The Building Blocks of Design – Like the foundation and walls of a well designed building, a site needs a sustainable structure and form. Users don't want to guess where the information they need is located. And they don't want to run into dead ends, dead links or content that won't load correctly on different systems, platforms or browsers. An effective site needs good architecture. It is a basic principle from which all other design comes from and our sites are known for their solid architecture that enhances the user's experience.

Now Where Are We? – A lot of sites online now are a jumble of senseless navigation. There are often too many entry points, generic button names, multiple entry points that all go to the same place. It should be downright criminal in today's world of sophisticated Internet users that won't stay in sites that are amateurish. At CommuniCreations, we take great pains to ensure that the navigation on a site is clear, consistent throughout the site, intuitively marked and effectively arranged. No one needs to relearn how to move through one of our client's sites or question where they are in the architecture.

Don't Be Content with Bad Content – All along we've said that content is king. It's all about the message and how it's presented. Yes, we're talking about the ancient craft of the written word supported by contemporary visual design. Our advice to clients: if you have a two dollars to spend on technology and two on content, save two bucks and invest in stellar content. That's one of the differences you'll find at CommuniCreations. We put a premium on the art of effective writing and design. We are more than happy to write the copy as part of the project – in fact, we have one of the premier web writers in the country on our staff. We must be doing something right. We've often been complimented by clients that their target audiences have read through their entire site just because they enjoyed the copy and presentation of information.

Be the Brand... Be the Brand – There was a time when designers would go wild with their imaginations. The result: a site that had little to do with an organization's other advertising efforts and branding identity. Our sites are tightly integrated with your existing or developing brand. They have a similar look and feel to your print and broadcast marketing materials and mirror them in tone, message and style. Colors are consistent, palettes are pleasing and space is used to tell your story in the most compelling manner possible. Sure, we like to put a creative spin on it all, but we stay within the bounds of your marketing and communication goals and objectives. To do anything else would be a waste of your money and our time.

Think of It As a Long Term Lease – What you say? Are you nuts? Aren't I really buying the site. While you are indeed buying a web site design, we encourage our clients to think of it more as a lease. That way you can experiment with it, change things around to see what's most effective and expand the site's depth and breath. A well developed site should be altered in minor ways at least every four to six months and undergo complete digital liposuction every 12 to 18 months. Every day researchers are uncovering new data about how people are using the Web and you need to adapt your site before it becomes as stale as day old bread. We help you keep your marketing fresh and up-to-date, not only in the more traditional channels but in the electronic ones. This allows you to think more openly and creatively about your Internet marketing and branding efforts.

Want to see the latest examples? Visit our Clients page and follow the linked listings.

Want to see our hall of fame of early CommuniCreations site designs back in the days of everything flush left and gray backgrounds? Keep in mind that not everything works anymore. They're just archival versions and incomplete.

1995 Web Site

1996 Web Site

1996 1/2 Web Site