Design

Online design encompasses many challenges for which a versatile and innovative approach is often required.

With the ever increasing number of online channels at a marketeers disposal, not only does the creative need to be compelling in itself, it also needs to be coherent across a multitude of platforms.

Classic Studios’ experienced design team have worked across the breadth of the digital spectra producing high end design solutions across a variety of design disciplines.

The major components of the design process are explained below.

Video

With faster connection speeds and greater penetration of broadband, watching high quality video online has now become a reality.

Classic Studios understand that creating compelling video content online isn’t merely about replicating formulae that work on television, it’s also about devising a video narrative that maximises the potential of the online format.

Flash

The arrival of Flash in 1996 was hailed as the beginning of the end of HTML. Fortunately this was not true.

Initially providing superficial user interaction, Flash has only recently come in to its own. A sophisticated underlying code (Actionscript) now allows for the creation of highly engaging, interactive, functional and intelligent user experiences.

Classic Studios have a great deal of experience with Flash producing display ads, games, microsites and content management tools; as well as using this versatile technology to deliver high quality video and audio.

Interface Design

The variety of projects that we’ve undertaken at Classic Studios has given us the experience to create everything, from simple brochure sites and interactive flash interfaces to large scale ecommerce front ends.

For most business websites simplicity and clarity are key, but in certain scenarios the goal is to encourage users to explore the content in a non-conventional manner requiring a different design approach.

In short, there is no one solution that will fit all scenarios – user goals, business needs and the product or service itself are key factors that need to be considered carefully when creating the optimum website interface.

Illustration

Using illustration in a website can make the difference between an average user experience and one that compels the user to act in accordance with your business goals.

A carefully chosen image or a bespoke creation can be worth a thousand words, so here at Classic Studios we look carefully at the art direction on every page of every website we design; no matter what the subject matter is.

XHTML/CSS

Classic Studios was an early adopter of CSS controlled layouts for web pages and has never looked back.

We also adhere closely to the coding standards set out by the W3C when creating HTML. This aids search engine visibility, allows for backwards and forwards compatibility with browsers and increases accessibility for users using assistive technologies. It also, during the lifespan of a website, should mean its pages are easier to modify and therefore more cost-effective to maintain.

Information Architecture (IA)

In many respects, the key to a successful website is the way the content is organised. A website boasting the best content in the world will soon become a frustrating experience for a user if this content cannot be easily found.

There are many techniques we employ in making sure content is arranged in the most intuitive way, but the process as a whole begins with user profiling.

Deciphering users’ goals as they explore a website and balancing those with the needs of the organisation is the key to building strong Information Architecture.

User Testing

An essential aspect of web interface design is user testing. Input gleaned from real users can be extremely valuable in highlighting issues that may not have been apparent to both client and agency.

At Classic Studios, we strongly encourage our clients to factor user testing into their project timelines and have the equipment and expertise to facilitate such testing at our studios in Shoreditch.

Accessibility

“The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” – Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the World Wide Web)

At Classic Studios we strive to uphold this principle by taking into account the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s recommendations on accessibility when developing websites.