• CONNECT members to other advertising industry professionals and resources;
• Encourage, support, and recognize members in their quest to CREATE the very best in advertising; and
• INSPIRE young professionals to enter the advertising profession.

As a website design company, we encounter many different types of projects...from simple projects like a blog redesign all the way to a total rebranding of a company with new collateral and a new web based strategy. Each project can present its own set of challenges, but one of the most challenging approaches to a project can be working in a committee. How do we make a decision on a design? Who is responsible for what? Where do we start?!

It's simple. Follow the five simple rules below when working with a website design company to develop your next web based strategy, and your project will go a little easier.
 
1. The Odd Man Is Not Out.
When choosing a team for a committee, remember to keep the number of people odd. This way if a decision needs to be reached on an aspect of the project, a majority vote can be made. Also, try to keep the number of people as small as possible (3-5 team members).

2. Pick A Leader.
Every Committee needs a Chair. This is someone to delegate parts of the project to members, as well as a mediator for meetings. Ideally, this person will have power within your company to make final approvals on the project, so it can continue to move forward.

3. Listen To The Experts.
When working with a website design company, such as Fusework Studios, treat them as an extension of your team. Keep all of their suggestions to the forefront in the design and development phases of your project. Remember, we're the experts, and you hired us to come up with ideas that will best meet your project goals.

4. It's Not Personal.
As you and your team work through the design process, try not to let your personal preferences effect the design. Purple may not be your favorite color, but it might be the best choice for your target market. Always keep the overall goals and target audience in mind throughout the entire project.

5. Watch The Calendar.
In any project, the calendar is key. Make sure that deadlines are being met, and team members are meeting their goals. Obviously, if a deadline is missed, the schedule will need to be adjusted accordingly. It's always best to schedule a little buffer room just in case this happens. Meet weekly, if possible, and celebrate milestones when they are met.

If you keep these five steps in mind throughout your project, you and your team will have a web based strategy that won't be compromised by opinions. You'll have a great product that will help your business grow.
 

• Do not design a website entirely with Flash. Instead, you should use HTML pages with <div> tags that include search engine optimized content. You can call Flash objects with the swfobject Java script method to confirm if the visitor can view Flash files, which would automatically replace the content in the <div> tag.
• If you must use Flash, make it only a small portion of your website.
• Do not design your website navigation with Flash.
• Avoid using a Flash header because it can be an obstacle for the search engine spiders.
• It is important to test and confirm accessibility is addressed with Flash files in your website design.
• Make sure your website design is focused on content first, and then, you should use Flash to draw attention to that content and conversion.
• The best use of Flash is to display a lot of information that you cannot fit in one small area and for calls to action to get visitors to engage and convert.