OK, maybe not many. Maybe you still work in the Jurassic era and do all changes for your clients in the code. The majority of sites these days require some form of a CMS systems though. And that means their owners have full control over their content. Also, they now decide what goes where. Very often your expertise in that field is no longer required.

Web design has definitely changed and you can either cop on or extinct. Not a great prospect, eh? Two years ago you could have shown off how great you are by your knowledge of creating the sites structure, today the client knows better. And very often doesn’t want to listen to you.

Good news! There is something new though they need your help with.

Functionality. Content management is no longer a problem but how the site works is. And it’s often your call how that gallery works, how contact form processes the information or how product catalog indexes all items. It’s also your job now to communicate those ideas to clients in a clear and
understandable way.

Therefore from now on, ignore site maps. They are a massive waste of time. Focus your energy on functionality maps.

Here’s how to make one.

List all pages with a list of functionality beside each page. If necessary draw a quick step by step sketch of how certain functionality will work. Think of it as a functionality story board.

Help your client understand what you are suggesting to them. And remember, the main rule of functionality is that it has to be easy to operate and easy to understand for the visitor.

Last thing, consult your developer before you pass your functionality map to the client. These days you can develop practically any system with time and cost being the only things that may stand on the way.

And they very often do.

–> Something extra to think about: <–

- when was the last time you checked how your desired functionality works? Do you visit scripts producers sites and view demos of their systems? Do you ask your developers for advice on what are the best solutions for what you want to achieve? Or do you just play smart?

- which web development blogs are you subscribed to? Do you follow new technologies and issues with the existing ones?

As many of you know I have been living a minimalist lifestyle practically since my University years (don’t even ask me how many years ago it way) and I am a strong advocate of this simple way of living. Thus I decided to tell you about Everett Bogue’s new ebook “The Art of Being Minimalist”.

In short the ebook is a concise guide to living a simple, minimalist lifestyle. Everett writes about practically all aspects of our existence that we need to take control of in order to embrace minimalism. Decluttering your life, your habits, spending, time management, your workweek and freeing yourself from being tied to any location are mentioned in the book. Everett gives a solid advice on what you need to change in any of those areas of your life.

I know that more and more people these days embrace this way of living so if you’re thinking of the same, “The Art of Being Minimalist” is definitely one of the books to read, study and follow the advice in it.

You can find more info on the book and purchase your copy here.

Also, check out my other blog: minimalist business

All great designers take risks, possibly you included. They try to push themselves to their limits and beyond. They test new ideas and quite often they win. Awards and praise and recognition. Sometimes they loose too but hey, you can’t win all the time.

But when was the last time that you took a risk in your web project?
No, I don’t mean that new javascript gallery you used or a sliding menu. I mean taking all the knowledge of design, technology, web and usability you have and coming up with a design that does not follow the standard. Navigation across and content in the middle and maybe some extra navigation down the side. When was the last time you went beyond that?

And what really stops you from doing so? Why you are eager to go beyond your limitations in print but you dread a thought of doing the same in web.

One word: confidence.

I recently interviewed some of our clients. Many of them replied that when it comes to graphic design they know what they’re doing. With the web though they prefer to stay on the safe side. Not that they are happy with that but also not many of them had any idea what to do about that.

Are you the same?

If so, here is a list of few things to get you started.

1. Stop thinking that graphic and web design are the same.
2. Make usability your priority, let the design come second.
3. Every time you are about to start a project make a list of all limitations of your material. Make this list for every project. Analyze it. You will notice that many of limitations will force new solution on you. Of course given that you will decide to find a solution to a limitation.
4. And possibly the most important one, analyze the work of designers who constantly take risks. You do that with your graphic design skills, why not do the same with the web?

Of course gaining confidence in web will take time but once you do, you will notice a new world of possibilities awaiting you. Just like it is now with your graphic design work.

When you get there though, don’t forget that usability always has to come first.

Think Two, my company has just launched free advice sessions for graphic designers working with web.

If you are stuck with a problem you can’t find a solution
to, be it a design or coding related problem call in to our office today between 11am and 1pm and we will try to get it to work.

FULL INFO:

What: Call in hours. You can come in to talk about any design / coding
problem you might have

When: Every Tuesday, from 11am till 1pm.

Where: Our office at 2 Rutland Place, Dublin 1

For whom: Any graphic designer working with the web. you can bring any project, not necessarily the one we are working with you on.

More info: http://thinktwo.ie/call-in-hours

It’s really a question for those of you who use double (or more) screen setup at work. Do you find that you are more productive with two screens? Could you give some examples of how you use your two screens setup? Also, if you could let me know how your productivity was affected when you got the 2nd screen.

I know how it affected me but I don’t want to base this project on my own experiences. So any help would be greatly appreciated.

You can either leave your answers in comments or email me directly.

Many thanks for your help.

I am still trying to make up my mind whether I like this approach. The minimalist in me (yes, I am one) is delighted. I love seeing only what I need at the very moment and not be distracted by anything else.

The usability guy in me has mixed feelings about it though. Of course it’s not that Google is trying to hide anything. If you only do as much as moving the cursor all missing elements pop back where they have always been. But what if Google decided that you need to take a more complex action to activate them? Something like performing an actual search, or maybe clicking a button somewhere on screen? Then your access to your essential elements would be severely limited.

By all means I am not saying that what Google is doing with this change is wrong. I honestly think it is a brilliant idea. They tell you straight away what objective they have for you. And in Googles case I doubt they would ever made any usability mistake with their homepage. They are too smart for that.

The problem are websites that will try to imitate this approach without considering the visitor. Imagine sites where you would see only headline and call to action upon landing, and be presented with other info only when you request it. Or only when you absorb the sales info first.

From usability point of view it could actually be a wonderful thing. Although at the same time I can think of hundreds of examples where this idea could be easily mutilated by the marketing people and websites could potentially become massive, virtual sales pitches without an aid of ads and other online sales tools we have to live with now.

Of course it is hard to say whether this would ever happen but the whole change on Googles home page and the way the world of web perceives what Google does got me thinking about all that.

Opinions anyone?

It is a natural instinct that tells us: talking about yourself shows how professional you are. Especially talking about how you know and understand technology, internet, social networking, insert your favorite latest internet sensation here. In reality, nothing is further from the truth. The only thing your prospect wants to find out is whether you understand his needs. And unless you convince him of that your fate is doomed.

Why do I write this in a design blog though? Actually the impulse for this post came to me after a meeting between a web designer and a prospective client that I witnessed the other day. During over an hour that I was there the designer hasn’t stopped talking. I imagine the client must have been delighted when given a chance to throw “ahah” into the “conversation”.

Instead of finding out important information about clients plans for the site the designer kept on bragging about himself and all the internet crap you can think of.

Was the client happy? I pretty much doubt it.

Was the designer happy? I suppose he was actually proud of himself. In his mind he showed professionalism. Mainly by shifting between javascript, twitter and all the stuff his client doesn’t care about, very often in a single sentence.

Was the client interested in all that? Possibly, but I imagine he was more interested in telling the designer why he needs a website and what aim it is supposed to achieve.

So what was the designer supposed to do?
Shut up and let the client speak. He should have sit there and find out about clients plans. What his company does, what expectations does the client have for his website. He should have gathered links to clients direct competition, also links to sites that the client likes.

Initial meeting is not about you, it is not about how well you know the latest internet/social networking trends either. It is about convincing the client that you understand his plans and needs. And that you can deliver those.

And the best way to achieve that is to shut up, listen and ask questions only if you don’t know something.

And this year was really an User eXperience year for me. I devoted quite a lot of the time discovering it. Of course I didn’t learn UX from blogs alone but the three blogs listed below were really helpful.

And for that I want to thank the guys behind them.

So, here it is, my top 3 list of UX blogs out there.

1. UX Booth

2. Usability Post

3. Good Usability

http://graphicdesigndegrees.org/top-100-graphic-design-blogs/

Paper to Pixel is on the list too, thanks Adrienne.