Posts filed under 'Book & Software Reviews'
A Project Management Framework for Web Designers
For the do-it-yourself web designer/developer who has learned enough to complete intermediate jobs, there comes a time when it is necessary to include others in the workflow of a project. Our talents eventually reach their limits and we realize we can’t do it all alone. What then?
Kelly Goto and Emily Cotler have provided a project management framework that is easily understood and applied to projects of almost any size. In their fascinating book, Web ReDesign 2.0 | Workflow That Works they share their Core Process for web redesign which provides a framework for task sharing and an overall timeline for the lifecycle of the project.
Very broadly stated, the core process consists of 5 stages:
- Define the Project
- Develop Site Structure
- Design Visual Interface
- Build and Integrate
- Launch & Beyond
Each of these stages is divided into a series of steps so that the workflow and process are absolutely clear. At the end of each phase, the authors have provide a check-off list so that the team can verify the successful completion of each task assigned.
Since I understand visual interface design best, this book’s detailed discussion of the development of site structure from content through sitemapping and wireframing has been very instructive. Though I have used all the approaches to site structure described in the book, I have seldom used all of them on one project and had no process that would ensure I used even one of them. The approaches to site planning are as follows:
- Site View
- Sitemapping
- Addressing Existing Site Organization
- Setting Naming Conventions
- Page View
- Wireframing
- Addressing Navigation
- Naming & Labeling
- User View
- Defining Key User Paths
- Developing the HTML Protosite
- Creating User Scenarios
The larger a project is, the more of a challenge it is to keep the customer and development team in sync regarding the progress and direction of the project. By breaking the web redesign process (and by extension, much of the initial web design process) into logical steps, each with its own deliverable that the client approves, some of the potential communication pitfalls can be avoided.
Though this is an entirely practical book, it is one without technical language or pretense. Every phase includes at least one case study in which the concepts discussed are applied. In addition, most sections include personal comments from industry leaders who understand how to successfully apply the concepts discussed.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone developing their project management abilities, either as a business owner or as a collaborator on web development projects. I am excited to have a toolkit to apply to my own web development projects and a framework for including others in that process. Thanks Kelly, Emily, and New Riders & Peachpit Press for this excellent contribution to applied project management for the web!
Recommendation: This book belongs on the shelf of everyone who participates in web development teamwork, and of everyone who is interested in how web development workflow can be managed efficiently.
Title: Web Redesign 2.0 | Workflow That Works
Author: Kelly Goto & Emily Cotler
Publisher: New Riders/Peachpit Press
ISBN: 0735714339
Date: 2005
Format: Paperback
Pages: 282
Cover Price: USD: $45.00 CDN: $64.99 UK: �33.99
Related Web Sites
June 14th, 2005
Jason Cranford Teague’s Visual QuickPro Guide, DHTML and CSS Advanced, is an excellent overview of the modern web design world. Following in the footsteps of the other excellent QuickStart and QuickPro books from Peachpit Press, this topical resource features project based examples in practical terms: a web designer’s cookbook of DHTML and CSS design techniques.
The topics the book covers can be grouped into the following: JavaScript, Cascading Style Sheets for Layout, Forms, and Server Side and Database topics.
True to its promise, DHTML and CSS offers some advanced CSS techniques, but it is mostly an introduction to dynamic web design, XML , JavaScript, CSS, and Server Side Programming languages.
Though it is a valuable resource for its technical details, I enjoyed the introductory chapters that give an overview of web design planning techniques. In light of the need for planning and site wide design control, the case is well made for the effectiveness of CSS as a web design tool.
The CSS portion offers example layouts, discusses creating contextual templates, and includes various styles of navigation tabs. Some detail is spent on creating special effects with CSS and proprietary DHTML, drop shadows, transitions, ambient sounds, floating objects, and transparency effects.
This useful desk reference closes with lengthy appendices covering CSS, DHTML, Browser-Safe Fonts, and WAI Accessibility. The CSS and DHTML appendices are complete with a comprehensive list of browsers that support each property and browser. The WAI Accessibility appendix details each accessibility priority and checkpoints to evaluate the effectiveness of an accessible design.
Reading any reference work is not a compelling literary experience. However, this book will prove highly valuable on any beginning to intermediate web designer’s desk and will likely become well worn by use. In fact, any web designer, no matter his expertise will find the appendices very useful and may find himself turning to the specific examples offered in this small volume, much like a chef revisits a well-known recipe for forgotten details.
Title: Visual QuickPro Guide - DHTML and CSS Advanced
Author: Jason Cranford Teague
Publisher: Peachpit Press
ISBN: 0321266919
Date: 2005
Format: Paperback
Pages: 424
Cover Price: USD: $29.99 CDN: $42.99 UK: �21.99
Related Web Sites
April 18th, 2005
A Review of Shari Thurow’s Book, Search Engine Visibility
If you have a product or service to sell online, the most important competitive advantage you can leverage is carefully targeted content. It is not glitzy advertising or high-tech design techniques using the latest technology though I am convinced that this too is important. Shari Thurow’s book, Search Engine Visibility, is a reference book that I constantly turn to as I plan each new web site’s architecture and content.
As a consumer of web design services and possibly of web content services provided by a writer, you may benefit from reading this book prior to hiring a design firm. Ultimately, you will own and benefit from your web site. It is best that you have a clear plan in mind for the content you wish to deliver to your customers or clients. Much of this book is directed specifically to web designers, but there some key concepts of which I want my clients to be aware.
Shari does an excellent job of analyzing the foundation of a successful web site. There are basically three components of this success:
- The text component includes the selection of relevant keywords and how to structure your web site around those keywords and phrases via natural themes extracted during your research. It also includes the placement of keywords and correct usage of title and Meta tags.
- The link component is largely related to your web site’s architecture, or the way pages and folders on your site relate to each other via navigation hyperlinks. Shari discusses best practices that increase a web site’s usability from the standpoint of search engines and of site visitors alike.
- The popularity component refers to the importance assigned to your web site by search engines. A more popular web site will appear above less important sites in a search engine’s results. This component is affected by how well you and your web designer have implemented the other two components, but also is highly influenced by incoming links from other web sites. Some of the most important incoming links come from web directories such as Yahoo!, Looksmart, and the Open Directory.
Though I rarely recommend a book wholeheartedly to my clients and peers, this volume definitely makes the cut. It surpassed my expectations and I have seen results by following Shari’s sage advice. While room remains for more in-depth books on this topic or on related sub-topics, this book is an excellent introduction to search engine visibility.
Title: Search Engine Visibility, First Edition
Author: Shari Thurow
Publisher: New Riders Publishing
ISBN: 0735712565
Date: January 2003
Format: Paperback
Pages: 297
Cover Price: USD: $29.99 CDN: $46.99 UK: £23.50
Other Search Engine Visibility Resources:
January 22nd, 2005
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