We are truly blessed.
No, I’m not getting religious. As a web professional, we here in Chicago are truly bless. Continue Reading »
The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands is a standards-based, lead-generation, travel-related microsite designed for an existing client and developed on a Wordpress CMS. Much of the look n’ feel was derived from existing branding from travel supplier print material. The site leverages Cufon, a font-replacement technology, that allowed me to target the well-established supplier branding. As the Galapagos Islands are a unique destination, fun for adults and children, I thought it would be fun to have a blue-footed booby simply hanging around the site.
Highlights
About the site
- Microsite designed for an existing client.
- Completed December 2009
Work performed
- Web Design & Development
- Flash animation creation
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- WordPress Theme Development
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- PHP
- JavaScript
- Flash
- WordPress
- Cufón – Fast text replacement
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
- Adobe Flash CS3
Previous Blog Posts
My previous blog posts will remain on the WordPress.com platform for historical purposes.
Smiles by Design
The client, who created the initial 10-year old website using Frontpage, was my dentist at the time. For many years, I commented on how I could freshen up the look of his website while increasing the chance the site would rank better on the search engines. After several off and on discussions over a period of years, he finally decided to take me on. After an audit of the current sites’s content and a redesign of the site’s information architecture, we wireframed and mocked-up the website. After a change in overall direction (from general to more cosmetic dentistry), I delivered the final standards-based site. The site marked a milestone as my first Wordpress-based site.
Highlights
About the site
- Completed August 2009
- Redesign of established, website for Chicago dental practice.
Work performed
- Web Design & Development
- Flash animation creation
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- WordPress Theme Development
- Information Architecture, Wireframes
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- PHP
- JavaScript
- Flash
- WordPress
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
- Adobe Flash CS3
Jean-Jacques Bernard Furniture Studio
The client had an existing table-based website which was designed by the hosting company. In two years, the client had never received any leads from the website. Desperate to increase business, Jean-Jacques was referred to me to redesign the website, making it more effective. The redesigned website incorporated a web standards-based approach with search engine optimization in mind, while increasing the amount of targeted, persausive textual content on the site. Since the website redesign, the client has received a huge increase in leads that have turned into prospective clients.
Highlights
About the site
- Completed June 2009
Work performed
- Logo Design
- Web Design
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
- Adobe Flash CS3
Second City Scooters
The client contacted my web design partner requesting a redesign of a site who’s business they purchased. The old site had a grunge, retro feel to it, and didn’t match the new owner’s fun retro tone they wanted to achieve. As this was a seasonal business and the season fast approaching, we worked with the business owner to determine the information architecture and design elements while also researching the target audience. My partner came up with the fantastic masthead and we collaborated on the remainder of the design.
The client was very happy with the results, and has reminded us of that fact from time to time when a customer stops by the store and mentions the website. Very kool.
Highlights
About the site
- Completed May 2009
- Redesign of existing website.
Work performed
- Logo Design
- Web Design
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Social Media Marketing
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
- Abobe Illustrator CS3
Dennis Deacon’s Online Portfolio
This one-page design of my personal website came out of a charge by a recruiter to display my web design work online instead of printed (makes sense). The inspiration came from a one-page site I found online and felt the layout to be fitting for what I wanted to communicate. It leveraged an Adobe Spry accordion widget to show/hide portions of the content.
This design was replaced by subsequent versions and designs.
Highlights
About the site
- Completed February 2009
Work performed
- Web Design
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- Adobe Spry
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
Cruise West Alaska
Cruise West Alaska is a lead generating microsite for a travel agency which specializes in small ship cruises. It was my first web standards-based website and has been quite effective for the business.
Highlights
About the site
- Completed 2008
- Microsite; supplier and destination focused
Work performed
- Web Design & Development
- Flash Video processing
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- Flash Video
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
- Adobe Flash CS3
Bedderideas!
This web design project was to create an online presence for an interior decorator specializing in children’s rooms and furniture. This was a departure from my previous sites, which were all in the travel industry.
Highlights
About the site
- Website for interior decorator of children’s rooms & furnishings..
- Completed 2004.
Work performed
- Web Design & Development
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
The site is no longer accessible. To view a history of the site design, including my work, view the Internet Archive.
Mill Brook Travel
The site was a redesigned website created for this travel agency. The original site created mimicked the look & feel of the OnlineAgency system for Travel Agents, which was being leveraged for content and promotions by the business. The site was designed with Dreamweaver, leverage a table-based layout and it’s templates feature, for use with Adobe Contribute, making the site easy to update by the client.
Highlights
About the site
- Created: 2003; managed 2003-2004
Work performed
- Web Design
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Site/Content Maintenance
- Logo Creation
Technologies Used
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
Applications / Tools Used
- Dreamweaver MX
- Adobe Photoshop 5.5
- Adobe Contribute 2.0
- WebTrends
The site has since been redesigned by another designer. To view a history of the site design, including my work, view the Internet Archive.
Calig World Travel
This travel agency website was redesigned from a frames-based site with poor search engine optimization. The redesign provided a more contemporary look & feel while offering more content. It also presented travel feeds from third party providers.
Highlights
About the site
- Created in 1998. Managed content 1998 – 2002.
Work performed
- Web Design
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Site Maintenance
Technologies Used
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
Applications / Tools Used
- Dreamweaver MX
- Frontpage 2000
- Adobe Photoshop 5.5
- WebTrends
The site has since been redesigned by another designer. To view a history of the site design, including my work, view the Internet Archive.
Sunstone Tours & Cruises
This client is a home-based travel agency which specializes in small ship cruising. This was my first client, who’s site I initially created around 1994. This is a 3rd generation design of the lead generating site, which was created in 2003. The table-based site has had several design tweaks, but remains generally the same.
The site is currently undergoing analysis as part of a web site redesign effort to deliver a web standards-based design that translates into improved search engine exposure while increasing the usability, accessibility and conversions on the site.
Highlights
About the site
- Created in 1994; content managed from 1994 to present
- Undergoing analysis for redesign
Work performed
- Web Design
- Email Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Site Maintenance
- Logo Creation
Technologies Used
- (X)HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- ASP 2.0
- RSS / XML
Applications / Tools Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
- Adobe Photoshop CS3
- Google Analytics