RCW Web Design

Graphic design

Some organisations will start out with a clearly defined corporate identity whilst others may not yet even have a logo or colour scheme. In either case, RCW can help. We can adapt your existing corporate identity to suit the web or else collaborate with your in-house or external designers. If you are starting from a completely blank page then we can take care of everything for you. During the development phase of a new or replacement website RCW will host work in progress on a private area of our own site to allow for client review and comment at all stages.

Navigation design

A most important part of website design is the user interface - the buttons and links visitors click to move around your site. This requires careful consideration from the outset to ensure visitors are able to find the information they are seeking as quickly and easily as possible.

Content Management Systems (CMS)

We find there is an increasing requirement for new websites to be supplied with a 'content management system' for all or part of the website. Typical uses of a CMS allow news pages, press releases, new products, job vacancies, events, etc., to be very quickly and easily updated on the website at any time and without the need for any special software or knowledge.

Site redesign

On a number of occasions RCW has been asked to redesign an existing website that is not performing as well as its owner had hoped. In many cases this means changing the emphasis from the medium to the message. We have worked on sites where the first step has been to remove superfluous large graphics, animations and sounds. The immediate result is a faster loading web site that quickly gives the user the information they are seeking, rather than the bells and whistles the designer thought they wanted.

HTML coding

In addition to the actual information content of the page, intended to be seen, web page files contain a quantity of HTML code that is normally hidden from view. It is then the job of the visitor's browser program, such as Internet Explorer, to interpret this hidden code and display the page on the computer screen exactly as intended by the page's designer. All the complexities of HTML coding are handled by RCW, leaving clients completely free to concentrate on their site's underlying purpose. At RCW we also bear in mind the needs of visitors who may be accessing web pages using alternative technologies, such as personal digital assistants or talking browsers for the visually impaired.

CSS and accessibility

Now that the latest browser versions (such as Internet Explorer 6, Opera 7, Netscape 7) are fully CSS compliant it is practical to create websites that properly separate a page's actual information content from all the hidden code responsible for its cosmetic appearance. This means that modern web pages can contain much less HTML code which in turn makes them quicker to download, easier to maintain and more readily accessible by devices other than the usual web browsers. Latest browsers are also able to detect when a web page is being printed and use an alternative style sheet optimised for print output.

JavaScript scripting

JavaScript is extra code built into some web pages to perform additional functions. Typical uses include opening a new window to display extra information or to check an online form to ensure the user has completed all required fields.

CGI/Perl scripting

CGI is a protocol that allows web pages to send information to, or receive information from, a web server. Perl is a computer language used to develop CGI scripts. A very common Perl task is to accept information from a web page form and then to e-mail the information to the website owner's sales office.

PHP scripting

PHP is a web server scripting language. It allows, for example, information to be extracted from a database on a web server and then for it to be inserted into a normal HTML page which is then sent to the user's browser. PHP is therefore very useful where information, on a news page for example, changes frequently and the requirement for search engines to be able to index it is not important. A PHP example may be found on our High March School website where it is used for the frequently updated pages of pupils' work.

Creation of graphic files

Most websites have a requirement for graphics such as logos, product photographs, illustrations, cartoons and other graphic elements. Special care is required to ensure that graphic files download quickly to the visitor's browser whilst still looking as good as possible.

Search engine optimisation

There are no magic tricks for search engine optimisation. However, thoughtful and relevant changes to web pages can often have a profound effect on the success of indexing as well as the ranking order of pages listed in search engine results pages.

Routine maintenance

Depending on the objective of the website, routine maintenance may or may not be needed. If required, RCW is able to take care of this, on sites designed by us or others, on a regular or occasional basis. If the client wishes to maintain their own website then RCW can advise on the best way of going about this together with training and support if needed. See our 'Frequently asked questions' page for further information on the benefits of routine website maintenance.

Editing copy

We can edit copy from existing printed materials, such as brochures, to make it more suitable for use on web pages.

Services

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