River North Web

A Quicksilver Associates Demonstration Site     about this site

The Ways of Water

The Chicago River

The river is a part of a system that includes the North Branch, South Branch, and Main Stem, as well as 52 miles of constructed waterways: the North Shore Channel, the Sanitary and Ship Canal, and the Calumet Sag Channel. 

The Chicago River system has played a central role in the history of Chicago and is an example of the link between nature, natural resources, and urban development.

Go UP

Bridging the River

Today the Chicago River still has 38 movable bridges, but that is down from a peak of 52.  These bridges are of several different types, including trunnion bascule, scherzer rolling lift, swing bridges, and vertical lift bridges.

The first bridge across the River was built over the north branch in 1832, near the present day Kinzie Street. A second bridge, added in 1833, crossed the south branch near Randolph Street. The first movable bridge was constructed across the main stem at Dearborn Street in 1834. 

Go UP

Regional Perspective ~ The Great Lakes

The Great Lakes cover a total area of 94,000 square miles and contain 5,500 cubic miles of water. They are the largest system of fresh, surface water on Earth, containing roughly 21 percent of the world supply and 84 percent of North America's supply. Only the polar ice caps contain more fresh water.

Lake Superior is the largest in terms of volume. It is also the deepest and coldest of the five.

Animate graph
Go UP
QuickFlex Content Management Solution

About QuickFlex.NET

 

Why is web content management important?

Web content management helps you get the most value from your website. Advantages include:
  • Market responsiveness: Fresh content is important for site visitors and provides motivation for them to return. It also improves visibility to search engines.
  • Tracking promotions: Content management extends to banner ads, and includes reporting on click-through traffic for any type of link.
  • Contact management: Through CMS you can capture visitor contact information, direct their online inquiries to the right department, and build email lists.
  • Efficient maintenance: Edit and update page content from anywhere, at any time. Change a call to action, post an event, add a news release, upload a PDF, or publish a photograph or video, all without technical support.
  • Support for SEO: Marketers who manage their own search engine optimization programs can control page titles, page descriptions and keywords without having to touch page code.

QuickFlex.NET reflects the needs of our clients.

Quicksilver has a decade of experience with content management. Our current version of QuickFlex.NET includes the functionality that we know, from experience, small and mid-sized sites really need.

QuickFlex.NET doesn’t work ‘out of the box’ or ‘off the shelf’ – it does require a technical developer to integrate it with your site. Once up and running, however, ease of use is exceptional – whether the task is editorial (changing text, images, audio, video), administrative (setting up a new user to manage specific pages), or SEO-related (changing keywords and page titles).

Custom Development

QuickFlex continues to grow as clients request new features and functions. Sometimes we design and build entire functional modules to meet the needs of specific clients and industries.

Features of Quicksilver's
CMS Solution

  • Unlimited users
  • Role-based security
  • Simple administrative interface
  • Easy to learn
  • Visitor contact management
  • Control of meta data for SEO
  • Add modules as needs change
  • Hosted solution with 24/7 support

Functional Areas of
QuickFlex.NET

  • Content management
  • Contact management
  • Events calendar
  • Newsroom
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Banner Management
  • Links Management
  • Click-through Management
  • Workflow Management

For more information about specific QuickFlex.NET features, please review the Glossary.

QuickFlex.NET is Quicksilver's web content management solution for medium-size and small businesses and organizations.

QuickFlex.NET gives you day-to-day control of your site content without the need to acquire specialized skills such as HTML or JavaScript. News, events, product information, contact forms and much more can be easily changed through a simple Windows interface, along with associated visuals and rich media in a variety of formats. You are no longer dependent on a programmer, your IT department or an agency to make these changes for you.

quickflex screenshots

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

Glossary

  • Glossary 1
  • Glossary 2
  • Glossary 3
  • Glossary 4
  • Glossary 5
  • Glossary 6

Ad Manager

A module that controls the size, location and rotation of advertising banners on a QuickFlexed website.

Click-Through Tracking

A module that tags a piece of content and monitors how many times it is clicked.

Department Manager

Defines how site contacts are handled – where different types of inquiries are sent, and how the site responds to each type of inquiry.

Downloadable Files

A module that manages files on a site, such as PDFs, that visitors can download.

Events Calendar

A module specifically built to manage information and images related to upcoming events. Enables visitors to sort events by category, audience type, and date.

Form Manager

Provides control of contact forms on the website, including which fields are displayed, how they are labeled, and which fields are required.

Frequently Asked Questions

A module that provides easy management and consistent formatting of common questions and answers.

Links Collection

A module that stores and organizes URLs that link to other sites or to pages within the host site.

Newsroom

A module for easy posting, sorting and archiving of press releases and news articles.

QuickFlex.NET

QuickFlex is Quicksilver’s content management solution for small to mid-sized organizations. First developed 10 years ago, the current version is based on Microsoft’s .NET platform. It is designed to make content management easy, and its features are those that we have learned from experience are the most useful.

QuickFlex Modules

Tools developed to manage specific content elements – e.g., advertising banners, events, or news articles.

QuickFlex Tag

Our name for a content tag – a database object that holds content for a specific page or section of a page.

Reports

Formatted log data that show where changes have been made, by whom, and when. Current reports cover page content, Events Calendar entries, and meta data (page titles, page descriptions, keywords).

Role Manager

An administrative function for defining detailed rights for each type of system user. Rights to Add, Edit and Delete are assigned for each content management module. Each role is assigned a start and end date.

Site Contacts

Site visitors who submit an inquiry or other information through a QuickFlex form (Contact, Email Opt-In, etc.). The database stores this data for use in future communications and for reporting.

Site Manager

A complete listing of pages on the website, with Edit tags that launch the selected page ready for editing.

User Manager

An administrative function for managing the users who maintain site content. Each user is assigned a unique login name and password, a defined Role, and access that starts and ends on specific dates. There is no limit to the number of users.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

Portfolio

Take a look at how Quicksilver has helped a few of our clients implement
QuickFlex.NET into their web workflow.

  • Pollution Control Industries
  • Transfusion Management Services

Day-to-Day Control of Content for a Growing Company 

Quicksilver Associates rebuilt the Pollution Control Industries (PCI) website on a content management platform so that the company can effectively communicate day-to-day changes in its business:

  • Addition of new services, since PCI is growing by acquisition and adding locations around the U.S.
  • Posting of recycled industrial solvents that the company has for sale
  • Information about its online and classroom training, covering hazardous waste management and transportation.
  • News about the business, and information about its Europe-based parent company

visit site


Pollution Control Industries

Simple Content Management

Transfusion Management provides blood bank management and consulting services to major health care institutions nationwide. The staff is small and geographically distributed. Updates to the site are small, often related to industry news and events. They were an ideal candidate to take complete control of their site.

TXMS opted to implement simple content management without special-purpose modules. As a result:

  • Content on all pages, including announcements, can be updated easily
  • Regulatory information can be provided via outbound links
  • Site contacts can be directed to appropriate departments

visit site


Transfusion Management Services
QuickFlex Content Management Solution

Video Demo

Take Control of Your Site

Quicksilver’s content management system (CMS) puts you in control of site content. Edit text or change images, schedule a news item to go live (or be archived) on a specific date, manage ad banners, embed a PDF or video for site visitors to download – these are just a few of the features of QuickFlex.NET. This video seies provides a comprehensive overview.

Overview Video
QuickFlex Tools Video
Content Manager Video
Site Contacts Video
Site Modules Video
QuickFlex Content Management Solution

About Quicksilver Associates

Quicksilver Associates, established in 1976, is a business communications company. We design, develop and deliver integrated communications solutions to corporations and organizations of all sizes and across a variety of industries.

Our in-house and extended resources
enable us to provide solutions
in the following areas:

Internet and Intranet
Interactive training
Multimedia & animation
Meeting & event production
Webcasting
Video production & editing
Print design

More information about our solutions
and work history is available at

www.quicksilvernow.com

Quicksilver is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

Contact Quicksilver

If you would like to talk with Quicksilver about content management solutions, interactive websites, HTML5, web trends or just about anything Internet related, please fill out the form below. We'll be in touch with you as soon as possible.

Quicksilver Associates

www.quicksilvernow.com

18 W. Ontario Street, Chicago, IL 60654

Ph 800.242.6221 | Fx 312.664.4213

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

About this Site

This is a demonstration site published by Quicksilver Associates, a business communications firm. Its primary purpose is to demonstrate QuickFlex.NET, our website content management system (CMS).



about this site

You can edit the content on this site if you contact us for a user name and password and then log in as a content manager. You will be able to edit all content controlled by the top navigation (A.). You will not be able to change information about the CMS solution and Quicksilver controlled by the side navigation (B.).

The secondary purpose of the site is to demonstrate how to optimize websites for mobile devices such as the Apple iPad by using the latest Internet standards and tools. This site is built using HTML5, CSS3, Javascript and jQuery.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

The content on this page is managed through QuickFlex

About changing content in QuickFlex.NET

Changing content in QuickFlex.NET is easy. To begin, log in to the content management system using the credentials you received from Quicksilver.

Click on any EDIT tag to open a text editor and add, delete or edit headings and text. (Note: If you are copying and pasting text from elsewhere, do not paste directly from Microsoft Word. Paste from another editor such as Notepad or Wordpad.)  Click on 'Save,' and your changes are live.

To change an image, select the 'Insert Image' icon in the toolbar of the text editor. Select the image you wish to change to, and click 'Insert.' Then click 'Save' to close the text editor and your changes are live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

About the River page

Changing content in QuickFlex.NET

Changing content in QuickFlex.NET is easy. To begin, log in to the content management system using the credentials you received from Quicksilver.

Click on any EDIT tag to open a text editor and add, delete or edit headings and text. (Note: If you are copying and pasting text from elsewhere, do not paste directly from Microsoft Word. Paste from another editor such as Notepad or Wordpad.)  Click on 'Save,' and your changes are live.

To change an image, select the 'Insert Image' icon in the toolbar of the text editor. Select the image you wish to change to, and click 'Insert.' Then click 'Save' to close the text editor and your changes are live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

This page is controlled through the FAQ's module

About the Frequently Asked Questions Module

To control the Q&A content on this page, log in to the QuickFlex interface, and select 'FAQs' from the Site Modules menu. There you can add an FAQ, add an FAQ category, and change the order in which FAQs display. Return to this page and refresh it to see your changes live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

This page is controlled through the Calendar of Events Module

About the Calendar of  Events Module

To control events information, as well as related images and documents, log in to the QuickFlex interface and select 'Events Calendar' from the Site Modules menu. Use the left-side navigation to add an event, and to set up categories so that events can be sorted. Images and related documents are added via fields at the bottom of the form. Return to this page and refresh it to see your changes live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

About the Calendar View page

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer nec odio. Praesent libero. Sed cursus ante dapibus diam. Sed nisi. Nulla quis sem at nibh elementum imperdiet. Duis sagittis ipsum. Praesent mauris. Fusce nec tellus sed augue semper porta. Mauris massa. Vestibulum lacinia arcu eget nulla. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Curabitur sodales ligula in libero. Sed dignissim lacinia nunc. Usu pericula argumentum repudiandae ea, ut vis deserunt oportere, assum nominavi percipitur ei ius. Nam timeam atomorum philosophia te, ut eum amet laoreet pertinax, an duo error aperiri reformidans. Et alii quas partiendo mei, wisi quaestio convenire et vix.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

This page is controlled through the Calendar of Events Module

About the Calendar of  Events Module

To control events information, as well as related images and documents, go to the QuickFlex interface and select Events Calendar from the Site Modules menu. Use the left-side navigation to add an event, and to set up categories so that events can be sorted. Images and related documents are added via fields at the bottom of the form. Return to this page and refresh it to see your changes live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

This page is managed through the Newsroom Module

About the Newsroom Module

This page enables you to manage press releases and articles. To add, delete or change news items, log in to the QuickFlex interface and select 'Newsroom' from the Site Modules menu. Use the left-side navigation in the QuickFlex interface to add a news item, and to set up categories so that articles can be sorted. Return to this page and refresh it to see your changes live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

This page is managed through the Newsroom Module

About the Newsroom Module

This page enables you to manage press releases and articles. To add, delete or change news items, go to the QuickFlex interface and select Newsroom from the Site Modules menu. Use the left-side navigation in the QuickFlex interface to add a news item, and to set up categories so that articles can be sorted. Return to this page and refresh it to see your changes live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

This page is managed through the Link Collection Module

About the Link Collection Module

To manage the useful links on this page, log in to the QuickFlex interface and select 'Links Collection' from the Site Modules menu. There you can add a link, add a links category so they can be sorted, and change the order in which links display on this public page. Return to this page and refresh it to see your changes live.

QuickFlex Content Management Solution

This page is managed through the Contact Us Module

About the Contact Us Module

To manage the Contact Us form, log in to the QuickFlex interface, choose the Content Manager menu, and select 'Form Manager.' Select which fields to display, and which must be filled out by site visitors. Click Submit at the bottom of the form, then view the live results either by clicking on Preview in the QuickFlex interface or by returning to this page and refreshing it.

Quicksilver Associates
about quickflex.net glossary portfolio calendar watch video
about quicksilver
contact quicksilver

Disclaimer: This is a Quicksilver Associates, Inc. site for demonstrating a content management system solution. Content related to the Chicago River is not regularly updated and may not be accurate. All content displays correctly in modern browsers (we do not support Internet Explorer 6!).