A web blueprint project is a huge undertaking that usually requires various kinds of expertise. The blueprint defines the goals that need to be achieved, and includes hand-drawn interface designs.

How can web developers and web-design freelancers participate in the web blueprint project?

Well, the project is carried out by web developers appointed by our web blueprint customers. Here is an outline of the types of expertise required from draft to interface design:

The deliverables in Stage 1 of the Web BluePrint is a presentation of our findings. The revamp goals are identified and the reasons behind their selection are also discussed. Once everyone agrees with the goals, we will start writing the blueprint.

Listing and prioritising of revamp goals

First, we will interview people in the management level, such as: CEOs, managers and heads of departments. It is important for us to understand what their responsibilities are in the company.

Second, we will meet up with staff who work in the front-line. They will have first-hand information on feedback from customers. We will then try to cover every region, since each of them will have their own work flow and tool preferences.

Lastly, we will approach their customers directly for feedback. We will also study the website statistics and enquiries submitted by visitors.

Some time ago, Hap Seng Land Holding Berhad registered their official domain name with us. Recently, they’ve decided to secure the domain name associated with the brand names they have, including “The Podium” and “Menara Hap Seng”.

We were chosen because our team would be taking care of the domain name in the long term. Something like this requires proper registration procedures and two high availability DNS servers. Three names were proposed and an order was made through our domain name order form. I’m happy to report that our team has successfully registered and secured the name for them!

I was told by my friend that their domain name was hijacked. Someone has transferred the domain name to another Registrar. Apparently, it was an inside job. My friend said No to an offer from the domain theft and immediately make a police report.

A new domain name was registered to resume their business operation, but it is tedious for sure. Despite the police report, my friend tried everything but in vain, for a month! They wrote to both original and new Registars, as well as the domain name reseller in Malaysia – but no luck!

The domain name was originally registered with Tucows, 4 years ago, through their reseller ACME Commerce in Malaysia. The domain theft transferred the domain name to a new registrar called Name.com. This was done anonymously.

True to say, many Registrar take no action on such issues. To them, it was a legal transfer. The dispute is between the staff and the company, none of their business. Tucows requested a so called International court order, a document equivalent to – we are not going to do anything. ACME, in this case – the billing party, failed to do anything too.

Many domain name owners do not bother to update their domain name registration information, or WHOIS record. It is too late until your domain name was transferred and only you find out your contact information is not updated. Domain name reseller or registrar never bother to inform client on keeping the up-to-date WHOIS record too.

Run a WHOIS check, make sure Registrant and Administrator information shows the owner of the business, not any Technical staff or someone who provide the domain name registration. Make sure it is your email got listed, than any other email which you do not have access. Remember, any changes or transfer to the domain name triggers email notification, and you will be the first one to know, to take immediate action.

The Story Continues – Retrieving the Domain Name!

I wrote an email to Tucows, no reply. My second email to Name.com was replied within a day who promise to look into this matter. This was great! Here comes, the proof of ownership of a domain name. While WHOIS shows the ownership of the domain name in text, but not in action. Yes, same thing to contract. The conduct of a business utilizing the domain name in their brochure, namecard, emails – all shows a conduct of the usage of the domain name. My friend’s company pay for the renewal yearly, another solid proof!

With all document compiled and emailed to Name.com, we are expecting to retrieve the domain name back soon! :)

Updates: The case was finally resolved. The ownership was returned to my client via a account transfer done by Name.com. All thanks to the prompt action taken by Name.com and the initiative to liaise between the parties.

The title of this post doesn’t seem very welcoming, I know, but don’t worry, there is a happy ending; I assure you. It is, however, kind of a long story, which I’ll cut short. You see, the domain name “infinity.com.my” had been registered many years ago, but instead of having it registered to the owner, it was mistakenly registered under the name of the company that provided the domain name registration service.

It went unnoticed, even by the domain name’s owner, and it was only until Infinity decided to let us manage the domain name for them that the mishap was discovered. We raised the issue immediately, as we knew this had to be resolved once and for all.

To get to the bottom of things, our team started from scratch, a bit like CSIs working a crime scene. Our client didn’t even have information on the domain name login, so we contacted several related parties, but had no luck. We even considered filing a dispute report to MyNIC, which would cost at least MRY5,000! But that was to be the last resort.

Luckily, we hadn’t run out of options. Our team’s persistent investigation and tireless effort paid off, and our client regained ownership over the domain name in the end. I told you there was a happy ending! Before that, however, Wan, the domain name owner said, “If this is settled, please come to my new office at Botanic and I’ll bring you to the best food in Bukit Tinggi, Klang.” Thanks Wan! We’re glad it’s over, and we’ll be coming by for the food soon! :)

Have you read Eisen’s post “A Case for Your Web Development Project”? Well, we’re pretty excited to announce that we’ll be developing a comprehensive web revamp plan for one of the property developer in Malaysia soon! The entire process is expected to take at least 4 weeks.

For the revamp to be effective, a need-based study will be conducted to gather feedback and suggestions from their various profit and cost channels such as sales and marketing, showrooms, operations, management, information technology and clients.

Our information gathering methods will include brainstorming sessions, interviews, surveys, collection of website statistics and archives, and much more. The process can be detailed in two main stages:

Stage 1 (which will take approximately 14 days)

1) Listing and prioritising of revamp goals

2) Identifying the goal’s conversion rates and its measurables

Stage 2 (which will also take approximately 14 days)

1) Preparing the revamp blueprint document which outlines the project’s requirements, technical specifications, design guidelines, database, integration and other features that will help achieve the goals defined in Stage 1.

2) The materials in the blueprint will be used by appointed web developers as the guideline to execute the revamp. The blueprint can be given to any web developer for the actual site development, but it will create the same result, as planned.

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We took on a project to design a website for a public listed company called Wawasan TKH.

Wawasan TKH Revamp