2011: The Year of the App
I can’t believe it’s already 2011. It seems like just yesterday we were all panicking about Y2K. But over the last ten years the web design world has changed significantly, and there’s no reason why 2011 will be any different. With the introduction of a number of new app marketplaces near the end of 2010, and some on the verge of being release, I predict 2011 will be the year of apps.
The Case for a Mobile Website
Mobile apps are a big deal right now: iPhone, iPad and Android apps have all become popular over the past couple of years, and as a website owner you might be clamoring to build your own. But do you really need one?
Weekly Roundup: December 10, 2010
Next Stop
If you live in Calgary and take Calgary transit, check out this iPhone app from Medium Rare. It’s well designed and it works great!
Calgary Herald for iPad
While we’re talking about Calgary apps, check out Calgary Herald for your iPad. Built by the Postmedia Network, it’s a great example of delivering newspaper content in the tablet form.
Sales: The Fail Team
Andy Rutledge writes a great article about the role of the sales team in a design agency.
2010 Pictures of the Year
LIFE has released their 2010 Pictures of the Year. Check it out for some compelling photos, and download LIFE for iPad for a high-resolution view.
Weekly Roundup: November 26, 2010
I’ve traversed the Internet this week to find my favourite design articles. There’s some great tools and techniques for HTML5 and CSS3 development, and some helpful tips for designers dealing with clients. There’s also an AMAZING presentation from Google in 20 Things I’ve Learned. Check it out:
Ultimate CSS Gradient Generator
HTML5 and CSS3 for the Real World
Client Presentation Tips for Designers
Designers – Just Let It Go
20 Things I’ve Learned about Browsers and the Web
Designing for the iPad
Recently I had the honour of being able to design the LIFE for iPad app. With over 200,000 downloads in the first 12 days of being live in the iTunes Store, the app has proved to be extremely successful and popular among users.
Designing for the iPad, however, was not an easy task. I was accustomed to designing primarily for the web, and I learned quickly that I had to change many of my design habits to fit the iPad’s unique form factor. Here are some things that I learned.
And So It Begins
Ten years ago I discovered graphic and web design. Creating my very first website on Geocities, I started dabbling with Photoshop and Illustrator, and went through the (very painful) process of teaching myself HTML. Over the years I continued to build websites and design graphics for myself, and started writing Photoshop and HTML tutorials to help other people like me learn.
After college I started working professionally, and five years later I haven’t looked back. I’ve had to wear many different hats – from designer, to developer, to project manager – and along the way I’ve learned a lot of things that I would love to share. Because of this I decided to redo my website using WordPress so that I could begin writing again.
As I continue to post my thoughts and other ramblings on this blog, I hope that my readers find them useful, and that somewhere out there a young aspiring designer like I once was is reading them. I appreciate any feedback, and hope that we can engage in conversation in the comments.