CategoryWeb Design

October 15, 2013 — These websites have some captivating interactivity; however, the selection of type and the typographic styling and spacing are the reasons why we chose them for this piece. We focus on typography and on how engaging it can be; hopefully, this article will draw your attention to some of the minutiae involved in effective typography, and move you to continue on your own thought-provoking journey through the typographic details of other websites. Read more…

September 27, 2013 — Web fonts aren’t just font files that need to be secure and easy to implement. They affect the overall look of a website. And thanks for the thousands of fonts, but quantity is not as important as quality. A hundred knives that can’t cut a tomato won’t meet my needs when I’m making my kid a BLT. Make our lives a little easier and help us find the Web fonts we want to use! Read more…

September 3, 2013 — Lately we’ve seen a rapid shift in software and app interface design, from 3-D and skeuomorphic to flat and minimal. Let’s take a moment to consider how we got here and what influence it’s having on interface design as a whole. Minimal design’s widespread resurgence is refreshing to witness. It is by no means the right solution for everything, but when applied thoughtfully and appropriately, it makes for a highly usable and enjoyable digital experience. Read more…

August 29, 2013 — As usual, we have to put ourselves in the users’ shoes: What do we want them to see first? How will your message be best communicated? We have to ask these questions before we start designing, because the layout will shape the rest of the design. The following websites have some quite unusual layouts. They aren’t necessarily perfect; still, browse through them, and maybe your creative genius will be sparked. Read more…

August 22, 2013 — We have gotten serious about asking how to better serve users, which reflects a significant change in the designer’s skill set. Designers will use the same tools they have always used, but they are now responsible for more than just the interface. Whether or not a designer calls him or herself a product designer is beside the point; to remain relevant, they need to master these new user-centered values and processes. Read more…

August 7, 2013 — We are pleased to introduce Type & Grids, a free responsive HTML5 template by Jeremiah Shoaf. All of the content resides in a single HTML file, so setting it up is super-simple. Its extensive customization options set Type & Grids apart from other templates out there. Each type theme is meticulously handcrafted, with attention paid to the smallest typographic details. Read more…

August 6, 2013 — Your typography helps to create an experience for users before they’ve even read a word or clicked a button. The treatment of type creates an atmosphere and elicits a response much the same way as tone of voice does. It establishes a mode of communication and, in turn, the personality of the website. The choice of typeface will determine how people respond to your website. The following websites have very distinct personalities, largely established by the typography. Read more…

August 5, 2013 — Front-end Web development has been majorly affected by recent changes in coding techniques and approaches. In 2003, a competent front-end Web developer would have known HTML and CSS, possibly with a bit of copy-and-pasted JavaScript, and they built websites that would be viewed on desktop computers. In this article, Jen Kramer will focus on just two courses: an introductory graphic design course and an introductory HTML and CSS course. Read more…

July 29, 2013 — “Cool” is a rather ambiguous term, and means different things to different people. But when working with data, the term “cool” is often directly juxtaposed with common charts and written off as “boring.” The emphasis on the instant visual appeal of an infographic over the clarity of the presentation of data is a troubling trend that plagues the modern incarnation of the infographic. Read more…

July 24, 2013 — For those of us who design and build apps, websites and software, a great product means one that delights its users. But digital product development is complex. What can designers do to increase the overall quality and success rate of the products we craft and to elevate our team’s batting average? An answer lies in the way artists and composers have worked for centuries to create paintings and music — by focusing on a singular element: a motif. Read more…