Database and Web Design

[KelVarnsen]

I am looking for help with designing several websites along with database. Suggestions on what to use, or who to use?

Thanks.

[zamler]

Need a bit more info. Webhost/platform you are using for starters. Or you are starting from scratch? What kind of website?

[MickMcGeough]

Expected traffic? What's the database for?

[KelVarnsen]

The database is for a virtual airline, traffic could be quite high, but slow to start most likely. I believe the host is Winhost, and I should be able to get old database to start from, but more secure, hopefully encrypted.

Needs to be very user friendly, easy to add data etc.

[MickMcGeough]

As far as user friendliness, ease of adding data, etc., that's up to your designer. No web technology that outputs HTML is more or less user friendly than another. Just find a good designer.

I'm guessing that your virtual airline sites will more or less perform the same functions as a real airline site? Plus there will be an administrative section for scheduling virtual flights, etc. How many sites are you looking to build? Will they all be totally different branding or will switching logos suffice?

If I'm right in my assumptions this is going to be a pretty big job. I hope you're monetizing this somehow, because if you want this professionally done you'll need to be ready to part with a decent chunk of change.

[calumniate]

DB2 and Websphere?

[KelVarnsen]

I am looking for suggestions on who to use. Anything?

[KTrain]

What kind of budget do you have for the project?

Are you looking for a web design/development firm or someone freelance to collaborate with?

It sounds pretty big undertaking. I would guess you'd be looking at a mid 5 figure budget at the low end for several websites.

[maverickstruth]

Budget is going to be your driving factor here, for sure. If you want a quality site that's easy to use, though, you're pretty much going to have to go the user experience (UX) design route before you even start thinking about implementation details.

You can find outfits that do both UX and implementation (bigger companies like Habaneros will do this), or find someone to do the UX and then someone else to do the implementation (if you want cheaper, this is likely the way to go).

If you've got the budget, then starting off with a solid UX outfit that also does implementation is going to be one of the best things you can do. Habaneros is one I know of. nForm does UX, not sure about implementation. I think UX Guys is still around in Calgary, too. They're fairly big ticket, though. If you don't have the budget, then smaller outfits or freelance might be an option (disclosure: freelance UX -- though not DB implementation -- is something I do), but what you're sounding like sounds pretty big ticket, to be honest. From the little you've described, it's not going to be cheap, regardless.

[KelVarnsen]

I am still working on the budget.

The database just really needs to be setup, I can get the data added myself. The design can be one single design that I can change colours, logos etc.

[Captaincanada80]

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