design

4 Keys to Web Site Design



Web site design is a creative work that needs some idea and creativity. For a lucrative web site design, each element of design should be in right combination. Below are 4 keys that can be used for lucrative web site design.

Layout -

Decide the layout before you start designing the website. The layout is the placing or positioning of the contents of a website or a web page. What portions you will have in the web page and in which position they will look good should be decided before. Layout is very important in designing of a website. Layout can make a web page look attractive.

Design -

Next design the website. Design is a very important part of website designing. Website designs can vary geatly. You have to decide the design before starting designing it. Use a design that suits the website and its content.

Use best technology -

Use the best technology available for lucrative web site design. New and imporved technology helps in improving the website in all aspects. By using new and improved technologies, you will be able to add many advanced features in the website in interaction, look, attractiveness, communication of the website and webpages.

Accessibility -

Accessibility is a very important aspect in web site design. Your website should be accessible from any place and at any time. Make it accessible by using advanced technologies and best servers. Use lesser animation and graphics. When you are accessible, visitors will like your website. People generally will not like to wait for a website that takes too long to display.

What Does an Architect Do Versus an Interior Design Firm?



Many people who are considering doing some redecoration are forced to make the decision whether to hire an architect or an interior design firm. The truth is, these two careers can overlap in many ways, but there are some important differences. Before making a decision which type of professional to hire you should determine your needs and do some research to find out what kind of professional would serve you best.

Architect

An architect is an individual who is trained and licensed in the planning and designing of buildings who also supervises the construction. Architects are responsible for adhering to public safety and building codes, so a license is required to practice architecture. Generally, architects award their building projects to general contractors who complete the building process under the supervision of the architect.

Interior Design Firm

Interior design involves applying creative and technical solutions to a building or structure to achieve the desired interior environment. These solutions are both functional and aesthetic serving to enhance the quality of life of the inhabitants and to be aesthetically attractive. The design process involves research and planning in addition to the integration of design knowledge in order to satisfy the needs of a client. Interior designers draw upon the concepts of product design, architecture, and environmental psychology in order to create the atmosphere and design the client wishes to achieve.

The difference between an architect and an interior design firm can be simplified so much as to say that architects work with building structure and interior designers work with building decoration. The lines are not always so well-defined, however. Many architects also possess design degrees and many interior designers are also trained in the disciplines of architecture. Depending on the project, hiring a professional who possesses both qualifications may be exceedingly useful. Projects which involve extensive redecorating or construction may require the license and legal knowledge of an architect in addition to the design knowledge of an interior design firm. The answer to the question of what an architect does versus what an interior design firm does cannot always be answered simply because in many cases, these professionals are capable of the same things.

What Is Design?



Seriously, what is design? When someone says they are a designer I know I should be suitably impressed but it is one of those jobs that everyone seems to just pretend they know what it means. Designers, do they make things? Do they fix things? Or do they just come up with ideas for making things? They seem to make a lot of money so what is it that they do?

This has always bugged me so I looked up some definitions.

“Design is that area of human experience, skill and knowledge which is concerned with man’s ability to mould his environment to suit his material and spiritual needs” Archer 2011.

This definition is a little broad for me. It seem to say every time I make my bed or move my sofa I am a designer and while the thought of going to fancy bars and claiming ‘I’m a designer’ is kind of appealing, it doesn’t help me understand what design actually is.

To design is to “initiate change in man-made things” Jones 2011.

This is a definition I can understand. Design means to create or change something man-made. By this definition a lot less people would be designers.

I did some more reading and it turns out design can be classified in three different ways: Discipline, Process and Artifact.

Design as a discipline – Designers usually choose a discipline and this shapes the way they approach design, or how they “initiate change”. Disciplines look at the way people, products and the environment interact and find ways to improve this interaction but each discipline does so in different ways. Graphic Design is focused on arts and media, it may be the appearance of a product or the layout of visual elements of digital graphics and text. Industrial Design is about more tangible, physical objects. Industrial Designers work to improve the way objects work, look or are valued. Interaction Design looks at digital products and systems. Service Design work to improve user’s interaction and experience with a company and staff when accessing a service.

Design as a Process – the design process is all about solving a problem. Different disciplines use different processes and tools to find solutions. Focus groups, walk-through, interviews, prototyping are all used to assess the problem and work towards a solution. One thing all processes have in common is designers need to balance the needs and goals of the users, the limitations of the product, problem and clients or environment, and still find a solution. There is conceptual design which focuses on the process of usability and physical design which is about appeal.

Design as Artifacts – the design process leads to the creation of artifacts such as models, mockups, prototypes, sketches, guides, programs, plans, etc. These are also a form of design.