Articles

Having it Your Way: The Price of Customization

April 20, 2011

imageIf you want something made to your own specifications, it’s going to cost more. This is known as something being “custom”. I know this seems really obvious but I can’t tell you how much this has come up in my professional life. Clients can seem baffled when faced with proposed costs for something that needs to be built custom, whether it’s a software solution or design. Understanding what customization means and the trade-offs with stock solutions can help you make realistic choices. Read More »

It Ain’t Always that Pretty: Designing for Real Content

March 29, 2011

imageDesigners see the design as what it could be if the content and budget were right. Chances are, though, the photography isn’t going to be of lush tropical plants – it’s going to be a snapshot of the CEO taken with a cheap digital camera by his assistant. That succinct copy that looks great with the little thumbnail is going to be a 400 word mission statement and another grainy photo taken at the annual shareholder meeting. How well does the design hold up now? If you take into account the pitfalls of ugly content before you start designing, it may still work. Read More »

What Your Website Can't Do For You

March 5, 2011

imageIf you own a business, having a website is about as standard practice as having a business card made or putting your name in the phone book. I've found that are a lot of misconceptions about exactly what a website does for businesses out there and, more importantly... what it doesn’t. The web allows us to do a lot of things that we used to do in the real world in an efficient, fast, and usually cost effective way. Although it gives us new tools for doing a lot of things, it doesn’t necessarily change the reality of the mechanics of what we are doing. Read More »