: Out There Productions

Our Web Services
Construction vs. Design
Developing a Plan
Design Guidelines
Writing Web Content
Graphics Tips
Site Maintenance
HTML-less Administration

We developed this ABC list, and truly subscribe to these ideals. We hope you will too!

To learn more about the exciting possibilities of doing business on the web or how OUT THERE PRODUCTIONS can help with your Internet presence, click HERE to read about our web services, or contact us.

AUDIENCE	Know them, understand them, anticipate them. Equally important, design FOR them. Your layout and graphic design should be consistent with your audience. Do everything in your power to make your audience want to interact with you. This requires that you be far more aggressive than simply telling them what you do. Tell them why your product or service is so important, and how it effects them. We've provided more detail about this on our Developing a Web Site Plan page.
BOOKMARK	This is a primary objective of any web site — the hallowed bookmark. If you can entice your reader into assigning one, it's a strong indication they'll return. Find several ways to get the reader to bookmark your site, and build these strategies into the plan. Remember to update your site regularly, so they're not tempted to remove your bookmark!
CONTACTS	Contact information is critical. Always keep contact information no more than one click away from your reader. It provides tangible reassurance that you are who you say you are, and allows them to reach you in an instant with more questions or to place an order. It's surprising how few web site designers attend to this basic need. You simply won't get as much business if you don't.
DISTINCTIVE	Don't design your site using the 'cookie cutter' approach, with prepackaged wizards and templates. You (and more important, your customer) are bound to find scores of other sites that have the same look and feel as you, and you'll lose your distinctiveness. In addition, you'll lack any brand identity. The last thing you want is for a reader to confuse you with another site. Refer to our Guidelines for Web Site Design page for more information.
EXPECTATIONS	Part of your web site plan should be developing a list of expectations you have for it. Whether it's more customer inquiries, less Technical Support calls, better-educated shareholders or frequent file downloads, understand what you expect from your site and plan it into your objectives. We've provided more detail about this on our Developing a Web Site Plan page.
FINISH	If you're not finished with your web site, don't start showing it. Pages displaying 'Under Construction' signs or containing links that don't work send troublesome messages to your audience, and it's a sure bet they won't be coming back to see if you've completed it. Furthermore, it's unlikely that an incomplete site that's uploaded prematurely will ever be finished. Wait until the site is fully complete and has been tested, and then upload it.
GRAPHICS	Don't be fooled by eye-popping graphics. Viewers generate a first impression within the first five seconds of their visit, and you want the reader to see as much of your page as possible during this time. Large-loading graphics may tempt your audience to exit your site before they even enter it. Format your graphics for fast uploading to ensure that you don't lose people while they wait. Plan for lower connection speeds, so you don't exclude portions of your audience simply because they can't see what you spent so much time creating. Review the guidelines we've presented on our Formatting Graphics for your Web Site page.
HURRY	(Not haste!) If you're of the belief that you needn't hurry to establish an online presence, you may lose out on potential customers who are currently seeking out similar businesses on the web. Be quick, but make sure you've reviewed and tested your site extensively prior to uploading. Begin planning now by setting target dates for major milestones, and your site will be uploaded and active before you know it. To formulate a plan for site development, read our Developing a Web Site Plan page.
IMPACT	Place all crucial information on the top of every page for maximum impact. Design for screen resolutions of 640 x 480 pixels and make sure the important stuff can always be seen within the first screen of this display. Don't make the reader scroll down to find navigational controls or contact information!
JOIN	If your company has strategically joined with other organizations that might be of interest to your reader, provide information and links for them. It's never too late to form alliances and affiliations. Seek out companies that offer complementary products and services. Make sure you obtain their permission, and work toward a reciprocal link from their site as well. When hyperlinking, always open a new browser window, to ensure that your audience can still view your site.
KNOWLEDGE	On the web, it's simply not enough to offer a service or product. Your reader needs assurances that you are a specialist in your field. (Hence all this information on our site!). Ask yourself what you'd want to know more about if you were considering doing business with your company. Providing a list of frequently asked questions, some articles featuring your product's application, or even a bulletin board where they can post comments and issues will enhance the reader's feeling that you know about what you're offering.
LINKS	Links serve many purposes, and can be helpful. But be warned: links can also send your reader off on a journey that will keep them traveling through the web without ever remembering to return to your site. If you intend to provide links, research the landing sites very carefully to determine both the benefits and downfalls. Some companies provide links to listing services they're advertised in, without realizing that their competitors are also there; they're risking the loss of potential business and customers. Check your links regularly to ensure that the sites haven't been taken down and that you still agree with the information presented. Explain the nature of the link to the reader, so they understand why it's on your page. Sort lengthy lists into logical categories to make it easier. Land the reader exactly where the link is relevant: Microsoft has over 2000 pages in their site; placing your reader on their home page and expecting them to find their way to the information to which you're referring isn't very polite. Make sure that all hyperlinks open a new browser page, to ensure that your site still remains on the visitor's screen.
MAINTENANCE	Long-term maintenance is a key ingredient in web site design. The mortality rate on the web is high because maintenance costs and efforts are often underestimated, and plans are never generated or followed through. Determine at the beginning which portions of the site will require updating and how often. Work these maintenance requirements into your site plan. Anticipate web site changes each time new marketing materials are printed. For more information, review our page on The Importance of Maintaining your Web Site.
NAVIGATION	Make sure your site can be easily navigated, with no dead ends or loops. Optimally design the site to eliminate the need for your browser's BACK and FORWARD buttons. Keep your menu bars and navigational controls in the same place on each page, thereby making your interface an intuitive one. Minimize the number of mouse-clicks between your home page and the information they'll need. Refer to our Guidelines for Web Site Design page for more information.
OPPONENTS	Got any idea what the competition is doing on their web site? Better find out before you plan yours! Research all competitor sites to determine how they bait their audience, the information they provide, general layout, etc. Check search engines for all appropriate keywords you're planning to use, to determine how many are used by your competitor sites. We've provided more detail about this on our Developing a Web Site Plan page.
PLANNING	Plan your site from the beginning — don't start in the middle. Develop a theme, along with objectives and tasks. Consider your audience and embed their needs into this theme. Don't deviate from it without starting from the beginning. Make sure that the layout, content and graphics adhere to the general objectives of the plan. Incorporate your marketing, sales and customer service needs and strategies. Review our guidelines for Developing a Web Site Plan for more information.
QUESTIONS	You're going to have a lot of new visitors on the web, so prepare for their questions. While most sites anticipate their projected audience's questions, they usually don't expect the average web surfer who might not know a thing about the company or its products and services. Set aside a page that provides this information for someone who hasn't the slightest idea who you are or why it's important, and write so they'll easily understand. You never know when your next customer or shareholder will visit, so be ready! A page providing answers to frequently asked questions will also help. We've provided more detail about this on our Developing a Web Site Plan page.
REVIEW	Review the entire site prior to uploading. Check and recheck all content for clarity, flow and accuracy, using a team of individuals. Ensure that the graphics are of optimum size (low file size with acceptable resolution). Verify that all factors (layout, text and graphics) are focused on the site's theme and meet your objectives in your site plan. Review all links to make sure that they're necessary and active. Click on all buttons, links, and navigation bars on every page. We've provided more detail about this on our Developing a Web Site Plan page.
SPELLING	As hard as it is to believe, misspellings are prevalent on the web. Always use a spell-checker and then double-check the spelling yourself. 'Cold' may be spelled correctly on your site, but you may have meant to use 'could' and the speller won't know the difference. A second pair of eyes during editing and review works wonders - as writers, we know that it's impossible to proof what you write.
TECHNOLOGY	The average web surfer's equipment is not the latest in technology. The standard monitor in use is still 17 inches and smaller, and most Internet users remain constricted to modem speeds (and not cable or DSL). In addition, some visitors may have not uploaded Quicktime, Flash or RealVideo or Shockwave plugins. What should you do? First off, don't make any large file automatically download without first letting the visitor know how long the download may take. Second, be considerate and provide links to where visitors can find plugins, applications, and other tools needed to view your site (don't forget about hyperlinking to a new browser window! Finally, consider creating a page on your site that explains the specifications used to construct the site, and the software (applications, utilities or plugins) required to display it properly.
UPLOADING	How many times have you seen the dreaded message 'File Not Found?' Often this is due to a page that wasn't loaded or named correctly. Make sure all the files needed for the web site are properly named and formatted, and that the proper format is selected during uploading. We've provided more detail about this on our Developing a Web Site Plan page.
VALUE	Each graphic, link and page on your web site should be carefully reviewed to determine the value it adds to what you want to communicate. If the value is little or nonexistent, remove it from the site.... this also lessens download time and decreases bandwidth.
WRITING	Communicate your messages to your visitor simply, clearly and briefly. If lengthy verbiage is required, offer them lower-level pages of in-depth text for those that desire it. Avoid unnecessary use of jargon. If it's needed, consider a glossary of terms for clarity. Determine only what's needed, and provide that information. Review our guidelines for Preparing Web Page Content for more information.
X-TRAs	Make your audience want to bookmark your site and return regularly by offering extras. Provide sales incentives, contests, a link of the month, customer features, software upgrades, company news, information on local events, etc. Extras like these will bring your visitors back.
YAWN	Don't put your audience to sleep. Keep the text brief without sacrificing clarity, simplicity or accuracy. Remember that if they need more information, your reader can navigate one level lower for detailed pages or contact you directly.
ZIP	Large files you're offering to visitors should be small and not take hours of downloading time. Your audience will typically wait no longer than a minute for a file they either didn't ask for or don't really need. Prepare for this reaction by zipping files, removing unnecessary graphics and formatting prior to zipping, and informing them about the size of the file and projected time required for the download.