SITE DESIGN SYSTEM
Overall Appearance
Overall design objective is threefold. First, provide quick, intuitive access to content that is the viewer's priority, second, present all other content in attractive eye-catching formats that encourages the viewer to take a second look, and, third, present basically the same content categories that viewers are accustomed to but in the newformat. The first objective is accomplished with series of horizontal panels delineated by background colors and a consistent identifying separators, with each horizontal panel dedicated to a single category of content and the content presented concisely. The second objective is addressed with contrasting font sizes for emphasis, thumbnail images, color combinations unique for each panel, and concise but informative headlines. The third objective is explained in the following paragraphs.
ALERT AREA
The Alert Area will serve for both Announcements and calling attention to priority news. When nothing current justifies an alert, this text area closes down to a single red line. Office address and telephone no. will move to the Footer.
UPCOMING EVENTS
This panel serves the same purpose as the Calendar, presenting more pertinent information in less space. It will provide the essential information in a more attractive format and require less effort by the viewer. The webmaster's has high hopes that the format shown or something similar can be accomplished. The next four events beginning with the current date will display. Four should be adequate since we seldom have that many in any 30 day period. There will be a means to have access to more events; probably load/display the next event at one side and pushing one off the other.
JUST DO IT (TAKE ACTION)
Basically the same as at present, but with some suggestions for more concise button text. These buttons are placed lower on the Home page, because Upcoming Events are of greater importance (in the opinion of the webmaster).
SLIDE SHOW
Many variations are possible. The one shown has fixed panels on either side. The slide show provides an auxiliary method to call attention to a hot issue, an important deadline or a special event. Fixed panels serve the same purpose, specially when adjacent to moving images. Fixed panels, used in this way, would be hidden on smart phones and portrait view of tablets.
LATEST NEWS & HEADLINES
For many viewers, only the most recent article is of significance because they have already read the preceding ones. The format shown eliminates wasted space. Only one article at a time is displayed but most recently preceding ones are recallable by clicking on the appropriate heading. In each case, only the opening paragraph is displayed with a hot link to access the remainder of the article.
Primary Color(s)
dk blue
Basic Outer Bkgnd
brown
yellow
green
dk grey
m blue
Special Outer Bkgnd
alert
footer
header
Basic Inside Bkgnd
lt Blue
ivory
lt grey
white
text colors
black
dk blue
Lt Blue
ivory
white
other colors
H1 Header
H2 Alt.Header
H3 secondary header
H4 Alt. Secondary Header
Body text
accent phrases
