This project was the culminating work of many months and many people. For me, it was a professional development project as outlined in my original sabbatical proposal. For the client, it was a much-needed re-branding of their visual identity and a fresh direction for their marketing efforts. For Mike Stephens, another YMCA volunteer, it was an opportunity to test a new CMS (content management system) that he has been developing for some time now. For Jenni Kotting, the YMCA's communications director, it was a labor of love as she spent countless hours organizing and formatting the content for the web site.
Large web sites like this require a collaborative effort among many people. I learned a lot designing with the latest CSS and Javascript frameworks, building a cutting-edge web site that will serve the client well for years to come. I gained some experience working with CMS and database-driven web technology. While working on this project, I was forced to peek under the hood (so to speak) and explore the intricate connections behind the scenes that make it all work. I also found a wonderful collaborator in Jenni who acted as information architect, webmaster, graphic artist, web promotion manager (and more) as she learned the ins-and-outs of managing a fairly complicated web site. The end result was an experience that taught me much-needed lessons in real-world web design and made me feel good at the same time. I've always believed in the University YMCA's mission of social justice and if this web site helps them further their mission, then I've done my job well.
The entire process has been recorded on this Project Page. You can also view the final web site at www.universityymca.org.
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