Web Design | Shawn Johnston Vancouver Web Design

A Craft Of Consequences: Reader, Writer And Emotional Design

Topics --> User Experience, User Interface Design, Web Design

Before the very first page of a book has been read, you’ve already analyzed it in countless ways without even noticing. The paper stock, the thickness of the binding, the aroma, the color of the type and even the texture of the cover; the very character of the book is being dissected by the hand and eye at every moment.

Dark Patterns: Deception vs. Honesty in UI Design

Topics --> Education, User Experience, User Interface Design, Web Design

We might not like to admit it but deception is deeply entwined with life on this planet. Insects evolved to use it, animals employ it in their behavior, and of course, we humans use it to manipulate, control, and profit from each other. With this in mind it’s no surprise that deception appears in various guises in user interfaces on the web today. What is surprising, though, is that up until recently it was something web designers never talked about. There was no terminology, no design patterns, and no real recognition of it as a phenomenon at all. If it wasn’t a taboo it certainly felt like one.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Landing Page

Topics --> Education, User Experience, Web Design, Web Strategies

An amazing post by Formstack dissecting the various attributes and features of the perfect landing page. All startups and web businesses take notice!

The State of Web Design Trends: 2011 Annual Edition

Topics --> Education, Web Design, Web Development

A fantastic year end article over at Web Design Tuts cataloguing the expected trends and developments we can expect in the new year, 2011. I especially find the top one, the death of the Fold, to be particularly exciting!

What Font Should I Use?

Topics --> Creativity, Education, Typography, Web Design

Great read at Smashing Magazine about the principles of choosing the right typefaces when designing. With the advent of web fonts, now more than ever, choosing the right typefaces is so important to the tone and feel of a design. I spend hours sometimes agonizing over what font to use, but it’s just so critical to the overall success of the design and the brand. Great read!

Persuasion Triggers in Web Design

Topics --> Education, Web Design, Web Strategies

Yet another great article by Smashing Magazine, this one on the things that get us to act when faced with website pages. Turning users into consumers is the holy grail of web development and most especially UX design. What encourages people to sign up or purchase? What gets them over the hurdles that keep them from moving forward? A great read to be sure.

Designing for Content Management Systems

Topics --> Web Design, Web Development, Web Strategies

Another great article by Smashing Magazine, this is a thoughtful look at designing around the needs and, to some degree, the limitations of content management systems. As a WordPress developer and designer, this is something I run into a lot, explaining to clients why some things can’t be done certain ways in order to remain dynamic. CMS’s offer a lot of flexibility for clients and nowadays, most serious designers are developing sites on one platform or another. Working with my clients so they understand the why is a key point to the success of the project.

Responsible Development

Topics --> Web Design, Web Development, Web Strategies

Mark Hout over at Cognition wrote a fantastic article on “Responsible Development”. He addresses an issue I run into from time to time, that of trying to match clients dreams and expectations to the realities of the technology we use to bring their sites to life. Just because a thing might be possible, doesn’t mean it should be done. Just as a site must be easy to use for your users, a site that is impossible to update because of all the custom shinanigans is a site that doesn’t get updated. It’s a great read, his opening line is brilliant, “When Happy Cog undertakes a development job, one of our goals is to empower our clients with the necessary knowledge for them to help themselves.” I couldn’t agree more.

Web Designer’s Guide to Font Replacement Methods

Topics --> Font Replacement, Typography, Web Design, Web Development

Font replacement has been the holy grail of web design/development for years and those of us lucky enough to be a part of this revolution are lucky indeed. Personally, my opinion on the methods, I love Typekit but the subscription based method makes it difficult for lone guns like me to use. Fontspring’s single purchase model and use of the @font-face methodology make it a no brainer.

8 (more) Faces

Topics --> Design Inspiration, Education, Typography, Web Design

For those of you who haven’t heard about Elliot Jay Stocks brilliant new magazine 8 Faces, this article is a great review of it’s purpose, where it’s been and where it’s going. For me it’s a must read and any web designer serious about their craft will take note.