Observations (8 articles)
Eight harsh truths for clients about web design
Every now and then we all have to deal with a client who has ‘interesting’ ideas for their web site. You know the type – the guy who wants an animated background, or the girl who insists on having all the text coloured light grey on a white background at 10 points. When it comes to web design, I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that the client is rarely if ever right....
Read full article | 12 comments , most recent by That Web Guy
10 mistruths about Web Standards
Web standards can be technically described as a collection of strict disciplines we use to create content accessible via the World Wide Web. The term is also associated with building said content according to the best practices outlined by the W3C and other professional web organisations at large. But Web Standards aren’t immune to the myths perpetrated by noobs and professionals ali...
Read full article | 9 comments , most recent by CSS Babe
Tell your clients why web standards should matter to them
You and I both know the importance of web standards, but what about your clients? If you were to ask if a web standards compliant web site is important to them, you'll probably be met with a stare not too dissimilar to a deer in headlights. In all likelihood your client doesn't know what web standards are, or they have a grossly uninformed interpretation. One of my clients once said very matter...
Read full article | 7 comments , most recent by That Web Guy
Should we punish those who can't upgrade from IE6?
As a supporter of web standards and accessibility, I was recently made aware of my own contradictory stance regarding the support of Internet Explorer 6. Now I know IE6 is a dirty word in the design community and I can hear you all groaning from here at the mere mention, but bear with me for a minute. Firstly, let me get this out of the way. I despise said browser because of its poor standards ...
Read full article | 10 comments , most recent by Brent
Staying in the right headspace
I can't speak for every designer, but my role sees me jumping in and out between different design projects almost daily. And that is usually a mix of coding, Photoshopping and In-Designing. If you've ever been in this situation then you can testify to how difficult it can be to get into and stay in the right headspace. 'Headspace' is an odd term but it basically means being properly focuse...
Read full article | 3 comments , most recent by Katey
Don't use target=_blank
Despite what you may have heard from your boss who doubles as a 'usability expert', people actually like to have control over their browser. One of the most infuriating ways to annoy web surfers (me included) is to make decisions for us, and if you're forcing external links into new windows or tabs, then you're doing it very very wrong. The thing is, I know how to use my browser, and so do othe...
Read full article | 20 comments , most recent by That Web Guy
Why mention Dreamweaver on your CV?
In a recent article I made a throw-away comment regarding Dreamweaver and its (lack of) importance in web design. During the beta phase of this site one of the testers queried me on why I felt that way. Buckle up, because this might hurt some feelings. I don’t have a problem with Dreamweaver per se, and I still use it (although I’m constantly looking for a suitable alterative) bu...
Read full article | 16 comments , most recent by That Web Guy
Considerate Accessibility
When I got my first web development job more than 10 years ago I had only a vague clue what the term 'accessibility' meant, and no clue what it meant to develop for it. Like many other web developers these days we know what's technically required to achieve an accessible web site, but there are some other things to consider post launch. If you're going to hand a CMS controlled site over to your...
Read full article | 8 comments , most recent by Teegee