Fig Leaf approached the re-design of the public site with a desire to challenge the common mental image of the D.C. Bar, one that suggested a weight and seriousness that was not a part of the organizational culture. Fig Leaf set out to create a feeling of lightness and beauty while retaining a sense of history. Colors and collage techniques that mimic the style of Roman murals helped the design reach that goal.
The end result was a design containing modern organic elements while retaining a classic quality and giving The Bar a sense of establishment. The photographs chosen echo elements of the D.C. cityscape. Fig Leaf worked with D.C. Bar personnel to choose one element that evoked positive feelings about law professionals and The District to represent each section in the banner image. The site’s main navigation uses a Fireworks menu system that allows users to quickly jump between sections. Breadcrumb links added to the top of each content page act as a mini site guide so that users can clearly see their location within the site.
The Fig Leaf team built Dreamweaver templates for each section, so that adding new pages over time became a simple task. Quick link dropdown fields available on every page quickly direct users to frequent destinations. These are easily updated as varied information becomes important at different times throughout the year.
