#fredbrooks

As many of you know, I spent the day in Cedar Falls, Iowa to speak to Interactive Digital Communication students at the University of Northern Iowa. The class, mostly comprised of juniors and seniors, had just begun a chapter on web design. For that reason I decided to stay away from the technical and focus mostly on the big picture so, at the very least, the class could better understand the overall process. The following is a short summary of what was covered for anyone who might be interested.

Process is a series of steps taken in order to achieve a particular result, a good process can help achieve a result more efficiently and effectively. In a recent Wired interview, Fred Brooks, master planner and author of The Mythical Man-Month said: 

Great design does not come from great processes; it comes from great designers.

Brooks’ experience has told him there is no blueprint for how great design is created and there is no short-cut for success. I agree with Brooks’ assessment and I think his observation also applies more broadly to problem solving—especially in relation to creative work. That in mind, I’ve found there are a loose series of steps that occur when work with clients and design websites. I’ve categorized these steps into three phases: Discovery, Design and Build.

Discovery

The discovery phase of a web project, is in my opinion, the most important aspect. This is where I become acquainted with the client and begin to understand the the problems they have. The discovery phase allows me to speak with the client, research and begin to identify the problems, target audience, requirements and goals of the project. 

Design

Before I begin anything visual I take a look at the content. I work with the client to develop a basic outline of the site and try to develop a content strategy that keeps in mind the research from the Discovery phase. Once I have an understanding of the purpose and have a feel for the content I begin the visual part of the design. Usually, I will create a wireframe or sketch first to help me determine the form of the site and begin to set expectations for the client. Finally, I start the actual design in Photoshop or Fireworks where I develop a palette and plan the structure with a grid and columns. 

Build

The build phase of the project is where I take the visual plan of the site and break it into HTML and CSS. The actual technical process for building a site was much more than I could begin to explain, but I did compare HTML and CSS in a basic way. HTML is made up of the building blocks and CSS tells the blocks how to look and where to display. If you are interested in learning more there are many, many resources out there for the beginner. I’ve found Lynda.com to be helpful, the site offers a reasonably priced subscription for video tutorials geared toward different levels of experience. Finally, I use javascript to animate and bring to life certain aspects of the site.

Final Thoughts

These three phases are by no means the end of the process, most sites still need to have e-commerce or content management—work completed by developers. It’s important to have documentation (sometimes easier said than done) for any type of hand-off to ensure everything goes smoothly.

I’m sure many web designers work in a similar fashion, and many probably have an even better process in place. My process is something I always look to improve and revise. Always keep in mind—a thoughtful approach means you can tailor the process to suit your specific needs.

My process has changed radically since college. In college there is no working relationship with a client, there is no real world problem and there is no desired result. In the real world there are more steps to the completion of a project because many times a designer is also copywriter, project manager and developer. Be prepared to learn the business side of design and find the value in working closely with others.

What advice would you give a design student?

Learn what you can from school / learn what you can from work

Learn how to talk to your clients about your work

Adobe software never stops being frustrating

Only give criticism if someone asks your opinion

Keep a sketchbook or notebook

Learn something from every project

Everyone is just making it up as they go along

(A few borrowed from Frank Chimero, more here)

I would like to thank the class for the warm reception and thoughtful questions. I hope the talk was as beneficial to you as it was for me. I would also like to thank Professor Fabos for her support and the opportunity to speak in her class. It was a lot of fun to be back on campus! Feel free to contact me with any questions or connect with me at the addresses below.