04/2008 Article Archive

  • April 30, 2008 in Web Design Worldview

    Web Design Worldview (Part 3): Postmodernism and Design

    Postmodernism is a dominant force in the world of design. Alongside modernism, it's the most influential worldview affecting design today. As such, it deserves serious consideration by designers of all disciplines. Since this blog is specific to web design, however, I will try to cast my points in that direction. Postmodernism can be a difficult worldview to nail down. The label "post-modern" has been applied liberally to many different philosophies and design movements. This article will attempt to analyze a pure postmodern worldview and its effect when applied to design. In the conclusion of the article, I will present a brief assessment of postmodernism as it compares with a Christian worldview; but the bulk of my presentation of Christian worldview in design will appear in the last two articles of this series.

    • 32 Comments
    • 11811 Views
  • April 28, 2008 in Design Tips & Tutorials

    Web to Print: Restyling Pages on the Fly with CSS

    Whether we like it or not, people are still printing information from the web. For years now the big question for newsletters, newspapers, and magazines has been, how do we get our printed product on the web? But as these mediums have gradually adapted to become more webcentric, the opposite question is becoming more appropriate--how do we get our web product to the printed page? Fortunately, this is a much easier question to answer than the first one--and one worth addressing. Until recently, I didn't give this idea much thought. But writing for a blog has brought the issue to the top of the list and now I'd like to share the experience I've gained writing a print stylesheet for Bits O' NewMedia.

  • April 25, 2008 in Friday Blog Clips

    5 for Friday | The Week's Best Blogs (4/25/08 Edition)

    This has been an exciting week on several fronts. I posted my article about the modernist worldview in web design and I've been surprised and pleased by the response. Those types of articles don't tend to do as well on social bookmarking networks but I can live with that. I'm continually amazed by the number and diverse set of readers that contact me about Christian worldview in design. Also, I've recently started to bring my wife into my vocation more. We are convinced that fathers are given the role as the primary educators of their children. Ashleigh's help in my business will give me more freedom to teach my children. In a lot of way it's scary and different, but we know it's right. Here's what I ran across in my blog reading this week.

    • 2 Comments
    • 1202 Views
  • April 23, 2008 in Web Design Worldview

    Web Design Worldview (Part 2): Modernism Deconstructed

    In the first part of this series, I introduced the what and why of worldview development in design. Now that we have a clear understanding of worldview and its elementary parts, we will move on to analyze three common worldviews. In this article we will be considering the modernist worldview--what it is, where it came from, and its practical consequences in design. The purpose of these critiques is to demystify the ideas we encounter every day in design. When we know how to extract worldview from high-sounding design philosophies, they lose their mystique. Our minds are then liberated to apply a holistic Christian worldview. After deconstructing modernism, we will move on to postmodernism, and then the common hybrid worldview.

    • 16 Comments
    • 11204 Views
  • April 21, 2008 in Business & Process

    Dear Client, You Have a Website, Remember?

    In the past few years, many traditional businesses have started focusing on their website as the primary point for communication and marketing. And it's not surprising; the depth and efficiency that is gained by a well developed website is hard to ignore. At the same time, though, I've found that many of the same business owners and marketing departments are hesitant when it comes to setting budgets and spending time. They've rationally made the switch to web-driven marketing, but the familiarity of the old habits are too ingrained to just drop off and die without a fight. That's where we come in to do battle for our clients. It's a place where we can improve our client's business and increase our own business at the same time. This article is a step-by-step guide to positioning yourself for the victory.

  • April 18, 2008 in Friday Blog Clips

    5 for Friday | The Week's Best Blogs (4/18/08 Edition)

    This week marks the beginning of my six part series on worldview in web design. I had planned to start it up several weeks ago but I felt that it needed a little refining. My wife and I spent quite a few evenings in the last month discussing points and researching topics after the kids were in bed. Looking at the final product, I think the labor was well worth it. I'll be posting a new part in the series every Wednesday for the next five weeks. And now... 5 for Friday.

    • 4 Comments
    • 1322 Views
  • April 16, 2008 in Web Design Worldview

    Web Design Worldview (Part 1): Why Worry About Worldview?

    Most of us have no idea where we stand in the marketplace of worldviews. Our sense of purpose and direction is like a convoluted cafeteria tray of ideas and opinions picked from an all-you-can eat buffet. In the case of the designer, this is especially unfortunate as worldview can be a major factor in our design decisions. In my recent article Function vs. Form: Rescuing Design from Insanity I lightly touched on the issue of worldview development, but a topic this important deserves a much more detailed treatment. This article is the first in a six part series explaining and developing the concept of worldview--specifically worldview as it informs the practice of design. By the time I'm finished, you will be able to make much more deliberate design decisions stemming from a unified overarching worldview.

    • 20 Comments
    • 7359 Views
  • April 14, 2008 in Business & Process

    Party Like It's 1989: A Web Designer's Guide to Disconnecting

    I don't remember much about 1989. After all, I was eight. But I do remember that there was a significant difference in the way people communicated. There were times when you just couldn't get hold of someone. Family outings and vacations were automatically acts of disconnection. There was really no way around it. That feeling of removal and seclusion is so foreign in the modern climate of connectedness that it almost seems impossible that it ever existed. And choosing web design as a vocation only heightens the pressure to be connected. Is it even possible for a web worker to unplug? If so, is it appropriate for a web worker to unplug? After all, aren't you doing your clients or employer a disservice by not being available?

  • April 11, 2008 in Friday Blog Clips

    5 for Friday | The Week's Best Blogs (4/11/08 Edition)

    I'm going to be changing up 5 for Friday a little bit. From now on, I'm going to stop giving descriptions of every link I post. In most cases, the title says enough already. I'm going to start focusing more on this recap that you're reading right now. I'll be including more personal information about the events of the week--what struggles or triumphs I'm experiencing as a Christian, as a Father, and as a web designer. I think this information will help everyone get to know me in a more personal way and open up dialog about our vocation. So look for that in the weeks to come.

    • 3 Comments
    • 1337 Views
  • April 9, 2008 in Design Tips & Tutorials

    In the Background: Simplifying and Demystifying CSS Backgrounds

    If you've been designing websites for awhile then you probably remember this: . I wrote a lot of websites like that before CSS arrived, but when I tried to remember how backgrounds worked back then, I honestly had to look it up--it looks completely alien now. There's little chance that you're still using HTML like that (although there are still some old school tutorials floating around out there); but a lot of web designers have never taken the time to really explore and understand the background property in CSS. In this article, I'm going to give a quick rundown of how to use the background property effectively and eliminate all the background-position, background-color, and other redundant properties.

  • April 7, 2008 in Business & Process

    Keeping Your Web Project from Becoming a Frankenstein Monster

    A couple weeks ago, I posted an article entitled The Efficient Web Designer. In that article I suggested that limiting client options is key to managing projects efficiently. I was surprised when I received some flak for that particular point; so I've decided to expand it into an article. It's true that limiting client options makes projects run more smoothly but it also prevents another common web design demon--the Frankenstein monster. In this article I'm going to explain the principle of holistic design and how to help your clients uphold that principle.

  • April 4, 2008 in Friday Blog Clips

    5 for Friday | The Week's Best Blogs (4/04/08 Edition)

    There were some great web design articles added to the blogosphere this week. And, of course, being the week of April Fool's Day, there were some hilarious prank posts as well. I couldn't resist listing at least one. The other four, though, I'm sure you will find helpful.

    • 2 Comments
    • 1262 Views
  • April 2, 2008 in Web Design Worldview

    Branding Reconsidered: Corporate Identity in the Christian Worldview Grid

    Applying a Christian worldview to corporate branding and marketing can be tricky. Apart from a set of ethics--don't steal, don't lie--Christianity doesn't seem to have a lot to do with selling things in the secular world. In reality, it has a great deal to do with it. But it takes a fundamental thought shift for the modern designer to realize it. In order to encourage this thought shift, first I'm going to take a look at the differences between the common and Christian views of branding. Then I'll discuss the implications of the opposing views so that you will be better equipped to effectively apply a Christian worldview in branding and marketing design.