RunRev.com gets a facelift
Design for useability

by Bill Marriott

If you haven't been to runrev.com lately, it's time to take a fresh look. With the release of the new Revolution 2.9, our website also received an overhaul to communicate the higher standards of quality and responsiveness to customers we've set for ourselves going forward.

The new Revolution web site

The new site is driven by a custom content management system (CMS) written by the Runtime consulting group, headed by Ben Beaumont.

The previous site was not database-driven, and each page was crafted by hand. This made it difficult to update and respond to changes in the product or customer demands. The new site changes all that. Updates can be made easily. The entire navigation structure can be reorganized just by drag-and-drop, with changes reflected instantly.

A new, slate-grey look expresses the maturation of the Revolution product line. Consistent with the new box art, the style reflects the attention to detail and support for modern technology included with Revolution 2.9.

Importantly, information about the Revolution family is more cleanly organized. Features and benefits are presented logically. It's easier for visitors to learn what makes Revolution distinct from other development tools, and select the edition that's right for them.

"In our previous web site, there were actually two different comparison tables describing the Revolution editions we sell," said Kevin Miller, Runtime Revolution CEO. "And that's if customers were able to find them."

The online store is now much easier to navigate, which was a major area of confusion for customers in the past. It's more obvious how to take advantage of coupon codes. If there are discounts available, those are clearly shown as you view your basket. The checkout process is cleaner and more streamlined.

For current and prospective customers, a new "Developer" center brings together all the materials we have to offer that help you get the most out of using Revolution. You'll find dozens of tutorial and example stacks, archives of the newsletter, and white papers.

Eventually the user forums and Revolution Quality Control Center will acquire the new "look and feel" of the main site. Additional content and features will also be added to the core section.

Already the redesign is having a positive impact. More site visitors are going beyond the first page of the site, spending longer there, and viewing more pages.

"For years I have been following developments at your site, and I was pleasantly surprised to visit your "new look" for 2.9! So much so, that all I want to do in this little e-mail is say: ***many compliments to those who worked so hard behind the screens...***"
-- Martin van Zanten, Revolution User

Do you have comments and ideas for the new site? Let us know by writing to editor@runrev.com. We'd love to know what you think of the new look newsletter too!