Good Web Design in One Phrase

"As I have been learning about web design and it's related topics, especially SEO, I have learned to distinguish sites that try to do it all. Meaning they apply every tip suggested to a site, and it ends up looking bad all over. As I have been learning, the phrase that comes to my mind repeatedly is "simple elegance".

Have you ever noticed that simple and elegance often are termed together? What makes an item elegant is the use of high quality elements and classic style lines and using decorative elements economically. For that reason, I keep thinking that phrase is good way to encapsulate good web design: use high quality elements, classic style lines, and do it in moderation."  © Debra Contreras ©

This is a visual of how I interpret "simple elegance":
Fabric is unadorned, but lush.
Color scheme is monochromatic but dramatically interesting.
Shape elements are balanced: figure and fabric are curved lines; all other lines are straight, angular
Negavtive space is effectively utilized, balancing complete space of picture plane.
Overall Effect is harmonious: no clashing elements.

What kind of web tool are these?

MySpace pages, for the most part, do look a lot alike. However, I have seen pages that only retain the navigation across the top (perhaps because I'm signed in?) I know I've seen layouts that allow you to change pretty much everything. Google's blogger seems even more adaptable. Since it is all HTML, and that is editable with everything, you can have a site that looks nothing like a blogger blog. This is especially true of sites that are using both platforms (right term?) for business purposes.

That is where my question comes from; you can drop and drag elements, getting instant visuals. Or you can go in a switch HTML. The sites I've seen it on are using MySpace and Blogger for mostly for business purposes, and they have tweaked the site to conform to their personal business strategies to the point that MySpace/Blogger are simply the platforms they run their sites on. I have also met some who just have lots of time on their hands (disabled/retired) who like seeing what they can do. Some are pretty impressive. Since you can approach from automated/HTML, does that make it an HTML editor?

Me: I like to drop and drag and then find out how to tweak HTML. The question has been asked whether automated/manual site/page building is better Personally, I like being able to work automated programming software, but want to know enough to go in and make changes. Given the wide range of options new software applications offer, I like to use the application to do most of the muscle work, then I can go in and do a minimum of refining. However, refining does require a working knowledge of the language/program working with. To me, being able to toggle between manual and automated coding is simply using both oars in to row the boat of web design.

Debra Contreras: "As you meet your brain, you will realize your infinite value, and become an 'artist of life.' Then you can create new values, a new culture, and a new world." Ilchi Lee  αxynΩ

Usability and Web Design

This week, we read and answered questions about usability and web design.  It  has prompted good discussion about the topic.  One post said that "the usability of a web site is much like providing customer service. The point is, if a company truly cares about customers, their web site had better show it by {it's usabilty}  Don't you agree?"

My response to the post: 

Interesting point about customer service. One of the factors that my admissions advisor liked about my background is that it is educational. He thought would be beneficial and transferrable to an IT degree. I'm entering my second year at U of P for IT, and now I understand the points he made when recruiting me.

Based on what I have learned from other students experienced in IT jobs (entry-level and upwards) and course materials, there is a serious lack of understanding customer service, as well as educational principles, in the IT field overall. I especially become aware of this when taking my tech writing course while learning to write technical documents for the general public. Many of the bad examples from course materials would have benefited from the author understanding more than a technical point of view. While it doesn't seem like education, customer service, and IT have anything in common, they actually do have much in common.

Education is completely service orientated, and requires understanding how people learn, from perception to retention, and all cognitive processes in between. Best customer service practices are also rooted in educational principles: how do you attract a customers attention (perception), convert into purchasing action (learning), and retain them(customer loyalty)? Being able to achieve a satisfying end-user experience for IT rend users requires knowing the right answers to the same questions. These are all questions that relate to usability.

Debra Contreras:

"As you meet your brain, you will realize your infinite value, and become an 'artist of life.' Then you can create new values, a new culture, and a new world."

Ilchi Lee

αxynΩ

Usability vs. Security

VoIP Discussion

I think it is still extremely important to consider file sizes in websites. Working in the telecom/it industry you learn plenty about the direction of the larger corporations. With the new system of 4G, or LTE, or whatever nickname it has now, this will be more important than ever.

While telephone calls will begin moving to Voice Over Internet Protocol or VoIP, and the fact that all mobile phones today support internet, the large carriers, Verizon, ATT, Sprint, etc, are looking for a new revenue model.

In order to fund the move to a massive IP based solution to move all phones off of normal telephone technology to IP based technology they are having a lot of trouble deciding how they will make their money, IP calls are significantly cheaper, and without income, they can not afford the upgrade to this new 4G system (High Speed Internet on a cellular device).

In order to fund this, the model will change to charge based on bandwidth usage, so right now the max you can use without being charged for overage, is 5MBs a month. You will pay in packages for 1-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20+ etc. This i relevant because you want users to visit your website from a mobile device, or a laptop with a mobile card, without using up significant bandwidth. It apears as though regular internet companies will begin switching to this bandwidth based technology.

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Thanks for an interesting and informative post. A couple of classes ago, a fellow classmate used VoIP on both her cell and computer. I started checking it out, and that tech babe that is is definitely catching on. I was unaware that there are programs that you can download, free of charge, to use on cell phones (skype is one).

However, from what I discovered, many have limitations that make them uncompetitive with regular cell/home phone usage. For example, many of them only allow communication between other registered users. I do think it will be a short time before that changes. In fact, I'm surprised that the large phone companies aren't jumping on this now. At least it isn't something I've come across yet.

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Having worked with large telephone companies, they are simply terrified of the future of mobile phones. Telephone companies will no longer be selling minutes once 4G is released, they are all switching to selling you bandwidth. They will no longer charge you for calls, roaming, or long distance, calls will begin to slowly move to an application level broadband using service. This will take a few more years, but this is why they are terrified and changing their revenue models.

As phones have faster and faster internet, skype, vonage, and many other similar applications will provide much cheaper calls than the cellular companies could ever provide. They will simply become dumb pipes which carry traffic to and from various IPs. This will become even more so once IPv6 is released and every phone can connect directly to another over the internet without needing someone to carry the call.

Phone companies are trying to partner with some of these applications but are having a difficult time, these companies will not be willing to share profits, or even provide some features to the likes of ATT and Verizon. Companies like skype are looking to become the future of telephony and both they and the FCC have put these carriers in a difficult position where they will almost become a utility and charge people for usage of the network.

Is professional web design software essential to achieve professional results?

Interesting question: if a business' web site acts as a business card, should small to mid-sized companies with limited sources, including IT staff, be considered "bad" business? Or unprofessional?

The topic for my individual assignment is based on a home-based business. Between writing the paper, and talking with my client, I have developed more of an intereste in small business sites. (a change from my academic interests)  I know what to expect with large, well-known corporations, but have developed an interest in business appearing on the 9th, 20th, and higher results pages. That is where you find those small unknowns.

The range of web quality is, no surprise, huge. I have found it to be, in just a week, not only entertaining, but the quickest hands-on learning experience for web design so far. What surprises me the most about what I have learned is that autoprogramming packages don't garuntee professional looking results. Nor does the lack of them mean losing a professional sheen of a web site. I have found sites that are look quite professional on simple platforms, and other that have more advanced web platforms that look ameutuer because of the content. The deciding factor, I think, is knowing how to make the best use of the resources you do use.