"Getting Started" section for designers

One challenge we’ve always struggled with on the DeepRoot website is how to get people just the right amount of information: enough so that they can answer any questions they have and enable them to move forward in their projects, but not so much that they become frustrated and can’t find what they’re looking for.

The Silva Cell is a particular challenge because we have people from various professions on the site, all of whom need different things and are at different stages of the research or design process. To simplify the process for everyone, we decided to create “Getting Started” sections for designers and contractors that will serve as a road map for how to move your project forward, whatever stage it is at.

“Getting Started” for Designers breaks use of the Silva Cell down in to five steps:

1. Determine project goals
2. Place Silva Cells on your site
3. Create a Silva Cell specification
4. Budget pricing
5. Submit your plan for review 

By and large, the content in each of these sections isn’t new: it’s just organized in a way that  makes it easier for people to figure out where to begin and how to more forward. You’ll find that many of the links point you to existing resources on the DeepRoot site, but it’s organized to walk you through the process step by step. Hopefully this will allow you to use existing resources as well as find others you didn’t know about.

"Getting Started" section for contractors

“Getting Started” for Contractors is divided in to four sections:

1. Determine pricing
2. Purchase Silva Cells
3. Install Silva Cells
4. Technical support 

This information is basically new in that it hasn’t existed anywhere else on the DeepRoot site heretofore. Since we know many contractors are bidding Silva Cell projects for the first time, this will make the process of getting accurate bid numbers simpler and easier. It will also help get the word out about our free pre-construction meeting and well as on-site observation, which are two important services we provide on all of our projects.

Lest engineers think we’ve forgotten about them, rest assured that we haven’t. A “Getting Started” section just for engineers (with lots of stormwater information!) will be available shortly. Please check back soon.

Lastly, back in the early, early days of this blog, I used to post a recipe on Fridays. Back by popular demand (of one person), this week’s recipe is Yotam Ottolenghi’s roasted eggplant salad with smoked almonds and goat cheese. It’s delicious as-is, and you can easily bulk this up to be more of a main with chickpeas or edamame. I served it over rice.