After the friction and mental reset last week, this week has been defined by the granular details of moving three projects forward simultaneously. It’s about documentation, checklists, and the steady manual labor of digital construction – but it is exactly how a finish line is reached.
West Bend Schools: Crossing the Threshold
The wait is nearly over. I am officially scheduled to attend orientation and turn in my final paperwork for West Bend Schools. This is the “onboarding” phase, where the abstract excitement of a new role meets the reality of HR logistics. Once the ink is dry, I’m looking forward to getting into the specifics of their current system. While the move to a new CMS is the primary goal, I am eager to identify the smaller, underlying needs of the district – whether that’s social media, streamlining communication, or finding better ways to showcase student achievement through the new “mobile-first” design.
BBBS: The List of Changes
The work for Big Brothers Big Sisters has shifted from design to execution. I am head-down, working through that five-page list of revisions. It’s a methodical process of updating existing sections and finally putting the rest of the site’s pages into their permanent places. Building out the full architecture of the site feels like assembling a massive puzzle; every page needs to be as polished and functional as the home page to ensure a seamless user journey.
Farmer Dan: Pieces of the Puzzle
There was movement on the Farmer Dan front this week as well! I’ve received some content from Dan, which has allowed me to break out of the holding pattern. Now, it’s a matter of data entry and layout refinement. I am still waiting on the bulk of the product information, but I can move forward on several other items.
The Balancing Act
Managing three different organizational cultures – a non-profit, a small business, and a large school district – requires a high level of logistical coordination. My calendar is my best friend, and my “To-Do” lists are my lifeline. I’m no longer just “learning to design”; I’m learning to manage a professional workload that spans multiple platforms (Wix, Squarespace, and the upcoming FinalSite) and a range of stakeholder expectations. I sometimes feel like a juggler (and not a very good one!).
The friction of last week is being replaced by the steady rhythm of progress. The paperwork is moving, the pages are appearing, and the content is flowing. So, why do I always feel like the other shoe is going to drop?!?!?