Category Archives: Tusler Design

The Design Directory

Directory updated and expanded

The Tusler Design Directory just expanded.

Part of the fun of being involved in website design and development is seeing the amazing websites people come up with.

Since 1999 I’ve been looking at all sorts of websites for design ideas, examples (good and bad) and general inspiration. Many of these websites are now listed in the public directory updated and expanded pages here on Tusler Design. Before that I kept them private.

Have a look and see what you think for yourself.

The Design Directory

The websites that set the standard.

The university websites are a good standard for where the industry is heading. These sites constantly evolve reflecting trends in technology, improvements in design and more effective usability.

Most attractive websites.

The most attractive designs are in the yacht builders section and the automobile section. But there are lots of great ideas in all the categories. And you will see how the different industries compare.

For example some of the band and musician sites are fantastic. But it is mostly the more recent artists who seem to put energy into their sites. Established acts don’t put as much effort in and consequently have been left out of the directory for the time being.

Web development tools and resources as well.

You will see there is also a large section on web development resources. These are sites and tools I use and recommend to others.

Your feedback is welcome.

Feel free to drop me a line with any comments or feedback or comment on the Facebook page.

Be unique and focus on the best.

Focus on the best

In essence.

Be unique and focus on the best.

Making your website special is down to the quality not quantity of your content. If you’re able to keep your focus on the best you will notice your site performing well in searches.

Google’s algorithms no longer present ‘static’ results. The results listing may change several times a day for the same search terms. But the base principle the search is working on is looking for quality, uniqueness and how appropriate the content is to the specific search term.

Answer the question.

Beyond offering good quality you can tailor your content to answer specific questions or issues. Then Google and the other major search tools all recognise that you understand the role of your website and your content is to serve the needs of customers, consumers, users of web search engines.

Don’t follow the crowd.

‘Quick and dirty’ web publication has become an excuse for laziness.

For years the Internet industry has reflected the values of the software industry. And these values are underpinned by the computer hardware industry as well. The principle is that ‘as long as it works and it looks ok we can sell it’.

The aim of software and hardware makers for years has been to just get the products to market. Even though they wont work properly for long.

Today it is totally accepted that we buy operating systems or even small apps and they need ‘updating’ constantly. The idea that you make something that lasts is almost forgotten in the rush for new technology and enhanced lifestyles.

Be yourself, be different.

So be unique.

Give your unique voice to your text. Use your imagination to make your content interesting. And you’ll see it pay you back again and again.

 

Inspiration

Choice inspirational quotes.

Inspiration

The photograph above is a painting of a teasel by Kasturi Tusler.

Because inspiration feeds creativity here are a small collection of quotes that we find inspiring.

Thoughts and sayings we like to ponder upon – and laugh about – from time to time.


“Keep it simple sweetie!”
Anon

“Less is more.”
Anon – but so true

“We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”
Albert Einstein

“Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.”
Sri Krishna – Bhagavad-gita

“Together everyone achieves more.”
Anon

“Get out into nature. Get immersed in her beauty and her abundance. The creative mind seems to thrive on getting surcharged by being out in the fresh air.”
Allotment wisdom

“You must do the things you think you cannot do.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

“You get what you concentrate on; your mental images bring about their own fulfillment. The illusion holds power over you when you are not able to remember that you are a powerful spirit that has taken on the physical experience for the purpose of learning.”
Anon

“Everything can be taken from a man but the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Viktor Frankl

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”
Carl Jung

“Always look on the bright side of life.”
Eric Idle

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [out-caste].”
Sri Krishna – Bhagavad-gita

Why Wales

Lots of our clients ask us. “Why Wales?”

Why did we chose to come to base our web design company in Wales. A long way from the big cities and the big money.

The short answer is because of the quality of life, the surroundings, nature, beaches, rivers and forests; and of course the people. It’s from where we draw a lot of our inspiration.

Photo of the river at Newcastle Emlyn.

Why Wales – here’s one reason… photo of the river at Newcastle Emlyn on a late summer afternoon.

West Wales is famously beautiful.

There is lots of space in Wales as it is mostly rural and has low population levels. Only about 2.8 million people in Wales altogether and its the same size as Israel (co-incidentally).

Pembrokeshire is known by some folk as ‘Little England’. It has some of the best coastline in the world and the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path is listed number three in the best walks in the world by the ramblers.

Ceredigion is the remote ancient kingdom of King Ceredig and overlooks almost all of Cardigan Bay to the west.

Carmarthenshire is often called the ‘heart-of-Wales’ and is still one of the most Welsh of all counties.

The lovely people in Wales.

Country life goes on at a different pace to city life. There is more time because there are fewer people. So there’s never a rush and almost never a queue. Of course you can find yourself stuck behind a tractor or lorry but the roads are excellent and most drivers pull in to let cars past.

People in Wales are mostly friendly and generally good natured. We find they usually have time for a chat and laugh. Of course there’s the odd exception but you get that wherever you are.

The Welsh language.

Our experience of the Welsh language is that most people are happily bi-lingual or mainly English speaking. There are one or two who prefer to only speak the ancient Welsh language of ‘Cymraeg’ exclusively.

Everyone we’ve worked with has awareness of the two languages and it is never an issue. If required translation services are available at reasonable costs. There is no known automated translator for the Welsh language so we hire real translators as needed.

‘Why Wales’ find out more.

Find out more about why we choose to base our web design company in west Wales.

fire and stars holidays

Holidays in Wales

New holiday website just launched.

Fire and Stars Holidays provide barns, gypsy caravans and a dairy on their eco-friendly organic farm in West Wales. They also have an old bakery in the riverside village of St Dogmaels.

fire and stars holidays

All done with a bit of glam and style they offer a genuine getaway from the madness of city life. The whole thing is run by a couple of characters with all sorts of unusual and interesting stories to share.

They happily offer groups and party bookings as well. So larger groups and extended families can book accommodation for special occasions or get togethers.

Take a look at fireandstarsholidays.co.uk.

working together for shared aims in a purpose economy

Purpose economy

The ‘purpose economy’ is people and businesses working together to achieve common goals beyond simply making profits. Only heard about this recently but it is obvious isn’t it?

working together for shared aims in a purpose economy

working together for shared aims in a purpose economy

The Internet brought with it the ‘knowledge economy’. And now through mass use of communication tools like Twitter and Facebook over 1 billion people have internet access worldwide.

So knowledge has led to people recognising the inner need and the communal need for purpose in life.

Having a purpose is a powerful stabilising force in our lives.

A life without purpose is a bit like wandering round not knowing where you’re going or why. A friend recently described himself as a ‘busy fool’. The world is full of them it seems.

At Tusler Design we always strive to offer the highest quality, useful and conscious solutions we can for our clients. There is no need to compromise because often the ideal solution is also the most cost-effective.

West Wales (where we are based) is a bit of a hotbed of ‘purpose economy businesses’ because there are so many small companies here. The primary industries are agriculture and tourism so everyone is challenged to offer the best quality and best service they can. Because these are the things that bring customers back to buy again.

So you get all varieties of agricultural business and all sorts of small cottages, holiday lets, themed sites and the rest. Which makes for an interesting and enlivening combination.

Are you part of the purpose economy or just in business to make money?

 

customer care

Once bitten, twice shy

Buying online is easier than ever and lots of us are doing it. My experience is that its still very hit and miss.

Sometimes you order something and get sent something else. Or you want an item special delivery and it takes two weeks. You order something new and the company sends you a second-hand one. Sound familiar?

I bought a diary from a company that I’ve bought from for over 20 years. They sent me the wrong one so I mentioned it. They are sending a replacement and asked me to return the first one. So I now have to go to the post office to return it – so why bother buying online?. Anyway I crossed them off my list.

Bought a computer from a well known company (sounds like a fruit that keeps the doctor away). They sent me a used machine instead of a new one, registered to someone else. So when it broke and I took it to their shop the previous owner called the police. Two 200 mile round trips to the shop later they finally returned the machine. They are also off my list.

I’m coming to think that many online retailers don’t respect their customers (that’s you and me). Because otherwise they would be a lot more careful.

So I’ve decided to go back to my original approach to buying. And that is to buy locally or not at all.

Online retailers – don’t take your customers for granted because we’ll just move on.

customer care

spirit-house- roof top

Off grid still can use a website

spirit-house

Recently met up with some old friends who are living off-grid in a small community in Pembrokeshire.

spirit-house- outside

Friends chatting outside after the opening ceremony.

We went on a full moon day, but in the afternoon under a clear blue sky. The whole atmosphere of the place was wonderfully natural, refreshing and clean.

Over the winter our friends had been building a round-house and we were there for the opening ceremony. It was almost over when we got there late but we still felt the warm, welcoming vibes and got to hear some of the singing – ‘we stand tall, we stand tall’ was the refrain.

It was a very inspiring and rejuvenating couple of hours spent talking with old and new friends that afternoon beneath Carn Ingli mountain. And we brought back home a sense of having experienced something very precious.

Will have to visit again and see what its like in different weather.

A few days after our visit I looked on Google to see if there was anything online about the place. Lo and behold they have a web page of their own Tir Ysbrydol (Spirit Land).

spirit-house- view of mountain

View of Carn Inlgi mountain from inside the roundhouse

Matrix and Beyond

Deep healing from Cornwall

New website for Matrix and Beyond

Matrix and Beyond

New website for Matrix and Beyond

Matrix and Beyond are a healing practice based at the Lizard in Cornwall.

They specialise in EFT (emotional freedom techniques) and Matrix re-imprinting which is a method of healing negative past trauma.

Using WordPress CMS

Their fab new website uses the WordPress content management system with the Tempera template – customised of course.

Social set up too

We also set up a Facebook page, Twitter page and YouTube channel for them featuring EFT and Matrix re-imprinting, research, meditation, healing and related resources.

See for yourself some of the amazing results achieved and the conditions treated by these powerful therapies.

Their new website is live now at www.matrixandbeyond.co.uk.

Teifi Estuary

Cardigan Bay is showing the way

Teifi Estuary

Looking along Teifi Estuary with Cardigan Island in the background

New hub of coolness

For centuries west Wales has been a place of artists, musicians, monks and poets. This is because of its peaceful atmosphere, beautiful countryside, big sky and fresh, energising air.

And now the Cardigan Bay area is becoming a hub of cool, creative people involved in dynamic communities, successful businesses and exciting enterprises.

Cool companies located here in Cardigan Bay

Cardigan Bay Company
Designers and producers of a range of products representing Cardigan Bay and reflecting the traditions of the area.

Custom House Cardigan
A traditional shop and gallery in one of Cardigan’s oldest buildings – the Custom House.
Features many local artists, craftspeople and makers.

Completeness
Arts, crafts and crochet for communities – v cool and popular in the Cardigan, Emlyn area. Includes courses at the National Woolen Museum.

Do Lectures
Inspiring talks from people who are changing the world. Do Lectures are based in Cardigan.

Ethical Wares
Very cool footwear, clothing, accessories and treats for vegans and vegetarians.

Fforest
Family friendly, eco-camping in west Wales. Fforest is based in the Welsh Wildlife Centre in Cilgarran.

Hiut Denim
Top-end designer jeans made in Cardigan.

Howies
Super-cool clothing company based in Cardigan.

Melin Tregwynt
Unique designs for blankets and textiles based in St Davids.

Mundos
Way-past-cool clothing and gift shop in Cardigan High Street.

Swallow Boats
Swallow Boats design and build classic style day boats and yachts that have traditional lines but thoroughly modern performance.|

SCL Internet Services
Business and enterprise hosting, domain management, programming and design based in Cardigan.

Just a selection of the many groovy things in the area. If you think we’ve missed you out then email info@tusler-design.co.uk and we’ll have a look.

Artastic Ireland new website

Artastic’s new street theatre Ireland website

Congratulations to our good friends at Artastic in Ireland for launching their brand new website at http://www.artastic.ie/.

Artastic are a street theatre and spectacle arts organisation and Tusler-Design worked with them over the last few months to get the website looking and running just right.

Artastic Ireland new website

Artastic Ireland new website

Take a look at what Artastic do and especially take a virtual tour of the galleries which tell a great story of community and artistic expression.

orissa designs

WordPress Website Examples

The wonders of WordPress as a CMS (content management system) website development tool.

Tusler Design use WordPress a lot. Its become one of the most useful pieces of software used in Internet development.

WordPress is so versatile it can be used for almost any type of website. It has a worldwide group of developers who make it and keep it secure.

Tusler Design recommend most new websites and website re-vamps to use WordPress if they’re not already using it.

Example WordPress Websites

Some examples of websites designed and developed by Tusler Design working with WordPress.

 

Orissa Designs

orissa designsOrissa Designs is owned and run by artist Tracey Jenkins. She specialises in producing art and shabby chic furniture.

The website uses WordPress and is linked to a PayPal account for  accepting payments for online orders. Tracey updates the site herself adding new items as her catologue grows.

http://www.orissadesigns.co.uk/

Camping at Mwnt

Camping at MwntTy Gwyn Farm and Caravan Park (on the cliffs above Mwnt in Ceredigion) wanted a new website and commissioned Tusler Design.

The website gives an instant feel for the unique and wonderful location of the site. To improve the search engine recognition of the website ‘CampingatMwnt.co.uk’ was chosen as the domain name. Site includes a blog and is linked to the Facebook page for Ty Gwyn.

http://campingatmwnt.co.uk/

Completeness

CompletenessCompleteness is the online home of Kasturi Tusler, creative artist and crochet teacher.

The website features her crochet patterns, video crochet tutorials, a blog, downloadable recipes for home cooking (including one for homemade deodorant!). This site is also linked to Completeness’ Facebook page.

http://completeness.co.uk/

Custom House Cardigan

Custom House CardiganCustom House Cardigan is owned and run by creative designer and artist Karina Servini. The Custom House is one of Cardigan’s oldest buildings and has an atmosphere all of it’s own. It now houses a gallery and shop where over 300 local artists and craftspeople have their work on display and available to buy.

The website uses WordPress alongside an e-commerce shop using Magento E-commerce System. The whole thing is integrated within the main website.

http://www.customhousecardigan.com/

Cardigan Bay Company

Cardigan Bay CompanyThe Cardigan Bay Company wanted a super simple site that could show some of their great designs and artwork that was also ready for them to build upon.

This is a fine example of using custom graphics with WordPress to create an instant impression upon the visitor.

http://www.cardiganbaycompany.co.uk/

HuwBryn

Huwbryn homepage screenshotHuwBryn is owned and run by Huw Jones of Bryn Farm near Cardigan in west Wales. HuwBryn produces specialised natural animal bedding for a whole range of pets and animals.

Visitors to the website can order varieties of combinations of natural meadow hay, straw and chippings for practically any animal kept domestically. Visitors can purchase products using PayPal.

http://huwbryn.com/

JR Fabrications

JR FabricationsJR Fabrications is owned and run by Jason Rice and are a welding and fabrication company based in Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire.

The website uses WordPress and features many examples and testimonials from clients of Jason’s. He updates and adds things to the website himself with the occasion bit of tech support from us.

http://jrfabrications.com/

Get your new website built in WordPress and enjoy the benefits of creating and publishing your own content whenever you like…

WordPress Promotion

Contact us now to get your WordPress website rolling.

Community success involves co-operation and collaboration.

Community, co-operation, collaboration and the Internet

Let’s get real here.

We all have to live in the real world – right?

The media and politicians present us with their own view of things but our lives go on whether we listen to them or not.

As members of society and of the world family we can be responsible for our own lives and our own actions.

Modern life involves using the web to buy things, sell things, learn things, exchange ideas, play games, meet new people and keep in touch with friends and family.

All of us can tell our story, give our ‘testimony’ online.

Community success involves co-operation and collaboration.

Community success involves co-operation and collaboration in order for everyone to be happy.

Community is essential

In real life ‘community’ is an essential part of a successful, harmonious, productive society.

‘No man is an island’ and all that. Surely its obvious that we are all benefited by making the effort to co-operate.

Another trite but wise saying; ‘Together everyone achieves more’.

On Mother Earth everything is provided, all we have to do is learn what our purpose is and make the most of our time here.

When we get isolated we can easily succumb to mental health issues, depression and general ill-health.

When we are able to be an active part of a community we function much better. We have support around us for getting through hard times.

Those of us who can help others, could and should help because all communities need active members to make them sustainable and ultimately to flourish.

Co-operation and collaboration are strengths

Through co-operation and collaboration individuals and small groups of people can use the Internet to achieve great things for their communities.

Often new groups go through a process of forming, storming, norming and then performing. So we should expect some listening on all sides before our communities can flourish.

And the basis of it all of course is mutual  respect, trust and ultimately transcendental love. But this is not the place for discussions on the more esoteric aspect of life as humans!

Tusler Design have been involved in communities since the late 1980s, Thatcher’s Britain.

Since the Internet revolution of the 1990s Tusler Design have worked with a consistent emphasis on developing community through working together using the Internet. This is with large, medium and small businesses, organisations and individuals. All our work is aimed at utilising joined-up thinking to help our clients.

“We’ve lots of experience in helping turn ideas into reality!”

So contact us today to talk about your community and your project. We’re happy to have the opportunity to work with you and your group no matter what the cause or subject.

Thinking about design

Good design can be vital to making your website work to its best potential.

Design is an important but subtle element.

People (like you and me) like easy-to-use websites. We like it to be so clear and easy that we actually enjoy the process.

jones-carpenters

Jones the carpenters is a classic design

So ‘don’t make me think’

A few years ago I came across a book on website design called “Don’t make me think!” by Steve Krug of Advanced Common Sense.

Steve’s point is that people don’t like to be made to think when they come to a website.

Just like if we go to a new town we look for reliable things like street names and if they are not there we can get disoriented quickly.

It’s not that we are un-intelligent; its that the Internet and computers, smart phones, tablets and all are actually not so easy to use.

Technology is even more challenging when the circumstances are pressured; low or broken connectivity for example disrupting you while you’re trying to book train tickets.

Simplicity rules

Custom House Cardigan

Another classic simple design is on the Custom House Cardigan site

Internet users like websites to be easy to use and understand. So it makes perfect sense to keep things as simple as possible.

Of course, you don’t want to over-simplify and lose the main purpose of your site’s offering. But concepts, ideas etc. need to broken into bite-size-chunks to make them easier to understand.

Think of any major website and how easy it is to use. These guys are spending millions of pounds on research and development to create their sites and keep improving. We can learn from them.

Take a look at your favourite websites with a view to their design and notice the elements and how they are working together.

Websites can be excellent examples of synergy – where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

As you can see from our own website we tend to prefer things clean and clear. How about you?

signs are useful to help guide your visitors

Websites as communication tools

Each website has a voice.

And the visitors listen to the voice. They do this by reading, or hearing, your text. They are influenced in this hearing, by the colour scheme, layout, type-set, and graphics of your website.

So use your unique voice

At all times keep in mind the idea of who you are talking to when writing your content. Imagine you are speaking to just one person; the reader.

Images are a powerful means of communicating

Your choice of images tell a story because, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” So, ask yourself, ‘What are you trying to say with these thousand-word images?’

signs are useful to help guide your visitors

Signs are useful to help guide your visitors but there is more to finding your voice and communicating effectively

Email enables direct communication and interaction without having to use the telephone or meet in person. You still have to remember your voice in your email communication.

And of course video telephony is available via Skype and other similar systems. These are an effective means of communication. Often Tusler-Design will communicate with clients over Skype. One advantage being it is instant and thus avoids long distance travel to attend meetings and briefings.

Social networks, (i.e. Facebook) are a great place to promote your messages and to interact with your ‘community’ as there is a balanced audience of male and female users. Twitter is mostly male (though not entirely) and has a different feel and emphasis to Facebook.

And lastly, it’s a personal thing

Your visitors will almost always be alone with you. Websites communicate with individuals and though you might have many visitors, few of them will be with someone else when they’re on your site.

So, why not make the most of the opportunity given us through technology and use the Internet to speak and communicate to your audience and the world at large?

Its personal and it always was...

Websites made easy

The Internet is actually a personal place.

Because we are all persons, (I hope you agree). We are all interacting with webpages, sites and applications all the time when we are online.

So it is a personal environment where we want to establish a connection, or relationship with our readers. This means you and me.

As website owners we can control the content of our pages so that our visitors are rewarded when they come to see us. Seem obvious doesn’t it?

Just like real customers in the real-world visitors to websites love to get fresh content, insight, ideas, inspiration, products and services. If they are pleased, and have a pleasing interaction; they come back.

Its personal and it always was...

 

3 things to remember about your visitors.

Keep your visitors in mind all the time when developing your website;

  • What are visitors to your website looking for?
  • What are they hoping to obtain from you?
  • How can you deliver it for them in a timely and affordable way so they want to return?

Next steps towards online success.

Take a look at our own website planning guide where you can get a good idea of what you need to include in your website.

When you’re ready either phone or email and we’ll be able to help you. Contact us.

Completeness

Completeness lifestyle and handmade gifts website

Completeness

Designer, creator and crochet guru Kasturi has a beautiful new website at Completeness.co.uk.

Kasturi has her ‘maker’s blog‘, a ‘gallery‘ of creations she has produced and ‘handmade gifts‘ available to buy.

The site features a directory of spiritual resources and useful links to help on the journey through life. All in all, rather nice!

Beautiful smile

Images, Pics and Graphics

A picture is worth a thousand words

Smiling Face - worth a thousand words

A picture is worth a thousand words.

So which pictures work best on the Internet?

Often we can see that the use of face pictures is most powerful, especially if the person in the image is smiling. As human beings we are attracted and interested in other faces.

If a face is not appropriate then the image should show the subject in its best light. This is not to dupe or confuse the viewer but to give them the best and most interesting aspect to look at.

When buying online purchasers often like to see several views of an item before they click ‘buy now’. It is useful to give an overall image showing the entire item and then include detail shots showing clearly what is special about a product.

We tend to make buying decisions on irrational feelings which are then rationalised by the mind. Consequently we want to make our images as attractive and intuitively engaging as we can, so that visitors love what they see before they have any conscious thoughts of buying or owning the item.

Landscape v Portrait

Some years ago we learned that in general images in landscape aspect work better than those in portrait. It is difficult to know exactly why this is but if you look around the Internet you will see that most websites use the landscape aspect for almost every shot. Also we now have widescreen TV which is of course in landscape aspect.

Landscape v Portrait

Landscape v Portrait

Perhaps it is because our eyes are next to each other rather than one above the other? Whatever the reason, most of us enjoy landscape images and they seem to give the best experience to the viewer.

In printed media it has been known for some time that viewers of pages in magazines and newspapers scan the page in a Z shape. From left to right along the top, then down to the bottom left and across again from left to right. So you often see a graphical ‘tripping point’ in the bottom right corner of the page. This is intended to stop the eye from simply going on to the next page.

On web pages it is not so clear how the eye moves but there has been much research to suggest that users tend to scan a web page looking for something that engages their eye. This can be a word, phrase, link or graphic.

Often the top of the page is the most significant because if the visitor is engaged at the top of the page they have no need to scroll looking for what they want.

On larger web sites where information is in hundreds or thousands of pages or in a database then the ‘search’ function becomes very important and many users will go straight to the search box without even looking through the contents list or navigation. In this instance images need to underpin the messages and credibility of the site without detracting from the ease of use and quick access to the right information.

Like so much of life, business is not an exact science and communication is very personal and individualised.

In working for an artists collective a few years ago I realised that there is value in treating every piece of content, be it text or image, as if it were a person in its own right. With individual strengths and positive aspects to try and accentuate on the web site. After all the web is two dimensional and basically flat.

So the challenge is to bring some depth and quality to all the images used. And keep always trying to improve of course.

Bridging the digital divide

Meditation via the Internet

Meditation via the Internet - this is a 'heart meditation' graphic

Smart phones and tablets are seen as the new solution to bridging the ‘digital divide’.

Up to now there has been a rather large portion of the population who are not interested in the Internet.

The challenge for marketeers has been how to create products that connect these people with the Internet and the various services on offer.

Once the relationship is established with the new ‘consumer’ of data and services, Internet companies can claim another name, another email address, another potential revenue source, and keep it on file for later use.

Email addresses are considered assets of a business as they have intrinsic value. The value being that there is a person connected to the email address who may well have money to spend.

There are many legitimate and worthy business and organisations using the Internet in a positive and constructive manner.

The opportunity and ability to access the Internet need not necessarily be a bad thing. However, it is a well known fact that ‘you cannot please all the people all the time’ and no matter how many of us take to the Internet there will remain those who are otherwise inclined.

This is surely a good thing, or as humanity we might face the prospect of becoming homogenised, all plugged into our laptops or tablets or smart phones, compulsively checking our social networks for tid-bits of gossip.

Perhaps the Internet can become a powerful tool for assisting us in the very personal process of self-realisation?

 

Tablets still not used for buying online

Apple ipad

Apple's iconic iPad

Jakob Nielson, renouned web usability expert notes on his website that users of Apple’s iPad put it down when they want to buy something online.

They use their desktop to carry out e-commerce transactions after researching on their iPad.

Another note of interest is that owners of iPads invariably share them with family members (unless they live alone of course).

Apparently many people surveyed said they’d found apps on their iPad that they didn’t know where there and must have been added by a friend or family member.

Main uses of iPad reported by Nielson:

  • Playing games
  • Checking email
  • Social networking sites
  • Watching videos/movies
  • Reading news
  • Browsing the Internet
  • Some shopping-related research

Read the full article at http://www.useit.com/alertbox/ipad.html

Web Design Technology

Web Design Technologies and Tools

Modern websites use a variety of software tools. Aiming to give users a good experience. And to give owners a return on investment.

Some of the many tools we use in our web design and development processes are listed below.

Google analytics

Google analytics is a fab web user information tool. Google’s tracking tool gives you in-depth information about the pages your users are visiting, how long they are spending, what keywords and phrases they are using to find you and much more. Google Analytics works perfectly with Adwords so you can monitor your pay-per-click advertising results and compare them against natural listings. Giving you a complete overview to reconcile with sales. Very powerful when linked to your e-commerce store to track conversion rates.

YouTube

YouTube is the video tool that changed the Internet. And perhaps the way we communicate. Posting videos of examples from your website gives you valuable exposure to a complete new audience online. You can use videos to quickly promote your products and services. Each video page on YouTube can be deep-linked back to your site. There are so many possibilities with YouTube.

facebook-logo

Facebook has changed the way we communicate. As a promotional tool Facebook gives you personal connection to customers and clients, all of whom have expressly ‘liked’ you. You can be more informal on Facebook than in other communications.

Twitter logo

Twitter is perfect for brief messages and updates. You can use Twitter to make short, quick news announcements and give your clients and customers a place where they can ‘get the latest’. Twitter also makes it easy for you to follow others in your industry or interest group.

WordPress

WordPress is our open-source content management system of choice. The functionality and flexibility of it make it a powerful website management tool and provide for many levels of dynamics and interation with users.

Magento

Magento is an awe inspiring open-source e-commerce platform. The amount of flexibility and ease of use are un-equaled in our experience of using shopping carts and online payment processing systems.

MailChimp

MailChimp is a perfect tool for managing mailing lists and newsletters. It enables tracking of emails opened and tracks click-through routes as well. You can easily see who has opened your email and who has also clicked on one or more of the links.

Zend Technologies

Zend is the perfect development platform if you need to build high-quality PHP applications quickly.

PayPal

PayPal is often the most straightforward method of receiving payments from your website. There are numerous other excellent payment gateways including Worldpay. SECpay and SagePay

adobe photoshop

Photoshop is still the fundamental building block for most new web designs. Also in-page graphics play an important part in creating the desired user experience on many sites.

dreamweaver

Dreamweaver has become more of a super ftp tool than an editor. It is still rolled out for some hard-coded web pages, scripting and editing cascading style sheets (CSS).

orissa designs

Orissa Designs – site is live

Orissa Designs specialise in hand crafted, up-cycled, shabby chic furniture and Hindy deity reliefs.

Orissa Designs also sell high quality, ‘temple-grade’ incense.

Their new shiny website is live now from today so well done to them for getting it there. All done with WordPress and PayPal.

Then there is the Facebook and Twitter – but you can spot those for yourself of course.

Orissa Designs’ website is at http://www.orissadesigns.co.uk.

orissa designs

IT and business back-up

Back up your data

The single most valuable piece of business advice.

When I first started my own business I asked my late father, an IBM exec for 25 years, if he had any particular advice about information technology (IT) that he could pass on to me.

He told me that the single most valuable thing he’d learned in years of creating computerised systems for manufacturing and industry was simply the importance of backing up computer data every day.

Each new client would have to be shown the risks involved in not backing up regularly. The potential disaster in terms of loss of business data and sheer time trying to recover or restore data could be averted by simply carrying out the basic procedure of backing up.

External hard disk drive

External hard disks provide an easy and quick way to back-up data.

You may have already experienced the sinking feeling you get as you realise you’ve just lost that document you were working on because of the computer freezing.

Worse still you may have experienced your computer actually appearing to blow up during an electrical storm.

If you’ve backed up your data you’re in a position to get “back up” and running again without major stress and anxiety.

Nowadays all the major operating systems come with back-up software built in. Do you use yours?

Best practice

The best standard is to make three back-ups of your data.

One can be kept on-site, the other two ideally would be stored remotely in two different locations. This is in the event of some sort of major event like your office burning down or your being burgled.

Web site designers at your service

TD’s re-purpose as resource centre

It is now the intention of ours to develop the Tusler-Design web site as a business resource: both for owners of sites and people working on sites on behalf of the owners.

This means we intend to post regular, weekly updates to the new website.

Business focused information in easy to read formats

Each week we post;

  • articles based on our experience in web development
  • news snippets of relevance to website owners
  • insights and tips for improving websites
  • software reviews
  • marketing information
  • additions to our internet resource database

All aimed at giving you new and interesting angles, viewpoints and understanding.

In the course of our every day work we are constantly learning about ways to improve websites, attract more visitors, convert more visits into sales.

As the Internet becomes busier with more and more websites, site owners need to know how to keep improving.

How to get their staff to develop their websites to achieve the best results possible, and then improve again.

The reality is that the Internet is constantly changing as it grows and diversifies. Asking new questions of developers and designers to meet the desires of users.

It is often in facing and overcoming these challenges that progress is called and technology advances.

Favourite Browsers

Mozilla Firefox logo

Mozilla Firefox logo

Do you know which web browser your visitors are using to view your website?

You can find out easily enough by looking in your analytics reports.

If you’re using Google Analytics this information can be found in the Visitors Overview section and is part of the section called Technical Profile.

Tusler-Design’s visitors use five main browsers;

  1. Firefox – 42%
  2. Chrome – 21%
  3. Internet Explorer – 18%
  4. Safari – 15%
  5. Opera – 2%

We can help you monitor and interpret your analytics data.

New website for Tusler Design

At last

Having left making a new site for ages we just got round to publishing this latest offering.

It is using the latest HTML5 markup language via WordPress 3.1 and a template system called ‘Platform’.

Hope you like it, feel free to tell us what you think. How could we improve it?

And of course, tell us how could we help you with your website?