We're very close to launching the new design for the Schweitzer web site. This update is more substantial than a design refresh, it is a complete overhaul. One of my first goals when I came on staff was to migrate away from using static pages for the web site. Last year we implemented a Joomla system that has served us fairly well, but is severely lacking in workflow tools tht will let us empower each ministry to maintain their section of the web site. This year we've made the leap to typo3 and the Web Empowered Church platform. Over the next week I'll be writing about several of the components of this migration.
To launch our WEC powered web site required:
- installing and learning the WEC/typo3 platform (then later upgrading typo3 to 4.1)
- designing a custom template for the templaVoila plugin
- reforming our content to fit a new hierarchy then migrating the content
- casting the vision for the myConnection section of the web site
- implementing http compression
I'm presenting the final layout and structure to the full staff on Monday after getting the sign off from Bob, our senior pastor, on Thursday. We'll do content migration from the existing site this week and start shooting myConnection videos next week. The goal is to launch the site on Palm Sunday. Special thanks to the folks who stuck around during Media Lab on Wednesday night to help hash out the action based content hierarchy, but more about that later.