A 233-page catalogue packed with information had to be transferred to the web in such a way that the site and the book were almost interchangeable.

Metro GlassTech had very specific reasons for wanting metroglasstech.co.nz to mirror their print catalogue.  The ability for different members of a team, including clients, to look at exactly the same information online and in the catalogue – to be “on the same page” at all times –  was felt to be of great value to their particular business model.  But the company was also keen to harness the advantages of the web over print by making the site very easily navigable and by having the ability to keep the website constantly and easily updated.

The sheer size of this project required some careful planning, and collateral had to be organised in such a way that any member of our development team could jump into the production process when necessary.

Working closely with Whistle Agency, who produced the print version, we received Adobe Illustrator files that were then “cut up” and converted to HTML pages.  While page numbers were necessarily included for easy reference, we ensured that their purpose was extended by using them as a sub-menu.  This makes for quick and intuitive navigation with direct links from subject homepages to each sub-section as an alternative to browsing using the “forward” buttons.

In addition, the index was reproduced in its entirety with direct links to individual pages – a feature that is of great use to people who are very familiar with the catalogue.

Comprehensive search

Of the many advantages of creating an electronic version of the catalogue, the biggest is the ability to search.  A comprehensive search that allows users to search for products or page numbers and gives instant and extensive results was created using Microsoft Index Server.

Challenges faced when dealing with two-page layouts and complex tables were tackled individually and unique scrolling options used to enable easy access to information.

In creating the MetroGlassTech website, we succeeded in giving our client exactly what they needed: a sales tool that not only carries all the information contained in their catalogue, but also uses the devices available on the Web to place the information at a potential client’s fingertips.  Using Macromedia Contribute, they are also able to have the very latest information on the site by updating products, performance data and compliance standards documents with the click of a few buttons.