Children’s stories are full of hidden lessons, society’s values, and of course whimsy. One of my favorite tales is of a little mouse who visits a human’s home and asks for a cookie.
Jul, 20
2020
May, 20
2016
Web Design, Web Trends
An Event Apart
In the early 2000’s, when I was a young web developer I found “A List Apart.” The blog answered my first hard question as a web designer worried about universal accessibility. How do I create a dropdown menu without Flash or JavaScript. I read the Suckerfish and Son of Suckerfish tutorials, successfully created my menus and was hooked. I continued reading, learning and expanding my horizons with new CSS methods.
Over a decade later, when I got to pick my first professional conference, there was no choice, my response was automatic. I was going to An Event Apart! (more…)
Jul, 12
2014
Web Design, Web Trends
The Rise of One Page Design
The release of CSS3 and HTML5 has brought about a new trend in web design: the One Page Design. As the name implies the One Page Design is just a single webpage that contains all of the websites content. Oftentimes the One Page Design has a navigation bar at the top of the page, just like any other site you might frequent, but instead of each menu item linking to a new page the navigation shoots you down the page, to the appropriate section.
Why the popularity?
The web is faster now. I don’t just mean your internet connection, but browsers are more efficient too. New standards mean that pages load faster. Designers have more tools for optimizing images and rendered content. All of this means that having a page that scrolls on for centuries won’t make your hourglass spin for days while the page loads.
The rise of mobile internet access also means adapting to that audience. Pew cites that 63% of adult cell owners us their mobile phone to go online and 34% go online MOSTLY with their phones. Mobile users will find single page websites easier to navigate. Scrolling with your thumb on your cell phone device is second nature, and you never have to wait for a page to refresh.
Aug, 22
2013
Web Trends
Google Cart is Checking Out
It was good while it lasted.
Webmasters around the globe, get ready for the scramble, Google Checkout is going the way of the dinosaur! That once simple, easy to integrate ecommerce solution is no more. As of November 20th, 2013 if you are using Google Checkout, you had better change to something else.
Google Checkout was introduced in 2006 as a way to simplify online purchasing. Create one profile and use it everywhere Google Checkout is accepted. No need to retype your address and payment information. Sound familiar? Yep, sounds a lot like Paypal.
Apr, 24
2013
Web Design, Web Trends
Honey I shrunk the web!
The writing is on the wall, you know you need your site to be mobile (and tablet) friendly. All the research points to the fact that more and more consumers are checking you out online and increasingly doing it on their mobile device.
Getting an app is probably overkill for the small business person and it isn’t even going to help you gain new customers! What affordable (or free) options do you have to help new mobile customers find you? A lot of the options will depend on how you implemented your online strategy in the past.
Mar, 24
2013
Web Design, Web Trends
Cyber-Stats
Mobile phone ownership is quickly outpacing desktop and laptop computer ownership. Trends show that more and more users are getting on the internet with smart phones and other mobile devices instead of the traditional computer.
The internet is in the palm of our hand, what are we doing with it?
