About this site
If you are an individual or small business looking for a new web site or online app you are in the right
place. Confused by the mass of do it yourself sites and design companies? This site will help you make an informed
decision about how to proceed. The first few pages explain the design process.
Other sections look at some of the user interface options that are available such as animation.
My github repositories
Why front end design?
Front end design refers to the part of a site that the public sees. There is also a lot going
on under the surface that the user is unaware of.
Often site content is stored in a database or collected from a remote A.P.I.
An A.P.I. is an application programing interface. These are provided by large and small organisations
to make their data available to third party sites and applications.
There is far more to launching
a new site or app than just dragging and dropping a few images and text on a "do it yourself" web site.
Everything from competitor analysis to optimizing your content for search engines needs to be addressed.
Who are you?
I have been a developer for fifteen years, based in the North West of England. Originally I was a field engineer in the brown goods sector.
Later I took a BSc degree in media production. This included everything from video production to
user experience design. I also have a Masters degree in photography. Both degrees are from
UCLAN in Preston.
My focus is front end design. There is a confusing array of platforms and frameworks
available to create a site. Choosing the correct one for the job is why you need a designer.
I can guide you through the design process. In this way you will avoid expensive mistakes. Please explore this
site it has most of the information you will need to make an informed decision. First we look at the design process.
contact me with your idea
The first step for any project is a report. Here the aims and objectives of the site are analysed.
Often you need to look at similar sites and do a competitor analysis. This document can be anything from
fifty pages to hundreds, depending on the complexity of the site or app. Here, also, the schedule and
description of exactly what you are getting is set out. Click on the "Wireframe" tab for the next step...
Wireframing is done to work out the functionality of a site. It can be a simple sketch
showing the placing of navigation and content blocks. Next a mock up is developed in Photoshop, along with a
style guide. The style guide involves defining the look and colour scheme of a site.
Finally a prototype is built and shown to the client. This is the iteration stage where the design is modified
so that the sites aims are met. User testing is carried out this can be done by the client for smaller
companies. There is a complex user experience design process used by large companies that can be expensive.
Types of site
There are many types of site, from simple brochure sites to complex apps with many different
user interface elements.
More...
Brochure sites can be bespoke or based on a platform such as WordPress.
Bespoke brochure sites are best if the content does not change very often.
The complexity of WordPress can be an issue with inexperienced users.There are simpler
content management systems that can be used for less complex sites.
News sites are usually database driven and have a certain type of layout using a grid. The BBC news site
uses original journalism while others like
Google news
use content from other providers. This type of site is known as a news aggregator or web scraper.
Web scrapers
can be useful if you want to have a news section on your site with content from a particular industry.
Specialized apps can be developed for a particular use, for example a weather app can use third party data.
Web apps run in a browser. They mimic native apps but don't require a design for
each platform, such as android or iPhone.
Be prepared..
To save time here are a few ideas that you can use to prepare an outline of your idea.
Give this to the developer so that they can give you
the correct information.
Why use a CMS like WordPress?
A CMS is a content management system. There are many available with varying levels of complexity.
One of the most popular is WordPress, here a user can login to an admin section and change content
without having to involve a designer.
The downside to this is that the backend, as it is called, can be complex and confusing to new users.
Often I get support calls due to relatively simple issues like adding a menu item or setting the
home page.
There are many themes available to change the look of your site. A custom theme can be built
but this is not a five minute process. Wordpress uses a complex system of page and post types.
A layout
has to be designed and coded for each type. Not to mention widget styling and dealing with different
devices and screen sizes.
There are many online tutorials on using WordPress and it is an excellent system for individuals who
have time to learn it and small businesses.
