Front-end Development
We take the outputs from the visual design phase and deliver pixel-perfect implementations in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Our front-end development team has over 30 years’ combined experience in creating front-end code to be used in website builds. That means we know how to build websites that work. We develop web standard compliant sites that are responsive by default, taking a 'mobile-first' approach to design and development.
Techniques we use
Web standards compliant development
All our government websites are built to Web Accessibility Standard 1.1 and Web Usability Standard 1.3. We make sure users have full content access then add enhancements on top of these standards to provide a more feature-rich experience on capable browsers.
Responsive and mobile friendly development
All our builds are fully responsive, rendering well on screens of any size. We develop responsive solutions depending on site requirements, using HTML/CSS frameworks as required.
Performance and SEO optimisation
We use a range of techniques to minimise page load times, including minifying CSS and JavaScript, using SVG to reduce page load requests, and server-side and client-side caching. We use best practice methods for SEO optimisation, including correct use of semantic markup.
CMS integration and template markup
All our developers are ‘full-stack’. That means they understand the requirements of writing front-end code that can be easily integrated into back-end systems. We use template markup to maintain separation between code and templates, allowing for easier development, maintenance, and improvements to the front end.
Data visualisation
We use a variety of tools to create rich, interactive data visualisations that transform such data-heavy sources as spreadsheets, XML, and data APIs into attractive graphical displays.
Interactive widgets
We have a wealth of experience in creating tools or widgets to meet your needs. Recent examples include online calculators and configurable decision trees. If you need an interactive widget, we’re up for the challenge.
Case study
For the Electoral Commission (EC), we created two sites, elections.nz and vote.nz, that are responsive and web standards compliant. They meet AA accessibility standards, based on a common visual design style guide.
We utilised the Silverstripe Subsite module which allowed us to create two sites on the same CWP instance. This simplified the content management process for the EC editors, making both sites editable via one common interface, and allowed for the seamless sharing of content between the sites, using a common library of front-end elements and styles.
We built 40+ distinct page types, custom forms, and an on-page language selector to switch between English, te reo Māori and NZSL. We customised the SOLR search and created bespoke areas in the template for short-term campaigns, and an optimised map experience to help users find electorates and voting places.