Advice for crafting layouts and structure that can create a clear, original web design. Break the mould, and build a unique layout!
For many developers, launching a site is not the end of the design process. To continually improve the success of their design, these developers turn to A/B testing. This relatively simple process can teach you loads about what your users are looking for as well as what they ignore or find unimportant.
Today we’ll take a quick look at what A/B testing is, the benefits of implementing it, and some tools to get you going.
This post began purely as a showcase of well-designed band websites. Naturally, to begin my search I opened up my iTunes library and Safari and began checking out the sites of the bands in my collection. What I discovered shocked me; nearly every site I came across was profoundly lackluster or altogether horrid. I’m at a loss as to why record companies, who spend countless dollars promoting their big money makers, seem to be incapable of finding web designers that match the remarkable talent of their artists.
At this point the nature of the article changed entirely. Due to the wealth of ugly sites to choose from, today we’ll examine some of the reasons I think the band website industry really needs to step up and make some major changes. We’ll conclude by analyzing some examples to follow if you want to create a band site that doesn’t suck.
Need an idea for your new site design?
Why not look to nature for your inspiration? Today we’ll look at 25 sites either loosely or strictly inspired by some facet of the natural world.
Along the way we’ll discuss four popular trends that most nature inspired sites fit into.
E-commerce sites are notoriously busy and overcrowded.
Today we’ll be examining a ton of online stores that break this trend by being both functional and attractive. Each of the examples below has a unique lesson to teach us about good e-commerce design. Let’s get started!
Stock Photography is a tricky beast.
The presence or lack of good stock imagery can make or break a design. My best advice is to use custom photography/artwork whenever possible. However, I’m a big fan of stack art because there are tons of scenarios when it makes good sense to purchase someone else’s work over taking the time to create your own. To keep it classy, here are ten things to avoid when you’re working with stock images.
How do you mockup a website?
The typical workflow starts in Photoshop and then transitions over to HTML and CSS to mimic the original PSD as best as possible. However, there is a growing trend in web design to scrap the Photoshop step in favor of creating the initial comp right in the browser with your favorite editor. I’m sure right about now your head is buzzing with reasons why this approach would limit your design, but there’s actually a lot more you can do right in the browser than you might think. This article will provide you with the tools and tricks you need to create brilliant, working mockups as your very first step in the design process.
A strong footer can leave your visitors with a lasting positive impression.
There are tons of creative ways to boost the cool factor of your footers by focusing on both form and function. Below you’ll find 10 simple ideas to inspire you towards footer greatness.
Once upon a time, designers would lug unwieldy physical portfolios from interview to interview to showcase their work. This tactic is steadily being replaced with sending out emails containing links to an online portfolio. A portfolio website is becoming an essential marketing tool for every designer and can be the single biggest impression upon which you will be judged and hopefully, hired.
This article contains several tips and examples to help you create an amazing single page portfolio.
Forms can be greatly enhanced with a touch of CSS, making them more usable and far more visually attractive. Follow some of the examples below and you’ll be creating stunning CSS forms in no time at all.
Today we’re going to take a look at a selection of beautiful tables styled using CSS. These are sourced from a variety of different sites. If you’re interested in learning how to do this yourself, be sure to take a look at a few of our CSS tutorials!
When designing a new website, having a template to work from can save a huge amount of time. We have a collection of 12 great CSS templates to base your design on, both fixed and fluid layouts. These free CSS templates are designed by Mitch Bryson, and provided for you with his permission.
So you know what the aim of this tutorial is, take a look at the end result. This is a fairly technical website, but uses the Moo.fx javascript library for the effects. Make sure that it is downloaded and installed before getting started.