Archive for June, 2011
The Law of Success – Success Often Leads to Arrogance, and Arrogance to Failure
Saturday, June 25th, 2011http://aspenIbiz.blogspot.com Ego becomes the enemy of successful marketing, suggests Mike Farrell with aspenIbiz. Read this short post as it explains that when people become successful, they tend to become arrogant, less objective, and this can lead to failure. TAGS: successful drake, successful lyrics, law of succession, successful instrumental, leads to loans, how to be successful
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7 ways to maximize your CTR in Search Engine Results
Friday, June 24th, 2011It’s a common knowledge that higher rankings lead to increased probabilities of having our pages clicked by the users. Nevertheless the position of the result by itself is not the only factor that affects the Click Through Rate (CTR). Most users take into account several things before selecting the most relevant page of the search [...]
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20 Reasons Why Your Website Design Sucks Part 2
Friday, June 24th, 2011In 20 Reasons Why Your Website Design Sucks part 1, I’ve started with a short introduction about why clients should be just clients, and why some self-proclaimed web designers shouldn’t be “designing” at all. We then explored important concepts which you need to know before you start designing and planning a website. A thorough knowledge of concepts like balance, white-space, and overflow make the difference between a good and a bad design.
Like the previous article, we’re focusing on another 10 mistakes that can transform your website design into an unpleasant place to be. However, this time I won’t show you extremely bad layouts that make you laugh, we are now on the next level and will focus on bigger mistakes that good designers make.
11) Distracting Animations
A boring design does not bring light to your visitor’s eyes, however, having too much animation on your website brings plenty of downsides to your business. Distracting the user from the purpose of their visit ensures he doesn’t get the message and doesn’t return. If you plan to use animations on your website, make sure they are appropriate for the product you are selling or displaying. After that, make sure it is correctly balanced with your content, so in order to do that, you need to ask yourself three questions:
- What is the first thing you look at when you visit that specific page (animation or content)?
- How long it takes to view the entire animation?
- Can you read text easily while the animation is playing?
The answer to the first question will probably be the animation, if it’s not you have passed the test and your animation is not disturbing your visits. If the animation is the first thing you see, it means it has a bigger visual impact than your content, and you need to answer the second question. If the answer to the second question is “looping” or “too much”, you have a problem and the answer to the third question will be “no”.
So the rule is simple – the user can’t be distracted while he’s reading, so make sure your animation ends quickly or has a small visual impact.
12) Cross-Browsing
In a perfect world, there would be no IE, people would use the same web browser everyday, and web developers wouldn’t have headaches while coding their websites. However, in the real world, there are hundreds of web browsers and each one renders a website differently.
“Cross-browser refers to the ability for a website, web application, HTML construct or client-side script to support all the web browsers.”
When you start building your website, you simply can’t forget that it will render differently in Firefox than in Chrome or Internet Explorer. So in order to get consistent results on most popular browsers, you need to write clean code and follow the W3C standards.
13) Confusing navigation
Navigation should help the user to navigate your website. If it fails in that purpose, there is no point in calling it navigation. One thing I really hate about it is the need to search for a website’s navigation or the need to figure out how a navigation system works. If you don’t tell the user how to proceed to the next page, he leaves. Your navigation should be consistent, easy to find, and intuitive.
Another thing you should always try to do is to use text instead of symbols. Remember, never ask the user to think.
I actually like localwanderer.com’s design, however, there’s a problem with the navigation. The blue text on the right are buttons which can be tricky to identify as such. I had to move my cursor over those elements to figure out they had a little animation while the cursor is over them, telling me that those elements are indeed buttons. If you need to move your cursor over a button to confirm it’s in fact a button, it means your navigation is somehow confusing.
14) Bad use of themes
With the increasing popularity of market places, it’s possible to see more and more amazing themes with great design and functionality, and companies and individuals who buy them as soon as they see one they like. The problem appears when those themes are not suitable to the image of the company, or when they are incorrectly used. I have seen many companies turning great themes into ordinary designs. That amazing design doesn’t always fit that amazing brand, so be careful buying the best-seller theme on Theme Forest.
15) Labyrinth of information
Although this topic title may sound weird to you, it’s a really common mistake which I usually call the labyrinth effect, and in part, it’s also a problem related to usability. There are great websites out there with dramatic content problems. If the user has problems finding information, he will leave and won’t return.
Make sure your information is easily reachable. It is also extremely important to always provide your contact information on every page of your website, and to make sure the user can easily find it.
I really like bitbytebit’s design, but it clearly suffers from the labyrinth effect. Contact information is situated in the middle of the page, hidden among other information squares.
16) Image versus text
Typography is one of the most important elements in web design, and almost the only element that can be used both for aesthetics and text. However, its misuse can make your website bad for both the end-user and also for programmers and web designers. Make sure you choose a font that’s readable and suitable to your target audience, but you can’t also forget about the person who is in charge of the website maintenance. Using images to replace typography can be a huge mistake, especially in big projects or projects that won’t be updated by yourself.
17) Image Optimization
If your website takes too much time to load, you lose visits and probably profit. You already know that you simply can’t resize your image in Dreamweaver or Notepad, right? The image resolution will be smaller (or bigger) but the file size will be the same, so there is no point in resizing that way. You need to resize your image with image editing software like Photoshop or Fireworks. Resizing, however, is not enough – you also need to compress the image. Depending on the image, you should compress it as much as possible, until you start seeing image quality loss. You can compress it using JPEG, PNG or GIF format.
18) Clear Message
The crucial element of a website is the message that’s transmitted to the user which illustrates its purpose, telling the user what the website is all about. The message should be clear and immediately recognized by the user, as soon as he sees the site. One thing you should always have in mind is that the user simply doesn’t care about you or your website, they do care about fulfilling their desires and ambitions which is why they visit your site in the first place – to help the user with his mission.
The example above fails to transmit a clear message, or any message at all. I need to click on another button to figure out what the website is about. Remember, the user doesn’t care about you, so if they find another brand with a clear message they won’t think twice to exit your website.
19) No Updates
This doesn’t really make your website suck, but it definitely helps. No one cares about a website that is extremely outdated and whose posts are from 2008. Remember that content is more important than aesthetics, so it is very important to keep your website updated as much as possible. If you have a beautiful website with no useful content, the user will leave and won’t return.
20) Full Dedication
Having a website with 20% of inactive functionalities transmits lack of confidence to the end-user. Building a website requires full dedication and attention from your end. Most of us have an “update list” for each website, where we write that during the next week, the 404 Error Page, or the widget discussed during the first meeting needs to be online. After two weeks, you realize you didn’t have the time to do it, because you are now with three more projects in hand, and you also noticed that you have yet to finish some minor details in your online portfolio.
Organization is important, but without dedication it loses its value. When you finish a website, try to also finish every item on your “update list”.
1stwebdesigner – Graphic and Web Design Blog
Figuring Out What To Blog About
Friday, June 24th, 2011Figuring out what to blog about. That is one of the hardest questions most bloggers have to think about. The best thing to do is work on writing a couple posts in a series. Or you could write about a…
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CurdBee Duplication Workflow Enhancements
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011As an agile development team, and part of that is releasing fixes when possible. Today, we’ve made some changes to how invoices and estimates are converted and we believe this improves the workflow for everyone.
- Duplicated invoices or converted estimates will no longer be saved automatically. You will need to explicitly save them after you duplicate them.
- Duplicated invoice and estimates numbers will no longer contain the COPY- or CONVERTED- prefixes. Also, the invoice number will be incremented automatically.
This is a much requested fix and we’re glad to have it out the door. Hopefully, it will make your life easier, even in a little way.
Cloud-based systems management provider ScaleXtreme raises $11M
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
ScaleXtreme, a company that makes cloud-based products for systems management, has raised M in a second round of funding. The Palo Alto-based company plans to use the funding to expand its product capabilities and strengthen its marketing and sales efforts…
Amazon tablet with TI processor shipping as early as August?
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
For months now, DigiTimes has been fueling rumors of Amazon’s first foray into the LCD tablet market. Today it ratchets up the specificity with sometimes contradictory claims that Quanta Computer will be responsible for assembling the tablet with a supposed TI (not NVIDIA) processor and Wintek (not EIH) touch panel among its components…
Graphic Designer (WEBSITES, BANNERS, UI, MOBILE and More) (Seattle)
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011Position: Graphic Designer (WEBSITES, BANNERS, UI, MOBILE and More)
Location: Seattle
Status: Freelance/ possible Full Time
Estimated Duration: Months
Starts: ASAP
Rate: /hr+ DOE
Job Description:
Our local boutique agency client is seeking a designer to work on a number of online advertising projects and websites.
To qualify you will need to have at least 3+ years of experience working in an agency setting or directly on web sites, microsites, banner ads, UI/UX and have experience with mobile platform design. A high level of proficiency with CS4 & 5 will be required as will at least some knowledge of designing for websites built with expression engine.
You will not be required to code any of the banner ads but will need to have a strong understanding of design/layout and banner ad size requirements.
This a long term freelance opportunity onsite at their office in Seattle, starting ASAP.
If you are looking for a dynamic environment where your skills will be deeply appreciated – let us know who you are!
LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY!
If you feel you are qualified for this position please send your resume (and samples if applicable) to: Seattle6@jobalert.creativecircle.com
View additional job opportunities at www.creativecircle.com
- Location: Seattle
- Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
- Please, no phone calls about this job!
- Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
Job posting from: Graphic Design Jobs
Communications Designer
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011POSITION: Communications Designer
COMPANY: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA 19131
REQUIREMENTS: Bachelors Degree in graphic design, digital media, interactive design, or similar field and a minimum 3 years experience Communications Designer will help manage and produce all creative assets for the college. This position will be responsible for the layout, design, and production of communication materials from conceptual state to completion across both print and online/interactive mediums. Other responsibilities will include short video production and editing for the PCOM website, Facebook page, You Tube channel, and electronic print materials. The Communication Designer will develop and maintain brand standards and style guides, ensuring the consistency of visual brand expression in all communications, and across all marketing and social media vehicles.
COMPENSATION: Full time (80 hours biweekly), salaried position with competitive benefits package. Salary range to be discussed at time of interview
HOW TO APPLY: email alexisno@pcom.edu to apply. Include resume, salary requirements. Samples of work are not required, but can be included.
25 Inspiring Design Related Websites
Monday, June 20th, 2011
A while back we showcased here a list with 30 Inspiring Design Agency Websites and another one showing 45 Inspiring Design Agency Websites. Today we decided to gather a new list to show how some design agencies and studios are presenting themselves to the audience. The layout adopted by a design related website is important not only to get the users attention but also to showcase the identity of the place, the style of it. Here you will see different examples, from clean and minimal sites to colorful and illustrated ones, there are a lot of ways to go to present your agency/studio.
OwlConcept
The guys from OwlConcept are using HTML5, a big background image and interesting shapes and typo to represent their studio.
Sajak&Farki
Sajak&Farki are using a super clean design where you use the menu to navigate the website.
Twofold Creative
Twofold Creative is also using HTML5, using big background sliding images to present their work.
Tapp3 Media
Tapp3 Media website is strongly based in shapes and typography, also uses HTML5 and have a nice textured background.
Legwork Studio
These guys decided to take a more fun and personal style and are using hand drawn elements in a single page website to present their studio.
Image Mechanics
Image Mechanics is a studio devoted to iPhone and iPad apps development. The layout they are using to present their studio is pretty clean and minimal, also uses HTML5 and has a beautiful usage of colors and typography.
La Web Shop
Nice layout. Subtle textured background, beautiful icons and red elements to get user’s atenttion.
Paramore
Interesting contrast and typography. Horizontal navigation will take you around some of their articles.
Small Fortune
Nice use of texture, shapes and colors. The layout is clean and beautiful.
Zhng Design Studio
Beautiful clean and minimal single page layout. Really nice use of white space, typography and colors.
Kokokaka
Images to represent content, typography and a yellow sidebar to get user’s attention.
Upperdog
Simple and effective layout focusing on showing their services and ideas.
Knoed
Another site using a big background image and typography based layout.
FreeAssociation
Simple layout focusing on showing some of their work/colaborations.
Abstraktion
Beautiful dark layout using a nice color scheme/contrast and simple/effective typography.
3Degrees Design Agency
Nice combination of typography and illustration elements to show main services/believes.
exsite
Beautiful, simple, elegant. A good example that less is more. A lot of white spaces that you can navigate using the menu or scrolling horizontally.
Dynamit
Simple idea of showing images of works in a magazine style.
Glue Isobar
HTML5, good color combination, typography and shape. Good way to present a creative agency.
Favolla
Interesting use of typography, texture and illustrative elements.
ENGARDE
Clean textured layout based on beautiful images, icons and typography.
Hot Meteor
Nice colorful header to add some contrast to the white and typographic based layout.
Quiip
Simple, effective and pretty straight forward.
Dare
Clean and effective layout based on typography, images and typography.
El Passion
Another example of a simple and clean layout focusing on presenting the studios works/ideas.
Source:
The Best Designs
Sites of the Week – Abduzeedo