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the importance of Great Design

why design is important &
tips for designing well




JARED PONCHOT * DRUPAL CAMP ATLANTA 2010
twitter: @jponch
Jared Ponchot of Lullabot
Jared Ponchot of Lullabot
Jared Ponchot of Lullabot
Rainbows & Unicorns
Rainbows & Unicorns

‣   What is design?
Rainbows & Unicorns

‣   What is design?
‣   Why is design important?
Rainbows & Unicorns

‣   What is design?
‣   Why is design important?
‣   Design Fundamentals
Rainbows & Unicorns

‣   What is design?
‣   Why is design important?
‣   Design Fundamentals
‣   The Design Process
Rainbows & Unicorns

‣   What is design?
‣   Why is design important?
‣   Design Fundamentals
‣   The Design Process
‣   Some Drupal Design Nuggets
Fun with semantics
Fun with semantics

because words mean things!
Design is NOT
Design is NOT

‣   Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite
Design is NOT

‣   Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite
‣   Proficiency with CSS
Design is NOT

‣   Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite
‣   Proficiency with CSS
‣   Awareness of Helvetica Neue
Design is NOT

‣   Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite
‣   Proficiency with CSS
‣   Awareness of Helvetica Neue
‣   Simply liking Apple products
Design is NOT

‣   Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite
‣   Proficiency with CSS
‣   Awareness of Helvetica Neue
‣   Simply liking Apple products
‣   Theming
What is design?

According to wikipedia, “Design is the planning
that lays the basis for the making of every object
or system.”




                                         - WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Or . . .

According to wikipedia, “Graphic design is a
collaborative process between a client and a
designer — in conjunction with producers of form
— to convey a specific message to a targeted
audience. The term "graphic design" can also refer
to a number of artistic and professional disciplines
that focus on visual communication and
presentation.”                           - WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Design is the conscious effort to
impose a meaningful order.




                                    - VICTOR PAPANEK
Design is not just what it looks like and feels like.
Design is how it works.




                                                 - STEVE JOBS
Design is problem solving.

But wait, there’s more. Problem solving requires
knowing your problem!

Design is the diagnosis and
solving of problems.
Solve problems, don’t create them
profound conclusion

Design is one tiny part decoration and several
giant parts problem assessment and solution.
Notice I didn’t even mention PhotoShop
Design is Important!
Design is Important!
Design is Important!

‣   Great design yields meaningful communication.
Design is Important!

‣   Great design yields meaningful communication.
‣   Great design truly solves problems.
Design is Important!

‣   Great design yields meaningful communication.
‣   Great design truly solves problems.
‣   Great design creates great experiences.
Meaningful Communication
Meaningful Communication
Meaningful Communication
Meaningful Communication
Meaningful Communication
Meaningful Communication
Meaningful Communication
bad design creates confusion
Truly Solve Problems
What problem are we solving?
A nicer approach
Create great experiences
Let’s have fun with this thing!
“Often seduction is seen as a negative thing, it’s seen
as bad. People think of it as leading people astray.
However, I actually think that seduction can be a
good thing, it can be a fun thing.”




                                              - ANDY BUDD
Let’s have fun with this thing!
Great Experiences Sell!
A case study in design importance

 mp3 player 1   vs.   mp3 player 2
1st mp3 Player in the US Market!

                   Diamond Rio PMP300
                   November 1998
Meet the competition (a few years late to the party)

                          Apple iPod
                          October 2001
And the winner is?

Diamond Rio advantages:
‣ Longer battery life


‣ More Storage*


‣ Able to play more formats


‣ First to market (by almost 2 years)


‣ More functionality




*By the time the iPod released the Diamond Rio had more storage than the initial iPod
Design is strategic, and impeccably designed
systems, products, and services are really all that
separate one organization from another these days.
Quality alone is not enough — a lot of people have
good quality, right? Instead, the overall DESIGN of
the "thing" must be so compelling that it serves as a
key differentiator.
                                          - GARR REYNOLDS
Great design for Apple meant
Great design for Apple meant

‣   A name change (no longer Apple Computer)
Great design for Apple meant

‣   A name change (no longer Apple Computer)
‣   Became the #1 music retailer in the world
    (surpassing Walmart)
Great design for Apple meant

‣   A name change (no longer Apple Computer)
‣   Became the #1 music retailer in the world
    (surpassing Walmart)
‣   Approximately 80% of the mp3 player market
Great design for Apple meant

‣   A name change (no longer Apple Computer)
‣   Became the #1 music retailer in the world
    (surpassing Walmart)
‣   Approximately 80% of the mp3 player market
‣   Sold over 5 billion songs
Great design for Apple meant

‣   A name change (no longer Apple Computer)
‣   Became the #1 music retailer in the world
    (surpassing Walmart)
‣   Approximately 80% of the mp3 player market
‣   Sold over 5 billion songs
‣   Inspired several other revolutionary products
    (e.g. iPhone, iPad)
Quick Summary
Quick Summary

‣   Design is part beautification, but also problem
    discovery and problem solving.
Quick Summary

‣   Design is part beautification, but also problem
    discovery and problem solving.
‣   Design is important!
Quick Summary

‣   Design is part beautification, but also problem
    discovery and problem solving.
‣   Design is important!
‣   Great design can help you knock Walmart down
    a peg or two.
How to produce GREAT design?

Jared’s not-so-pantented, largely appropriated,
borrowed, learned, and sometimes stolen tips and
best practices for producing great design
How to produce GREAT design?
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)


‣ Visual Hierarchy
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)


‣ Visual Hierarchy


‣ Proportions & Grid Systems
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)


‣ Visual Hierarchy


‣ Proportions & Grid Systems


‣ Typography 101
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)


‣ Visual Hierarchy


‣ Proportions & Grid Systems


‣ Typography 101


‣ Less is Less
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)


‣ Visual Hierarchy


‣ Proportions & Grid Systems


‣ Typography 101


‣ Less is Less


‣ Creative Pause
How to produce GREAT design?

Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)


‣ Visual Hierarchy


‣ Proportions & Grid Systems


‣ Typography 101


‣ Less is Less


‣ Creative Pause


‣ Great Expectations
A thief is only as good as his loot

Steal from the best
Recreate the masters

Just as painters learn by doing “studies” or
reproductions of master works, so should you!




Bouguereau reproductions painted by my wife
Unique solutions are often
NOT the best solutions
Don’t worry about people stealing your design work.
Worry about when they stop.




                                       - JEFFERY ZELDMAN
So what am I advocating?

‣   Study
‣   Be Influenced
    “Influence is borrowed, inspiration is earned.” -Cameron Moll
‣   Find Inspiration
Something’s Gotta Win
Visual Hierarchy - Easy as 1, 2, 3

Visual hierarchy is the emphasis and classification of
elements according to a) relative importance within
the composition as a whole and b) parent, child, and
sibling relationships.




                                           - CAMERON MOLL
Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy
Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy

‣   proportion
Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy

‣   proportion
‣   proximity
Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy

‣   proportion
‣   proximity
‣   position
Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy

‣   proportion
‣   proximity
‣   position
‣   alignment
Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy

‣   proportion
‣   proximity
‣   position
‣   alignment
‣   contrast
Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy

‣   proportion
‣   proximity
‣   position
‣   alignment
‣   contrast
‣   color
Proportion & Visual Importance


    2



                   1
    3
Proximity & Visual Relationships




Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.




Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Position & Visual Importance


    1




    2          3
Alignment & Relationships
Contrast
Color & Visual Importance

‣   Warm colors stand out
‣   Cool colors recede
Nifty visual hierarchy trick
Nifty visual hierarchy trick
Double Click to Insert Title

Insert your fancy text right here. This is for body
copy etc. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit. Ut malesuada diam at mauris
cursus sodales. Nam ac dapibus lectus. Etiam
tortor purus, dignissim a elementum.
Double Click to Insert Title

Insert your fancy text right here. This is for body
copy etc. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit. Ut malesuada diam at mauris
cursus sodales. Nam ac dapibus lectus. Etiam
tortor purus, dignissim a elementum.
Double Click to Insert Title

Insert your fancy text right here. This is for body
copy etc. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit. Ut malesuada diam at mauris
cursus sodales. Nam ac dapibus lectus. Etiam
tortor purus, dignissim a elementum.
?
Position?
Alignment?
Proximity?
Color?
Basic color theory tip

Create nice color palettes by:
‣ Letting others do it for you


‣ Choose a color and find something in the


  neighborhood of it’s complement to go with it




              Complements reside opposite one another
              on the color wheel
beautiful geometry

The nature of proportions & grid systems
the Golden Section Rectangle
simple 3 by 3 grid
pretty people grid systems
Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
Web Typography Basics

‣   No mixxy the face types (serifs or sans serifs)
‣   Be mindful of contrast
‣   Let it breathe
No Mixxy the Serifs or Sans Serifs

Although it would be fine to have a Sans Serif face as your titles and then a
Serif face for your body copy, don’t mix multiple Sans Serifs or Multiple
Serifs (as a general rule).

      No No


   My Fancy Titles are Helvetica
   My fancy subtitles are going to be Verdana
   And now for some nice body copy in Tahoma just for good measure Lorem
   ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at diam leo. Aliquam
   quis lorem ut sapien aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce vel sem arcu.
   Donec mollis rhoncus risus, eget adipiscing tellus eleifend . . .
No Mixxy the Serifs or Sans Serifs

A nicer example might be . . .



   My Fancy Titles are Helvetica
   Bold
   My fancy subtitles are also a nice Helvetica
   And now for some nice body copy in Georgia just for good measure Lorem
   ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at diam leo. Aliquam
   quis lorem ut sapien aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce vel sem arcu.
Be mindful of Contrast
Contrast can be a wonderful way to enhance the visual hierarchy of your
typography (e.g. darkest text for title, slightly lighter text for subtitle, slightly
lighter text for body copy). However, in instances like putting text on a
darker background, you need to be very careful to keep things legible.
       No No



   Lots of reversed out body copy on a darker background can be tiring for the
   reader and therefore not honoring your content. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
   consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at diam leo. Aliquam quis lorem ut sapien
   aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce vel sem arcu. Donec mollis rhoncus
   risus, eget adipiscing tellus eleifend vitae. Proin et rhoncus risus. Nulla id
   quam libero. Donec id velit felis. Sed vitae urna nunc, vel cursus nisl. Cum
   sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus
   mus. Vestibulum sem tortor, aliquet et ullamcorper sed . . .
Be mindful of Contrast
Another        No No




  Lots of reversed out body copy that is a saturated color on a darker
  background can be really abrasive for the reader and therefore not honoring
  your content. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at
  diam leo. Aliquam quis lorem ut sapien aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce
  vel sem arcu. Donec mollis rhoncus risus, eget adipiscing tellus eleifend vitae.
  Proin et rhoncus risus. Nulla id quam libero. Donec id velit felis. Sed vitae
  urna nunc, vel cursus nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis
  parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Vestibulum . . .
Don’t cram too much in
Let it breathe!

Remember your design fundamentals like Proximity when adding margins
or padding and remember to provide margins/paddings and line heights
that allow your copy to breathe.

                   No No                         A nicer approach


                                         My Fancy Titles
  My Fancy Titles                        My fancy subtitles look nice
  My subtitles need more line            and associate with titles
  spacing and margin
  And my body copy REALLY needs          And my body copy is nice and
  more line spacing and is annoying to
  read with little room to breathe.      readable and enjoyable to look at with
                                         all this room to breathe.
Less is less. Less is better.

Jason Fried coined the phrase “less is less”
because he said that less is more "implies that
more is better."
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and
more complex . . . It takes a touch of genius - and a lot
of courage to move in the opposite direction.




                                            - ALBERT EINSTEIN
more is MORE!
more is MORE!
anyone else hate facebook?
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more
to add, but when there is nothing left to take away




                                    - ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPRY
That’s all I’ll say about simplicity
Creative Pause

Stop, take a break, do something fun or at least
move on to something else!
The ‘creative pause’ is defined as the time interval
which begins when the thinker interrupts conscious
preoccupation with an unsolved problem, and ends
when the solution to the problem unexpectedly
appears in consciousness.



     - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOANALYSIS, PROFESSOR LAJOS SZÉKELY
Even if it keeps you up all night, wash down the walls and scrub the oor of your study
before composing a syllable.

Clean the place as if the Pope were on his way.
Spotlessness is the niece of inspiration.
The more you clean, the more brilliant your writing will be, so do not hesitate to take
to the open elds to scour the undersides of rocks or swab in the dark forest upper
branches, nests full of eggs.
When you nd your way back home and stow the sponges and brushes under the
sink, you will behold in the light of dawn the immaculate altar of your desk, a clean
surface in the middle of a clean world.
From a small vase, sparkling blue, lift a yellow pencil, the sharpest of the bouquet, and
cover pages with tiny sentences like long rows of devoted ants that followed you in
from the woods.
                               - BILLY COLLINS from SAILING ALONE AROUND THE ROOM
Typical Web Design Process
Typical Web Design Process

‣   Planning/IA
Typical Web Design Process

‣   Planning/IA
‣   Wireframing
Typical Web Design Process

‣   Planning/IA
‣   Wireframing
‣   Visual Layer
Planning/IA
Planning/IA

‣   Try to keep this geared toward wireframing*
‣   Identify key elements/entities
    ‣   Roles
    ‣   Navigation
    ‣   Node Types & Fields
    ‣   Contexts
    ‣   Views
‣   Identify visual hierarchy ordering
‣   Avoid early feature creep
Wireframing

‣          Keep it cheap
‣          Cover all unique node types, views, etc.
‣          Don’t make it pretty!
‣          Evaluate visual hierarchy (1, 2, 3)
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The best design tool is a long eraser
with a pencil at one end.




                                        - MARTY NEUMEIER
Visual Layer
Visual Layer

‣   Remember the fundamentals
‣   Know your medium
‣   How far you go in PSD’s is up to you and your
    skill set, project environment, etc.
Drupal Design Nuggets

‣   Commonly overlooked Drupal elements
    ‣   Tabs
    ‣   Search Results
    ‣   Pagers
    ‣   Title Lengths
    ‣   Block content in secondary regions
    ‣   Inline Images
    ‣   System Messages
    ‣   Print Styles
Drupal Design Nuggets

‣   Tweaking Drupal’s Defaults
    ‣ Semantic Views


    ‣ Admin Themes


    ‣ Admin Menu
Designer/Themer’s Tools

‣   OmniGraffle Stencils/Templates
    konigi UX stencils, 960 template
‣   Dot Grid Book
    Behance Dot Grid Book (http://creativesoutfitter.com)
‣   Semantic Views
‣   CSSedit *Mac only, sorry (Stylizer for Windows?)
‣   Base Themes
    Zen, Mothership, 960gs, custom, etc.
Great Expectations: Self & Others
Great Expectations: Self & Others

‣   Expect great things from yourself.
Great Expectations: Self & Others

‣   Expect great things from yourself.
‣   Surround yourself with people who expect you
    to be great.
The Pygmalion effect

The Pygmalion effect, or Rosenthal effect, refers to
the phenomenon in which the greater the
expectation placed upon people, often children or
students and employees, the better they perform.
Great Expectations: Clients
Great Expectations: Clients

‣   Choose great clients
Great Expectations: Clients

‣   Choose great clients
‣   Never make the logo bigger
Great Expectations: Clients

‣   Choose great clients
‣   Never make the logo bigger
‣   Definitely don’t make it “pop”
To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan,
and not quite enough time.




                                        - LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Questions? Comments?




 via dharmesh mehta on fwdmsgsnpics.blogspot.com




JARED PONCHOT * DRUPAL CAMP ATLANTA 2010
twitter: @jponch

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DCATL 2010: The Importance of Great Design

  • 1. the importance of Great Design why design is important & tips for designing well JARED PONCHOT * DRUPAL CAMP ATLANTA 2010 twitter: @jponch
  • 2. Jared Ponchot of Lullabot
  • 3. Jared Ponchot of Lullabot
  • 4. Jared Ponchot of Lullabot
  • 6. Rainbows & Unicorns ‣ What is design?
  • 7. Rainbows & Unicorns ‣ What is design? ‣ Why is design important?
  • 8. Rainbows & Unicorns ‣ What is design? ‣ Why is design important? ‣ Design Fundamentals
  • 9. Rainbows & Unicorns ‣ What is design? ‣ Why is design important? ‣ Design Fundamentals ‣ The Design Process
  • 10. Rainbows & Unicorns ‣ What is design? ‣ Why is design important? ‣ Design Fundamentals ‣ The Design Process ‣ Some Drupal Design Nuggets
  • 12. Fun with semantics because words mean things!
  • 14. Design is NOT ‣ Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite
  • 15. Design is NOT ‣ Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite ‣ Proficiency with CSS
  • 16. Design is NOT ‣ Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite ‣ Proficiency with CSS ‣ Awareness of Helvetica Neue
  • 17. Design is NOT ‣ Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite ‣ Proficiency with CSS ‣ Awareness of Helvetica Neue ‣ Simply liking Apple products
  • 18. Design is NOT ‣ Proficiency with Adobe’s Creative Suite ‣ Proficiency with CSS ‣ Awareness of Helvetica Neue ‣ Simply liking Apple products ‣ Theming
  • 19. What is design? According to wikipedia, “Design is the planning that lays the basis for the making of every object or system.” - WIKIPEDIA.ORG
  • 20. Or . . . According to wikipedia, “Graphic design is a collaborative process between a client and a designer — in conjunction with producers of form — to convey a specific message to a targeted audience. The term "graphic design" can also refer to a number of artistic and professional disciplines that focus on visual communication and presentation.” - WIKIPEDIA.ORG
  • 21. Design is the conscious effort to impose a meaningful order. - VICTOR PAPANEK
  • 22. Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. - STEVE JOBS
  • 23. Design is problem solving. But wait, there’s more. Problem solving requires knowing your problem! Design is the diagnosis and solving of problems.
  • 24. Solve problems, don’t create them
  • 25. profound conclusion Design is one tiny part decoration and several giant parts problem assessment and solution. Notice I didn’t even mention PhotoShop
  • 28. Design is Important! ‣ Great design yields meaningful communication.
  • 29. Design is Important! ‣ Great design yields meaningful communication. ‣ Great design truly solves problems.
  • 30. Design is Important! ‣ Great design yields meaningful communication. ‣ Great design truly solves problems. ‣ Great design creates great experiences.
  • 38. bad design creates confusion
  • 40. What problem are we solving?
  • 43. Let’s have fun with this thing!
  • 44. “Often seduction is seen as a negative thing, it’s seen as bad. People think of it as leading people astray. However, I actually think that seduction can be a good thing, it can be a fun thing.” - ANDY BUDD
  • 45. Let’s have fun with this thing!
  • 47. A case study in design importance mp3 player 1 vs. mp3 player 2
  • 48. 1st mp3 Player in the US Market! Diamond Rio PMP300 November 1998
  • 49. Meet the competition (a few years late to the party) Apple iPod October 2001
  • 50. And the winner is? Diamond Rio advantages: ‣ Longer battery life ‣ More Storage* ‣ Able to play more formats ‣ First to market (by almost 2 years) ‣ More functionality *By the time the iPod released the Diamond Rio had more storage than the initial iPod
  • 51. Design is strategic, and impeccably designed systems, products, and services are really all that separate one organization from another these days. Quality alone is not enough — a lot of people have good quality, right? Instead, the overall DESIGN of the "thing" must be so compelling that it serves as a key differentiator. - GARR REYNOLDS
  • 52. Great design for Apple meant
  • 53. Great design for Apple meant ‣ A name change (no longer Apple Computer)
  • 54. Great design for Apple meant ‣ A name change (no longer Apple Computer) ‣ Became the #1 music retailer in the world (surpassing Walmart)
  • 55. Great design for Apple meant ‣ A name change (no longer Apple Computer) ‣ Became the #1 music retailer in the world (surpassing Walmart) ‣ Approximately 80% of the mp3 player market
  • 56. Great design for Apple meant ‣ A name change (no longer Apple Computer) ‣ Became the #1 music retailer in the world (surpassing Walmart) ‣ Approximately 80% of the mp3 player market ‣ Sold over 5 billion songs
  • 57. Great design for Apple meant ‣ A name change (no longer Apple Computer) ‣ Became the #1 music retailer in the world (surpassing Walmart) ‣ Approximately 80% of the mp3 player market ‣ Sold over 5 billion songs ‣ Inspired several other revolutionary products (e.g. iPhone, iPad)
  • 59. Quick Summary ‣ Design is part beautification, but also problem discovery and problem solving.
  • 60. Quick Summary ‣ Design is part beautification, but also problem discovery and problem solving. ‣ Design is important!
  • 61. Quick Summary ‣ Design is part beautification, but also problem discovery and problem solving. ‣ Design is important! ‣ Great design can help you knock Walmart down a peg or two.
  • 62. How to produce GREAT design? Jared’s not-so-pantented, largely appropriated, borrowed, learned, and sometimes stolen tips and best practices for producing great design
  • 63. How to produce GREAT design?
  • 64. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals
  • 65. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals ‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced)
  • 66. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals ‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced) ‣ Visual Hierarchy
  • 67. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals ‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced) ‣ Visual Hierarchy ‣ Proportions & Grid Systems
  • 68. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals ‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced) ‣ Visual Hierarchy ‣ Proportions & Grid Systems ‣ Typography 101
  • 69. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals ‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced) ‣ Visual Hierarchy ‣ Proportions & Grid Systems ‣ Typography 101 ‣ Less is Less
  • 70. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals ‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced) ‣ Visual Hierarchy ‣ Proportions & Grid Systems ‣ Typography 101 ‣ Less is Less ‣ Creative Pause
  • 71. How to produce GREAT design? Seven Simple Tips/Fundamentals ‣ Steal . . . I mean get inspired (or at least influenced) ‣ Visual Hierarchy ‣ Proportions & Grid Systems ‣ Typography 101 ‣ Less is Less ‣ Creative Pause ‣ Great Expectations
  • 72. A thief is only as good as his loot Steal from the best
  • 73. Recreate the masters Just as painters learn by doing “studies” or reproductions of master works, so should you! Bouguereau reproductions painted by my wife
  • 74. Unique solutions are often NOT the best solutions
  • 75. Don’t worry about people stealing your design work. Worry about when they stop. - JEFFERY ZELDMAN
  • 76. So what am I advocating? ‣ Study ‣ Be Influenced “Influence is borrowed, inspiration is earned.” -Cameron Moll ‣ Find Inspiration
  • 78. Visual Hierarchy - Easy as 1, 2, 3 Visual hierarchy is the emphasis and classification of elements according to a) relative importance within the composition as a whole and b) parent, child, and sibling relationships. - CAMERON MOLL
  • 79. Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy
  • 80. Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy ‣ proportion
  • 81. Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy ‣ proportion ‣ proximity
  • 82. Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy ‣ proportion ‣ proximity ‣ position
  • 83. Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy ‣ proportion ‣ proximity ‣ position ‣ alignment
  • 84. Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy ‣ proportion ‣ proximity ‣ position ‣ alignment ‣ contrast
  • 85. Fundamentals of Design & Visual Hierarchy ‣ proportion ‣ proximity ‣ position ‣ alignment ‣ contrast ‣ color
  • 86. Proportion & Visual Importance 2 1 3
  • 87. Proximity & Visual Relationships Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  • 88. Position & Visual Importance 1 2 3
  • 91. Color & Visual Importance ‣ Warm colors stand out ‣ Cool colors recede
  • 94. Double Click to Insert Title Insert your fancy text right here. This is for body copy etc. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut malesuada diam at mauris cursus sodales. Nam ac dapibus lectus. Etiam tortor purus, dignissim a elementum.
  • 95. Double Click to Insert Title Insert your fancy text right here. This is for body copy etc. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut malesuada diam at mauris cursus sodales. Nam ac dapibus lectus. Etiam tortor purus, dignissim a elementum.
  • 96. Double Click to Insert Title Insert your fancy text right here. This is for body copy etc. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut malesuada diam at mauris cursus sodales. Nam ac dapibus lectus. Etiam tortor purus, dignissim a elementum.
  • 98. Basic color theory tip Create nice color palettes by: ‣ Letting others do it for you ‣ Choose a color and find something in the neighborhood of it’s complement to go with it Complements reside opposite one another on the color wheel
  • 99. beautiful geometry The nature of proportions & grid systems
  • 100. the Golden Section Rectangle
  • 101.
  • 102. simple 3 by 3 grid
  • 103.
  • 104. pretty people grid systems
  • 105. Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
  • 106. Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
  • 107. Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
  • 108. Grid Systems are a Designer’s Friend
  • 109. Web Typography Basics ‣ No mixxy the face types (serifs or sans serifs) ‣ Be mindful of contrast ‣ Let it breathe
  • 110. No Mixxy the Serifs or Sans Serifs Although it would be fine to have a Sans Serif face as your titles and then a Serif face for your body copy, don’t mix multiple Sans Serifs or Multiple Serifs (as a general rule). No No My Fancy Titles are Helvetica My fancy subtitles are going to be Verdana And now for some nice body copy in Tahoma just for good measure Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at diam leo. Aliquam quis lorem ut sapien aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce vel sem arcu. Donec mollis rhoncus risus, eget adipiscing tellus eleifend . . .
  • 111. No Mixxy the Serifs or Sans Serifs A nicer example might be . . . My Fancy Titles are Helvetica Bold My fancy subtitles are also a nice Helvetica And now for some nice body copy in Georgia just for good measure Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at diam leo. Aliquam quis lorem ut sapien aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce vel sem arcu.
  • 112. Be mindful of Contrast Contrast can be a wonderful way to enhance the visual hierarchy of your typography (e.g. darkest text for title, slightly lighter text for subtitle, slightly lighter text for body copy). However, in instances like putting text on a darker background, you need to be very careful to keep things legible. No No Lots of reversed out body copy on a darker background can be tiring for the reader and therefore not honoring your content. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at diam leo. Aliquam quis lorem ut sapien aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce vel sem arcu. Donec mollis rhoncus risus, eget adipiscing tellus eleifend vitae. Proin et rhoncus risus. Nulla id quam libero. Donec id velit felis. Sed vitae urna nunc, vel cursus nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Vestibulum sem tortor, aliquet et ullamcorper sed . . .
  • 113. Be mindful of Contrast Another No No Lots of reversed out body copy that is a saturated color on a darker background can be really abrasive for the reader and therefore not honoring your content. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam at diam leo. Aliquam quis lorem ut sapien aliquam consectetur ut in justo. Fusce vel sem arcu. Donec mollis rhoncus risus, eget adipiscing tellus eleifend vitae. Proin et rhoncus risus. Nulla id quam libero. Donec id velit felis. Sed vitae urna nunc, vel cursus nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Vestibulum . . .
  • 114. Don’t cram too much in
  • 115. Let it breathe! Remember your design fundamentals like Proximity when adding margins or padding and remember to provide margins/paddings and line heights that allow your copy to breathe. No No A nicer approach My Fancy Titles My Fancy Titles My fancy subtitles look nice My subtitles need more line and associate with titles spacing and margin And my body copy REALLY needs And my body copy is nice and more line spacing and is annoying to read with little room to breathe. readable and enjoyable to look at with all this room to breathe.
  • 116. Less is less. Less is better. Jason Fried coined the phrase “less is less” because he said that less is more "implies that more is better."
  • 117. Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex . . . It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. - ALBERT EINSTEIN
  • 118.
  • 121. anyone else hate facebook?
  • 122. Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away - ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPRY
  • 123. That’s all I’ll say about simplicity
  • 124. Creative Pause Stop, take a break, do something fun or at least move on to something else!
  • 125. The ‘creative pause’ is defined as the time interval which begins when the thinker interrupts conscious preoccupation with an unsolved problem, and ends when the solution to the problem unexpectedly appears in consciousness. - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOANALYSIS, PROFESSOR LAJOS SZÉKELY
  • 126. Even if it keeps you up all night, wash down the walls and scrub the oor of your study before composing a syllable. Clean the place as if the Pope were on his way. Spotlessness is the niece of inspiration. The more you clean, the more brilliant your writing will be, so do not hesitate to take to the open elds to scour the undersides of rocks or swab in the dark forest upper branches, nests full of eggs. When you nd your way back home and stow the sponges and brushes under the sink, you will behold in the light of dawn the immaculate altar of your desk, a clean surface in the middle of a clean world. From a small vase, sparkling blue, lift a yellow pencil, the sharpest of the bouquet, and cover pages with tiny sentences like long rows of devoted ants that followed you in from the woods. - BILLY COLLINS from SAILING ALONE AROUND THE ROOM
  • 127. Typical Web Design Process
  • 128. Typical Web Design Process ‣ Planning/IA
  • 129. Typical Web Design Process ‣ Planning/IA ‣ Wireframing
  • 130. Typical Web Design Process ‣ Planning/IA ‣ Wireframing ‣ Visual Layer
  • 132. Planning/IA ‣ Try to keep this geared toward wireframing* ‣ Identify key elements/entities ‣ Roles ‣ Navigation ‣ Node Types & Fields ‣ Contexts ‣ Views ‣ Identify visual hierarchy ordering ‣ Avoid early feature creep
  • 133. Wireframing ‣ Keep it cheap ‣ Cover all unique node types, views, etc. ‣ Don’t make it pretty! ‣ Evaluate visual hierarchy (1, 2, 3) samplifee home | how it works | get started | browse | shop | sign in search samplifee home | how it works | get started | browse | shop | sign in search samplifee home | how it works | get started | browse | shop | sign in search Current Voting Cycle 23 days remaining Home Browse Current Voting Cycle: 23 days remaining Home Browse Science Fiction Sort by: Date | Rank | Popularity Science Fiction VIEW ALL Historical VIEW ALL Science Fiction Moderated by Larry Lancelot Current Voting Cycle 23 days remaining Hero Block (used to tease the tour or how it works or provide high level overview) 4,327 votes cast 137 works submitted Advertisement Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Science Fiction Horror Author Name Author Name Moderated by Larry Lancelot VIEW ALL Young Adult / Chapter Books VIEW ALL Larry's Picks VIEW ALL Top Vote Getters VIEW ALL Recent Additions VIEW ALL Most Reads VIEW ALL Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Author Name Work Title Here Work Title Here Work Title Here Work Title Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Here Work Title Here Work Title Here Work Title Here Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Fantasy VIEW ALL Mystery / Thriller VIEW ALL Work Title Here Work Title Here Work Title Here Work Title Here Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Author Name Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Author Name Popular Items Current Voting Cycle: 23 days remaining | 4,327 votes cast | 137 works submitted Work Title Here Author Name PREV 1 2 3 4 5 NEXT Romance VIEW ALL Literary Fiction VIEW ALL Signup or Login Signup today and begin voting up your favorite works or even submitting your own works to be voted on! Work Title Here Author Name Signup or Login Signup today and begin voting or submitting your own works to be voted on! Work Title Here Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Author Name Author Name Author Name Author Name Browse Genres Info & Support Science Fiction Historical About FAQ Horror Young Adult / Chapter Books Privacy Help Western VIEW ALL Fantasy Mystery / Thriller Terms & Conditions Contact Romance Literary Fiction Copyright Info Western Signup or Login Signup today and begin voting and submitting your own works to be voted on! Browse Genres Info & Support Science Fiction Historical About FAQ Work Title Shows Here Work Title Shows Here Horror Young Adult / Chapter Books Privacy Help Author Name Author Name Fantasy Mystery / Thriller Terms & Conditions Contact Romance Literary Fiction Copyright Info Western Signup or Login Signup today and begin voting up your favorite works or even submitting your own works to be voted on!
  • 134. The best design tool is a long eraser with a pencil at one end. - MARTY NEUMEIER
  • 136. Visual Layer ‣ Remember the fundamentals ‣ Know your medium ‣ How far you go in PSD’s is up to you and your skill set, project environment, etc.
  • 137. Drupal Design Nuggets ‣ Commonly overlooked Drupal elements ‣ Tabs ‣ Search Results ‣ Pagers ‣ Title Lengths ‣ Block content in secondary regions ‣ Inline Images ‣ System Messages ‣ Print Styles
  • 138. Drupal Design Nuggets ‣ Tweaking Drupal’s Defaults ‣ Semantic Views ‣ Admin Themes ‣ Admin Menu
  • 139. Designer/Themer’s Tools ‣ OmniGraffle Stencils/Templates konigi UX stencils, 960 template ‣ Dot Grid Book Behance Dot Grid Book (http://creativesoutfitter.com) ‣ Semantic Views ‣ CSSedit *Mac only, sorry (Stylizer for Windows?) ‣ Base Themes Zen, Mothership, 960gs, custom, etc.
  • 141. Great Expectations: Self & Others ‣ Expect great things from yourself.
  • 142. Great Expectations: Self & Others ‣ Expect great things from yourself. ‣ Surround yourself with people who expect you to be great.
  • 143. The Pygmalion effect The Pygmalion effect, or Rosenthal effect, refers to the phenomenon in which the greater the expectation placed upon people, often children or students and employees, the better they perform.
  • 145. Great Expectations: Clients ‣ Choose great clients
  • 146. Great Expectations: Clients ‣ Choose great clients ‣ Never make the logo bigger
  • 147. Great Expectations: Clients ‣ Choose great clients ‣ Never make the logo bigger ‣ Definitely don’t make it “pop”
  • 148. To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time. - LEONARD BERNSTEIN
  • 149. Questions? Comments? via dharmesh mehta on fwdmsgsnpics.blogspot.com JARED PONCHOT * DRUPAL CAMP ATLANTA 2010 twitter: @jponch