The creation of a dedicated website was a key tool for the project. Therefore DMLIG was the sole focus of a standalone website and was not lost in one of the project partners corporate sites. Which in turn meant that articles and posts were shared on the partners and supporter websites, and social media platforms, reaching an even wider audience.
The website was designed to fulfil many functions including; engagement and awareness, a hub for the volunteers, a portal to submit survey data and participate in the public perception surveys, somewhere to share all the project outputs as well as successes and failures for others to use and develop their own DMLIG style projects. Creating a lasting legacy for DMLIG.
Our Website Story
For those interested in the technical side of developing their own DMLIG style website here is the web designer’s story from the appointed consultants Fourteen Forty:
Wire-framing
At the start of the project, Fourteen Forty used Adobe Experience Design to create wireframe prototypes. This approach allows the end-user to see the structure of the website before development begins.
These were very basic wireframes but effective in allowing the DMLIG steering group to get a feel for the website, and test the prototype. Fourteen Forty believes this step is vital in terms of planning and preparation of websites, especially as it is the foundation of the project and imperative to get it right.
Design
The next stage was to add colour and life to the website. Designs were created within Adobe InDesign and this allows a visual mock-up of the website without it actually being constructed. This visual mock-up is a crucial stage in the development, as it is the final opportunity to review the design and functionality before final client approval.
Development
Once we approved the designs, Fourteen Forty started to build the website. They used a number of tools:
- Microsoft Visual Studio Code – This allowed Fourteen Forty to edit the files required to make the website work. This is where the team built our new website using languages like HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
- Filezilla – This allowed us to upload files to the webserver so that the website could be online and viewable to the internet.
- Google Chrome + Safari + Firefox – These 3 browsers are the most popular browsers and allowed us to make sure that everyone had a good experience no matter what browser they use.
The website was developed for all devices, big and small. The website works on desktop computers, mobile phones, and tablets. This optimisation was completed to ensure smooth access to the whole website from any device.
Testing
Once the new website was live it was ready for testing. The bulk of the testing was done by Fourteen Forty, including testing the site on different devices. The steering group were also let loose on the site and it exceeded all their expectations and were as keen as Fourteen Forty to share it with the world!
Maintenance
Fourteen Forty continually monitor and update the site, including updating ‘plugins’ which helps the website function, as well as performing vital security updates. This ensures the website users always get the best experience when visiting the DMLIG website.
