RCBA Dispute Resolution Service, Inc.

Project
RCBA Dispute Resolution Service, Inc.
Live Website
Challenge/Opportunity

Founded in 1995, RCBA Dispute Resolution Service, Inc. (DRS) is a non-profit public benefit corporation that provides private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services in Riverside County and surrounding areas. DRS also administers five court mediation programs funded by the Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA) through Riverside County. The DRS panel is comprised of experienced attorneys who have practiced law for 10 or more years and have met other experience requirements established by the DRS Board of Directors.

In 2013, DRS wanted to make improvements to its communications initiatives and activities in order to better meet its business goals and the needs of its diverse range of audiences. The organization sought to meet the following business goals:

  • Increase the volume of private arbitrations and mediations facilitated by DRS
  • Reduce civil case backlog in the Riverside County Courts
  • Recruit and retain competent ADR professionals to serve on the DRS panel
  • Build and maintain a standard for professional excellence in the ADR field in Riverside County
  • Maintain and grow two primary revenue streams in order to accomplish the business goals as outlined above
Scope of Project

The original scope of this project included an organizational analysis that informed a Targeted Communications Plan. Guided by our findings in the Targeted Communications Plan, we designed and developed a new logo, an informational website, and several brand artifacts for DRS. We also wrote several profile articles, and templated, organized and copyedited nearly 100 panelist biographies for the DRS website.

In 2018, DRS sought to modernize the website and ensure its compliance with current industry standards and best practices. We delivered a full website re-design and added additional copy/pages that would help more effectively convey the full breadth of the organization’s programs and services (namely, its court mediation programs and private alternative dispute resolution services).

Solution

In May 2013, we conducted an organizational analysis for DRS and delivered a set of recommendations in a Targeted Communications Plan.

From there we moved onto to the creation of a new look and feel for the brand, starting with a new logo design. Two messages that appear consistently throughout the organization’s communications included: “You be the judge” and “You control the outcome.” These messages convey the benefits of using alternative dispute resolution services to settle disputes. We arrived at the gavel illustration with the acronym “DRS” underneath for the icon. The words “Dispute Resolution Service” are written in a bold serif font, with “RCBA” appearing in a thinner sans-serif font for less emphasis.

The navy blue and gold color scheme was inspired by the larger affiliate organization, the Riverside County Bar Association. It is an elegant, traditional color scheme that conveys unity, trust and stability.

Next, we produced several brand artifacts that brought consistent messaging and design across all of the communications channels, these included:

  • Tri-Fold Brochure
  • Business Cards
  • Letterhead
  • Envelopes
  • Magazine Display Ads
  • Event Flyers (as needed)
  • Panelist Biography Template
  • E-mail Blast Templates
  • Informational Website

We also templated, organized and copyedited the biographies for nearly 100 DRS panelists and added their bios in a searchable directory to the informational website.

Additionally, we wrote periodic featured mediator profiles that were cross-published on the DRS website and in Riverside Lawyer Magazine in order to promote DRS and the individual panelists.

The website re-design that commenced in March 2018 involved updating the overall website design on the front-end, as well as migrating the new website to the latest version of Blue Core CMSTM on the back-end to bring it up to speed with current industry standards and best practices. There were also new pages added to the website to help communicate the organization’s value propositions, including: an informational page specifically for attorney applicants interested in joining the DRS panel; an informational page about the organization’s court mediation programs (one of the main activities of DRS that was not previously mentioned anywhere on the website); a “Why Choose DRS?” page; and an archive of past articles that have been written about DRS panelists.

Built-in Website Features
  • Responsive Design
  • Sticky Menus
  • Informational Pages
  • Forms
  • Catalogs
Technology
  • Blue Core CMS™
  • jQuery 3.x
  • Bootstrap 4.x
  • HTML 5
  • CSS 3
  • JavaScript
Tools
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro
  • Adobe Illustrator CC
  • Adobe InDesign CC
  • Adobe Photoshop CC
  • Constant Contact
  • Microsoft Word

Built-In Website Features


Responsive Design

All websites hosted on Blue Core CMS™ are cross-device and cross-browser compatible. Each website is integrated with jQuery 3.x, Bootstrap 4.x and supplemental JavaScript and CSS libraries. These open source libraries provide a useful balance between support for modern mobile-friendly website features and backwards compatibility with older browsers.  

Sticky Menus

Sticky menus remain in their default position as the page is scrolled - but only until they reach the top of the screen (viewport); at which point they remain in place (i.e., stuck to the top of the screen) as the page continues to scroll behind. This behavior provides an easier navigation experience on longer long pages; and is a basic feature of most single-page websites.

Informational Pages

Informational pages house static content on the website that may be permanent or routinely updated. The self-service administrative features on Blue Core CMS™ make it easy to safely perform these updates yourself. Alternatively, our support team can perform updates for you, and typically at no additional cost.

Forms

Choose anything from a basic contact form to a full custom application form that can be submitted online.

The forms delivered via Blue Core CMS™ are easily customized. Each form is backed by a database where the data provided by your website visitors is stored permanently. When visitors submit a form, the data is automatically written to the database, then sent to you and/or others in your organization as an email message.

Advanced security features built into our Forms component prevent automated form spam from being submitted through our system.

Catalogs

Catalogs can be used to maintain a product inventory, membership base, or any other collection of items presented in an organized manner to the audience. Blue Core CMS™ makes it easy to add, remove and update items in a catalog. The drag-and-drop interface makes it even easier to organize them.

Other Deliverables


Routine Website Maintenance and Updates

We provide ongoing website maintenance and updates as well as support services.

Targeted Communications Plan

Our team conducts a series of interviews with your company and its agents in order to identify and document your business model, value propositions, target market segments and communications objectives. From this process we develop the messaging, content and design in a Website Development Plan that will help you leverage the website as a communications vehicle for your business.

We provide you with a comprehensive internal business document called a “Targeted Communications Plan” after we walk you through every step of our guided process.

Full Branding Package

We design full branding packages that include logos (with style guide and vector formats) and all of the supporting promotional materials, such as: brochures, letterhead and business cards. We provide you with all of the production files, supporting assets, fonts and final print files that we produce for your business.