Philosophy

• Friendly Support - There are a lot of web designers out there, but I provide more than just technical skill. I pride myself on communicating well with non-technical customers. No matter what your level of experience, I can work with you to provide guidance so that you can understand how web technologies work and give you the training you need to get the most out of your website.
• Clean Design - There are lot of flashy tools and gimmicks out there. If used incorrectly, they distract from the message of your content. My goal is to use the right tool for the right job, to know how much is just enough, and to give your website a clean look that lets your message come through.
• Usability - A positive experience using your website translates into a positive impression of your business, but organizing information for the web is different from other media. I can work with you to organize your content so that it is presented effectively, and I can help you avoid common pitfalls.
• Flexibility - Your website is the most effective when the information it presents is accurate and up-to-date. No one knows your content better than you do, so I provide content management solutions that give you control of your content. You can update or add content at any time, so your website is as fresh as possible. I back this up with education and tutorials that help you become more experienced, and finally with my own expertise to solve hard problems and teach you about the solutions.
• Leveraging Open Source and Open Tools - You want to get the most value for the lowest cost, which is why I use open source tools and freely available services (such as Google Maps) whenever possible. There's no reason to pay to reinvent the wheel when a service or tool already exists that is well-suited to your needs. I specialize in websites based on Joomla, but can get into other platforms if needed.
• Custom Solutions - I have the expertise to develop custom solutions when they are needed and to integrate them into the rest of your online presence.· The Joomla plugins section has several custom solutions I have developed for past projects.

Services

I take you through all the steps to establishing a new online presence. If you are already online, but looking to expand your horizons, I can upgrade your current website. The following services are listed in roughly the order that a new web site setup would follow.

• Domain Name Registration - register a new domain or configure an existing domain for your upgraded website.
• Web Hosting - find an affordable web host that will meet your hosting needs. If you already have a web host, I can help you assess their capabilities.
• Web Design - a new site or take an existing design and convert it to a template for a content management system.
• Content Management Systems - I can install and configure a content management system that will allow you to manage your own content. I also provide ongoing support and security upgrades for your installation.
• Web Content - transition existing content to a new website or work with you craft content for a new website.
• Webmaster Services - manage other aspects of your web presence, like configuring subdomains, email accounts, and providing troubleshooting for email problems.
• Training - provide onsite training and/or tutorial documentation for how to use content management systems, how to manage web content, and other web and email-related topics.
• Custom Applications - Based on your requirements, assess existing open-source and commercial applications to find tools that meet your needs for the lowest cost;· install and configure third-party applications; and if no existing application meets your needs, develop custom applications or augment existing systems with new capabilities.

Rates

I bid both fixed-price contracts or hourly-rate contracts depending on the nature of the job. In general, support and training will be hourly, while design work will be either fixed-rate or a combination of fixed-rate and hourly fees. I offer monthly flat rates for ongoing support / maintenance. I offer reduced rates for one-off websites, such as wedding websites, which require no maintenance or training after completion.