Visual design: “Ongoing maintenance” for CiviCRM

This one is similar to yesterday's discussion of feature improvements, but different enough that I think it's worth mentioning.

What it is:

At some point you may decide that you’d like some part of CiviCRM to look “better.”

Usually, this comes up when your public-facing forms don't fit “exactly right” with your website’s visual theme. But I've also had clients who want specific layout or styling changes in CiviCRM’s back-office area too.

Who can do it:

Whether it's the front-end forms or the back-end layouts, your probably going to need outside help with this.

There's the design work itself - that, defining what the desired design should look like - and there's the implementation of it - that is, actually making the online content look as it should.

Just a with feature improvements, these are both very technical skills that you probably don't have in-house.

The difference is this:

Whereas feature improvements will usually require an experienced CiviCRM extension developer, the visual design improvements can often be handled by your existing WordPress or Drupal specialist. If you have a good relationship with such a provider, it's definitely worth asking them about it.

And, if you also have an advisory relationship with a CiviCRM specialist, they may also be willing to consult with you CMS designer to answer any technical questions they might have.

In summary:

• The designing and the implemention will require specialized skills and tools. This is a good candidate for outsourcing.

• Your CMS (WordPress or Drupal) specialist can probably handle this, though they may benefit with some advice from your CiviCRM specialist.

All the best,
A.