#13672
Independent Publishing is Growing Up
It can be said that the first year you publish an independent web zine you are in the process of learning the concept of the independent web. There is no one definition that could incapsulate what is and what isn't the indepenedent web other than the independent web is free. Free from commercialization. Free from censorship. Free from politics. Free from the boxes that we can find ourselves working our day jobs. The independent web movement is about everything we can't do elsewhere. What we can't do at our day jobs, we do on the web. What we can't do in our country, we do on the web. What we can't express elsewhere, we express on the web. We do it by ourselves for ourselves. It's our sandbox and it is our right to express ourselves not just as citizens of a country but as human beings as individuals.
Finck, Nick. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Articles>Publishing>Online
#10557
Inspiration vs. Theft: The Thin Gray Line
Inspiration does not come easy for most, and that includes some of the world's top designers and creative directors. Everyone has experienced what we call 'designer's cramp' (a designer's version of 'writer's block') at some time or another. There have been numerous articles about the problem and a ton of suggestions. Some of them work, but many fail miserably. Lance Arthur recently wrote an article in A List Apart called 'Creative Notions,' which is one of the best I've seen in a long time about the sketchy subject. Coincidentally, Lance is perhaps one of the most widely known designers on the web today, and therefore suffers from a great deal of plagiarism. When asked about this, he says, 'A dubious distinction, surely. I think having a somewhat higher profile than other personal sites contributes to my reign under this title.'1 Why is that? I believe because he is a creative person whose designs are original and inspirational. However, as long as web browsers come with the 'view source' button, plagiarism
Finck, Nick. Digital Web Magazine (1999). Articles>Intellectual Property>Copyright>Plagiarism
#18919
An Interview with Andrew B. King
Web page optimization is about optimizing everything that goes into a Web page, including the text. In fact, text optimization is one of the most overlooked ways of speeding up Web sites. I see many a site with optimized graphics, but with HTML that is unoptimized, filled with comments, unused code, and whitespace. Compression can also be used to shrink the text (HTML, JavaScript, etc.) that you deliver to your impatient users.
Saila, Craig. Digital Web Magazine (2003). Design>Web Design>Usability
#23892
An Interview with Peter Morville and Lou Rosenfeld, Information Architects
An interview with Peter Morville and Lou Rosenfeld covering the topic of what the information architecture is, how information architecture relates to usability, and the challenges faced when constructing a successful information architecture.
Evans, Meryl K. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Careers>Information Design
#30469
As developers, we have more and more JavaScript libraries to choose from and, of course, the option not to use any at all. Over time, we each tend to favor one method of coding over another. For those who'd like to learn more about jQuery, one of the more popular libraries, here's a crash course written with code-savvy web designers in mind.
Smith, Nathan. Digital Web Magazine (2007). Design>Web Design>Programming>JavaScript
#10560
Glenn Davis once said, 'Webpage building is a lot like bar tending. Build it right and it will work no matter what the container.' I think he was either very drunk when he said that or really on to something. Some people consider the web to be an information resource while others swear up and down that it's a form of entertainment. Web interface design has taken a giant leap in the past few years from the all-too-haunting gray backgrounds and bulleted lists to colorful interactive interfaces and eye-candy. A good web designer knows how to blend just the right amount of interface with information, so that it appears seamless and the navigation almost transparent to the end user. This is where Davis's idea of liquid design comes into play. Through his years of web development, he has come to a conclusion that there are three elements of interface on the web today: those that are Liquid, Jell-O, and Ice.
Finck, Nick. Digital Web Magazine (1999). Design>Information Design>Web Design
#13661
I'm not here to trivialize or ridicule the use of search capability on a site. The retrieval of informaiton from a web site is a fundamentally different task than finding fresh bread at the supermarket, and should be treated differently. However, search has become the default technique for getting around online, while its offline equivalents are usually downplayed by organizations and avoided by individuals. How many of us like asking questions at the store?
Wertheimer, David. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Web Design
#23201
Making Cents from Information Architecture
Discusses the monetary cost of taking a short cut and skipping development of a sound information architecture with proper documentation for later reference.
K'necht, Alan. Digital Web Magazine (2003). Design>Information Design>Web Design
#13669
Managing the Client: A Fairy Tale
Remember that a successful project has a measurable and positive impact on the client's business objectives. Set a time period to measure the progress toward achieving those objectives, and plan to measure progress on a regular basis. If you find that there are adjustments that should be made, or additions that can improve the project's functionality, do them.
Cliver, Sara. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Careers>Consulting>Collaboration
#13659
Mind Your Phraseology! Using Controlled Vocabularies to Improve Findability
Many moons ago I waited tables. One day our manager came down to tell us that from now on we were to refer to our customers as 'guests.' We also were to refer to courses as 'first course' and 'second course.' Our chef was French, and found the American use of 'entrée' for the main course annoying--in French 'entree' means appetizer. This was my first experience with a controlled vocabulary. A controlled vocabulary is simply what it sounds like: a way to control the meaning of the vocabulary used as well as keeping track of the related terms.
Wodtke, Christina. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Web Design>Writing>Controlled Vocabulary
#13667
In my forays into digital photography in the last four years, I've encountered a number of issues and learned a lot about making pictures sans film. With any new technology, one is forced to deal with both the same old issues and arguments, and also, brand new ones that have never before been considered. Rather than make any attempt at cohesiveness, below are some various points and lessons I've learned.
Voss, Stephen. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Online
#23215
Explores the psychology behind how users make navigational choices as they navigate through 'information spaces' and how information architects can use this information when crafting the navigational experience.
Garrett, Jesse James. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Web Design>Information Design>Cognitive Psychology
#10547
The search for compelling color is a struggle. As in fashion, success at one time and place is no help at any other.
Stein, Bob. Digital Web Magazine (2001). Design>Graphic Design>User Interface>Color
#13665
Rock, Paper, Stone: The Biz Stone Guide to Independent Publishing
People have things to say. Maybe you're one of them, struggling to get a voice through the bottleneck that is big publishing. Maybe you're a talented individual who would write more if you had a forum. Maybe you're an expert in certain areas but all that insightful content stays trapped within you because you don't have an outlet. Oh, but you do. Today's Web is fertile soil for independent publishing. Not only is it easy to get your voice out there, but your voice is also heard, acknowledged, and in many cases responded to by interested, intelligent readers who have discovered your work because they sought it out and are happy to have found it. This low barrier to publishing gets you writing, and that's important.
Stone, Biz. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Articles>Publishing>Online
#23807
Search Engine Optimization and Non-HTML Sites
Think about all the PDF, sound and other rich media files out there. Can this content be indexed by search engines? The answer is yes and no.
K'necht, Alan. Digital Web Magazine (2004). Design>Web Design>Search>Search Engine Optimization
#13660
The web is not print. The need to create hypertext within pages requires more control over documents. Another is that web pages can also be applications, so access to the 'guts' of the page is needed to insert programming code. And ideally, we would like to separate presentation from content, enabling us to format the content in different ways for different purposes. How can we achieve all this with the efficiency and usability we've come to expect of other publishing tools?
Lombardi, Victor. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Content Management>Web Design
#13666
Macromedia has been the dominant force behind vector-based graphics and animation on the web for nearly the past 10 years. Times change, and new methods are always on the horizon. The upcoming contender for vector graphics is Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), an XML-based language under development by the W3C.
Vitiello, Eric Jr. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Web Design>XML>SVG
#13663
Three Ways to Improve External Search Engine Usability
In web log analysis, two things are often missed. First, how the link to your site is presented in the results is critical. Next, what are visitors experiencing once they select that link? Many sites spend significant resources ensuring high placement in search engines, but usually little effort is spent on designing how those results are displayed and whether the pages they point to will help the visitor achieve their goal. With on-site search engines, it is easy to control the way results are presented to visitors, provide similar search suggestions, and ensure that the results are relevant and helpful. This is more difficult with external search engines, but not impossible. Here are some thoughts as to how to evaluate the usability of results on search engines and improve their effectiveness and relevance.
Lash, Jeff. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Web Design>Search>Usability
#13671
To Use or Not to Use: An XHTML Roadmap for Designers
The problem with XHTML 1.0 isn't a matter of strength, or of importance. XHTML is both strong and important--and not just for markup snobs and hardcore developers. It's not that XHTML 1.0 has a particularly high learning curve. It doesn't--in fact, it's quite easy to learn. And, it's not that XHTML 1.0 doesn't display in browsers both current and past. When written with awareness of cross-browser considerations--just as with HTML, it does. The problem lies in the fact that XHTML is, quite simply, misunderstood.
Holzschlag, Molly E. Digital Web Magazine (2001). Design>Web Design>Standards>XHTML
#23178
Toward a More Standards-Compliant Internet Explorer
Reveals a major flaw in Internet Explorer when dealing with floats. If you are serious about moving from a table layout to a CSS layout, you must read this article first.
Gallant, John P. Digital Web Magazine (2003). Articles>Web Design>Standards>Web Browsers
#18452
A User-Centered Approach to Selling Information Architecture
One of the most popular topics for discussion among those practicing Information Architecture is “selling IA.” There is a constant struggle to show the value and benefits of including information architecture techniques on a project. The most common approach to selling IA involves introducing the basic concepts, along with explanations and examples of what deliverables are produced, and some discussion of the benefits. At that point, usually the client will comment, or ask about how these procedures can fit in to a specific project. This is antithetical to the mantra of user-centered design, which says that the needs of the user should be understood before the design begins. How can one design a sales approach before understanding the needs of the client? The proper approach should be to figure out what the goals and needs of the client are before ever starting to try and sell Information Architecture as a possible solution.
Lash, Jeff. Digital Web Magazine. Articles>Information Design>User Centered Design
#10546
Visual Architecture: The Rule of Three
When I think of web designers and developers, I think of them as craftsmen. These are people that are specifically skilled for their jobs, and know their way around almost any unforeseen obstacle that may appear in their path. A true craftsman is an artist, who pays close attention to detail and produces work of the highest standard. These are the architects of solid information structure. They are not merely turning out product, but building from the foundation to the finishes.
Finck, Nick and Peter Fielding. Digital Web Magazine (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Information Design
#30407
Web Design and the DMCA: Giving and Getting Take Down Notices
If you find yourself in the position of sending or receiving a Digital Millenium Copyright Act take-down notice, this informal checklist will help you get it right the first time.
Rutchik, Gregory. Digital Web Magazine (2007). Articles>Intellectual Property>Copyright
#13664
Web Page Reconstruction with CSS
J. David Eisenberg tried to re-do a Yahoo! weather page in his article titled Converting a Page to CSS. While his attempt was not a complete success, he totally transformed the page's structure and style using contemporary CSS methods. As David says, 'anything worth doing is worth doing again.' The goal of transferring the page to a CSS layout is to get rid of any HTML that's used for presentational purposes in order to achieve the layout. As it is now, the Digital Web layout uses HTML tables for layout purposes and spacer GIFs for spacing and positioning of elements on the Web page. We will be using CSS to replace the JavaScript in the JavaScript rollovers on this page.
Schmitt, Christopher. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Web Design>CSS
#10548
What Makes Those Damn Clients So Difficult?
You know the old saying: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The same holds true in dealing with clients. Oh sure, Atilla the Hun is out there, but he or she is an infinitesimal minority. (If you're at that point, see Firing Atilla the Hun.) In actual fact, most of those downright ugly client situations stem from a host of reasons other than the client themselves: lack of planning and communication, poor listening skills, over-promises and unmet expectations, over-confidence and lack of self-confidence, and lack of motivation--on either side. Another reason why some clients can seem so difficult to deal with is because they're people. Sound silly? Believe it or not, it's often overlooked when our main focus is 'the project,' the work at hand.
Cummings, Wanda. Digital Web Magazine (2000). Careers>Consulting
