hi chaps. need to build an accessible cms site for a client, whats best approach?

[helter3]

So need to build a basic site for client (5 or 6 pages) but it must be accessible chiefly for visually impaired so have css altering the text size. Secondly it ideally needs to be updatable by the client.

Havent used wordpress, drupal, joomla etc, would these be flexible and easy/quick enough to use an existing design and make it cms/accessible? Or am I better off starting from scratch coding wise and integrating some simplecms type mechanism? Then control the whole content with separate css for text sizes?

Bottom line is I’m looking for something cheap simple and quick to achieve 1.accessibility and 2. cms, as the client isnt paying big bucks (theyve done the design just need it coded).

Any thoughts?

[stevendeeds]

Wordpress, WordPress, WordPress. Start with the Starkers Theme, which is completely naked. Then build from there. Use style.css for your styling. and obviously, you can do a stylesheet specifically for visually impaired ppl.

[TheDoc]

I’m unbelievably biased because it’s intertwined with my job so much, but I really do love WordPress.

If you haven’t used Drupal or Joomla before you will most certainly be overwhelmed with it. Not only is WordPress simple, it is also becoming extremely powerful.

[chrisburton]

As a former Starkers Theme user, that theme is pretty heavy. I would go with the HTML5 Theme. Not only is it very light but obviously uses HTML5 and is based off of the Blank Theme from DigWP.

[OniLinkCR]

I am a WordPress fanboy as well. I tried, TRIED to use Drupal and Joomla, but just… no.

[helter3]

Ok, WordPress it is! Thanks all of you for the replies!

By the way working as designers, when a client comes with the CMS type brief, do you go ahead and use WordPress off the bat? I’ve been out of the game for a few years and back then I was creating my own php backend to serve editable elements, which was really un-cost-effective time wise! Is using CMS solutions like WordPress et al now the accepted/acceptable thing to use over coding something ourselves from scratch? I know the client is very much on a need-to-know basis as to what we create their solution with, but just wondering…..

[TheDoc]

I actually use WordPress as a selling feature. “Not only will I create a site that suits your every need, I’ll integrate this amazing product into it that will enable you to edit and manage your own site!” – something like that.

[OniLinkCR]

Well it depends. I first ask if the client wants to edit his/her own content. If they say yes, I quote the time it takes me to integrate WP.

If they say no, I just serve them the static content that we come up with based on the IA of the site.

[helter3]

Hi Onilink and thanks.

Two q’s; What do you mean by ‘IA of the site’ ?

And as matter of interest how much time would you say wordpress takes over builiding a conventional static? I was kind of hoping, once I’d learnt it, it would be as quick, in fact quicker!

[OniLinkCR]

Information Architecture. This is something you propose to the client. Most people know they want a website or already have one, but most don’t even know where to start and organize the information or what the blocks of content will be displayed on the front page, or what’s even important and isn’t. How many sections and subsections will the site have, etc. It’s pretty straightforward, you can do it using a flow-chart/organizational chart, that’s how I do it. The client revises it, makes changes (they always do :)) and that’s that.

And for your second question, it usually takes me maybe a week more as I have to style up comments, blog posts, etc, etc. Cheers :)

[Author]

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