Tell us about DVRC-OR.

Peter Korchnak: The website redesign was a part of Domestic Violence Resource Center’s overall re-branding. The new branding aims to communicate our mission and community benefit, and increase our profile as a professional, effective, and caring organization.
The website’s graphic elements conform to the new visual identity. For the website, the first objective was to make it our primary communication tool, both internally and externally, and the premier community resource for information about domestic violence and about what we do to promote safe and healthy relationships. The second objective was to increase our online contributions.
We worked with a graphic designer to develop the website’s graphic elements and with a web developer: NetRaising, to build the actual site. The process from the first conversation with the designer to launch took 3 1/2 months.

Why ExpressionEngine?

• The total cost of ownership over the two year life-cycle of the website.
• Seemingly limitless paid support included with every license.
• It has the lowest number of security issues of any CMS on the market. For me that’s been ZERO since I started using it, and we have a lot of sites running on ExpressionEngine.
• Based on proven, widely supported and sustainable Open Source technologies.
• Large global user base and thousands of great sites running on it.
• The integrity and savvy of the EllisLab team.
• Multi-license discounts and special pricing for my nonprofit clients.
• Regular build and version updates keeping up with the every evolving web environment.
• Over 50% of my clients are based in Oregon, and EllisLab is based in Oregon, and around here, that’s a selling feature.
• Up to date documentation that I can trust; and to a full-time website developer, that’s a huge benefit.

Morgan Grether: We wanted to give Domestic Violence Resource Center the ability to control a great deal of their content directly and easily, and ExpressionEngine is one of the very best ways to accomplish that, particularly when you factor the low price of the software into the equation.

What process did you use for building the site?

Morgan Grether: To begin, I explained to Peter that building the site was a two-pronged process.  First, there is getting the content together. Second, there is how it is going to look on the web.  We talked about the fundamental elements to the process including how changes might occur as the site was built.

For the content building, I had Peter come up with a site map particularly focused on identifying the major sections of his content.  These are what would become the menu items in the horizontal navigation bar.  I then showed Peter how to enter content into categories within the sections he had chosen.  Next I set up some extremely basic templates for him to view his entries online to get a sense of what he was accomplishing.

Peter then worked with Maria to develop the design, with Maria working with me on the technical methods to accomplish her design.  Peter and Maria produced some nice Photoshop documents that I then translated into a working website within ExpressionEngine. Peter and I are both satisfied with how the live site compares with the static .PSDs.

So, I pulled the two prongs: content and design, together, ironed out the rough edges with Peter, and we launched the site.

What is your favorite part of the site?

Peter Korchnak: I like the home-page; it contains all time-sensitive information (upcoming events, news items), a feature article, and easy navigation to the website’s inside content. I also like the integration of our email newsletter, created with ConstantContact, and the website; the newsletter contains links to article pages, driving traffic to the website.

You mentioned receiving a lot of positive feedback about the site; what were a few of the highlights that your audience really loved?

Peter Korchnak: In particular, two things have stood out among the comments. The integration of the website into our overall branding has helped reinforce our organizational identity. The graphic layout, colors, the overall feel of the website impressed visitors. The website is pleasing to the eye, to the point where people have remarked simply, “It’s beautiful!” Secondly, as planned, the website has become a community resource for information about domestic violence in our community and in general. What’s more, even with the number of pages and amount of content, the navigation through the site is easy and intuitive. In collaboration with the developer, ExpressionEngine makes it easy for me to create new pages, cross link pages and update navigation quickly.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Kurt Deutscher: This website was designed by Maria Pappas as part of a complete re-branding of Domestic Violence Resource Center. The work she’s been doing for us this last year is truly outstanding, and she deserves much of the credit for how well this and many of our other new sites look and feel. When you have a great designer (Maria), a great developer (Morgan) and great software (ExpressionEngine), you get great websites!