I am a Web designer originally from a small town in the South Dakota, who's day job is a Web Communications Consultant at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I spend my time developing, editing and managing content for various medical specialty areas on www.mayoclinic.org .

I am a renaissance man of sorts. My background includes graphics, web programming, English, technical writing, photographer, salesman, heavy equipment operator, truck driver, gold miner, farm boy and daddy.

I frequently change my mind on my Web design ideas, but my design philosophy is simple; it doesn't matter how good the content is on the site, if you can't find it, it doesn't exist. Usability is one of the most critical elements of good design. A well thought out site not only contains great content, but that content is also totally accessible. Clear navigation can make the site visit an enjoyable experience. I have found that the needs of the viewer dictate pretty much every aspect of the design process. A site can have all of the features in the world but still not satisfy the needs of the viewer; and that is the ability to find what they came looking for.

On this site, I have a page with some family information, mostly pictures, and a portfolio of sorts. The portfolio will be updated with information from projects I am involved in. It may be a screenshot with a link, or just a graphic; we'll see. I am also going to try something new; a cigar blog. I will post info about some of the latest cigars I have smoked and maybe even a few links to cigar resources. The format has changed dramatically from previous iterations of this site since I am now using a content management system called Expression Engine. Information about both Expression Engine and PMachinehosting.com, the best web hosting company in the world, is available from the links available on the right side of the page.

Look around and please feel free to comment on different areas of the site and contact me with any questions.

kevin(at)kevinrydberg.com