Web Design
Mark works as a freelance Web designer. He’s a “hired gun” for designing or improving Web pages, editing, and ghostwriting projects.
Qualifications:
I have a B.A. in Communications with a strong background in broadcasting, journalism, and writing.
I have extensive experience in Web design, publication design, editing and proofreading.
I began Web design work in 1999 while working for the Alaska Department of Education School-to-Work program. Starting in 2000 I served as Publications Specialist for the Alaska Commission on Aging within the AK Department of Administration (later moved to the Department of Health & Social Services) developing a senior-friendly Web site that specialized in readability, accessibility, and simplicity to accommodate the large number of dial-up and slow speed connections around the state in those days. The senior site received national recognition as a positive example of senior-oriented usability.
My duties expanded to provide these services for all of the Division of Senior Services (DSS) until 2006. During that time I designed the DSS site, then redesigned it within strict uniformity guidelines set down by a new Governor. As a Publications Specialist III for the State of Alaska, I also wrote and edited professional journals, brochures, invitations to state functions, and other publications. This experience lends strong design and writing skills that exceed Web work, while contributing positively to it.
I began doing casual freelance work in 2005, designing Web sites for family businesses and consulting with other Web designers on their work.
I specialize in simple designs that load quickly and help the viewer find the information they need. This involves minimizing or avoiding distractions such as:
- poor color combinations
- overly dense text
- bells and whistles such as Flash screens, hidden mouse over links, and other “whizbang” page elements
While these look great, add an air of elegance (and often mystery!) to a page, and are fun to build and play with if a viewer has the time and inclination, they often distract a user from finding the information they seek, sometimes to the point of preventing them from finding it altogether.
A sampling of sites I’ve developed:
Our Family Homepage, AKZeigers.com
Existing Sites I’ve Redesigned:
Methods:
I work from the homestead via satellite Internet. We have cellphone connectivity, Skype, and Twitter.
Fees:
Basic Web Design Fee: $75/hr. No minimum. I generally round to the nearest half hour, and allow accumulation of hours to a decent pay level. I am willing to negotiate work within set contract amounts as well.
No limitations on number of pages (other than budgetary considerations!).
Fee for URL: I do not charge a fee, but clients purchase a URL through a service provider that also hosts the site. I recommend GoDaddy.Com, which is pretty reliable and inexpensive–about $10.00 or less per year for a 3 year contract. I can’t provide server space myself. Having a client purchase space directly through GoDaddy.com allows them to perpetuate the site beyond their contract with me, leaving them free to seek improvements from other designers if desired.
Fee for updates, alterations, and additions is the same as design, $75/hr.
Turn around time for alterations and additions is generally two days or less. We generate our own power, and do have periods where we can’t access the Internet as a result. These low periods rarely exceed two days. Most changes can be made as soon as I hear of them.
Contact Me:
Email me at AKZeigers@Gmail.com with your design needs. If you get no response, please try blog comments on any post.
Haines Arpt., AK