Monday, May 01, 2006

Littlejohn Memo

The Littlejohn Community Center needed a website because it is a great resource, but it had no way of connecting to the community online. There was not an already existing website for us to update so we were able to create a concept of our own from scratch. While Littlejohn offers a wide range of programs we felt that our target audience should be limited more to the children and the potential volunteers who would be helping the children. Our color schemes, logos, pictures and basic design were all created with these two groups in mind.

We feel we have created a very user friendly site based on our navigation system and continuity. The pages throughout the site are set up very similar in a way that the user can already expect what to see after they click a new link. The frameset we chose allows us to keep things like the picture bar, logo and navigation bar constant. We feel that our picture bar and logo really represent Littlejohn and help put a face to the center. This really attracts the volunteers through the pathos of the site. The color scheme also contributes to this because the soft and inviting colors help to make the user feel safe and comfortable with the site. The navigation bar is constant and very simple in lay out, making it easy and predictable to use. The links are all self-explanatory and lead people to where they need to go. The drop down menus created in flash help to show what is found inside each new page if there are any questions about what the link will lead to. By keeping the bar constant and with so many options it is easy to go deep into the site and then quickly get back out to any page without retracing steps or starting over.

Some special features we added are things like the fridge on the homepage. This will give kids a chance to display their artwork for others to see. There was a lot of work put into making the fridge look as professional as it does and to be able to change the picture on the door. The healthy heart tips are also very exciting because it is something that keeps the homepage fresh and always a little bit different. There is also a link to Mapquest on our contact page that allows users to simply type in their starting address and produce a Mapquest set of directions directly to the center. This feature is easy to use and convenient for those not familiar with the area. There is also a section on the donations page that is set up for a donate online button as soon as the center decides on a form of online payment. The site is already set up so that once the choice is made a few simple changes can be made to make the site ready to receive online donations.

Our About Us page shows some very interesting information about the Center’s beginnings to keep people in touch with the history of not only the center but this area in general. Many big name performers were associated with the building and there is a lot of great heritage connected to it.

The Activities page links to different activities for kids to stay healthy and into the current season or holiday spirit. There are simple games and other types of projects.

Our programs page gives descriptions of the types of programs offered by Littlejohn to the public. This page is where people can really find ways to get involved and see how much Littlejohn really has available. All of the programs open as a new link to allow for less confusion and a cleaner overall look to the site.

The Feedback page is a useful way for us to get feedback about how people are using the site and what people would like to see changed. The questionnaire is short enough that it is quick to fill out and doesn’t seem like a big hassle. The questions help to see what is most used and most appreciated about the site as well as what can potentially change to help the people who are actually using it. There is also a great Thank You page after the feedback is submitted.

The Resources page is a great page to lead people to other community resources. These resources are things that Littlejohn feels can contribute to the community in general. The page gives a link to all of the resources as well as a brief description to let people know how these sites and resources can help them.

The interactive calendar offers people a way to see everything that is going on at Littlejohn in one place. The calendar has links to each program to show when it is and what exactly it’s all about.

Ideally we would have added an online tutoring program. In reality we did not have time to create the program with all of the work we would have needed to put into it. As Wodtke points out, it is not beneficial to focus too much attention on a part of the site that only a small percentage of users will ever access. We had to turn our attention back to getting the basics of the site perfect before we could spend time working on a tutoring service that would only help a few kids. It would also have been nice to have a more computer savvy client who had more time. The Littlejohn Community Center director had very little time and lives in another state so feedback was a little difficult. The upside is that she was very impressed and satisfied with what we did. We had to rely on feedback from other groups to help shape the site because her feedback was too nice and not critical enough. It would also be great if the resources at the Center were up to date enough that they could use Dreamweaver. Because our client’s resources are so limited we had to put most of the pages that change constantly on separate websites. The calendar, photos and donations are all on separate pages that can be updated without Dreamweaver software.

In the future Becca and Meghan plan on staying closely tied to the Center to help out with updates and evolving the website into a more complete and comprehensive website.

Overall the website turned out great. We achieved a look and style for the site that we feel really captures what we want our audience to see about the Center. There are over 25 pages that give a lot of information about what the Center has to offer and how the community can take advantage of it. The site will promote growth within the center and also allow for people to become more involved and better informed. Hopefully the site will draw people in so that the donations and volunteer pages can increase support for the center. This website is a great way to get the name Littlejohn Community Center out to the people of Clemson.

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