My approach to web design is clean, simple and functional. I uncover the primary goal of a website (i.e. sell widgets, help people contact me, expose my work) and build the site so any user can easily accomplish it. I’ll sprinkle in some SEO, web analytics and links, but only after I’ve nailed the user experience.
Just a quick note about this site’s newest redesign. I really liked the birch tree image and color scheme of my old site, but felt the layout didn’t focus on anything. So I rearranged the homepage, introduced clear navigation and generally tightened up the whole design.
It took a few months to complete due more to a lack of time than the site complexity. Obviously, its built on top of WordPress, but has a completely custom template. The birch tree illustration came from iStockPhoto and the icons were curtosey of Komodo Media.
Some highlights include the “What I’m Reading” section which is a “best of” listing from interesting stuff I’ve found in Google Reader and my resume (which still needs a lot of work).
Last, but not least, I even tweaked my Twitter profile design to reflect a bit of what I did here.
I hope you enjoy it.
Hancock Builders was one of my first clients and has been working with me for about 5 years. They recently decided that it was time to update their 5-year old website and once again turned to me for direction. Together, we came up with the new HancockBuilders.com, a site that better reflects their professional construction experience and brings the site up to “Web 2.0″ standards.
The site utilizes some advanced slideshow and gallery techniques which add a nice aesthetic while also improving the user experience.
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After:
New Leaf realigned their focus and brand (from Productions to Speakers) and needed an updated website to reflect this new direction. Working closely with the client, I took her well planned out vision and turned it into NewLeafSpeakers.com, a functional showcase of her services and speakers.
The site is built on WordPress and allows her to update most aspects of the site herself.
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After I finished Susan’s book site (The Book of No) and added the ability for her to edit the site on her own with Mambo, she was ready to upgrade her main site at SusanNewmanPHD.com.
For this project we opted for WordPress and a very clean design that would allow her to highlight her books, articles and press coverage all while having the ability to make simple text edits herself. View before and after shots of the site below:
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Kevin Mitnick (yes, that Kevin Mitnick) wanted an updated, cleaner look for his web consulting business, Mitnick Security Consulting. His site was very text heavy and disorganized.
I designed the site for WordPress, but after careful consideration we decided to keep the site static for security reasons. The 2 column/module design noticeably cleaned up the content and allowed us to get “more” on the home page while reducing the amount of text. Check out the before and after photos below:
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Although Jessica was pleased with her first site, she was ready for a change. She had a very good idea of what she wanted and TAP Design worked closely with her to implement a new site that not only showcased her work, but her personality as well.
TAP Design also took the opportunity to implement a content management system since Jessica’s pages required frequent updates. The CMS allows her to save money and keep her site updated.
Pam needed a web site to profile her work as a journalist. She came to TAP Design looking for a simple, clean and elegant design that would not only accentuate her work, but her personality as well. Pam worked closely with the TAP Design team to capture that exact look.
Russell Brier & Co needed a web site to highlight their many accounting services. They wanted the site to have a personal feel so clients could get to know the firm well before they entered their offices.
TAP Design crafted a web site that allowed the user to navigate through the firm’s offerings as well as meet the people that would be helping them along the way.
Patrick Keleher wanted to finally start his own philosophical counseling practice and turned to me for his online presence. The site’s design is pleasing and gives Patrick’s audience the content they came for.
Elite Travel Planning’s website was the foundation of a brand new travel company. The owner wanted a clean, fresh site that would help her users get to know her and the personal level of service she offered. The website went up quickly and meet all of her needs.
