Simplifying The Over-Complicated

There are all kinds of acronyms and buzzwords out there: CSS, XHTML, SEO, Cross-Browser Compatibility, W3C, JavaScript, PHP. The list goes on and on. In this article, I will try to help you understand what I’ve spent more than half my lifetime researching:

1. The history and future of the internet.
2. Popular terms in Web Design.
3. What these acronyms and buzzwords mean.
4. Their relevance in building websites.

Looking Back

When I first started out designing websites, more then 10 years ago, it was much more simple. No one cared what a webpage looked like. In fact, in the beginning, the internet didn’t have images at all, just text. I remember when dailup was used to “login” to BBS (Bulletin Board Services) almost 20 years ago. Now, it’s more common knowlege that ISP means Interent Service Provider. Do you Remember how popular AOL was? “You’ve got mail!” Do you know anyone who still uses AOL to connect to the internet?

Moving Forward

Now the internet is International and a report from JupiterResearch anticipates 22% of the Earth’s population will regularlary “surf” the internet by 2012. 38% of the Earth’s population will have regular access to the internet by then. That’s up from the 22% in June of 2008.

The latest evolution, happening right now – as we sleep, is access to mobile data via cell phones and cellular signals. ISPs become BSPs (Broadband Service Providers) and BSPs become, well, whatever the next acronym will be. I suggest CWISP (Cellular Wireless Internet Service Providers) – we need another acronym like we need another whole in the head.

Anyway, the point is that mobility is the future.

Mobile Content

Apple’s Iphone is the number one mobile device (a lot of people call a mobile device a Smart Phone) right now and the reason why, aside from very clever marketing, is because of its integrated-full-size-webpage-viewer (a.k.a. Safari Browser). You can now view a webpage the it was intended via your mobile phone, AND it’s as readable as using a computer. The highest priority in releasing Apple Iphone 3G in June 2008 was the 3G Network (a cellular wireless internet service). Webpages could be accessed faster then any other network available. The famous Blackberry also follows suit with a slighty less capable web browser, in my humble opinion anyway. Google has released it’s own moble browser called Crome and is trying to get in on the action.

What does this mean for web design?

There are standards that help deliver information to these mobile browsers.  That’s where CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and XHTML (EXtendable Hypertext Markup Language) come in. You don’t need to know the sorted details of each, but, what you do need to know is that using these two standards when designing websites helps your valuable information reach it’s audience weither we’re talking about mobile browsers or not.

Accessibility and Usability

Perhaps the second most important priority right now is that EVERYONE can access and use your website. Those two standards I mentioned before (CSS and XHTML)  also play a big role here. Say for example, you where blind – or reading on a moitor was difficult for someone in your audience. XHTML and CSS can remove the “fluff” and help text readers read your content out loud. Rather then you telling your audience how to interact with your website’s information, users can dictate how they want to interact with your content.

Have you ever heard of the Browser Wars? In the late 90s and early 2000s programs like Netscape and Internet Explorer 5, 6, and 7 (get ready for version 8!) begged for you to give them attention. Now there’s Firefox, Safari, and Opera not to mention the other 65 names of browsers available to use on your Windows PC, Mac, or Lynix (which is becoming ever more popular after the poor release of Windows Vista). In 1994, a group of web developers realized that keeping the web standardized made it possible for more people to access information. That group formed the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) . They are a non-profit organization that works with professionals in the industry (and out) to educate and develop systems so the world wide web can prosper throughout the changes that are happing everyday.

Aesthetic Design

In business and social environments, I don’t have to tell you, first impressions are everything. It’s the same when someone looks at your website. Presentation is everything. If a site looks good the visitor feels more invited to stay. If the website doesn’t look so good, the visitor is more likely to Bounce (another web buzzword that means a visitor leaves your website after only viewing one page). A good website will have just the right balance of typography, graphics, and images. Often the point of aesthetic design is to make a point, regardless of subtlety, and I think a lot of small-scale designers miss this.  The trend that’s been rolling around is “Web 2.0″ (it usually has a minimalist style and consistent layout) and while that’s smart not every situation is cut out for it. Don’t get me wrong, when it’s done right It can add value to the user’s experience.

Layout

No monitor is the same and size does matter. Monitors come in many different shapes (some widescreen),  sizes (15 inch, 22 inch), and resolution (800 x 600 pixels) – toss mobile devices into the mix and now we’re talking about mini monitors. There’s a standard for designing websites around the different shapes and sizes of today’s monitor. A web designer can build a page to be scalable to the user’s screen (it’s called elastic), they can use the average screen resolution of users in their target market (many designers use the 960 Grid System).

Information Design (a.k.a Information Architecture)

The backbone of any design, Information Architecture (IA), is vital to success for websites. This backbone starts and ends the user’s experience. The user is faced with options, sometimes too many, sometimes not enough. A good rule of thumb is 7 plus or minus 2. I tend to error on the lesser. Organize your pages in succinct, thoughtful categories. Another good rule of thumb is to have pretty much all your information about 2 to 3 clicks away from the home page. I always think it’s a good idea to set out all of your content and organize them in meaningful groups. You’ll want to define a relationship between information.

User Paths

The best place to start when planning a website is with User Paths. It’s simple, first figure out what users will come to your website for (make a list of about 4 or 5 things). Then, using your content list from the AI (above), figure out how you can lead them where you want them to end up. This could be signing up for your newsletter or ebook, purchasing your product, or directions to your store. Either way, people come to your website for different reasons. You want to know what those reason are and think of ways to get them to the end result.

Interface Design

Keeping in mind with the W3C, CSS, and XHTML, Interface Design is the web designer and developers way of pulling it all together. Here we take a blank canvas and fill it with the goals from all the above, from Ascetic Design to User Paths.