Pixel Thread» design

Design Pattern Resources

sammenter — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:43:33 +0000

Patterns are optimal solutions to common problems. As common problems are tossed around a community and are resolved, common solutions often spontaneously emerge. Eventually, the best of these rise above the din and self-identify and become refined until they reach the status of a Design Pattern.
~ IAwiki.net

Given the now ubiquitous use of javascript libraries such as jquery, mootools and YUI for rich interactions across the web, design patterns are more important than ever. With numerous options of implementing functionality such as drag and drop, select a date or expanding and contracting a div, using documented design patterns make sure you don’t re-invent the wheel.

Useful design pattern references include:

And for prototype tool of the moment – Axure (thanks for the recommendation Nic) – there’s a library of design and interaction patterns here and another one on Google Code here.

Playtime

sammenter — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:47:23 +0000

Recently I’ve been thinking about ways of engaging people in workshops. Delegates might have volunteered to attend, but from my experience, it’s more likely they’ve been coerced into it.

Tim Brown uses some fun exercises to illustrate the fact that play’s important: draw the person next to you in 30 seconds, fill in these circles, fire the foam missiles at me…

I thought this at school and I still think it now: we need more playtime!

London International Music Show

sammenter — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:39:57 +0000

We’ve been working with Think Again and London International Music Show to produce an interactive element to the event. The big and bold site is designed to be projected onto a screen during the show, and continuously updated with new video and audio content captured by a team of reporters.

Future of Web Design (FOWD)

sammenter — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:52:35 +0000

I’ve just signed up for FOWD in London April 17-18. I’m sure I’m not quite cool enough for it, but the speaker list reads like a who’s who of high profile webbers, so it should be an interesting couple of days. I’d love to go out to South by Southwest in Texas next year, so far I haven’t been able to justify the cost (and probably won’t be able to next year either!).

I don’t think we’ll actually be discussing the future of web design, probably more about current web design. Nic says the web’s going to be your desktop within a few years – he’s probably right, it’s already happening. Google Docs has become my most used software after Photoshop and Firefox, and despite a few flaws, Basecamp’s become essential for bigger projects.

Anyway I’m looking forward to “interacting with innovators and thought leaders from across the design community” as FOWD put it on their pitch! See you there?

Zoomability

admin — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:53:10 +0000

The importance of images in product description pages has been well documented.

A high quality pic can convert someone browsing a site into a customer. As broadband’s become the norm in the western world, online shops have been getting more adventurous with their use of images.

Combined some well written code, product pages are now giving the user the facility to closely inspect an item before buying. Great from the customer and the commerce perspective.

Magneto product page has a nice image zoomer and Habitat’s product page has a very tidy mouseover inspection. Probably soon to become the norm across the web. In contrast, the mouseover action on the category home pages of Habitat leave me reeling! (Fail harder?)

The bigger online stores are lagging a bit behind in this respect. The ebay interface is still pretty clunky, Amazon’s product page is hugely cluttered.