Recent web design 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 simple websites that are intuitive, fast and a breeze to manage.
The Internet grows up
From paper to screen
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.
Progressive enhancement
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 E92 N55
BMW released their first Driver’s Guide app in 2016. It’s been updated continually with a major overhaul in 2020 and is now optimized for vehicles built from 2014 onwards. Unfortunately, the 2011 335i Coupe missed the cut, so we built a website that delivers similar information but with a more personal touch. It includes the ability to keep a running journal of the owner’s repair and maintenance activity.
Goals
- Build a data resource, not a coffee table book
- Provide access to hard-to-find technical PDF documents
- Offer performance similar to a native smartphone app
- Must perform well globally
- Ability to easily add owner journal components
Details
- WP Engine Advanced Network
- Cloudflare CDN
- Perfmatters performance solutions
- Speculative asset loading system
- Fathom traffic analytics solution
Status: Active
We Love That Name!
We Love That Name is a new business based in Chico, California. It was created to help expectant parents deal with the challenge of naming a new baby. A strong focus of their process is how well a name will “wear” on a child as they grow up and enter adulthood. After a fun interview, WLTN creates a well-researched custom report with a short list of suitable names that might be perfect for that next family member.
Goals
- Conform with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
- Mobile responsive using progressive enhancement
- Score over 90 on Google PageSpeed Insights
- Highlight blog and podcast archives
- Provide direct access to Square Payment Links
Details
- Built on WordPress content management system (CMS)
- GeneratePress Premium theme with custom child theme
- Flywheel hosting with Nginx servers on Google Cloud Platform
- Proprietary caching integrated with Fastly CDN
- Custom transactional email processing using Postmark
Status: Active
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
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 scales beautifully for easy access on any mobile device. 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 and illustrations
- Make mobile responsive and accessible
- Must perform well globally
- Zero tracking cookies
Details
- Extensive use of image galleries
- Server-side page caching solution
- SSL/TLS and HTTP/3 enabled
- Automated daily backup system
- Fathom Analytics solution
Status: Active
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 has been doing the website for our Chico Concours d’Elegance for over 15 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
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
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
Great website design and digital marketing create competitive advantages that differentiate successful organizations, both of which Phil excels at. He is passionate about his work and continuously adapts to the ever-evolving technologies utilized in website development and digital marketing. It was a pleasure working with Phil, sharing ideas and solving technical challenges.
Jeff Collins
Vice President / Information Technology
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
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
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.
