Recent projects
Simple doesn’t mean cheap, cheesy or plain. Simple means putting the visitor ahead of the client — and sometimes that’s not so easy. At Ern Berck Digital we build elegant websites that are intuitive, fast and a breeze to manage.
The problem
When the web began to conquer the world in the 1990s, graphic designers started migrating from paper to pixels. The browser window — like the paper page before it — was treated as a known constraint upon which designers imposed their will.
But there’s a big problem with this approach. Whereas a piece of paper has fixed dimensions, a browser window could be any size. There’s no way for a web designer to know in advance what size any particular person’s browser window will be.
The solution
In April 2010 web designer Ethan Marcotte proposed a solution he borrowed from the world of architecture: Responsive design. He suggested that maybe websites could change and adapt according to the needs of the user’s internet device.
This approach has been adopted by most web designers, and it’s been standard practice for many years. We’ve expanded on this concept to include an incremental approach to programming called progressive enhancement. It typically has three steps:
- Identify required core functionality.
- Make that functionality available using the simplest possible technology.
- Layer on additional features and functionality that can be used by more advanced devices.
The benefit of using progressive enhancement is a more powerful website that can better react to unexpected circumstances — Like weird browsers, clumsy thumbs, flaky network connections, and obsolete internet devices.
Welcome to the mobile web
We build complex systems that work on dinky screens.
BMW Art Cars
Since 1975, 19 international artists have created BMW Art Cars. The collection was the brainchild of French race car driver and art aficionado Hervé Poulain. In collaboration with BMW Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch, Poulain asked his artist friend Alexander Calder to design a car. Calder agreed, and his creation would become the first of a global sensation. The site is not affiliated with BMW.
Goals
- Provide a showcase for the official BMW Art Cars
- Document the history of BMW Art Cars
- Create archive of BMW Art Car photographs
- Make mobile responsive and accessible
- Must perform well globally
Details
- Extensive use of image galleries
- WP Engine Advanced Network
- Cloudflare CDN with Polish image optimization
- SSL/TLS and HTTP/3 enabled
- Custom transactional email processing
Status: Active
Bendini Lambert and Locke
Design concept for a sophisticated law firm that works with small to medium-sized businesses. Every effort was made to eliminate cliche images and arbitrary functionality (sliders, video, accordions, etc). The website is mostly conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA website accessibility guidelines. The site was built with a WordPress block editor and delivers high-performance on all mobile devices.
Directives
- Target audience is small to medium-sized business owners
- Visual appeal extremely important
- Social media integration with LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook
- Must be fast and perform well on mobile devices
- Pages should be easily printable and downloadable in PDF format
Challenges
- Most law firm websites are pretty bad, with some notable exceptions
- Terminology inconsistent across many law firm websites
- Mobile display is a priority, but must function well on desktop
- Must be conformant with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards (at least)
- Client involvement with site may be limited
Status: Concept
Monika Bistro
Design concept for an upscale diner with an affluent, yet down-to-earth, clientele. Open daily from 5am to 2pm, the stylish restaurant serves breakfast and lunch with an unusual flair. It accepts no reservations, and makes all breads, sauces, and pastries in-house. The site was built with the WordPress block editor, and has built-in access to social media feeds — including Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Directives
- Primary target audience is affluent breakfast diners
- Visual appeal extremely important
- Ability to interact with reservation and delivery systems
- Social media integration with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn
- Menus should be easily printable and avialble in PDF format
Challenges
- Mobile display is a priority, but must function well on desktop
- High quality image optimization and storage
- Must be conformant with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
- Client interaction may be limited
- May require integration with local delivery services
Status: Concept
Ern Berck Digital designed my company’s website and continues to maintain and improve it. The finished site was so beautifully designed and we have clients tell us frequently that it is easy to navigate and full of good information. Phil made a process that could have been intimidating very easy. He’s an expert in his field, great to work with and I would recommend Ern Berck Digital to anyone looking to have an outstanding online presence.
Kristen Wilson
Mortgage Consultant
Von Wyk Architects
This is a development website for a potential client in the architecture field. The technical requirements include very high-quality image rendering on both desktop and mobile devices. The site also requires built-in access to social media feeds, including Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. The solution is being designed entirely with the WordPress Block Editor and minimal use of additional plugins.
Directives
- Primary target audience is affluent California residents
- Extensive use of image galleries
- Visual appeal extremely important
- Possible European audience
- Must include an automated Instagram feed
Challenges
- Desktop is priority, but must function well on mobile
- High quality image optimization and storage
- Image requirements may demand a content delivery network (CDN)
- Client interaction limited to Instagram publishing
- Design subject to frequent change
Status: Concept
Network Mortgage
Network Mortgage is an independent residential mortgage broker located in Chico, California. Their last website was built in August 2017, and needed a complete redesign due to major changes in the WordPress CMS editing platform.
Goals
- Redesign 2017 website to run on WordPress 5.8 platform
- Migrate text-based content to new block editing system
- Improve performance on mobile devices
- Simplify site architecture and code base
- Reduce dependence on arbitrary images
- Prepare for implementation of Google Core Web Vitals
Details
- Built with GeneratePress Pro theme framework
- Site uses only core blocks and GenerateBlocks
- Low-maintenance image management program
- Partial conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
- Postmark transactional email service
- Cloudflare nameservers
Status: Active
Vermeer Medical Spa
Design concept for a medical spa (sort of a cross between a medical center and a day spa) in New Mexico. Med spas deal with patient information, so are subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Other priorities include page load speed, and high-quality image rendering on all devices. The site has an overall minimalist feel, with somewhat mysterious black and white photographs, coupled with muted colors and subtle graphics.
Directives
- Target audience is affluent women living in New Mexico
- Minimalist design with bold imagery
- Visual appeal extremely important
- Possible national audience
- Social media integration with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn
Challenges
- Desktop display is priority, but must function well on mobile
- High quality image optimization and storage
- Conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
- Client availability and interaction is limited
- Requires strict compliance with HIPAA regulations
Status: Concept
Ern Berck has been doing the website for our Chico Concours d’Elegance for a number of years. I can’t speak highly enough of them. They are smart, prompt, efficient and totally dedicated. The Best! They really, really know their stuff.
Gary Estep
Chief of Concours
Chico Concours d’Elegance
Founded in 1979, the Chico Concours d’Elegance car show was established to bring exceptional and beautiful automobiles to Northern California. This popular annual event is one of oldest running car shows in the nation. We’ve been managing their site for 22 years. A completely new site was launched in May 2023.
Goals
- Provide a showcase for the annual car show
- Document the show’s rich history and heritage
- Provide up-to-date event and registration information
- Integrate tightly with Facebook and Instagram accounts
- Create an archive of event and winner photos
- Integrate with social media accounts for easy sharing
Details
- Custom-built image galleries
- Server-side page caching solution
- SSL and HTTP/2 enabled
- Nginx web server with EverCache architecture
- Automated daily backup system
Status: Active
SLR Moss
Slrmoss.com is a showcase for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss road car. To appeal to collectors, dealers and auction houses, the site was designed specifically for widescreen desktop displays. However, it also features a progressive web application (PWA) core for easy access on any mobile device — Online or off. The site is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Mercedes-Benz or McLaren Automotive.
Goals
- Provide a showcase for the SLR Moss road car
- Document the car’s history and development
- Create an archive of photos, videos and illustrations
- Aggregate SLR Moss news and press releases
- Make mobile responsive and accessible
Details
- Extensive use of image galleries
- Server-side page caching solution
- SSL and HTTP/2 enabled
- Automated daily backup system
- Full progressive web application (PWA) functionality
Status: Active
Egan Electric
Founded in 1991, Egan Electric is a full-service electrical contractor located in Chico, California. They offer a diverse selection of electrical services, and have extensive experience with residential and commercial construction. They also install and maintain lighting control, home automation systems, and solar arrays.
Goals
- Add more useful and relevant content
- Improve performance on mobile
- Increase number of online leads
- Improve navigation and usability
- Enhance search engine rankings
- Add more useful and relevant content
Details
- WordPress content management system (CMS)
- SSL and HTTP/2 enabled
- Nginx web server with EverCache architecture
- Complies with accessibility standards
- Mobile responsive with progressive enhancement
Status: Active
Status notes
- Active: Indicates a live website — belonging to a thriving business — that has been updated frequently, and regularly maintained. It may be managed by Ern Berck or the client. In either case, the original design and content has only been improved upon.
- Concept: Indicates a fictional website developed to show layout, color, typography, and navigation ideas. It may contain placeholder content (text in Latin or other gibberish), and stock images. Typically, design concepts are not indexed by search engines, and have not been optimized for performance or usability. They are for demonstration purposes only. Think of concepts as rough drafts.
- Modified: Indicates a live website — belonging to a genuine business — that has been significantly altered from its original form by the owner. Unfortunately, these changes are usually not improvements, and needed updates have most likely not been applied. Sample screenshots may or may not be representative of the current website.
Practical knowledge matters.
Experienced designers cost more. And experience rarely means programming skills. It means a broad understanding of the Web and how people use it. Reducing complex systems into simple interfaces that work on dinky screens is a skill that improves with practice.
