Journal

Category: Design

April the 1st funny-ness

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…

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Icons, Wayfinding and Semiotics

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.

IconsThis 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.

For the latest and greatest in Web Standards design

March 04, 2004

Have a look at the Web Standards Awards. Nice looking site in itself but previews some really good standards compliant sites globally.

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Of interest ...

4Talent - A FONT OF KNOWLEDGE
Channel 4 Talent interviews me about design
Organizing Our Marvellous Neighbours
Joe Clark's new book.
Drupal.org: come wireframe with me!
Leisa calls on the community to take part in an interesting group wireframing exercise
disambiguity - " Opening the floodgates! How to participate in the Drupal.org redesign project
Leisa opens the floodgates with many channels by which to participate in the Drupal.org redesign project.
FF Meta Serif
Great looking minisite for FF Meta Serif
Clagnut: A new design
Richard cooks up a splendid redesign to Clagnut. Wonderfully understated.
A List Apart: Putting Our Hot Heads Together
Carolyn Wood writes about the value of thoughtful discussion in participation on the web. Beautifully written.

These links are now pulled from my del.icio.us account. You can subscribe to the feed if you like.

My books

Web Standards Creativity Buy Five Simple Steps: Designing for the Web

Stuff I like

The Britpack!

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A picture of Mark BoultonI'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.