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Active Portfolio: MS Slugfest
Here in the Active Portfolio is where we feature the latest project we have rolled out for you to review. If you would like to be touch with the following client for referral purposes, or would like more information regarding references, please contact us.
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PROJECT SYNOPSIS |
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Project: | | MS Slugfest 2003 |
Client: | | Multiple Solutions |
Website: | | http://www.msslugfest.com |
Rollout Date: | | June 2003 |
Description: | | Interface design and development support for Chicago's premiere softball fundraising event, MS Slugfest, whose proceeds to go towards the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The creation of this website is in keeping with the Sevey, LLC Community Partnership. Sevey, LLC created the framework of the site, including the designing the graphic details and retrofitting the registration system to the site's interface. Current maintenance of site conducted by Multiple Solutions volunteers. |
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In an extension of our Community Parnership, we partnered with Multiple Solutions to create a website centered on MS Slugfest, Chicago's premiere softball fundraising event whose proceeds would go towards the national Multiple Sclerosis Society. We were delighted with the opportunity to work with Multiple Solutions in creating a website that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional for the tournaments organizers and participants.
Within four weeks, we deployed a site that we are proud to consider a Sevey, LLC production. From its progressive, bold interface to the icons to the forms, every detail was carefully crafted specifically towards Multiple Solutions and their target market.
The following are five particular areas of the new site we would like to highlight for you, each one live and currently available for viewing at the MS Slufest website at http://www.msslugfest.com. All five are customized solutions developed specifically for their needs.
HOMEPAGE AND TEMPLATE GRAPHICS
The Multiple Solutions representative we collaborated with indicated preferences for the interface to be designed with a red, black, and white color scheme, mimicking the colors used on the MS Slugfest logo. Yet, our lead designer on the project kept coming up with shades of blue in early mockups in response to in-house market tests which indicated that users likened softball with images of blue skies.
The final result was an interface whose homepage relied heavily on familiar, on-location photographs fitted onto a blue interface. As a consolation, red is used throughout the website as a highlight color, as well as in the spiffy pin-striped background (pin-stripes used to further contribute to the feel of a good ball game).
ONLINE REGISTRATION (RETROFITTING)
Multiple Solutions had on board a programming volunteer who equipped us with a working online registration. Once the material was provided, we retrofitted the registration to fit with the interface and the style of the rest of the site, as well as pushing the registration through a series of of rigorous tests. The final application, whose purpose is to accept team information and write to a simple database file, is now integrated seamlessly onto the site.
INTERNAL MESSAGE BOARDS
One specific programmming need Multiple Solutions expressed was to have a message board system established so that, once logged in, the event coordinators would be able to share thoughts and ideas on the site with one another. Set up behind a secure login screen, this private forum is unavailable to the public, but is a customized solution, allowing members of the the administration to keep track of concerns and issues online.
Sevey, LLC encourages the use of internal message boards, especially when team members are often decentralized and are required to work from separate locations. Airing all discussion contributions online minimize the lapse or loss in communication from situations as "I didn't get that email" or "I didn't receive that attachment."
By request of the client, we stripped down the message boards to their basic, essential functions, to post and reply as desired without the necessity to create or log into individual user accounts for sake of expediency and efficiency.
CONTACT FORMS
For ease of the visitors, we established two contact forms, one for each of the two areas of most inquiry into Multiple Solutions: the volunteer form and the sponsorships form. Each contact form was specially customized to gather the proper information required to fulfill the given request.
Sevey, LLC can have these forms parse information in a number of ways, including dropping automatically into a database, generating XML for easy addition into RSS feeds, or sending the information as a simple email to the user of your choice (most commonly-used option); by request, these forms sent an email containing the formatted information directly to their corresponding volunteer and sponsorship coordinators.
CUSTOM ICONS
We were strict about approaching the rest of the site with minimal graphics to balance the graphically engaging homepage, but in the midst of heavy content, we wanted to somehow set apart forms for the users to access.
These charming icons were custom-made by our lead designer. Further incorporating the blue color scheme, the man-with-speech-bubble gently reminds the visitors that they can actively and easily respond to the information provided by filling out a contact form.
"IT REALLY IS AWESOME."
"It looks GREAT! I mean, it really is AWESOME," our client representative emailed in when first reviewing the interface. Upon fine tuning final details, the site was then handed over to an active Multiple Solutions volunteer for maintenance. Sevey, LLC is pleased to have partnered with Multiple Solutions on this worthwhile project and wish them the best of luck in putting together one of Chicago's favorite fundraising events.
WHAT ARE YOUR INTERNET GOALS?
What brings you here? What are your internet goals? Please feel free to review our case studies above and do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to inquire further. We would appreciate the opportunity to assist you in establishing the strong online presence you deserve. We embody your dreams, share in your efforts, and work earnestly towards your success.
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