systemantics

A website is generally viewed as a design product, like a brochure or a corporate identity. This is only partly correct. In professional website production, a website is mainly a product of set of specifications all relating to each other. These specifications include a visual specification, which is created by a designer; an information architecture, which is created by an information architect; and a specification for the information integration, which is created by a computer scientist. All these specifications are based on goals for the website, stated by marketing or financial experts.

During the production process, the different specifications are merged into an individual piece of software. Like every software, this is more an engineering product than a result of uncontrolled creativity. Being an engineering product means that both the production process and its outcome are predictable. Both factors are very important if budgets are to be held and deadlines are to be met.

When creating a website, we work together in very close collaboration with design agencies. Usually this is the agency with which you are working already, but we can also arrange contacts. We believe that this way everyone can concentrate on what he or she can do best, and the resulting whole will be more than the parts. The main advantage for the client is that he or she gets a professional concept which satisfies the requirements best. Moreover, with the consultancy and expertise of Systemantics added, it is ensured that the website is fully integrated into the client's existing information architecture. It is likely that we can improve this architecture, too.

Websites are mostly seen as a marketing instrument for companies. This leads to the view of a website as another independent matter like a brochure, a flyer, or a business card. But what if you think about the customer's needs? Websites communicate dynamic instead of static information. Customers expect the most recent and most detailed information on a website. They regard the website as the most direct connection to the company.

Therefore, a website has to be seen as an interface to corporate information, like a window to your company. This view opens a new way of thinking. There is no longer ›the website‹ which has to be maintained from time to time via a content management system in order to present up-to-date information. Instead, the website should act as a window to the company's information base.

Of course this view brings up new challenges. Not all information in the company is allowed to be seen by any visitor from outside. Moreover, the information is usually not marketing-ready, and has to be preprocessed before publishing. Systemantics is at your side when you are ready to face these challenges.