It’s Alive!!!

I’ve just checked out our new site, and I was shocked:
It’s aliiiiveeee!!!

Melinda updated most of the sections, and the site is just buzzing with new contents. The tag cloud went crazy with all the new topics and activities.

It is an amazing experience to see that the site really works as an Auckland-wide information hub. The Notice Board is updated several times a week to share the news and activities of community organizations.

We are still in contact with Melinda through e-mail and phone, and she is really getting the hang of managing the site. She uses our step-by-step manual every day.

I am still amazed how well we worked together. Without their support, open mindedness and flexibility it would have been impossible to finish and launch everything before the official deadline.

Video Summary

Here is the OpenEyes Video Summary.
I had to overcome my camera-shyness and all the bad memories from the TV Workshop at Uni. It was still a horrifying experience to sit there and talk with my funny accent.
So this is why I've put on the serious face... and it was too early in the morning for my Sunday Wine session.



Huh, my friend just told me that I look like someone who is just going to soil his pants.
Well, thanks ...
Normally I'm not like that. :)

Project Summary - References

We would like to say thank you to Sandra, our amazing graphic design tutor at Media Design School, who gave us feedback about the logo, and recommended a great host service.

Another big thanks to Denise from http://dcm.co.nz/ who became the host of our site in the last minute. The domain was bought on this Tuesday evening and we contacted DCM the next morning. Denise gave us instant feedback and helped to link the domain to the host server. Thursday morning the domain was ready for me to migrate the site from the free hosting service. With new domain and new hosting environment the site migrating in 36 hours was a great achievement and it would have been impossible without the incredibly fast and flexible service Denise gave us.

We are glad to say that we managed to fulfill the brief without any other external professional help.

Project Summary - Website Features

Main Features:
Site Link

• Web 2.0 magazine layout with feature box for the next activity
• Every dynamic content and most recent news are available on the main page
• Tag cloud - filter news with relevant keywords
• RSS feeds for posts and comments
• e-Newsletter subscription box on the sidebar, an integrated newsletter system sends out e-mails with the new posts. Users can manage their subscription, filter categories, etc.
  
• Links for the other organizations

Single post with advanced social bookmarking

• Share This button with 34 different social bookmark options
• TwitThis button - makes a post on Twitter with "TinyURL"
• Commenting

Google-Map :)


Sophisticated Forum

• Fully integrated with WordPress user registrations and logins
• Underpinned by a powerful user and permission system
• Private Messaging system
• Build in Search tool
• Options Signatures, Signature Image, Avatars, and Rankings
• Optional and various RSS feeds and email subscription to topics

We also created a small stock photo library for the site (with free images from sxc.hu). The thematic pictures are cropped exactly the size to fit into the layout of the site. No editing needed, just upload to post and publish.


We made a 18 page step-by-step manual about the administration of the site. Download PDF

Project Summary - The Results

I give a short summary about our results first, you can find here everything what we did.

1. Rebranding:
We created a new name and visual identity to the organization.

"A logo what incorporates all the important aspects of the organization and also reflects its situation and identity within the North Shore and New Zealand."

2. Web:
We created a brand new homepage what really works as an interactive information hub for community groups. We integrated features like advanced social bookmarking, tagging, commenting, forum, Google Map, e-Newsletter, etc. Users can register, filter the information to get what is relevant to them, interact with each other and with Community Connections.
The link is: http://www.communityconnections.org.nz/

3. Electronic Publishing
We convinced the organisation to change their publishing process to create electronic documents instead of printing. These changes were made mostly in their way of thinking. We showed them how to use the Acrobat and produced cover-templates with the new image. They are going to produce the “Community Resources” publications in PDF from now on. Share their knowledge within the digital space.

The cover templates of the Community Resources series. The publications have a thematic color-code system. Our aim was to create a consistent, clean, effective cover system. The titles can be modified in Acrobat.

4. Applying the new image wherever we could:
Rebranding an organisation is a multidisciplinary creative process, so we also designed business cards, a letterhead and a new cover for their monthly Newsletter (PDF from now on) and for their yearly publication the “Funding Directory”.

Letterhead and business cards

New cover for the Funding Directory

New cover template for the (from now on PDF) Newsletter. Featured titles can be edited in Acrobat.

Lesley's post from Melinda's

What is it with deadlines and unexpected challenges.
Wednesday at NSCSS we lost all internet connections. Our IT guy diagnosed either phone line or modem issues.
Thursday still no internet. Friday it can only get better.......arrived at 8.30am to NO power and NO phone and of course NO internet access.
PLan B - when Kyle arrived to present his progress on the new Website we quickly jumped in my car and went to Bayswater to Melindas home. Whewwww.
We are rapt. - As the CEO achieving the new corporate image to match a name change, AS WELL as the new website is way beyond our expectations.
To have all our print media image upgraded, ability to move to digital formats and to gain some interactive forum capability is only HUGE for us. Team Openeyes have certainly dilated our pupils .....think digital, think endless possibilities. \
Go Team Openeyes sincereest thanks
Lesley Farmer CEO Community Connections

Team BloodyEyes (but still open)

Wow, the adrenalin is pumping through our veins as the final day slowly approaches - tick-tock. :p To tell the truth I’m enjoying these final days the most, because it is full on and I love to work under pressure.

I miss my beers – but it would just slow me down.

I spent every morning this week from 9-11.30 at the NSCSS office to show Melinda how to manage the website, how to create PDFs in Acrobat and how she can use the cover-templates we made.

I’m glad that we managed to keep our schedule and left the final 2 days mostly to handle unexpected difficulties. Of course we have some! There is always something … I hope we can sort everything out in the last 2 days (we call this the “f***up-time” at school). ;)

The website is pretty much ready, but we still have to write a step-by-step tutorial for it.

Well I’d better start to work on those final designs and start to create the manual. Then try to have at least 3 hours sleep and go back at 9 am to the centre in Takapuna to present all the improvements and finalize everything.

Here are some letterhead and business card designs for eyecandy ;)