April 18, 2004
I’m due to give a presentation this week, following my time in Texas, regarding accessibility in websites. I’m currently writing it so, i’m doing quite a lot of research. I thought i’d note down some interesting/useful sites here so I don’t forget them mainly!
http://diveintoaccessibility.org
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/accessuk/
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/saveaccessibility/
http://www.accessify.com
April 08, 2004
Last week, after ranting a bit about Tesco’s fruit n veg, a flyer came through the door advertising an organic fruit n veg delivery service - what a stroke of luck!
We had our first box last week and we’re still trying to get through it (they were rather large and included several mutant parsnips).
Strongly recommend it though.
April 07, 2004
Today sees the launch of Emma and mine’s website for the upcoming wedding. You can RSVP online here and after the wedding there will be a gallery where registered guests can download images from the gallery, or order prints direct from Kodak.
As all my new site builds, it’s valid XHTML with CSS controlling all of the presentation. I had initially thought to build it using MovableType, but this seemed a bit daft for only a few pages. I will be implementing a MT backend for when the Gallery comes online though.
April 01, 2004
Mainly so I don’t forget them myself…
Joe Clark’s SXSW presentation on accessibility
George Olson’s Persona Toolkit
Spooky Girlfriend V1 - XHTML generator
Doug Bowman’s SXSW presentations, apparently FIR is officially no good
Lots of other methods to replace FIR, all of which have good and bad points.
March 31, 2004
I got into work this morning, promptly fired up safari and checked over at Stopdesign (as I usually do every couple of days). He’s changed the design slightly…
March 29, 2004
Users don’t read. I’m not just talking about web users either. Ever spent more than 1 second reading a road sign? Ever spent more than 1 second reading a direction sign in a public building? Ever spent more than 1 second trying to use a websites navigation? That’s my point.
Designers for the web need to look more at systems design, semiotics and wayfinding for cues for their interfaces.
Take iconography for example. Iconography, especially in computing, has arrisin with the advent of more complex GUI’s, BUT it has risen primarily because of a series of common tasks which need to be illustrated in some ‘real world’ way.
This Image shows a number of icons displayed which show a number of common tasks. As you can see the design of these icons vary, but only subtly. There are some in each set which ‘feel’ right however, these are the successful icons which tap into the unconsious cues associated with semiotics. I question icon design and it’s validity within design. My experience of ‘icon’ design (and i’m not talking branding or logotypes here, just icons) is thay are a) Are not thought about in enough detail b) They are almost always decorational, therefore their function is often secondary to how they look. c) Most icons are so badly designed they need words with them in order to decifer their meaning. Not good.
Here’s a good essay on iconography and semiotics. Have a read, it makes a lot of sense.
Talking of system icon design, this is a great resource for comparing operating systems and their iconography.
Probably more on this later, when i’ve thought a bit more about it.
March 29, 2004
I’ve been comment spammed. Some delights about Viagra, which is nice. I’ve deleted them and hopefully Movable Type 3 will be released soon along with the much talked about TypeKey.
These links are now pulled from my del.icio.us account. You can subscribe to the feed if you like.
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I'm a graphic designer from near Cardiff in the UK. I've been a designer for over ten years now and primarily work on the web. I'm still partial to a bit of print every now and then though. I used to work for Agency.com in London as an Art Director before working as a Senior Designer for the BBC in sunny Cardiff. This was all before I took leave of my senses and formed my own design consultancy, Mark Boulton Design Ltd.
I've got a thing about grids and typography and occasionally ramble on about them to anyone who will listen.
If you're after simple, clean and effective web design; let me know.