John I. White: DESIGN

Equinox eBusiness Solutions [previous version]
web agency: equinox
design & art direction: John I. White

I loved this version of the equinox website. I replaced my previous incarnation which was to honest pretty poor, with this 2 day rush-job. The result was a visual delight. Fresh, colourful, simple, elegant and human.

The present version which replaced this, has had minimal input from myself. Just a bit of polishing here and there, all of the flash animated banners, and the product and work-flow schematics.

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YHA
web agency: equinox
design & art direction: John I. White

This is the second version of their site that we designed. I loved working on it. Despite my pleas I couldn't get them away from the blue and red scheme but I think the client and I compromised gracefully and sufficiently to produce a fun, attractive and functionally effective and simple website that we're all proud of.

Initial Brief
To develop an online booking system to enable visitors to book any one of the 250+ hostels in England and Wales. Existing site to be given a new visual look and feel with more focus on ’fun and funky’.

Technical Challenge
The site must be able to accommodate over 1 million page impressions per month. In-house Access database to be used to manage online hostel data.

The 'front end' allows the visitor to search for a hostel by using a series of maps. Once located, the hostel information is displayed and can then be booked. Each of the hostels has an administrative 'back end' to process their bookings. The central YHA administrator can also process membership requests, bookings, manage e-mail from the site, upload SQL database information and view site statistics including search engine referral information. This area also manages the central password administration. The site has in excess of 1,000,000 page impressions per month.

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APSO
[graphical and text version sites]
web agency: equinox
design & art direction: John I. White

It was an honour to design and build this site. The client was extremely open-minded and a pleasure to work with.

Initial Brief
To develop a web site to assist and enable APSO to fulfill its mission to contribute to sustainable improvement in the living conditions of poor communities in developing countries. To restructure and simplify the existing APSO web site to enhance usability and reflect the agency's international mission. The site must also cater for low band width in developing countries.

Initial design concepts were developed to reflect the nature of APSO and its international mission. Further focus was placed on making the site a more dynamic and flexible communications tool by providing current news and up-to-the-minute information on jobs, information days and training days. Visitors to the site can download this information in the form of pdf files. We provided updating functionality for E-mail Management, News, Recruitment and Training. In addition, the site is presented in two versions - html and text (to cater for low band width in developing countries) both of which are updated in a single action by APSO.

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DCC
web agency: equinox
design & art direction: John I. White
additional Flash work: M.Killen

Initial Brief
To develop a web site that would reflect the corporate image of DCC plc, with a fresh feel and an emphasis on value added marketing and distribution. The main target audience is the Investment Community, with the emphasis on investor relations.

Design Challenge
The site must reflect the values & qualities of the DCC Group:
Quality, Performance, Excellence, Growth, Leadership, Learning, Strength, Reliability, Robust, Solid, Innovative, Contemporary. The style of this site for DCC was influenced largely by their excellently designed 2000 Annual Report. The inner page mock-up was given immediate approval - the Front page took a little more time with about 10 revisions and enhancement with Flash animation. The end result however does not in my opinion appear laboured.

Technical Challenge
The real technical challenge was the 'Share Price Monitor'; created in Flash - & powered by Flash Turbine'. This was put together by M.Killen a designer on my team. Eventually this will take a live 'real-time' feed from a stock-broker.

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Forfas [Several Websites]:
Forfas
National Accreditation Board
Science.ie
Science Foundation Ireland
Design & Creative Direction:
John I. White

Science & Technology Ireland
Young eBiz
Open Markets
Creative Direction: John White
Design: Mark Killen

Content Pending. The site shown is for the National Accreditation board

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The International Rugby Board [4 websites]
Design on 2
Creative Direction on 2
web agency: equinox

The International Rugby Board, Rugby's official world governing body, commissioned Equinox eBusiness Solutions to design and develop official web sites for their international tournaments.

The First one was for the World Sevens Tournament 2000. We were given 3 days to design and build the front end of the site. We did it!

Each of these sites requires a new, strong and fresh brand image but still must adhere to that of the IRB.

Sites that I designed:

World Sevens Tournament 2000
World Sevens Tournament 2001

Sites that I art directed and provided initial concepts for:

FIRA Aer [under 19s]
IRB Pacific Rim Tournament

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St. John of God
Hospitaller Services
web agency: equinox
design & art direction: John I. White

Another worthy project and fine people to work with.

Initial Brief
To develop a web site that would reflect the modern image of the Order. To act as a guide to the services of the Order. To be an aid to recruitment - St. John of God employs over 2000 medical personnel nationwide. To enable a process for making online donations to the Order. To provide an incentive for persons wishing to enter the Order.

Design Challenge
To present the image of the Order as a modern, professional organisation. To present the range of services provided by the Order. To put across the concept ‘Working in a changing Order’.

Technical Challenge
To provide a facility to enable secure online donations for different world regions. As the Order are a major employer we needed to provide a comprehensive online recruitment facility both for the prospective employee and for the Order's Human Resources department. The system needed to be updated on a daily basis and all processes to be database driven.

Equinox Solution
The site design utilises strong visual imagery of people from all aspects of the St. John of God organisation. By portraying the human aspect we were able to present the valuable work done by organisation. The technical solution revolved around using a fast SQL database to manage all web site data such as job postings, job responses and CVs, donation information, news items and guest book information. The ultimate objective was to empower staff of St. John of God, as much as possible, to manage the web site. Security was facilitated by SSL with strong e-mail encryption.

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Pigmeat Pete Smith

This was a site that I made and still maintain for my late friend Pete Smith. He was the greatest entertainer and musician I've ever known and also one of the most fabulous and positive and witty human beings ever to walk this world. When Pete left us I had some understanding of why many people want to believe in an after-life. Probably the closest I've come to embracing religion.

Hasn't actually happened yet.

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