January 19, 2007

Excellence Awards

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It always feels good to get a little something back after putting together a website, whether it be an award, a highly satisfied client, or lots of traffic for a client site. Well, this is definitely a highlight of my work as a web designer and developer so far.

Last year I had the opportunity to work with San Francisco companies Shepard Associates and VelocIT to build two websites for a medical device company using DotNetNuke (DNN). I was responsible for HTML/CSS production of a series of templates that were incorporated into the DNN content management system, which was custom built by VelocIT. I also ran a two-day on-site training session for the client to use the CMS, and produced a lengthy instruction manual on the CMS for the client.

Earlier this year, the client’s websites won three WebAwards from the Web Marketing Association. Shepard Associates, VelocIT and I worked tirelessly to develop the websites, which consisted of a consumer oriented site (Essure.com) and a site directed toward professionals (EssureMD.com). Highlights of these sites include geolocation, a WSYIWYG CMS for the client, and an online training section.

November 17, 2006

Book Review: CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions

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CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions
Andy Budd with Cameron Moll and Simon Collison

CSS Mastery, written by Andy Budd with Cameron Moll and Simon Collison, is perfect for all levels of CSS users; from novices to experts, there’s something in the book for everyone to learn.

CSS is short for Cascading Style Sheets, which, when used with HTML, gives web developers more control over how pages are displayed. It also allows the developer to control global styles with one file. For example, if you need to change a color or column width on 100 pages, simply change the CSS file and you’re done. CSS is a very powerful tool, and current trends in web design and development show that it will replace table-based designs.

The foundation of great CSS skills lies in constructing meaningful markup, i.e. code. I can hear many WYSIWYG web designers screaming, “NO!! Not HAND-CODING!!!” While Dreamweaver is great at visually creating table-based layouts, CSS requires a bit more hand coding… ok, a LOT more hand coding. But the rewards of learning this layout method are far greater than the drawbacks. Easy to manage sites, better search engine optimization, faster loading pages and more accessibility are just a few reasons you should be designing with CSS.

Anyone can jump into this book without any knowledge of CSS and learn quickly (putting all fears aside), but a little knowledge of HTML, XHTML and CSS will certainly help in grasping the key concepts outlined. Read more

October 25, 2006

New Coding Service Introduced

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I’m introducing a new coding production service as of today. It’s a “slice and dice” coding service that allows busy web designers and agencies to hand over layered design files to me, and I will translate them to xhtml/css table-less layouts with our without php includes. Turnaround times are pretty quick, and prices are very competitive. I’ve already been doing this regularly, and thought it would be a great vendor service to offer to agencies and designers.

If you are interested, Meebo me over there to the right, or email me.

July 17, 2006

kay-la handbags etc: A study in funky design

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kay-la handbags etc
I just finished a website for kay-la handbags, etc. Kay-la is located in Hammond, La. and carries a great line of designer bags. Stop by “The ‘K’ List” to see what celebrities are carrying Kayla’s bags!

The site is designed using CSS, no tables in this puppy. A lot of hard work went into working with Kayla Morgan (Owner, Creative Director and Designer) to get the design looking just right. She needed the right mix of funky, eclectic and fun. Visiting the site feels like you are stepping into Kayla’s living room…or her head!

Check out Kayla’s site at: www.kay-la.com