|
| Editorial design | ||||
 You're not used to having an e107 dev talk about design. Well, since today I do. A lot of websites are pretty much the same. Boring! Once you have seen one page, you have seen them all. For a website that is very uncanny; it does not appeal visitors to come back or to stay longer. And that's what every website should aim for. Most designers probably have heard of the grid 960 system; it is an excellent way to streamline web development design by providing commonly used dimensions, based on a width of 960 pixels. However, it is what it is: a grid. The time is ripe for something else! The latest developments of CSS3, HTML5 and Webfonts -including a steady increase of support of it in modern browsers- create more and more possibilities from a graphics design point of view. The web will just look nicer! If there was ever a time to start with modern web design; now is the time! Past: 1200 kBaud modem? Now: broadband internet. Past: small images as big as a stamp. Now: one image filling the whole wide screen. Past: server was expensive. Now: powerful servers are cheaper and even more powerful. All the above should make it clear that viewing a website designed like a magazine is not a problem anymore. The only drawback could be if one is forced within the constraints of a Content Management System (CMS). The CMS must be flexible enough to style individual pages. Even better, the CMS should be capable to have different styles for various pages. The good news: e107 is capable of doing so right out-of-the-box! Designers can apply different styles for all kind of pages. Editorial design Within 'editorial design' the subject of publication determines the format, colors, design, photography and typography. By doing so the contents and presentation will form a unity; making the message to the visitor as clear as possible. The results: an appealing, commercial effective and successful website. Inspiration The Daily delivers this as an app. My expectation is in the (near) future we will just browse like this. Some websites where nice designs have been done:
How to do it? I admit; it is definitely more work to deliver websites like that. And yes, more effort means more time and/or a bigger budget. However, if you want to keep ahead of the competition; I think creating appealing content is the way to go. Also, I recently found out about this opportunity: Treesaver® is on the recue. It is is a JavaScript framework for creating magazine-style layouts using standards-compliant HTML and CSS. I'm curious to see some e107 webdesigns using this or similar techniques. Useful links If you have ideas or suggestions we would love to read about it in the comments. Also your feedback about future design subjects is highly appreciated. | |||||
| Comment(s) 0 |   | ||||