Web Development and Design Portfolio
Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN)
In April 2005, I redesigned and redeveloped this bilingual web site. DCFRN is a Canadian non-profit organization that supports broadcasters in developing countries to strengthen small-scale farming and rural communities.
There is a tremendous amount of information available on the FarmRadio.org web site including more than 300 radio transcripts in each language. The first phase of the redevelopment of this site was to review all existing content and create a new site architecture that would best meet the needs of its two prominent audiences: broadcasters/partners and potential donors/Canadians. The new site is now much easier for each group of visitors to find the specific information relevant to them.
A customized site-wide search is available for each language. During the first six months since launch of the new site, the search feature was used approximately 2,000 times for each language. Additionally, archived radio scripts can be accessed by subject and chronologically. Each radio script includes a link to Print the Radio Script and to Send Feedback on the Radio Script.
The web site has been coded to the latest in web standards, taking full advantage of Cascading Style Sheets resulting in the actual content of the site being separate from the presentation/design. Additionally, the site has been coded in a structural manner with the goal of making the site accessible to all visitors. A customized print view is also available, with the added benefit for Internet Explorer users that when printed the hyperlinks used in the text appear as end notes.
Site traffic has more than tripled since the relaunch. Much of this increase can be attributed to search engine positioning, specifically Google. By using structural mark-up and the separation of content from presentation, search engines are better able to not only parse the site, but apply appropriate ranking. It is also thought that since the site is far easier to use, and that the relevant and most useful content is in the forefront, visitors are bookmarking the site, linking to it, or sharing the site address with others.
Site features:
- A modern and attractive design that loads very quickly.
- Developed using Cascading Style Sheets resulting in improved accessibility, usability and search engine positioning.
- The site is liquid and expands and contracts based on the users' browser width and/or screen resolution.
- Customized site-wide search using Zoom Search Engine.
- Comprehensive site map.
- Web based feedback forms on the Contact page and each Radio Script.
- Customized print view with the added benefit for Internet Explorer users that when printed the hyperlinks used in the text appear as end notes on the printed page.
Technologies used: XHTML, CSS, ASP, JavaScript, Zoom Search Engine
Redevelopment: April 2005
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