Design Concepts for School Websites

WHAT IS A CONCEPT?

A concept is defined as a notion in the mind, an abstract idea or a process that builds thoughts. It is a logical foundation, a structure or building block on the path to a clear plan of action.  A design concept is therefore the thinking behind a design, the thought process used to develop a creative idea. This idea then gives the design meaning, structure and thus direction. A design without the initial concept can lose its value and be nothing more than decoration. Famous creative designer Petrula Vrontikis summed it up well when she quipped “Practice safe design. Use a concept!” So how does this relate to the building of  school websites? The concept becomes a design-style, which requires choices around colour, typeface and themes. For us here at Concept4 this is the important creative starting point in generating a school website. Indeed, our very name incorporates the term ‘concept’ and this is at the very heart of what we do. We have built hundreds of websites for schools but each one has its own creative story and unique positive outcome.

WORKING WITH SCHOOLS

It is your school and will be your website, so the process of preparation, collaboration and feedback is critical to making your website project a triumph. It is a lot more than just picking a colour scheme…oh yes, your school colours! We certainly want to know what design features you like and dislike, anything you have been impressed by and thus what to you success might look like for your new website. Having said that our whole process is designed to minimise time and effort from yourselves. Ultimately, we are the experts in educational websites and you do not have the time to immerse yourselves in school marketing know-how. As such, we are confident that from our initial discussions our first design concept will impress and require little iteration. Feedback is most welcome at this stage, of course, and design tweaks and refinements will be accommodated until you are 100% happy. Your education consultant will also be working with our creative designers to find that extra spark, the ‘X factor’ for your school website which can elevate the original concept to the next level. This fantastic group of creatives also work closely with our development team in what is genuinely a collective effort and greater than the sum of its parts. 

RESULTS DAY

So the look and feel of the website is finalised. The site is now built, the content management system (CMS) added and fully populated with your content (watch out….not all providers include this). Once everything is checked over and approved it is time for Go Live day! We are now like the expectant GCSE student on results day. That you love your new website is very important to us. The good news is that we are the equivalent of one of your star pupils, as through your help, we get consistently great results. Even better news is that your great design concept is built on and enhanced by our very own WordPress CMS. This is a CMS built specifically for schools and continually developed to make website administrators’ lives easier. Our training will quickly enable you and your team to feel comfortable and confident on the system. No one wants a great looking site that is hard work to administer. Throw in some stunning professional photography and/or video content and you have something to be very proud of. We certainly are proud of the websites we produce. We also manage the site hosting and provide friendly and timely technical support. Check out some of our recent projects here, and let us work together on a great design Concept 4 your school website soon!