The Issues:
The Web design arena is changing by the minute. Methodology, technology and
psychology are just a few of the considerations. What’s right? What’s wrong?
Who’s right? What do I do now? These are just a few of the questions that
current and potential website owners ask themselves.
A dizzying array of
hosting solutions and a multitude of alternatives for website development
tools exist in the market today. It can take weeks to analyze alternatives
and make a decision on the ultimate approach. Someone attempting to do this
with no background in computers or computer systems would have a difficult
and frustrating time making it all happen, if only because of the myriad of
choices.
But let’s face it, many high school and probably some elementary
school students have developed websites. So what’s the big deal? That’s what
these articles will deal with. Hopefully, this common sense approach will
help some to make better decisions regarding their Internet presence.
We
will look at issues from the customer’s point of view, the designer’s point
of view and the developer’s point of view, and many times all three will
disagree for good reasons. The one absolute is that the winner needs to be
the customer every time.
The Online Web Design Journal
...in Search of Effective Web Design
...And the Rest
How
Do You Choose a Web Designer?
October 1, 2008
What is the Difference Between Good Web Design and Bad Web
Design?
August 28, 2008
Web
Project Management and the Project Schedule
July 10, 2008
The Legal Aspects of Web
Design — Caveat Emptor
May 22, 2008
How to Keep Your Clients
Happy — Documentation and Signoff
April 28, 2008
To Blog or Not to Blog - That
is the Question
March 7, 2008
Who is Responsible for the
Design of a Web Site?
March 3, 2008
Effective Web Communication
January 14, 2008
How Wide Is Your Web Page?
December 12, 2007
What Color Is Your Website?
December 6, 2007
So You Want to Build Your Own Website - Part 3. Do It Yourself?
November 15, 2007
So You Want to Build Your Own Website - Part 2. What is the Cost of a
Free Website?
November 1, 2007
So You Want to Build Your Own Website - Part 1. Why?
October 15, 2007
Online - The American Way
October 1, 2007
October 16, 2008
If you travel across the country or around the world you certainly
don’t expect to be able to network with everyone, but you can connect to
the world through social networking on the Web. Social networking is
not new. In fact, it’s been around for centuries, but it has largely
been related to relationships acquired through actual face-to-face
meetings. Social networking on the Internet is now affecting everyone.
...more
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Some of the Best
March 28, 2008
Often the word designer implies the task of creating or being
creative. Design evokes images of innovative, artistic presentations or
exotic, architectural concepts. Talented designers make our world a
more pleasant place to live. Today though, it seems anyone can become a
Web designer. Your background isn’t really important. So, after reading
a few books or articles on programming and software design tools, just
about anyone can do this. Right? ...more
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December 1, 2007
Today, a suitable business website is a validation of professionalism
— an electronic business card, so to speak. A proper website adds a
level of trust in the business that wouldn’t exist otherwise. Done
well, the website notifies its customers that the business is
authentic. Done poorly, the site can leave customers wondering whether
the products and services will be just as bad.
...more
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Many authors attempt to list Web design dos and don’t.
We will consider those Web dos that are not always obvious,
sometimes controversial and oftentimes not followed
by even good sites.
It is appropriate to say that effective web design is not a
matter of following dos and don’ts. It is a matter of success.
If a site is successful and breaks all the rules, then it is
still effective. There are many ineffective sites that follow
conventions to the letter. Therefore, effectiveness is a
measure of success, not an opinion.
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We often read about the things to do to ensure that a web
site is effective in providing the message it intends to convey,
but we don’t often think of those aspects of Web design that
were once accepted that no longer serve our purposes well.
It does not pay for us to go over every thing that we can
think of that can be done wrong, since there are thousands of
these items, but we could spend some useful time in talking
about things that are commonly done that can adversely affect
the ability of the site to get our message across.
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