Business Design Studio Web Site Design Services - Information Architecture - Web Development - Creative Graphic Design

Creating a new site for the NYS Dispute Resolution Association was a fantastic experience because the client was very involved and proactive about the project. In fact, when all of my clients stalled after 9/11, this small not-for-profit association was the only one which maintained a firm commitment to seeing a web site completed for their membership. They have understood right from the beginning how a well planned and executed site can enhance communications, build membership and spread information.

The primary goal NYSDRA had was to create a professional looking site which was loaded with up-to-date information that was relevant to their audience. This audience includes citizens of New York State, who would be looking for information on the dispute resolution programs, and the dispute resolution providers who are members of NYSDRA.

To meet the goal of providing an easy to update and organize system for all the information, the NYSDRA site was developed with a content management system. This means that areas of content which lend themselves to it are based in a database, which staff can use to update their content and from which the actual content pages are generated. So, they can add an event through a password protected area, submit the data, and then the next person viewing the events page sees that event instantly. We developed the News and Articles, Events, Careers, FAQ, Staff, Board and Committee sections in the CMS, so NYSDRA staff can maintain their own content daily if they want.

In addition, we included a newsflash box on the home page which features articles, news and events that NYSDRA staff have "tagged" to appear there, as well as elsewhere in the site. This encourages visitors to come back frequently to get a quick view of what is new in the world of dispute resolution! Having so much content in a CMS means that the visitors to the site can find what they are looking for faster, letting them customize their view by category, date, title, article, author, and so on.

NYSDRA

"After an exhaustive search for a web designer and consultant, The New York State Dispute Resolution Association, Inc. (NYSDRA) contracted with Ms. Parzek due to her vast knowledge and comprehensive approach to our web and electronic communications initiatives. Throughout this ongoing project, NYSDRA has been extremely pleased with Ms. Parzek's abilities, including her creativity and conscientiousness. Ms. Parzek has not only remained on deadline, her concerted efforts and professional approach has helped keep NYSDRA on target as well. In addition, she has displayed a high degree of integrity, responsibility and ambition. I have had a considerable amount of experience in managing contractual arrangements at various organizations, and Ms. Parzek's performance, initiative, organizational skills and cooperative attitude continue to surpass my expectations."

Karen H. Lonnstrom
(former) Director of Members Services & Outreach
New York State Dispute Resolution Association, Inc.

Case Study: Web Site Graphic Design and Database Development