When is a website past its expiration date? Part One: Outdated Content
Everybody knows you shouldn't keep outdated content on your website. Yet, websites are full of debris such as announcements for events that took place a month ago, discontinued products, and even the company's old address. Needless to say, this is a blemish on the company's image that makes potential customers doubt the company's ability to stay current and deliver. Why is this problem plaguing businesses of all sizes and industries despite their best intentions to keep their site current? And is there an easy fix?
May 26, 2007, 9:40 PMWhen Is a Website Past Its Expiration Date?
I often come across websites that are obviously, embarassingly outdated. You'd think that such sites belong only to businesses and organizations so small or underfunded that they simply don't have the resources to update their site. But the cyberspace equivalent of an overgrown lawn with weeds happens to sites of businesses of all sizes. Yet, keeping a website fresh seems to be more a matter of priorities and planning than cost.
February 21, 2007, 3:21 PMDynamic Graphics "Designing for the Mobile User" webcast
I watched the webcast today. Or shall I say, listened. The screen shots didn't update automatically. I did the test prior to the webcast and my system passed with flying colors. When I hit F5 to refresh, I lost the sound while the page was loading the image, although I have a cable connection. These tech glitches aside, the webcast was very informative and worth the time. I signed up for the rest of the webcasts offered.
February 6, 2007, 3:15 PMHe says… She says…
A couple of months ago I read an article in Computer Arts magazine about gender preferences regarding web design. As I read it, I wanted to scream. Women like soft colors and shapes. Men like bold colors and edges. It was so stereotypical.
November 21, 2006, 10:34 PMDesigning for… Yourself
Meetings, specs, meetings, prototypes, more meetings… Our jobs as designers revolve around designing for clients and employers. Yet, there comes a time when we realize our self-promotional materials really need a makeover. I recently re-designed my website that had the same look for the last 5 years.
July 1, 2006, 9:32 PMA Color Lesson from Meryl Streep
I saw "The Devil Wears Prada" the day it opened. Meryl Streep ruled over the movie the way her character ruled over the fashion magazine's headquarters. One scene really hit home with me as a designer. Maybe you've heard the plot by now - Andy, a recent college graduate who wants to be a serious journalist, lands a job as the assistant to the bitchy editor-in-chief (played by Meryl Streep) of the nation's premier fashion magazine. She doesn't care about fashion, yet she has to attend the meetings when her boss selects the clothes that'll be featured in the magazine. As another assistant held two blue belts for the boss to inspect…I saw it coming.
June 12, 2006, 11:28 PMThe Proxy Edge
I subscribed to Adobe Proxy magzine. It seemed like a great resource to keep up with all of the new products Adobe is making and design in general. Yesterday the issue arrived in my Outlook. There were a couple of articles that looked interesting. I clicked on one of them "Vector Versatility" but the link didn't work. I clicked on "Type in Depth" - same thing. Adobe is sending e-mails with links that don't work? What is the world coming to?
June 4, 2006, 1:11 PMFive Reasons to Go Back to College
Now that graduation season is over, I like thousands of other graduates, are listing our textbooks for sale on Amazon and putting together our resumes. When I went back to college, I was surprised to see a lot of people in their 30s and 40s. These people were usually working in the field they were pursuing a degree in. Why would somebody take on the additional burden of projects and tests? Why would anyone walk out of a regular paycheck to walk into a classroom?
May 25, 2006, 12:51 PMAmerican Idol - Choosing the Right Song
I got hooked on American Idol a bit late - Season 3. It's been my guilty pleasure since. I never wanted to be a singer, yet I find myself relating to the contestants. What do designers and American Idol hopefuls have in common? More than it meets the eye.
May 15, 2006, 6:25 PMgot coffee?
I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while, but there was always something more urgent that came up. Between my family, college, and work designing websites I had little free time. I also felt that I spend too much time in front of the computer as it is, and I should use whatever free time I have for other activities.
