Quick And Easy Ways To Make Your Headlines Rock!
“Headlines are one of the most important elements on your page and are often the starting point that sets the tone for the entire design. So why not make them great?
Today we’ll take a look at seven different design techniques that you can implement in a minute or less that will boost your headline from plain to awesome.
We’ll start with the most typical and basic trick on the list. One of your most powerful tools for creating headlines is contrast, which we’ll be using again and again throughout this post…”
What is Your Website’s Tone of Voice?
“There are two branches of Starbucks near my office, but I will always go to the one that’s slightly further away. Both sell exactly the same products, the decor is identical, and the queues are always a similar length.
Why go to the one that’s further away? I like the way the barista talks to me.
Although the content of our brief exchanges is no different from the conversation I’d have at the other branch, there’s something very different about how this interaction sounds and feels: tone.”
How To Create Better One Page Websites
“One-page websites are hot and popular no doubt about that. But they aren’t for everyone or every business. It’s easy to want one because they’re popular; and if done correctly, yours could be a hit. But make sure you’re project qualifies first.
A good candidate for a one-page website is not super-heavy on content. You only have one page to get your point across, and there are only so many animations and tricks you can throw in before they get stale.
Plus, most one-page websites are unconventional in their layout. Trying to fit a lot of content onto one page without looking cluttered is pretty tough.
Potential uses vary, but some of the most popular candidates for one-page websites are personal portfolios and websites for businesses that sell only a few products or services.
If you qualify, make sure your website hits the mark. There are always certain things you have to follow through on when making any website, but the points below are especially critical to single-page websites.”
CSS Menus for Responsive Web Design
“Responsive design and layout are the hot topics of today in the Web Design industry. More and more emerging ideas and methods are being developed every day. Sometimes all of this can seem like information overload.
In this article Chris Coyier of CSS Tricks does a great job focusing on one very important aspect of responsive design – what in the world do I do with my menus?”
10 Important UI Design Considerations for Web Apps
“When I finished building my first web app (CompVersions, which allows you to collect feedback from clients), I was surprised at the number of user interface decisions and considerations I hadn’t accounted for at the beginning of my journey. I’d like to share some of those things with you.
Many of these design considerations might seem superficially obvious, but once you’re going through the design and development process, it’s easy to forget about them because they’re like condiments you hardly notice them when they’re there, but if they’re missing, your food just doesn’t taste right.
Blank State
The blank state is how your app will look and function when the user hasn’t entered any data yet (except perhaps their email address after signing up for an account). This is the first interaction and scenario that your user will encounter with your app and it can make or break their first experience and impression.”
Are You Making These Mistakes In Your Web Designs?
“With today’s snazzy and competitive Web 2.0 and social media world, universal design is many times forgotten. It’s bewildering as to why since there are many social, technical, financial, and legal reasons which support universal design practices. Let’s discuss some of the more prevalent issues in websites today, and how they relate to the main universal design principles.
The Principles
First, let’s review the seven universal design principles including some web-related examples. Keep in mind that these principles are applied, of course, to many industries outside of computer and web, such as civil engineering (buildings, walkways), entertainment (movie theaters, theme parks), and transportation (buses, trains).” [Go to full article]
7 Guidelines For Designing High-Performance Mobile User Experiences
“A positive first impression is essential to relationships. People look for trust and integrity, and they expect subsequent encounters to reflect and reinforce their first impression. The same principles apply to brands and their products. Design plays an important role in building lasting relationships with end users and, thus, in supporting the brand’s promise.
Users expect mobile services to be relevant and user-friendly and to perform well. The limitations of the medium, however, impose significant challenges to designing products that meet all of those expectations. While often underestimated, performance is a crucial contributor to a trustworthy mobile user experience. Therefore, it should be considered a key driver in the design process.
In this article, we’ll discuss performance in relation to design and present seven guidelines that can help shape design decisions related to performance while accounting for the needs of end users and businesses. These guidelines are based on the experiences of our teams in designing native mobile apps for a broad product portfolio and on multiple mobile platforms.”
How to Teach Someone Graphic Design
“Do you have a friend, family member or colleague who is considering design as a profession and looks to you for guidance? Your instruction could mean the difference between a meaningful career and a non-starter.
Today we’ll offer up some basic advice that everyone should consider before attempting to teach someone to be a graphic designer.”
20 Ways To Promote Yourself As A Web Designer
“Web Designers can often find it hard to get their name out there, and begin getting clients. Promotion doesn’t always have to cost money. I have compiled a list of how web designers can promote themselves, and get their name out there. Some of the ways require little to no effort, whilst others require much time. Either way, you will still receive more clients.”