I do just about everything that needs to be done to design and build a website. Ideally, I like to design the overall look and feel for a site, write the XHTML/CSS that turns that design into web pages, and then add whatever front-end scripting is needed to make the site function as it should. If you need help with content, I have plenty of writing and editing experience as well. The only thing I don’t do myself is back-end programming, so sometimes “doing everything” includes hiring a capable programmer to help with creating a custom database or adding interactive functionality. In those cases, I’ll work closely with the programmer to ensure that all the pieces of the puzzle fit together nicely.

complete site design/construction

My favorite type of project is putting a website together from the ground up. If you have a new business that needs a web presence, I can help you think through your goals for your site and how the site will dovetail with other marketing or service strategies you may have. Generally I’ll propose two or three design concepts for you to consider. After we settle on the design, the real construction phase begins, including coding the pages and producing web-ready graphics. When a protoype is complete, I’ll test it on a variety of browsers to make sure the site functions well.

content development

Lots of clients come to the table with web-ready copy in hand. But for the rest of you, there’s good news. I’ve been doing various kinds of writing and editing for a long time, so if your words need smithing (or if you have no words) I can help you out. The best kind of content development is collaboration, but if you’d like me to just do it, that works too.

graphic design

I’m an artist/designer first and a tech guy second, so I really enjoy the time I spend with Photoshop (which is a lot of time). The primary purpose of a website is to present information, so I like to keep things clean and simple, but the site has to look great.

XHTML and CSS

Here comes the geekiest statement that I’ll make on this site: I love XHTML and CSS. There’s something about organizing information and presenting it clearly and logically that’s very gratifying. Maybe it’s my background in technical writing, but I really enjoy designing the presentation of well-structured content.

javascript

I know enough about javascript to make it work for me, and I’m learning more all the time. Javascript can be extremely useful for improving the presentation of a site’s content, so when a site can benefit from scripting, I use it. We still can’t count on everyone’s browser being javascript-enabled, though, so every site that I design to function with javascript will also function well without it.

Flash

While I don’t think Flash is appropriate for all websites, I have a good understanding of it, and I like to use it to make a site more elegant, functional, or, well, flashy. I wouldn’t call myself a “Flash developer” yet, but someday I will. And again, Flash is not quite ubiquitous yet, so when I make a Flash version I also make a Flashless version.