Mattern Communications

Acorn Wellness Center Website

sarah — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:08:29 +0000

We worked with Acorn Wellness Center in Oakland, California to design and build a content managed website. The website provides a hub for wellness information, forms for new clients, and integrates with scheduling tools and social networks to provide a holistic web platform for the business.

Gallo Communications Website

sarah — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 01:14:38 +0000

Best-selling author and communications coach, Carmine Gallo, approached us in 2011 about redesigning the Gallo Communications website. We designed a clean interface to showcase Gallo’s articles, books, services and videos. We also coded the WordPress theme and provided training so the Gallo team can easily manage their content over time.

CSUEB Library Web System

sarah — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:30:11 +0000

In 2010, we continued our work with the CSUEB University Library to upgrade the library’s website so that it would integrate nicely with the campus’ new web design. The website serves as the information clearinghouse for the library and includes a main site built with a WordPress CMS to support easy modification of content, as well as a multi-user blogging system for librarians to share content-specific information with students.

Both systems include robust functionality, such as search integration with the library’s book databases, a user-customizable quicklink menu, library hours managed via a Google calendar, customizable banner spaces, and integration with Amazon for book cover images.

We also performed in-person training and created online tutorials and written reference materials to help librarians manage their web content over time.

Incanto Web System

sarah — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:22:10 +0000

We worked with Incanto, an exceptional restaurant in San Francisco, to design and build a clean, unique and inviting website for the business. The website includes a WordPress CMS for simple content management; clean, search-engine friendly code; and a “letters” section for Incanto’s newsletter archive.

Document Management Interface

sarah — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:58:06 +0000

We worked with Santa Fe GIS to design a web-based interface for searching, saving and sharing corporate documents, and we coded the HTML/CSS for the interface. The design is clean, elegant and highly user-friendly.

User-Friendly Web Tools

sarah — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:21:35 +0000

What makes an interface “friendly”? Probably all of the elements that go into good web design– good use of space, line, balance, color, shape, texture, grid, repetition, variety, etc.

Plus something else:

…a sense of humor. And if not outright humor, then at least some lightness so as to not take one’s self (one’s self being the web tool here) too seriously. Just like people, this humor or lightness will make us want to spend time with our web tool, making the design not just “user-friendly,” but also “useful.”

Here are a few user-friendly web tools I’ve been using:

Wufoo Online Form Builder (http://wufoo.com)
MailChimp Email Marketing Tool (http://mailchimp.com)
WordPress Backend (of course) (http://wordpress.org)

Crisp, Photo-Centric CMS Sites

sarah — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:15:42 +0000

Here’s what I’m pinning up on the digital moodboard today: sites with clean, crisp designs; nice details; good use of big photos or content slideshows; and a setup that would work well with a simple CMS.

Fresh starts.

sarah — Sun, 16 May 2010 15:15:16 +0000

Sometimes in life you are graced with the opportunity for a fresh start. After a ten day trip to Europe, I had such an opportunity. I came home full of inspiration for renewing my business, goals and vision. This new website is the first step in that process.

Getting back to work after some time away also helps to remind me of all of the little things I have to be grateful for. One thing I am continually grateful for is the clients I work with. I see our work together as a gift, because it allows me to do work I love and always provides new opportunities for me to grow. I hope my efforts in some way help my clients do the same.

This guy is another one of life’s many gifts. He is the current mascot for Mattern Co. because he is a reminder to find joy in as many moments as possible. (If you call us, it is also very likely that you will hear him barking in the background.)

So, we are happy you stopped by! If you think you might be able to use our services, why don’t you give us a call? We’d love to learn about you and what you’re up to.

Peet’s Coffee Microsite Design

sarah — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:30:48 +0000

We worked with Peet’s Coffee to design and code a microsite providing information about Peet’s sustainable partnerships with African coffee growers. We also helped design a Facebook application used for a related coffee giveaway campaign.

City of Richmond Green Building Presentation

sarah — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:30:19 +0000

We worked with the consulting firm Sustainable Design Resources to create an animated multimedia presentation for the City of Richmond’s LEED Certified Civic Center buildings. The presentation plays on HD monitors in Civic Center lobbies to educate and inspire the public about green building.