RE: FN-FORUM: Some Guidance Please

date posted 25th May 2007 18:05

[EMAIL REMOVED] wrote:
> http://www.linkhomes2000.co.uk/trials/tryagain-index-2.php
>
> I'm uncertain as to the location of the members login just under=20
> the header graphic. Is it to much in that small space or not?

Paul wrote:
> Are you trying to design in HTML? You'll waste hours trying to=20
> see what works. You really need to design the site as a graphic=20
> first (in Photoshop or something similar) and then worry about=20
> coding it later. To be honest I really think you'd benefit from=20
> using a designer for a day to produce your screenshots.


That could come across as a slap down, but Paul does have a point! =
Piecing
together the design as you code - rather than planning the design first =
and
building later - is a recipe for a piecemeal, inconsistent 'Look & Feel' =
for
the final site.

Personally, I can come up with a nice looking site design if needed, but =
I
recognise that it is difficult to engage both the creative and coding =
sides
of one's brain simultaneously, so normally hire a designer to create the
Photoshop mock-ups before work starts on the UI code.

This is much like the argument for designing code before jumping in and
coding, to avoid ending up with unmaintainable 'spaghetti code'.

Note that there's nothing to stop you "outsourcing" to yourself, if you
wish! But you should treat production of the Look & Feel mock up as a
completely self-contained step - switch yourself into 'creative' mode,
ignore implementation intricacies (such as CSS column layouts, etc) and
focus on aesthetics, usability, the customer's brand, etc.

Hopefully this doesn't come across as patronising and may be useful for =
a
future projects?

Ben

--
Ben Johnson, Neogic Web Solutions
// design . development . managed hosting

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e | [EMAIL REMOVED]