Eden District Council

As clients go, this one provided me with some interesting challenges. My brief was to produce a straightforward informative website that could be maintained by the client. To this end I decided to produce the site in straight HTML, rather than using Dreamweaver, as the HTML that Dreamweaver produces has the capacity to melt brains. I've been on hand in an advisory role for some time, however the client has recently 'flown the nest' and can now manage the maintenance of the site on his own confidently.

Isn't it wonderful when a plan comes together?

The other challenge that this presented was that I'd never built a site on a PC before, and as the brief demanded that the client be able to update the site, it made sense to me to sample the 'delights' of Windows ME and for the client to be able to see how a site is built. This has involved a lot of e-mailing previously prepared original graphics files, research into FTP programs suitable for Windows applications (which had never really been a consideration for me before) and trusting that the client won't put a spanner in the works by opening the files with the wrong application (It happened).

All in all, this was a very gratifying experience as I helped get my client the site he wanted and managed to train him in the appropriate skills to fulfill his requirements. As you'll see by the changes to the colour scheme, this client is really beginning to gain confidence with HTML.

To look at the site, you can click here or you can click on the graphic at the top of the page.

www.destroy-a-toy-land.co.uk

Those who have reviewed this site either regard it as a dark marvel, or think that there are a group of people out there who probably should be somewhere else. (Undergoing treatment by a psychotherapist).

I have bad news for you. One of Team Destroy-a-Toy-Land™ is a psychotherapist.

The clients brief was pretty straightforward. The site itself was built using Dreamweaver, and the examples of artwork, photos and animation were designed and manipulated by me using Photoshop, Fireworks and Illustrator. In terms of experience, this site has been of great benefit to me as a web designer, as it's development has been a largely organic process, with the skills required to fully realise it acquired as the site has grown. I now have a much fuller understanding of the use of video media in sites and I am happy using digital video technology, which is proving to be of great use to at least one of my current clients, whose site will incorporate footage and photographs of previous building renovation projects.

This site is currently undergoing a major revamp, but future developments to the site will include user feedback facilities, a guest book and the destroy-a-toy-land shop.