Welcome to the web portfolio of Michael C. Patten. I am an independent web developer and consultant. I build rich, accessible web experiences for all budgets. I primarily take on full service web design projects, but I also offer auxiliary services such as branding, market research, analytics and consulting.
Portfolio - Simple Portfolio pages for individuals & small businesses: from $850
Enterprise - Scalable, content managed sites for competitive business entities: from $2500
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A well-designed website balances beauty with simplicity and intuitive interaction. It wows the user on their first visit, but allows them to easily navigate the site's content - regardless of what browser they are using, or what plugins they have installed.
The general process I follow when building a website can be broken down as follows:
1. Discover 2. Design 3. Develop 4. Deploy 5. AuxiliaryBefore I begin a project, I need to understand my client's business. Gathering this information helps me to define a set of deliverables.
We meet. You define your needs and expectations; I offer advice on the best way to move forward.
I get to know your industry and how well your competition is represented on the web.
This helps me to develop ideas and strategies moving forward.
Once I know how to proceed, I put together a formal proposal. This package includes sketches, outlines & and a detailed breakdown of the project.
The discovery phase continues. I provide you with preliminary designs and receive feedback through a set number of revisions (usually, one or two rounds will do the trick).
Design is the process of conceiving the overall structure of the project. This process can be broken down as follows:
Working from initial sketches and concepts, I build polished graphical templates. I select paragraph and titling fonts, and a colour palette.
Next, I visually arrange the content. By wire-framing and prototyping different ideas, I
attempt to achieve flow and balance.
The framework by which the website's content is organized. It is important to build a simple yet robust framework that is easy to navigate.
How does a user interact with your website? This can include many elements both simple and complex; from menus and icons to widgets, multimedia players, and interactive objects. A well designed U.I. looks good and enhances site navigation.
Once the design elements are solidified, I convert them into a logically programmed website.
I use a combination of graphics, scripting and data management solutions that allow me to execute just about any development challenge I’m faced with.
My web pages are built in valid HTML ⁄ CSS and tested on all modern browsers (ie6 testing is
done on request), mobile devices and screen readers for maximum accessibility of content.
With the use of modern scripting libraries and applications (jQuery, Flash and Ajax) I can develop rich, interactive content. Whether it's loading data on the fly, building complex interactive objects or inline streaming of multimedia files; anything is possible.
xHTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ajax, Flash, PHP, SQL, XML, RSS, CMS & eCommerce solutions.
Once the website has been fully developed, it needs to be deployed. For small and medium scale projects I handle the deployment myself, but for large-scale sites a larger back-end team may be required.
Though I do not provide hosting or DNS registration services, I can help assist you through with the process.
Without proper configuration, your website
may not run properly. I can handle FTP & email account setup, server ⁄ control panel administration, uploading files and configuring the apache ⁄ php ⁄ sql settings.
Standard security features are a required measure in retaining data and preventing attacks. From htaccess restrictions & folder permissions to SSL certificates, I can do it.
Setting up an automatic backup system for your databases can help prevent disaster.
I also do a lot of consulting work that can be complementary to the web creation process.
I build & revamp brand identities, and implement existing brands into modern web formats.
By executing and utilizing market research studies, I help my clients optimize their business presence online. Using an abundance of tools provided by Google, and other modern think-
tanks, I help my clients test page-conversion rates, isolate high turnover advertising streams and maximize their return on investment.
Social networks are amongst the most viewed pages online today. By building a network of friends and colleagues, businesses are able to market themselves, virally, at next to no cost.
When a client's needs are beyond the scope of my studio, I can provide information regarding what they need and where they can get it.
When my mom decided to start her own counselling practice, I thought it would be a nice idea to make her a web page. It was important for her to have something with a clean, attractive layout and the ability to update the content herself.
visit siteWhen I was approached by independent film makers The Butler Brothers, about rebuilding their website, it sounded like a fun opportunity. They already had a bit of a brand Identity, but they were looking to expand on it by building something with a 70's feel. They also needed something to manage their content, as they "blog" frequently, and wanted something that was easy to update.
visit siteEarthling Concerned is an independent blog and world issues site. At the time I was approached, they were looking for development of their brand, creation of a logo and a custom Wordpress theme to run on their own Domain. Early on, we discussed the idea of a newspaper design, and I was given the go-ahead to "run with it".
visit siteEdgewood Grove is a modern Rhythm and Blues band based in Toronto. They needed a website that allowed them to stream sample mp3s, inform their fans of upcoming shows, post videos & downloads and share their thoughts with the world.
visit siteI am an Independent web designer and consultant based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.* I have no management layer, so my clients get to deal with me directly. I also run a very low- overhead operation, enabling me to offer extremely competitive pricing.
If you have work related inquiries or are interested in hiring me, please fill out the form to the right.
* Canadian owned & operated.
