Author: Sheri
Designing for every browser especially if you are using CSS can be a challenge, but is possible if you are able to test the site in the browser. One way to do this is install all the browsers you want to test; however, the problem comes when you need to test IE. If you’re on a Mac you don’t have a version available and on Windows it’s nearly impossible to install more than one version without the help of some hacks.
Recently, I was told of a great web site that will emulate several browsers and their different versions. It’s called Spoon.net. Unfortunately, they don’t support Mac OSX, but it’s still pretty cool.
Author: Sheri
Just in the last several months, I have fallen in love with e-books. I really didn’t think I would like reading on my iPad, but I was pleasantly surprised. When I ran across this post on Mashable, I just had to check out these web design e-books and the best part, they’re FREE.
Author: Sheri
After you get through figuring out the target audience, the topic and content, you need to come up with a color palette. The color palette should convey the appropriate message and be appealing to the target audience. Some times this is easy because a client will provide you with a branded color palette or at the very least a logo which you can pull ideas from.
Many times though, the client is looking to you to help them come up with a look and feel for their site and sometimes the whole brand. A good rule of thumb is to not use more than three colors because it could make the site too busy. However, it really depends upon the target audience and topic. A site geared toward children is perfect example of one that may exceed three colors. Here is a great article from 1stWebDesginer.com to get those creative juices flowing.
Author: Sheri
When I first started working in web design, I worked on an intranet. While it’s critical to make it usable and get people to use it; it’s not selling anything. As I have began working more on sites that actually market something it’s fascinating to see the difference of what constitutes “usability”. Sure the site still needs great navigation and great content, but you also should add another element – emotion.
Think about all the sites you visit, some have products which are tangible (e.g. books, clothes, etc.) and others which sell intangible (e.g. services, insurance, etc.) products. Either way, adding emotion into the mix helps sell and in fact may help even more with the intangible things.
WebDesignDepot has a great article talking about emotions and design. Read it here.
Author: Sheri
I ran across this excellent article on web analytics which provides a newbie like myself the basic things to think about and the tools that will help you understand what it all means.
Author: Sheri
Six Revisions recently posted a fantastic article called “A 6-Step General Process for Producing a Website” that I highly recommend newbies read, but also experienced designers read as a refresher. Too many times, we get caught up in a short deadline and decide to skip some of the steps mentioned. Many times for me, I end up combining Step 3 (Design) and Step 4 (Code) to save time. In the majority of cases it doesn’t save time, it actually does just the opposite. Keep these steps in mind the next time you are designing a new site and hopefully, it will save you time and frustration in the long run.
Author: Sheri
Error messages aren’t something you think about until they happen. All of us would like to think whatever we designed is used properly and never has any problems, but realistically that might not happen.
Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D. talks about designing for error messages so they make sense. Read about it on her blog: “What Makes the Click”.
Author: Sheri
If you design websites enough, you tend to walk through a mental list (or maybe it’s written down) of the things you need to do before and during the design process. If you are like me, you begin by identifying the target audience, colors, content, navigation, etc., but one thing I don’t typically think about is the type of layout. I will admit, I tend to pick one type and stay with it; however, in a recent article from Six Revisions I realized that I should be paying more attention to this component.
Their article entitled “A Guide on Layout Types in Web Design” provided highlights on ten types of layouts and the pros and cons of each one.
Author: Sheri
Author: Sheri
A style guide is an important part of a web site project, but many times it’s forgotten. These guides can help organize and think through the process of a redesigned site in addition to documenting the components of the site including company branding. Smashing Magazine recently published an article about what should go in a style guide. Check it out and create one today!
