2002-2003
DigiMerc was a fledgling company based in Boulder, Colorado. They offered an appliance security solution accompanied by several types of monitoring software, and were aiming for big clients, and bigger partnerships in the industry. When our partnership began they were armed only with a simple logo, and a simpler brochure website.
- Browser-compatible website design and production including integrated flash animation and DHTML menus
- Custom vector diagrams, illustrations and graphics for web and print
- PHP Calendar & News Content Management with administration tools
- Secure PHP and mySQL-driven client site
- Templates for a Graphic User Interface for two online/client-side applications
- Marketing slicks and software boxes
- Promotion graphics & Email Newsletter template
Being an internet-based company they required a serious online presence. Having a complicated product which demanded detailed explanation, they required diagrams, illustrations, and information-heavy marketing materials. For their web-based monitoring software they required a consistent, clear, and highly customizable interface design. In their highly competitive field, customers expected polished marketing materials at client presentations, training seminars and trade-shows, as well as email marketing materials.
The first phase of the web design and implementation was completed in six weeks. I handled the entire project from mock-ups to browser compatibility testing. In later phases we replaced stock photography with custom illustrations, and implemented light home-brewed php content management for the training seminar calendar, news & events, and functional forms for contact, and "become a partner" pages. The key features of the site were javascript/DHTML subnavigation (very fancy at the time), integrated flash animations, and a preloader for images.
The final site is archived here:
→ http://jennifergergen.com/jag/sites/Digimerc
To illustrate the functions of the products and services offered, I created a series of icons and diagrams. These were used on the web, in presentations, and printed in marketing materials. Their style greatly influenced the brand, and is mirrored in nearly all of the company's design.
DigiMerc offered four key web-based applications as products to their customers which needed to have the new branding and style applied to them: DigiView, Historical Reports Scheduler, Management Server, and the DigiSecure Partner Program. For DigiView, I provided design, and HTML layout and CSS styles. The design was integrated into the actual program at the company. With the Historical Reports Scheduler, and the Management Server, the scope of the projects were much larger. In addition to having many more functions than DigiView, the customer needed to have the ability to choose a color scheme, and add their logo. For these two projects I partnered with developer Stephen McCray, and together, over about 8 weeks each, we completely refitted the JSP applications. The DigiSecure Partner Program was a simpler project resembling a very basic client intranet, and I was able to design and build the site in PHP myself.
Over the 18 months we worked together I produced a number of marketing slicks for the companies various projects and appearances. Eventually I created an all-purpose template which they were able to adapt for all of their needs.
In the process of the company's branding I handled all of their graphic needs, including software boxes, email newsletter templates, and event promotion graphics.
DigiSecure Seal Gold 
DigiSecure Seal Silver 
DigiSecure Seal Blue 
DigiSecure Seal Red 
I did more development and print work for this client than ever before or since. It was exciting and rewarding to moonlight in areas other than my key strengths. With the project I also developed a taste for "holistic" solutions, and the challenges and sense of achievement associated with handling a company's entire visual presentation.
A few years after my work with the company was done, they were taken over by a company called Virtual Armor, which has partnerships with industry giants like Juniper Networks.