Jamestown Community Learning Council
Few things are better in the world of small business than the opportunity to complete another project for a fantastic client who has become a great friend. One such opportunity came my way not long ago!
The fantastic folks at Jamestown Community Learning Council were one of my earliest web design clients, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with them for almost five years now. They’re wonderful human beings doing good work: They help young children throughout Chautauqua County, NY become better learners by making home visits and working with them, their parents, and their schools.
When their original website—just a couple of barebones pages tucked into the depths of the local school system website—went missing due to a server switcheroo, I worked with them to build a new website on WordPress.
Why WordPress? At the time, the JCLC was planning to launch a robust employee intranet portal. Based on the scope they described, I knew WordPress would have the flexibility and the chops to meet their needs for years to come.
But as time went by, the JCLC’s needs became simpler. The shiny new WordPress website started to feel bloated and heavy. They needed only a single, password-protected page to serve as their employee portal.
So when their Executive Director, Krista Camarata, reached out to me wondering if we could talk about a new website design, we found ourselves with a golden opportunity to move the JCLC website to Squarespace, streamline it, and save them some money along the way.
Gold.
The web design process
The JCLC team knew the existing website needed a total overhaul. As we talked it through, we realized that more of the existing website was being changed than kept. We decided that building a totally new website from scratch would be the best way to go. I could move their website to Squarespace and eliminate the need for expensive WordPress hosting and plugins, saving them a pretty penny.
Because I had designed their original website, I already had their brand assets and selected stock photos. All I needed was a quick Word document with updated wording and a handful of new staff photos.
Everything came together quickly!
Because the JCLC is a decentralized organization that serves lots of highly engaged parents, I knew a mobile-first design—or a website design that prioritizes the experience when the site is viewed on a smartphone or tablet—would be important. With that in mind, I kept the design ultra simple and clean. Every page on the new site is short and I used clear headings and expandable accordions to help visitors zero in on the information that matters most.
When viewed on a smartphone or tablet, the new home page feels a lot like an app.
See how it all came together below!
