Elementary Education with the University of Alberta. My learning has revolved around data presentation and accuracy, which is such a strength for web design.

Web design offers me what my family needs to thrive: good honest work that synergizes with home life. Thanks for visiting, and your interest in my business!