Expansion & Change

With the expansion of different web devices the context in which people view web design has changed dramatically. The number of people using internet-based applications and websites on their TVs, smartphones, netbooks and tablets has grown exponentially in 2010 and 2011. It was “The Year of the iPad For the Second Year in a Row“, according to Horace Dediu of Asymco Research Blog.

These changes have paved the way for how web designers think about web design as a whole. Web designers knew the way they created user experiences needed to evolve, as well as the strategy for how the content was going to be delivered. The acceptance of thinking beyond one explicit screen size is now more than just a trend, it’s the foundation for how designers think about user experience design. Responsive Web Design shows how designers are committed to giving the best experience possible no matter what the context. A plethora of information exists out there on this topic in many different forms: events, books, blogs, galleries, slide presentations, tools and grid systems.

With this adaptive design strategy, web developers and designers now have to not only educate themselves on a technical level, but devise new processes and strategies for their teams to be able to utilize. For any size company this can be a bit of a struggle. There are budgets, timelines and client expectations to consider. Any significant leap in evolution in any area of study constitutes a significant change to the methodologies and processes that create it.

“Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.”
- Bruce Barton, BDO Advertising

Design Process

For Galvin, our design process consists of wireframes and design compositions for those wireframes. Most project’s wireframes account for the “highest common denominator” screen size. This information comes from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and basically means that we account for the highest probable number of users. A few years ago, before the dramatic change in the popularity and number of different screen sizes, developing for this common denominator was standard. The percentage of users at one given size was usually above 50. But now in 2012 with more users viewing sites on large desktop displays and small mobile devices, the common denominator has dropped to under 20%. Responsive Design allows us to account for these different screens sizes, so we can target a much wider user base and give them the best experience possible.

This new design strategy will change our process as follows:

1. Understand targeted audiences and their contexts.
2. Devise strategies and goals for each specified screen size being targeted.
3. Create wires for specified screen sizes.
4. Create comps for specified screen sizes.

Development Process

The changes to this phase will have the biggest impact on the success of a responsive site. Designers are asking front-end developers to essentially be designers and vice-versa. The way the site moves and handles elements from screen size to screen size is very organic, so the process that created those elements needs to be organic.

An example of a less responsive approach to this phase would be:

1. The Designer creates compositions.
2. The Coder then takes compositions from the visual designer and develops them.
3. The Designer reviews and tests code.
4. Lastly, the changes are made and site is complete.

This process is limited because the designer and developer have only one chance to be successful. With responsive sites there are so many different scenarios and opportunities for inaccuracies that a more agile approach is needed. Something similar to this:

The Designer creates compositions, the coder then develops them and they both test the site on different devices. That entire process continues until the project’s goals are accomplished.

Management Process

A more iterative creative process means more work and more time. The essential strategies and concepts would get flushed out in the design and development phases, so it would certainly make budgets go up and timelines widen. The biggest opportunity to overcome the hardships for these two items is to plan for them in the beginning of the project. Sales and management teams can do this by following a few key tips:

Create a Specific Question Checklist for New Clients

A. Does the client’s audience support many devices?
B. Does this application only need to support one screen size?

Get a Feel for Timeline

A. Can you deliver specific experiences to multiple devices in the allotted amount of time?
B. Are there devices that are a higher priority for a phased out approach?

Weigh the Pros & Cons

Although it would be wonderful for the client’s new site to be completely responsive with four different screen sizes, sometimes their budget and timeline just won’t allow for it. So in this case start backward for the strategy; from one screen size, to two, to three until there is a middle ground met. The great thing about Responsive Design is that it’s so easy to change in the future if you plan for it at the start.

Looking to the Future

Responsive Web Design is not only changing design for the web, it’s changing its processes. Any company that wants to create sites that are responsive has a good deal of work ahead of them. Companies, especially small ones, can’t just change overnight. It takes education, planning, commitment and even better internal and external communication. Timelines, budgets and client expectations are affected and should be accounted for from the very beginning of project conception. Even with these hardships, companies that adapt to and adopt this new optimized design strategy have a great opportunity to distinguish themselves from the rest. I encourage all development companies to overcome the fear in changing and help others advance design for the web.

Principle #1: Wording (Unity)

My husband and I recently bought a new Blu-ray player for our home. After doing some research we decided to buy an LG. It had all the features we wanted; 3D compatible, built-in hard drive, WI-FI and streaming; the works. So we set it up and the first screen we were presented with was this:

LG User Interface

Simple enough right? Well not really. The most important feature for me was connecting to streaming content. Pandora, Hulu, Netflix, etc. Now, in these six options which one would you think takes you to those? I’ll give you a hint, it isn’t Movie, Music or LG Apps. Out of only six options I still found myself trying to deduce which choice was the correct one. The designer chose to name this area “Premium” and the areas that didn’t take me to streaming content something similar to the type of content I was looking for. The naming of this section is misleading and doesn’t define for the user what content is in that section. Your users shouldn’t think of interfaces as multiple choice questions; I know A, B and D are definitely not it so it must be C. This naming convention is simple, but not effective. Simplicity in interface design is good but not at the expense of confusing the user. If the nomenclature simply describes what the user will see, you will see them using it.

Principle #2 : Consistency (Harmony & Variety)

I have read many recent articles discussing how consistency in interface design can stunt creativity. Many user experience designers believe that without openness for change there is no room for growth. Without variety users will stop being interested in the product. If your users aren’t interested than what is the point of making it usable? The most popular example of this ideal that I have personally experienced is in mobile devices. The opposite end of this spectrum would be Harmony, using the same element for the same action in all scenarios; road signs, parking lots and elevators. These day-to-day events that people have interactions with feel more transparent; almost forgettable. There is some truth in both of these logics and it’s the balance of these that will make the experience diverse enough to be enjoyable but still consistent enough to be intuitive.

Denver Union Station homepage

Denver Union Station section landing page

I came across this site the other day, unionstationdenver.com, and felt not only was the design aesthetically pleasing (using the elements in an effective way) it was also unique. So what makes this site unique, or more specifically how does the user experience evolve? An example of this is when the user travels from the homepage (first image) to a main navigation section (second image). The location of the main navigation changes when the user makes this transition. We have seen many sites that are within a 1 page space, but the main navigation items actually go to a different URL. The user is aware of the change but accepts it because of how the designer uses the elements consistently. We don’t mind the location of the navigation changing because it looks exactly the same in size, color, value and shape. This balance of change and consistency in the example creates excitement yet inspires trust and acceptance into the user. The site grows the idea of how to use a very fundamental part of a website and at the same time keeps it easy to use. It is harmony and variety working together to create a better experience.

Principle #3 : Layout (Balance)

I grew up on Windows machines and then when I got to college I bought my first Apple computer. Since that first iMac I have seen Apple’s interfaces evolve. So, before I discuss Balance, I want to say I absolutely love the experience on a Mac. In saying that, I am now going to pick apart an interface in OS Lion I find to be a rather poor example of this principle.

iCal OS Lion 10.7

iCal OS Snow Leopard 10.6

With any new operating system there will be changes that the user will have to learn. How else would designers improve experiences? It’s when designers stop thinking about how their product is used on a regular basis the experience starts to fail. The new iCal interface for Lion (first image) has the “View” buttons at the top and centered. The “Today” button, that takes you to the current day, week or month, is now below and all the way to the right. I use iCal quite a bit during the day and I always have to go back and forth between weeks and months. To have the Today button is a great way to bring me back to the present without changing views. I’m already using the controls at the top and now have to go all the way to the right and down to get back to where I started. While the “Day” view will take me to the day at hand, what if I want to stay in “Week” view? Comparing it to Snow Leopard (second image) the “Today” button was at least in the same area of the View buttons. The rational for deciding the layout of elements really stems from thinking, “If the user takes this action, what is going to be the next most common action.” Adopting this principle for all decisions concerning layout will keep it balanced and usable.

The Final Piece

The Principles of User Experience are the same principles of any design medium. Wording, consistency and layout all have to be there for the interface to be successful. Utilizing these basic principles will create an effective user interface, therefore creating a pleasurable experience for all users.

With all of this knowledge to help guide one down the yellow-brick-road to “content nirvana”, I’d like to take a moment and talk about keeping it looking good. It isn’t enough to have amazing content, one needs to display it in a way where the user can digest it and not feel overwhelmed.

With over 80% of our websites now utilizing our Content Management System (CMS) our clients are able to update their site on their own. The amount of control we give them is based on their goals for the site as well as the person(s) who will ultimately be updating it. Some CMS instances are very robust, giving the user options to change almost anything, while some are quite simple for users who may have a limited technical background. Either option gives our clients a way to update each page and all the content therein. Whether reading an article from a magazine, a post on a blog or a page on a website, all content should be delivered effectively through design.

The best possible way for us to allow clients to do just that is to install What You See is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editors in our CMS.

WYSIWYG editors allow the user to create layouts of content in a meaningful and interesting way. When we are in the final stages of a project we always have an in-depth training session on how to use our CMS, but today I will highlight a few points where one can take full advantage of the tools they have been given.

H1s, H2s, H3s, OH MY!

Good typography in web design is crucial as it allows the user’s eyes to move through content efficiently. The best typography has sound rhythm and proportion creating a hierarchy of content for the user. One can create this hierarchy with the custom designed styles installed in the WYSIWYG editor. The styles we give our clients are as follows:

• Heading 1
• Heading 2
• Heading 3
• Heading 4
• Blockquote
• Paragraph
• Ordered and unordered lists
• In-line links
• A few extra styles for client specific content

Ding Dong My Style is Dead?

So we have created a page of typography wizardry that is both aesthetically pleasing and harmoniously balanced. Keeping that balance from page to page is just as important as first creating them. We provide this list of styles in the WYSIWYG editor so it’s easy as possible to keep pages consistent. The more consistent styles are the easier it is for the user to recognize aspects of the page and therefore the more likely they are to keep reading or click through.

That’s a Horse of a Different Color

With all of these beautifully consistent pages that house all this great content sometimes one needs to change it up a bit. Another great feature of our CMS allows clients to upload photos and documents. This feature can be used in some unique ways to not only enhance the content but also the user experience. For example:

1. Infographics and diagrams
These could be any size and create mood throughout a section.

2. Photos, illustrations and videos
These can really help dissect a page and breakup large paragraphs of content, inevitably allowing for less with just as much impact.

3. Graphical buttons with call-to-actions
Instead of links that are just text one can create a graphical button and attach a link to it.

5. Logos and other emblems
Something that many people forget about but can also aid in creating more appealing pages.

6. Tables
When there is data to be represented this way it is always good to use the right graphic for the job.

Because of all the Wonderful Things it Does

We give our clients ample opportunities to create aesthetically pleasing pages of content that create a consistent user experience. With the addition of WYSIWYG editors clients can use styles, upload images and layout data that can enhance their content strategy. For person(s) able to update their site, having this tool can be very beneficial in ensuring content is being delivered to the user in the best way possible.

My husband and I recently bought a new home in the urban but antiquated town of Mt. Lookout in Cincinnati, OH. Being as it is our first home and more space than our usual 900sf, we required some furnishings. What does one think about when they have to furnish almost an entire home; how much can I stretch my dollar? Enter in IKEA. To our delight, and to my bank account’s demise, the notorious moderately- priced home furnishings mega brand was only 20 minutes away! Hip-hip hooray! We spent an entire day in this store and from the very first moment we walked in the experience was engaging, fun and rather addicting. Taking into consideration all of these wonderful emotions it was also a bit overwhelming and at the very end, a bit aggravating. Will this stop us from returning, not in the least.

So how does this relate to designing and architecting for the web? When we start creating a wireframe or start planning a user-flow we can begin to see the different paths the user might take. All of these paths will cause them to have different emotions. Analyzing the paths I took in the IKEA store, we can learn how to control user’s paths and give them the most desirable experience possible.

Set the Tone with First Impressions

From the very first moment you walk-in IKEA you are greeted with a smile from a friendly employee and a large yellow bag to put items in you will inevitably purchase. Right next to the bags are huge bins filled with many new and trendy items that you obviously just have to have! Genius!

Your homepage is your first impression. The homepage should say in the most concise way possible, who you are and what you do. It’s a bright bag for you users to fill with hot topics and tantalizing tidbits as they click and want to learn more. Are you giving your user’s what they need right from the beginning?

Give Users Options While Creating Shortcuts

The IKEA Maze, as it has become notorious for, is to keep people interested and shopping. The architects of their floorplans want to give people options incase they don’t know what they are looking for. Therefor their store has different paths you can take to get right to a certain department.

A well developed layout on all pages is just as important as one on the homepage. Use these inside pages that have a larger amount of content to call-out important topics from other parts of the site that your users might not have known they wanted. What are the topics you think they could be interested in and what do you want them to take away?

Exits Shouldn’t be Difficult to Find

The only real issue with my experience in IKEA was at the end. That day my husband and I spent many hours going through pathways, hallways and doorways of their impressive layout and at the end of our journey we just wanted to check-out! Surprisingly enough it was difficult to know where to actually purchase my must-have trinkets.

Your user should always know where they are in the site. A clear typographic scale in all navigation areas will help insure this. Make active states easy to deduce from inactive states. Titles for pages can be unique but should be easy to find. Also, editing the amount of pages and controlling the different types of navigation you have will keep them from not being overwhelmed.

An Enjoyable Experience

The user experience of a website or web app should be engaging and never difficult to navigate. Your users should always know where they are, where they were and where they are going. By not aggravating the user with too many options the experience can be enthralling and the important information is digested.

Convenience is certainly paramount in most of our lives. We go to Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts before a local coffee shop because there is usually one within a half mile radius. Finding and searching for information is the same; we grab our smartphone or tablet before we grab our computer because, it is convenient. These devices are small mobile information trojans that assuredly connect us to the world wide web, from our pockets. Think about that fact. You have the vastness of almost 14.5 billion pages of information that are accessible by turning on a machine, mind you, that weighs less than a pound. Because of this modern idea of instant gratification inside a fast-paced society we are left with the fact that when it comes to effectively communicating your business online there must be a mobile strategy. This strategy should not venture too far from what your desktop site conveys, it’s the same user-experience customized for different media.

The next few points discuss a few standards when it comes to strategizing your mobile web experience. Most of these should be determined by your specific audience.

1. Content & Target Audience

You already know your target user for your desktop site. The same goes for any mobile site you would like to develop. When and where are your users interacting with your site? What device are they most commonly using? What is relevant to them on a mobile device? These types of questions will ultimately determine the best strategy to begin.

2. Display Size

Galvin develops for the lowest common denominator for desktop screen sizes. Statistically,as of January 2011 desktop users will be on a screen that is as large or larger than 1024px x 768px. For mobile devices screen sizes are much more diverse. Delivering the best possible experience to a mobile devices is to use CSS3 Media Queries. This way we can target different devices be it Android, RIM, Windows or Apple. This administration of specific styles to specific devices is a product of Responsive Web Design and works in most modern browsers.

3. Simplify

On desktops you click, on mobile sites we tap, slide, flick and pinch. With all of these actions navigating around a site needs to be even more simple and intuitive. Prioritizing pages and arranging them based on this priority is key. A quote taken from product designer Luke Wroblewski – “Mobile Forces You To Focus.” This part of a recent article discusses how clients and developers need to decide what data is important and how to best present it to users.

4. Know Capabilities & Limitations

A list of Mobile Best Practices are documented by the W3C. By following these practices you can give a great experience while still giving your users what they need. (Capabilities change as devices change, so know your audience first.)

Capabilities (to name a few)
1. GPS Location
2. User Orientation (compass)
2. Specific User Input
3. HTML5 Video (when appropriate)

Limitations (to name a few)
1. Speed – Lessen time it takes to render extraneous graphics.
2. Scripting & Pluggins – Many mobile browsers don’t support browser pluggins.
3. Technologies – Java, JavaScript, Flash are not supported by all devices.

In conclusion, the mobile web offers companies more opportunities to market their business. With 90% of the worlds population living in a place with mobile access it is more important than ever to be aware of your online market in the mobile space. Users expect their content fast and with a great experience.

A few links to check out:

50 Examples of great mobile sites
Netbiscuit’s 2011 Global Devise Metrics
Slide Presentation on Rethinking The Mobile Web

For more information on what Google Buzz offers and when it will be available from your g-mail account go here.

Motion Type video for 51st Annual Grammy Awards ad campaign.

Following up on Gary’s post about the rigorous processes we go through in the course of a project and how project management is so important to this process, I wanted to touch on the subject of content and how important it is to design.

Content comes in many forms in the context of interface design. It gives users a sense of what the site is about through navigation, provides direction in the form of buttons, confirms actions inside interactive forms and can be seen as imagery together with main body copy. All of these forms of content are used to strengthen the overall user experience and give the site meaning and validity. 

So why is content important to design?
In the beginning of a project, content is considered to construct site-maps and put together functional diagrams. After that there can be a disconnect of what specific ideas and information the site needs to convey. Content can get pushed to the end of a project because the client wants to focus on the structure and overall project plan. This can eventually bring the project to a standstill. Designers need content at the beginning of the project because we use it to plan the way users interact with the site (wireframes), to create a consistent and useable hierarchy and most importantly, to make sure the information that will accomplish the client’s goals is presented in the best way possible. 

Solutions
So what are some things we can do to insure that content is given the attention it deserves? First of all, it is the job of the designer to educate the client and the project manager of the importance that content plays in the overall objective of the site. More specifically, we as a team can plan out the process in the early stages of the project so it has the best chance for success.

1. Initial Discussion
Before the wireframes are created, there should be a discussion over the content of the site that involves the client, copy writer, the designer and project manager. Ideally, this discussion should be in three parts:
a ) What content do we have and what are we using or throwing out?
b ) What are the new goals and what is the main message for the website?
c ) What imagery, charts or specific functionality do we need to help convey the new goals and new message?

2. Outline of Content for All Pages
A content outline of each page of the website should be created not only to keep track of what content is on-hand and what is still needed, but also so that all parties know what to expect when the website is developed. This insures smaller more-specific goals are met.

3. Internal Collaboration
A discussion should take place with project managers, developers and designers over what will be presented to the client in the initial comps.  What content can be used in the initial design comps to convey the meaning and functionality of each element? This communication will give designers the knowledge to best design for usability and in-turn will insure developers implement the interface correctly.
 
4. Content & Design Audit
After the design is implemented and content has been developed, an audit should be done for all pages of the site. This audit involves making sure the design is supporting the content and that the content is fresh and easily navigated. Is this page conveying what we intended? Do we need a different call-out to bring importance to a certain event? Is the homepage talking to the intended audience, and do we need a call-to-action? These are all questions that need to be answered before a site is launched.

Conclusion
Content is a key ingredient to building a successful website. It is important to the validity of the site as well as the usability and success of its design. Therefore, it should be addressed in the beginning of the design phase. Creating good content requires collaboration throughout the project with the client and development teams to insure all expectations are met and goals are reached.

Paul Boag writes about the benefits of hand-drawn wireframes in The 7 Wonders of Wireframes and that many can be done in a small amount of time. More importantly, I think, he identifies the key reasons of why this stage is so successful:

1. Improves Team Work
Wire-framing brings together all members of the team. These discussions help manage roles, responsibilities and scope.

2. Better Communication
This stage not only improves team work but it also makes the subsequent steps in the project run much smoother by bringing developers and designers together early on in the project.

3. Engages Our Clients
By including our clients in the wire-framing step we can educate them on all aspects of web development; from key terms to technologies utilized. This also increases the chance of meeting client expectations and goals early on in the project.

4. More Choices
Because wireframes are easy and fast to produce we can show more options at this phase and inevitably have the best result at the design phase.

5. A Testing Stage
A wireframe is the visual representation of our textual “use cases”. A “use case” documents the flow and functionality of key elements on a page. We can use wireframes and “use cases” to internally test how these key components should function.

6. Easier to Rework
Through the use of wireframes our clients can start to see how the site will be laid out. Since they are much faster to produce than design compositions, many more changes and tweaks can be done at this stage without a significant amount of rework.

7. Keeps Projects Within Budget
Wireframes bring together our teams, improve communication with clients and are easily changed and reworked. With all of these important factors projects can run smoothly and more efficiently to save time and costs.

Finally, it is our job to educate clients on how and why we have these processes. That even though this stage can be a bit slow and visually unexciting, it is advantageous to the end result. It is crucial in the beginning to step back from any design aesthetics and plan the best flow, hierarchy and functionality for each project.

We recently launched one of our newest projects, MyCarbonPledge.com. My Carbon Pledge is an initiative of the Indianapolis Zoo to inform the public about the deleterious effects of carbon gas emissions on our ecosystems and wildlife habitats. The zoo’s efforts to date have mainly centered on the polar bear. As the projections show, two thirds of their population will be gone by the year 2050 due to the loss of Arctic sea ice. MyCarbonPledge.com is at the heart of this campaign, allowing the community to become actively involved in fighting carbon emissions. My Carbon Pledge’s first launch was on Earth Day 2008 and promoted the switch of incandescent light bulbs to CFL bulbs. This first launch turned out to be quite a success with roughly 55,000 bulbs pledged for a total of 8,250,000 lbs of CO2 emissions saved. The zoo then came to us with a new campaign to continue this cause.

This resulted in the new, redesigned and restructured MyCarbonPledge.com. The goal for this year’s pledge was to get people to unplug their unused appliances, while still honoring last year’s pledge of switching to CFL bulbs. The idea was that even though you are not using the appliance there are still carbon gasses being emitted due to energy consumption while it’s plugged in, something that is known as “phantom power”. It is estimated that this simple step can reduce CO2 emissions by 1% and in turn further help sustain the Arctic sea ice and wildlife.

There were two main goals for the 2009 MyCarbonPledge website redesign: 1) market the new message and 2) redesign and reorganize the site to make it more usable. These goals would utilize web development standards, modern technologies and communication design.

By organizing the content better and streamlining the wireframe we were able to strengthen the overall usability of the site. The previous homepage had too much information and the hierarchy wasn’t clearly identified. The new design utilizes a grid system that clearly defines the different sections and allows the user’s eyes to move down the page with ease. The user can still pledge from the homepage as before, but the new pledge and login overlays allow for a cleaner interface. The idea being that the cleaner the interface, the more impact the call-to-action could ultimately have. The new design gives character to the brand evoking playfulness and personality. We created more contrast between the colors and used a dramatic background to give depth and create an environment for the site.

The different sections of the website were also streamlined. The green articles, resources and other links were not well organized in the sitemap. Therefore, users were not getting the information they needed. Thus more attention was paid to calling out these sections inside the site to help users get more excited about the entire campaign. Lastly, we implemented a social media strategy to help get their message out to the public.

The site launched on Earth Day 2009 and has already received 440+ pledges. This project has not only fashioned a business relationship at the Indianapolis Zoo, but is also something we are proud to be associated with. Pledge what you can, and we hope you enjoy the site.

The article discussed the influence that frivolous design can have in a time where people are cutting back on many things they once thought were a necessity.  Expensive furnishings, extravagant tech-toys, and limited editions are still respected, but omitted by the consumer… and designers’ responsibilities will now focus on client goals rather then their own.

A reader from the aforementioned article commented about his friend’s job designing dashboard instruments for General Motors. His friend had designed a speedometer that worked great at night, but was practically unusable in bright daylight.  He had said to his friend, “a great deal of time and effort has been expended to develop instruments which can be read easily and accurately under all conditions. Why don’t you put one of those in the new cars?” And his friend replied, “if we put the best possible speedometer in the cars today, what are we going to do for next year?”

I wasn’t surprised with this reply. Yes, businesses walk a fine line between providing the latest and greatest products, while at the same time withholding certain advancements to maintain a long term product line-up. Companies will always have their priorities, but designers should have theirs as well. Designers need to make sure the client knows what they are investing in will make their brand strong for years to come.

I believe the future of web design can be this bright. Ms. Arieff stated in her article that designers should aim for longer use and fewer materials. In my opinion, in this economy it also holds true for web development. While we might not build with raw materials, we do however build with ideas that shape what the end result will be. The product needs to be strategically planned for the long run; a website that exudes the brand, is communicating the goal and is easily updated.

BuyAMeter

Smart design has now become a priority because it’s quick and to the point; allowing the user to have their experience and move on with their day. BuyAMeter.org is one example in the article which I believe she used to show design has its purpose no-matter what state the economy is in, and purhaps even more critical in its current state. This site has one goal; awareness. The goal is reached by the design and functionality working together. The newspaper visually represents the information and also is a cue on how to navigate the site. The content provides an interesting point-of-view and informs the user within seconds. This site is not functionally expensive, it has no chrome, but does its job; leaving a lasting impression on the user.

Not every site is able to be as conceptually engaging, especially with consumer-based sites. No matter what the final soultion is or what the goals are, the process is the same. Web design isn’t a question of form over function; it is a question of using form to propel the function. As graphic designers our “purposeful pursuits” will be to produce something that is built to last.