Web Process: Part II
August 10, 2004
This is the second installment (first one is here) on the development process of a web site. Part II is all about vision. What will the site be? Why is the site even there? What part of the content drives the site? And finally, what it should look like.
First off, what are we designing anyway? I'm glad you asked. It's time for a new version of the bradleyboy productions company site, it's been almost four months! Ok, so I am getting a little itchy on the trigger finger, but I really think this version will last at least 6 months, or hopefully a year. So first things first, why?
I developed the current version of bradleyboy with a whole different attitude. I wanted to project something corporate and bigger than it actually was. Besides, who would hire lil' o me? So I designed with that in mind, keeping it light with the writing but always using "we" and "us" or other pronouns that made it sound like I had 50 people in a cubical farm churning out web sites.
As I have become more of a blogoholic, I have realized there isn't much need for that. It is really about personal service and most importantly, your portfolio, something I almost completely neglected in the current version. Someone I read quite often is Mike Davidson. Don't recognize the name? I bet you recognize a site he has directed and developed. ESPN.com anyone? In his essay entitled How to Win Friends and Influence Art Directors , Mike says this about his approach to filling a vacant design position:
Your portfolio is a whole lot more important than your résumé. Whenever I’ve had to fill a design position, I’ve always gotten tons of résumés and ended up going straight to URLs without even looking at the education or other qualifications of the applicant first. There are just so many people in this industry who are “all talk” that I’d rather hire someone whose stuff looks great but maybe hasn’t had a chance to go to a great college or work at a great company yet. The best thing you can do for yourself, résumé-wise, is to put together a nice one or two sheeter and offer it online, complete with sample URLs. That way, you make it very easy for whoever will be evaluating you as a prospective employee.
With regards to your portfolio, spend every spare minute of your time on it. Nothing impresses me more than a clean book filled with thoughtful work. It doesn’t matter how big your clients are… only how good your work is. You should create imaginary clients if that allows you to flex your design muscle. I would rather see a beautiful poster for an imaginary band than a lackluster design project for a big company like Boeing. In other words, you will never be judged on the size (or existence!) of your clients — only the quality of your work.
Mike Davidson
How to Win Friends and Influence Art Directors
All talk? Ya that's me. So with this design I completely need to change focus. I have been lucky enough to get several new clients over the past six months, as well as features such as CSSBeauty and the CSS Zen Garden. I need to build my site to revolve around my portfolio, not to try and cover it. I need to display work that I do for the CCSB as well. Anything and everything quality I do needs to be there. In the end, I really feel people want to come to my site as see what I have done. They don't want to hear elaborate, quirky descriptions of what I do or who I am. They want to see results.
Revolve around the portfolio. Check. So I had a good handle on where the content should point, but what about design. For the last design, I fell hook line and sinker for the dead center, drop shadow, two column layout. Then and now, more and more sites look just like this. Good business sense would say you would need to stand out from the rest (eh, Dad?). So with that in mind, I set out to design a site that revolves more around the brand I have somewhat created for bradleyboy productions.
The staple of my brand since I began this little venture as not much more than a joke in 2001 has been the caricature. This little cartoon guy was drawn when I was probably 10 or so, and just seemed like a good thing to build my brand around. However, every element of the last design went against the grain of the caricature. Sharp graphics, small text, hard edges. All well and good, but not meeting up with the brand I had set for bradleyboy. Back to the drawing board.
Recently, my friend and overall design genius Doy has preached to me and others about turning off our computers and designing first on paper. At first, I was quick to counter that Mr. Cave is a far better artist than I am, particularly when armed with only pad and paper. (Just ask the family about our games of Pictionary). But once I started, I realized he was right. Just be able to draw out a basic shape and structure of how you want a page to look and feel helps a million. So I did, and realized what I was missing all along. The caricature is a cartoon, and the site should match the caricature so? Make the site's elements with more of a cartoony feel. Use elements like a quote bubble and big rounded corners to give the site a softer feel and look. Walla, no we're talking.
Up next, turning on our computers. Next time we will dig into color and make ourselves a nice little comp with some help from our friends at Adobe. See you then. Then is now, Part III is here.
Filed under Design, Technology
Comments
Doy says:
Okay...this is definitely giving me the itch to get my blog back up. Must...resist...rebuilding...weblog...maybe...later...
At any rate...many kudos to starting with pencil, paper, and stick figures. Sounds like you're really approaching this in a great way. Your brand will say a lot about your personality...although I still can't imagine that kid being YOU...
Look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Mom says:
Okay - so Mom loves the cartoon - Have not been on here for a while and you have been a busy boy. Guess that is why you have no time to talk to your mother.....What could be worse a reprimand from Mom or Larry Franks and Dad on the same day!!!! Love you
Comments are closed for this entry
Karen Anderson says:
This article makes me feel TONS better about my confidence as a designer...I too, have no degree in anything, but have always been a designer/artist in MANY respects. I am beginning to consider putting together a portfolio and resume. Maybe I can get a job or two...maybe one that actually pays me something... by the time my youngest daughter goes to Kindergarten! Thanks again Brad