I’m currently part of a group who are undertaking a large scale website update on numerous pages of a site. This task involves numerous changes on every page and can’t be done with a simple find and replace command because all this new information and alterations need to be tailored to the specific page.

On the first page I did this on, I had to actually get the changes made, and then make sure that all of the tables and everything else matched up to the example page we were provided. This was sort of working out the kinks and helped me find out what needed to be changed and in what way. This also took me a bit of time, but only so I could be sure it was all correctly done.

For the next few pages I knew what needed to be changed, but I still found myself wasting clicks. I would copy some ColdFusion link information from the old page and put it on the new page and then find that I needed that information later on another part. I would then have to go and copy and paste it again.

Finding all of these little details allowed me to create an order to do the changes. This new method made the time it takes me per page as efficient as it can be. Having a set routine also minimizes the chance that I would miss any part of the updates because each part is its own step.

Setting up a method for involved changes saves time, reduces errors, and can remove the madness from the whole process.

Developing a search engine optimized website takes careful planning and conceptualization, outlines and organization, content generation and graphic design, and much more. With so many strategic processes involved, one must expend time, maintain patience, and sustain dedication to see it through to frutition. At our full-service advertising agency, we are in the throws of developing a new division called DDA Corporate and Medical Training.

We’re proud to say that this is the third official division of DDA; others include DDA Video and DDA Medical. When finished, the DDA Corporate and Medical Training website will feature search engine optimization (SEO) copywriting for lead generation, engaging graphic design for appeal and easy navigation, an Intelligent Spokesperson™ video for interactive guideance, and a comprehensive portfolio for examples of our capabilities in advanced training solutions.

It’s very exciting to see, first hand, all the pieces of the site come together seamlessly. It’s my hope that after the site is launched, it will prove to be a valuable tool as we take our business to new heights. Stay tuned as we introduce this new division and further evolve the full-service offering of DDA.

As evidenced by the pollen caked on the back window of my car, spring is officially here. Though with the sloppy weather of the last couple days it feels more like fall.

Regardless, it’s suddenly seems like everything is waking up around us, and in terms of New Business Development, everyone.

After a very brief lull, proposals have kicked backed up again with a vengeance. This means the majority of my days at DDA are now being spent on conference calls, e-mails, preparing proposals, internal meetings and discussions, and returning calls.

It is a very time consuming and involved part of my job. A large reason for this is the way DDA handles inquiries and every job it does — whether it’s web development, video, animation, graphic design, etc. — as I know I’ve written about before, in a very customized way.

There’s a process to determining what the best strategy for any project is — and it almost always begins with a conference call. This is where we connect with the client and really flush out what it is he or she is looking for.

From that, one of the department heads — website, video, graphic design, or programming — will prepare a time estimate. As we pride ourselves on being as cost efficient as possible and always staying as close to possible within the perimeters of the estimate, this can be tricky, and often requires several revisions and changes.

As one of four professional writers on staff, it is my job, as well as that of the other writers, to take the time estimate and turn it into a quote.

As you can imagine, with so many inquires flooding in as of late, this little process takes up quite a deal of time. But it’s a critical piece to retaining the customized and detail-oriented approach that makes us DDA.

At DDA, we are heavy into technology and keeping with the latest advances. To do this we are constantly on the lookout for new equipment, software, and methods. New programs are being made everyday in the ever evolving field that we are in, so exploring them and the possibilities that they can open for us is essential. Even if it isn’t a new program, it could be some sort of addition to something that already exists to make it easier to use or more versatile.

Some recent examples of these new technologies and advances were just discovered last week by Laurence, the Head of the Video Department. They are a Flash Actionscript 3 add-on and an add-on for websites called Piclens.

The Actionscript 3 add-on is meant to make Actionscript programming quicker just by writing code for you that is typically similar and generic in every use, but is still time consuming to write. This add-on lets you check boxes to change the specifications and then generates the code to start a new event.

Piclens on the other hand, is a freeware program that you can add to your own website or just use for your own benefit while browsing the web. It creates a wall of images that you can traverse in a seemingly 3D environment. You can also use it to play video if an image is clicked on.

These were just two things discovered last week and I’m sure this week will bring some new finds as well.

I was told in college that we are being taught to learn instead of being taught a certain programming language or program from front to back. The curriculum was built this way because in this field a method that may be used today as the standard could be old and inefficient the next.

Learning to learn will keep you on the forefront.

My younger cousin e-mailed the other day to ask if I ever had to do public speaking. It was for a college class project. She was referring primarily to my days in journalism, but after mulling over the question, I realized how important verbal communication is in my position as a writer — nearly just as vital as my writing skills.

A large part of what I do is interacting with existing and prospective clients. This runs the spectrum from phone calls to check up on progress, to troubleshooting any technical issues, to conference calls to discuss new projects.

I am always conscious that how I present myself is directly representative of Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA).

We do great work. From the programmers, to the designers, to web developers,  videographers and everyone in between, we have a very talented group who can get things done well and on time. But there’s another aspect to what we do as well, which is client relations.

That genuine concern for a client’s project, their feedback, and the end product, is like adding just the right topping to a project that already combines some of the most innovative and cutting-edge technologies.

At DDA, we use many different software programs while working on our projects. Because of this we are provided with two monitor screens to enable us to work with speed and efficiency in yet another area.

When working on websites, I typically have Dreamweaver and a web browser open so I can easily refresh and view the changes without having to minimize or restore any windows. Two monitors is almost essential for efficient work in Flash when it is an actionscript heavy project. One window can have the main program with stage and timeline open, while the other window can have the actionscript window open. Then you can easily switch between different movie clips or frames that contain actionscript and not have to keep hiding the code window. You will also be able to have the code window at maximum size and still be able to see what movie clip or level you are on at any time.

Working in 3D with Lightwave also promotes the use of two monitors since it uses two applications. One application is for modeling and the other application is for the animation. Now we can work freely with both applications open.

I recommend getting another monitor for those working with only one. You will be amazed at the advantages it brings. I have never had two monitors until I started working at DDA and I now can’t imagine working without them.

Many algorithms I have studied in my undergraduate years have helped me to confront every problem by understanding its nature. To a web development programmer, that means every problem is carefully analyzed before making an attempt to solve it. Many problems I have encountered somehow have a sort of domino effect on the entire application, meaning that if more variables are introduced to the equation the programmer must try to compensate for all sub-components of the system to yield at the desired outcome. The programmer must maintain stability with each new variable added to the application development phase. So, the algorithm is always in a state of constant changes to fix each foreseeable outcome. Of course the performance of an algorithm must be analyzed, for optimal solution. The algorithm analysis has an abstract specification to determine a quantitative requirement, recursive or iteration algorithm has a time requirement of completion of O(n^2), using Big O notation. An algorithm is the step-by-step instruction for constructing a program or application in computer science. There has been considerable research in that field of computer science alone. As a programmer developing an optimal algorithm, it depends on the complexity of the problem at hand. A problem that is not carefully analyzed makes the implementation of the algorithm fuzzy.

I think it’s my background in newspapers that makes me so interested in proposal work.

While there is a lot about the newspaper world I was happy to leave behind when coming to DDA, the interviewing aspect, and preliminary research into a story, was something I missed.

In doing New Business Development, I am able to experience a piece of this on a daily basis. As a full-service marketing and advertising agency, we take on all projects from web development, and graphic design to video production and animation, and for varying industries and purposes.

On the front end, this means initial research into a specific company or medical facility to find out who they are and what they do, preliminary questions to determine the type of project they are looking for and a conference call to hammer out all of the details of the project.

While all of this leads to marketing or advertising pieces, it’s not entirely different from what I used to do. In newspapers, people come to you because they have a story to tell or something noteworthy to share with others.

Whether it’s a small business or large corporation, the prospective clients who approach us also have a story to tell and something worthwhile to share. For some it’s a new medical breakthrough that could change the face of treatment, for others it’s the release of a product they have dedicated their whole lives to developing.

Regardless of the purpose, the project, or what they hope to achieve, it is the duty of the five full-time, degreed writers, to guide them through the initial process, to work with them as we at DDA try to determine what it is that will best help them share that story they have been waiting so long to tell.

Because I play different roles, my day often varies from one to the next.

For instance, I may spend one day primarily writing copy, or involved in content development, while the next, I am preparing proposals and speaking with prospective clients.  Usually, my Project Coordination duties are mixed in here and there as updates are needed, or projects move forward.

But regardless of which role I am playing at any given time, it’s always about fusing together the different people and talents of the varying departments. As a full-service advertising agency, we have copywriters, graphic designers, videographers, search engine optimization technicians, programmers, and web developers all under one roof. And most likely, whether it’s just in the beginning with proposals,  as it develops into an actual project, or from the content-developing perspective, a person from more than one group, or sometimes every group, is involved.

In new business development, and Project Coordination, and even on occasion as a writer, it’s my job, as is the job of my four fellow writers, slash this and that, to be the bridge to all of the departments and make sure all of the pieces are coming together.

At times, it’s a big task, but it’s also an enjoyable one. With so much varying experience and talent, I am constantly learning from my fellow employees, and am never ceased to be amazed by the amount of talent that exists under one roof.

So while it make take great organizational skills, and a bit of super-strength memory to keep up with everything and everyone around here, I know that at the end of the day with each and every piece of work, in any medium, we are sending our for review or putting in our client’s hands, we are producing the highest-quality work out there.

Since my focus has shifted slightly to more new business development and proposal work, I am aware now more than ever how much DDA differs from all other advertising and marketing agencies.

I have seen firsthand, the difference between DDA and our competitors in the field.

It’s not just the quality of work we do, or the fact that we can offer virtually any service needed for a marketing or advertising campaign or project, including copywriting, photography, web development and design, video, and 3D modeling, among so much more. It’s also in the way our business is generated, and the philosophy behind how our company is run.

At DDA, there is no hierarchical structure that puts one person or department above the rest. We work as a team regardless of the project or the client’s need, to complete projects in the most timely fashion and at the highest level of quality possible. In doing this, all of the pieces of an individual project are considered from the beginning, and we are able to treat it as a whole, not piecemeal, as so many other agencies regularly do.

While many marketing and advertising agencies are bogged down with marketing and sales employees, DDA does not have one person within either of those categories. The five, full-time degreed writers handle all proposal work, and see the projects through to coordination, and ultimately to completion.

This is an advantage because we are not looking at an inquiry or a prospective project as just getting another job or making another sale. We are seeing it from the very beginning as a full entity. From the first request, we are already envisioning who would be assigned to the project; what type of services we would need to provide; and what we can do to best meet the vision and expectations of the prospective client.

This unique approach is at the core of everything DDA does, and is exemplified in DDA’s Executive Summary http://www.zeroonezero.com/executive-summary.html.