Web Design So Far

One of the best articles I have read on web design is very short. It talks about one thing: designing with consistency. If there is one thing that I hope to take out of this course, it is that. Designing consistently does many things for a designer. It makes code lighter, therefore making a page load faster. It allows for faster redesigns because more code is reused. It creates clear, concise visual cues for users telling them how things are grouped together, making the experience easier and more enjoyable because it is quick and easy to find what you are looking for.

If I take nothing else from this course, I will be better off. However, I also have really taken a liking to the section on white hat techniques for SEO. If you look at my link in the above paragraph, the anchor text describes where it will take the user instead of merely saying "click here". See, I'm already applying lessons learned from the course!

The Grid Layout

This post is based on Grid-based Layout, a blog by Welie.com.

Web users want their information quickly. That is why they are on the web. So the problem has always been how do we make lots of information accessible and easy to digest? A very useful method for solving this problem is to set up your website on a grid. This lets you place elements on the page so that the eye will follow naturally. It is however, important to note that grids are meant to aid the designer, they are not the goal. As you look at websites, try to lay a grid on top of the site and see if they have things lined up and arranged in a grid.

The article is purposefully vague on specifics. It is meant to encourage designers to start thinking about designing within a grid. It is very applicable to all designers that want to design good, usable sites. The argument that grids are important for all design, even the web is sound, but incomplete. I feel that the author should have used more examples, and perhaps show a site that originally was not built on a grid and then follow up with its redesign.

Impact Podo

I'm wearing my new TOMS today. TOMS Shoes is a shoe company that does something that no other shoe company is doing: for every pair of shoes you buy, TOMS will give one pair of shoes to children in need. You may be asking why this is so important. Watch the video below to find out.

And in case you couldn't see this video for whatever reason (maybe you're watching this from your mobile device), podoconiosis is a disease that affects the feet of those who walk barefoot through silica-rich soil. There is a simple solution to preventing this disease: shoes. If you buy a pair of shoes from TOMS, you save one person from a lifetime of dibilitating pain and suffering. I really encourage everyone to at least go check out TOMS Shoes' website and see what it's all about.

Ben Hunt's 10 best-designed web sites in the world

Ben Hunt's post on Scratch.com highlights a variety of websites from many different industries. He lists a few websites that would make my top-ten list (Apple.com, and Corkd.com) but there were a few that I either disagreed with (Mozilla.com) or am undecided on (Circografico.com.ar).

Starting with what I agreed with, Apple.com (and yes, I am an Apple fan, not quite a fanboy, but I am a fan) is a fantastically clean looking website. Each time I go to their site, I am greeted by a simple yet effective ad highlighting one of their new products, as well as a clean horizontal navigation bar and plenty of white space that lets my eyes flow through the page effortlessly. With Corkd.com, I was immediately drawn to its simple look. It looks classic with a simple 2 column design, simple embellishments beneath the headings and each section is nicely framed. I have never used Cork'd, nor do I frequent the site since I do not drink, but from a design perspective, it is beautiful.

I disagree with having Mozilla.com on the list because I have always had issues with navigation on their site. The add-on section, while being a great resource for making Firefox your own, is difficult for finding what you need. I guess that from a design perspective, which is how I should be looking at their site, it is gorgeous. It integrates a beautiful background that adds color to the site without detracting from the content. You know, forget about any negatives that I had to say about Mozilla.com. My beef is with things on the back-end, not with the design of the site.

I am actually reviewing Circografico.com.ar right now. After clicking on a few of the links, I must say that I am in love with its design. It doesn't take any investigation to determine what the purpose of the site is. My favorite section is the portfolio which displays each piece so cleanly, yet does not stray from the key design elements of the site (the navigation bar, the paper elements in the background and the footer). My one complaint is that from the front page, the arrow in the featured illustration acts as a link to the portfolio, but if you are viewing a piece from the portfolio, clicking the same arrow does not link back to the portfolio, but instead links to the next portfolio piece, which offers some inconsistency. But all in all, it is a fabulously beautiful site.

I couldn't quite discuss this list without throwing in a couple of my own. I used to love YouTube until a video streaming site came along that is both beautiful and easy to navigate, Hulu.com. Hulu has plenty of white space, an easy to use navigation bar, and a logo that meshes very well with the site. Another site that makes my list is Mashable.com. It is a blog that serves as a guide to social media and does a good job of emulating some of the best features of sites like Twitter and Facebook. And last, who can forget Google? Their site is clean and simple, yet so very full of easy to find and use functionality. As I begin to delve into web design, it is good to know that I have a lot of great sites out there to look to for inspiration.