Examples of Integrating With Third-Party Applications

We used the GoogleMaps API to integrate maps into the search tool on Weekendsetc.com. Because the site is intended to be an easily searchable trip planning resource, the map element is critical to the user experience. However, if we had tried to replicate the functionality, we would have needed significantly more time and resources than we actually had, and would probably have ended up with something inferior to what Google provides anyway.

Several of our clients have began to use Wufoo.com to build forms for their websites. The advantage to using this service is that they can customize the fields of their forms on their own, and then change them as they need to without having to consult with us. The Wufoo forms pick up the visual styling of the website and fit in seamlessly on the page. This is great for basic information-gathering forms, though more complex forms that need to be integrated with other content on the website or any other data reporting that we do within the content management system would be beyond the scope of Wufoo.

Also, some clients are using PollDaddy.com to assemble simple polls and surveys and plug them in to their website. Like Wufoo, PollDaddy allows you to customize your poll or survey as well as change its fields as needed. Again, this wouldn't be a good choice for sites that need to integrate or report on the user response data with other content on the website, but for simple applications, it's a great cost-saver.

There are several open-source content management systems available now that many developers are using frequently rather than building their own. While our projects are built around our own NewfangledCMS, which we customize for each project, we're looking at starting to use Wordpress for smaller projects this year.