Visit live site: www.kiwanis.org
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. Kiwanians are volunteers changing the world through service to children and communities. Kiwanis members help shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, mentor the disadvantaged, and care for the sick.
The Kiwanis brand has grown to a rich visual style that, in print, tells the Kiwanis story very effectively. The time came for Kiwanis.org to match that level of impact. The first step was to assess the target audience, define goals, and figure out how to segment the geographic regions. With more than 600,000 active members, the Kiwanis.org demographic is very complex. In addition to the usual assortment of web browsers and operating systems, Kiwanis International’s scope requires that the website be viewed from 90+ nations all over the world, and with a variety of technologies. In Europe, for example, more visitors browse with cell phones than computers.
The Kiwanis team provided a list of requirements, definitions, landing page elements and a print graphic standards manual. Four web design drafts were presented to Kiwanis; each introduced more visual interest and a better use of the wonderful branding already at their disposal. We collaborated with the Kiwanis team to fine-tune the chosen design to meet the needs of the marketing department and the requirements of the IT department. The design was integrated with DotNetNuke, a CMS that the client chose to fit the existing workflow and server architecture.
We started with a very basic XHTML page structure, which can be read by any computer or mobile device. Cascading Style Sheet technology gives Kiwanis the ability to select the appropriate visual style for the appropriate browsing device. A computer with a monitor might be fed one style for the home page (a five-column layout), while a mobile device might be delivered a single column of text with no left-to-right scrolling.
The flexible five-column layout of the site allows Kiwanis to have enough room to inform the first-time visitor about the multitude of activities. The columns have some whimsy of their own, as elements stretch horizontally across multiple columns.
Dan Finney Design also helped Kiwanis International use new media to present updated information at its live conventions. We created a Flash slideshow on the Kiwanis site that draws images out of a Flickr account. Kiwanis can give out its Flickr password to a few trusted people who take pictures at conventions. These photographers can immediately upload the photos they take with their cell phones to Flickr, or wait until they get back to their hotel and upload from their room. As soon as the photos are posted on Flickr.com, the Flash file automatically displays these photos on the Kiwanis site.
“As a project manager for the Kiwanis International Web team, I was very impressed with Dan Finney Design. Working with DFD made a complex redesign manageable and orderly. The main web site design and structure was created with branding consistency and future growth in mind. Drafts and consultation on best practices repeatedly went beyond our expectations—always a good sign!
DFD's expertise across multiple platforms, architecture, and content was top-notch. Customer service is clearly a high priority, and the continued support never wavered once the core project was launched. Dan Finney Design's partnership approach to our projects makes future collaborations a no-brainer.”
Angela Evans
Web Communications Manager
Kiwanis International