Nov 17 2008
Today we’re going to take a stroll down memory lane. How many of you were actually designing/developing websites in the mid-90s? If you were, you’ll find this list amusing and you’ll chuckle at how many, if not all, of the items below you employed. For you youngsters out there, you’ll be wondering how we’ve come so far based on the crap we had to work with ‘back then’. Either way, the 10 items below are things you should never, ever do:
Nov 06 2008
Design mistakes. Everyone makes them. Here are 10 (in no particular order) common design mistakes. (I’ll tell you how to fix and/or avoid them later!)
Be sure to subscribe to the RSS. You don’t want to miss how to fix these, if you’ve already fallen victim to them.
Oct 17 2008
The look-and-feel of a website is how its branding and content are reflected in its design. ‘Look’ refers to the appearance of the web elements: text color, font size, header treatments, navigation design, etc. ‘Feel’ refers to the reader’s experience of using the website.
These terms are used together as it is the website’s look that will determine its feel—the two are intertwined. Successful web design starts with your audience. What are their needs? When you first consider your audience and what you are building, you can create a look-and-feel that meets your audiences needs. This will help you create a successful design.
Let’s jump right in and review some examples.
Oct 14 2008
If you already know the specific differences between web development and web design, or if you understand why CSS is so important (not just that you can do cool stuff with it), consider yourself ahead of the curve—this will serve as a nice little review. If, however, you want a better understanding of the elements that make up web design for the sake of improving your own, get out your pens and take some notes!
Oct 13 2008
Web design is an art. Great web design occurs when design and content are seamless and you don’t notice its greatness.
Vincent Flanders, Web Pages That Suck
No truer web design words have been spoken. Notice that the quote mentions both design and content. This will be important to remember as we travel down the path of discovering what truly makes good web design.
So how do you know good web design versus bad web design? How do you create “seamless” design versus clunky design? How do you make your visitors notice your site but “not notice the greatness”? The answers to these questions are not as obvious as you would think. 
The differences between good and bad web design are often times very subtle.
Good web design does not mean any of the following:
To further illustrate this point, let’s take a look at KC The Catalog.
Oct 10 2008
Why are you on the web? Are you promoting a product? Promoting yourself? Promoting an opinion? Let’s face it—the web is all about promotion. The same rules that apply to first impressions when meeting people offline apply to first impressions when meeting people online. 
The way you are dressed matters. The tone of your voice and the firmness of your handshake matter. In fact, on the web, first impressions matter even more.
If someone’s first impression of you is less than stellar, you have time in their presence to change their mind. On the web, if a reader’s first impression of you is less than stellar, POOF! They are gone in the click of a mouse—probably to visit your competitor. The rule of the web:
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
This means that, while “content it king,” how you present that content is just as important. Your layout and design act as your product’s first impression. Dress well, have something interesting to say, and firmly establish your presence. This will give reader’s a positive first impression, thus greatly improving the odds of them staying on your site/blog for more than a passing glance.
Let’s look at the science.
