Web design is a rapidly changing industry that is constantly adapting its methods to fit on an increasing number of screens. Its professionals are constantly evolving in order to make their medium presentable on computers, phones, and tablet devices, and the industry requires a few central resources to keep everything in check.
Known by web design insiders as W3C, the World Wide Web Consortium is the governing body of what are known as “web standards.” These standards define the acceptable ways to program with HTML and CSS when designing websites, and help to ensure that presentation is standard across operating systems, web browsers, and even devices.
The W3C’s website offers a number of standards based on the type of website being developed and explains each standard in easy-to-understand terms that work for novice as well as advanced designers. They provide a constantly-updated list of deprecated code elements and alternative implementations, as well as a thorough guide on how to properly structure each kind of tag within a web design’s HTML or CSS code.
Finally, the W3C’s website is a great resource for upcoming accessibility, usability, and web standards events and conferences. These events are especially important for advanced web designers who may want to interface with the people in charge of determining what is standard. Their input is always considered when making changes, and is essential as the internet continues to grow and change.
Web designers are inherently electronic artists, and sometimes those artists need inspiration. One of the leading showcases of the web’s best designs is Style Gala. Operated by web standards enthusiasts, this particular website shows the amazing design work that can be done by new and talented designers alike.
All of the designs featured on this website are standards-compliant, meaning they pass the stringent validation tests imposed by the W3C’s web standards policies. And that means they’re a great resource for aspiring designers, too, who might feel boxed in by the strict rules of HTML coding.
The W3C governs both HTML and CSS; while it’s HTML validation tools are easy to find, its CSS validation tool is a bit more elusive. Designers can paste their CSS into the website’s included form, or simply input their URL to their site’s stylesheet.
After a brief analysis, the website will report whether the stylesheet adheres to all CSS standards or whether it needs improvement. If there are validation errors, it will outline them in detail — providing the line on which the error occurred, the coding element with which there is a problem, and even a suggestion to help fix the problem quickly.
Because multiple versions of CSS exist, designers can choose the version they’re using on their website before submitting their code to be validated. That means users who code in the more advanced CSS 3.0 won’t be punished by a CSS 2.0 validation tool that does not understand the W3C’s new rules and parameters.
The Ten Deadly Sins of Web Design
Published by a Swedish programmer and web designer, 456 Berea Street’s “Ten Deadly Sins of Web Design” is a good list of the things to avoid when crafting something to be published on the internet. It serves as a good reminder for the seasoned web design professionals, as well as an educational resource for the deign novice who might be tempted to make one of these easily avoidable missteps.
Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
Designing websites for the internet isn’t all about how pretty they look or how nice the typography appears. Websites also need to be usable, or customers will simply point their browsers elsewhere out of frustration and confusion. That’s where this essential web design book comes in.
In “Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability,” Steve Krug explains how to design websites that look nice, are useful and information-rich, but are also usable by even the most novice user. He explains the impact of CSS and web standards on design going forward, and how to accommodate for these things in a production website.
Krug also explains how to deal with clients and bosses who don’t understand that websites are a delicate balance between aesthetics, information, and usability. He teaches readers how to interact with their clients and explain these concepts to them, and how to compromise between a client’s unusable wishes and a designer’s usability instincts.
Considered the leading industry publication, Website Magazine is a serially published magazine that focuses on the website industry as a whole. That means they cover the design industry as well as things like eCommerce, mailing list management, online publishing, and search engine optimization.
Because it covers the basics of web design in combination with studies and reports on the latest trends and consumer demands, it is considered an indispensable tool of the serious, full-time designer.