The Challenge

The newly formed Institute for Foreclosure Legal Assistance (IFLA) - a project of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) and the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) - was seeking to create a new Web site/portal. IFLA helps legal service programs and consumer lawyers assist homeowners caught in the national mortgage crisis.

The site, http://www.foreclosurelegalassistance.org/.

Complication

The hurdle was to create a multi-layered site with custom design and programming within a very short time frame. Explains IFLA’s Lydia Nylander, “We certainly had a short turnaround time and a whole list of demands for CommPartners’ team, as well as abstract ideas about what we wanted.”

Approach

After consulting with IFLA, it was determined the site should have two distinct components:

• Consumer area – to foster the exchange of public information, provide resources to those impacted by foreclosure and facilitate lobbying for specific legislation.
• Private area – for grantees, with legal services programs information, and the ability to securely submit grant applications, reports and financials.

Action Steps

IFLA Web Site Application Programming

• Password System – A secure login system was be established with the capability for complete profile management. Scenarios supported include enabling users to create logins, retrieve/change passwords and edit profiles.
• Forms Upload Area – Enables grantees and members to upload completed forms, via a designated page within the secure-access area. For ease of use, certain information is auto-populated from the user’s account information.
• Document Download – Word and PDF documents are available for download, including training materials, grant information, and blank forms.
• Google News RSS Feed – Programmers added a keyword search string that pulls relevant foreclosure headlines that automatically populate the News section of the homepage.

Application Branding/Navigation/Development

When considering the design, CommPartners knew the IFLA Web site should not only have unique branding geared toward two well-defined user audiences, but needed to convey a supporting relationship to NACA and CRL. Our goal was to identify and build a simple navigation for these two critical areas and create a highly supportive environment for site visitors.

We envisioned a look which reflects efficiency, clean lines, awareness, and professionalism. The pages needed to load quickly, have brief amounts of text and, most importantly, follow a logical navigation flow. Pages are primarily HTML and designed to be editable by IFLA staff.

CommPartners’ recommendation encompassed research, consultation, layout, design, graphics, html, navigation, JavaScript, basic online forms, routine revisions, and production on the complete development of the Web site. In addition, we created several logo designs for the newly founded IFLA, including the one (below right) selected for the Web site.

Outcome

The IFLA site was launched with great fanfare. While content is still evolving, the Web site is a true knowledge center – an effective venue for community-building that enables members, the public and other stakeholders to: have a sense of connection, find valuable information, perform research, apply for grants and participate in a much-needed advocacy movement.

Adds Nylander (IFLA), “It was a great experience working with the talented staff at CommPartners – they went above and beyond, offering ideas for navigation, content and creative programming solutions to meet all of our needs. The site is aesthetically beautiful, functional, efficient and wonderful.”

Looking Forward…

If the number of download-able documents becomes unwieldy, CommPartners will create an online directory/library for cataloging documents.

Additional ideas we presented may be incorporated into the IFLA site at a later time – the immediate goal was to get the site up and running as soon as possible. Some additional features may soon include: an online database of questions/answers, message boards or blogs, calendars of upcoming events and a search function.

Recommendation

eLearning Services

One of the principal purposes of the Foreclosure Legal Assistance Web site is to inform and educate communities of individuals and organizations impacted by mortgage fallout. Another complementary method to share information online is through real-time Web seminars (synchronous content) and on-demand multimedia presentations (asynchronous content). CommPartners specializes in developing content libraries supporting both delivery mediums.