Whether you decide to work with in-house staff or an outside design firm on your next Web design/redesign project, chances are you might not be familiar with some of the specialized language and terminology that designers and developers use when they discuss the project with you. Here’s a list of five types of down-to-earth, online resources to help you brush up—before or after the fact—on what they’re talking about.
1. Glossaries
One of the best ways to quickly learn about Web design concepts is to read a good glossary—that is, one with clear, concise definitions and descriptions of the terms and acronyms related to Web design. You can look up terms you’re not familiar with, or if the glossary is a short one, you might choose to skim all the entries for a quick overview. Here are several glossaries (the Web provides many to choose from—some good, some not so much) that you might find useful to cover all the bases:
2. Wikipedia
No list of resources would be complete without mentioning Wikipedia. If you’re looking for an encyclopedic-type overview of Web design topics that leans toward the technical with lots of internal links to more detailed information, a bit of historical background and a huge list of references, then Wikipedia might be your best bet.
3. Web Design Reference Guide
Peachpit Press’s Web Design Reference Guide provides a “30,000-foot view of Web design topics.” It’s a collection of short articles (originally blog posts) that describe all things Web design–related, from Web basics to usability and accessibility to Web site optimization and what happens on the backend server. Although some of the articles date back to 2003 and 2004, the straightforward, conversational-style explanations of core concepts make it worth a browse.
4. Web Style Guide
Yale University Press’s Web Style Guide, 3rd edition: Basic Design Principles for Creating Web Sites is a practical, non-technical book about designing Web sites. The book tells you what you need to know about Web design in plain language, with easy-to-understand examples and a great reference section. Now in its third edition (published January 2009), the Web Style Guide emphasizes fundamentals and contains all the latest information about Web design. And best of all, the book is viewable in its entirety online.
5. Smashing Magazine
Smashing Magazine launched in 2006 with the goal of providing useful and innovative information to Web designers and developers. You’re not a designer/developer, you say? No worries—the magazine provides information suitable for people with various levels of expertise, from non-designers to newcomers in the design field to seasoned experts. The glossary mentioned previously is a good example of the type of helpful information you can find on the site.
The magazine also specializes in presenting the latest trends and techniques in Web design. For example, Web Design Trends for 2009 lets you get up to speed quickly on some of the new design features your Web designer might suggest for your site. Whether or not you understand all the technical details, the examples give you plenty of ways to see new features in action.
Raise Your Web Design IQ
Regardless of your role in your company, if you’re involved in a Web design project at any level, it’s advantageous to arm yourself with the basic knowledge you’ll need to understand and communicate effectively with your designers/developers. If you don’t find the information you need from the suggested resources in this post, or you simply want to chat further about Web design, please don’t hesitate to contact us at ACS Creative—we're more than happy to help.
1. Glossaries
One of the best ways to quickly learn about Web design concepts is to read a good glossary—that is, one with clear, concise definitions and descriptions of the terms and acronyms related to Web design. You can look up terms you’re not familiar with, or if the glossary is a short one, you might choose to skim all the entries for a quick overview. Here are several glossaries (the Web provides many to choose from—some good, some not so much) that you might find useful to cover all the bases:
- Web Design Glossary from Buzzle.com—A good short list of common terms and straightforward definitions—a really easy read
- Web Design Glossary from About.com—A longer list of terms, each of which links to a definition and additional resource articles from About.com
- The Motive Web Design Glossary—A very comprehensive, up-to-date list of terms, each of which links to a detailed definition, a list of related terms and additional information and references
- Web Design Industry Jargon: Glossary and Resources—From Smashing Magazine, this useful guide also provides links to in-depth information and additional resources from other authoritative sites (as a bonus, you might make a hit with your designer/developer by recommending this resource to them)
2. Wikipedia
No list of resources would be complete without mentioning Wikipedia. If you’re looking for an encyclopedic-type overview of Web design topics that leans toward the technical with lots of internal links to more detailed information, a bit of historical background and a huge list of references, then Wikipedia might be your best bet.
3. Web Design Reference Guide
Peachpit Press’s Web Design Reference Guide provides a “30,000-foot view of Web design topics.” It’s a collection of short articles (originally blog posts) that describe all things Web design–related, from Web basics to usability and accessibility to Web site optimization and what happens on the backend server. Although some of the articles date back to 2003 and 2004, the straightforward, conversational-style explanations of core concepts make it worth a browse.
4. Web Style Guide
Yale University Press’s Web Style Guide, 3rd edition: Basic Design Principles for Creating Web Sites is a practical, non-technical book about designing Web sites. The book tells you what you need to know about Web design in plain language, with easy-to-understand examples and a great reference section. Now in its third edition (published January 2009), the Web Style Guide emphasizes fundamentals and contains all the latest information about Web design. And best of all, the book is viewable in its entirety online.
5. Smashing Magazine
Smashing Magazine launched in 2006 with the goal of providing useful and innovative information to Web designers and developers. You’re not a designer/developer, you say? No worries—the magazine provides information suitable for people with various levels of expertise, from non-designers to newcomers in the design field to seasoned experts. The glossary mentioned previously is a good example of the type of helpful information you can find on the site.
The magazine also specializes in presenting the latest trends and techniques in Web design. For example, Web Design Trends for 2009 lets you get up to speed quickly on some of the new design features your Web designer might suggest for your site. Whether or not you understand all the technical details, the examples give you plenty of ways to see new features in action.
Raise Your Web Design IQ
Regardless of your role in your company, if you’re involved in a Web design project at any level, it’s advantageous to arm yourself with the basic knowledge you’ll need to understand and communicate effectively with your designers/developers. If you don’t find the information you need from the suggested resources in this post, or you simply want to chat further about Web design, please don’t hesitate to contact us at ACS Creative—we're more than happy to help.
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