Responsive Website Design and DNN Software

Web design is the paramount concern of any website development since it the primary mechanism by which a customer experience with your business products, services and company branding may be optimised.

Since the sole purpose of any website is to convert visitors into customers, the user experience of the website is critical to this process. It is therefore vital for businesses to have their website ideas and designs orientated around meeting and reaching their target audience and their needs. At ITM the emphasis is on UX Design - Design for the User Experience.

Even though there are options available that allow a business to design a website without involving professional website designers, and these routes may appear cheaper, the benefits of having a professional website design outweigh the costs incurred with expert website design skills.

The website design solutions should essentially integrate all features required to ensure optimal website functionality, it should include strategic elements of website navigation so that an aesthetic look and feel to the website is achieved, and this then enhances the user experience and creates an identity for the website of the business.

The following factors need to be optimised when designing a website:

• Ease of interaction including the ability to input information easily, a quick response time and an intuitive workflow.
• The comprehensibility of the information and features, including logical and easy navigation. The 2 click rule - no more than 2 clicks should be required to get to the user goal
• A quick and easy familiarity with the system
• The accuracy and relevance of the information presented
• The aesthetically pleasing look and feel of the website interface

A website is the business online, and as technology and online search engine usage increase it is crucial for a business to enhance credibility and professionalism through a well-designed website.

New technologies have also forced reassessments of the user interface that websites must cater for. In the US for example mobile device (Smartphone and Tablet) access via apps and browser to the internet has exceeded desktop usage for some time, reflecting a real decline in PC sales over the past decade.

Not having a mobile friendly version of a website is predicted to have a negative impact on Search Engine Optimization.

Visitors using mobile devices on a non-friendly mobile website will certainly spend less time visiting, will be less likely to perform any desirable actions (such as making a purchase, or filling in a form, or calling a phone number) and will quickly return to their search engine results to try out another website.

Furthermore, a quality website design needs to be assessed using all the available internet browsers that clients use in order to ensure that consistency in user experience is achieved and maintained.

At ITM we specialise in providing responsive web design making sure that your website works across all browsers and is device independent.

Responsive design enables potential clients to visit your website from a mobile device, be it a smartphone or a tablet or desktop, allowing them to read and easily navigate through your website without difficulty.

It is important to note that as from 2012 all website skins provided by ITM are responsive, meaning our website design skins are versatile and working compatibly across all browsers and devices, and that Version 7 of DNN Software is completely responsive compliant.

When it comes to professional website design, ITM clients are spoiled for choice. We offer our clients access to a number of professional website designers.

We have also made provision so that your own website designer can work alongside us and making it easy to work with our system, so let them contact us directly to get guidelines for designs with DNN Software.

Website design skins and templates

A website skin is a pre-built and tested website design template that can be deployed easily on the DNN Software content management system. We have a wide variety of skins available for our clients to choose from and we are also able to custom design and redesign already existing skins.

Because the website design template (skin) is completely separate from the content, database and functionality of the site, these website skins can be replaced and applied to the website at any stage.

ITM and our website designers also specialise in pure CSS3 and HTML5 webdesign, thus making websites that are easily indexed and promoting search engine optimization.

Your website is the most important part of your online marketing strategy and because of this, it’s where all your online website marketing activity must be directed.