Case Study - The Olive Net B2B Website
Requirements
When Olive Net needed a new B2B website (this one), the requirements were:
- Simple to manage.
- Present a clean, professional image.
- Allow easy online update and maintenance.
- Support functionality such as multiple administrator accounts and form submission (our contact form).
- A fast, economical implementation.
- Room to easily add to site functionality in the future.
Solution
We used a Content Management System to implement the site. In line with our policy of not implementing over-complex solutions we chose "CMS Made Simple", a high quality and extremely user friendly CMS which allows simple application of our design 'templates' that you see throughout the site.
Assessment
The choice of software was ideal and the time spent on producing the website has been approximately 70% content, 20% design, 10% software installation. The result is a clean, attractive site which is ideal for its task. No needless complexity, no expensive custom application development, good support and a good selection of extra functions available at no additional cost.
Adding a content page to the Olive Net B2B site. Note the word processor type editor and simple, clean interface.
Cost
A CMS portal similar to this website would cost between £2000 and £5000 depending on the complexity of the design and extended functionality required.
Olive Net Services
- E-commerce systems
- Content Management Systems (CMS).
- Web application development
- Website design
- Community websites (forums etc)
- Database design
- Open source software
- Speaking plain English
We place particular emphasis on the last point. Olive Net is owned and run by ex British military and we know that clear and concise is good, not 'techno-babble'. We will tell you straight and plain in your own language. No bluff, no hidden catches.
Technology
We develop web applications in the PHP or Java programming languages, normally using the MySQL database management system. In general PHP will be used for smaller applications and Java (JEE5 - JSF, EJB, Facelets) for larger ones.
Our web pages will be produced based on HTML / CSS / Javascript / Ajax / XML, and we always develop according to the standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), ensuring error free and cross-browser compliant web pages.
How to do it
We have a very practical approach to getting a web application online, and because of this we can develop better and more robust software, faster and to a lower budget. What we believe:
- Use available open source software if high quality and well supported, and especially if free. Examples of such software include Forums and Content Management Systems.
- Get the design right.
- Make the available software better. We develop customer modifications and enhancements to open source software as well as supporting community development.
- Develop a custom application when necessary. We develop small to medium scale custom applications.
- Make software robust. flexible, secure and 'future-proof'.
We use our own and open web application software in the largest military website chain in the UK, for both business management and our websites themselves. We know what makes a software system good and we understand the demands of growth.