Web Design For Dummies® 3rd Edition

Web Design For Dummies® 3rd Edition

by Lisa Lopuck
Released April 2012
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781118004906

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Book description

Get up to speed on the newest technologies, tools, and possibilities in web design

Have a great idea for a web site but don't know where or how to begin? Web Design For Dummies, 3rd Edition is an ideal starting point! Fully updated to cover the latest and the greatest in the world of web design, this fun-but-straightforward guide gets you caught up with everything you need to know to organize your ideas, create a template, start development, test to make sure everything is working properly, and launch your finished site. Packed with invaluable advice on incorporating social media aspects, linking content with social sites, and designing for mobile devices, this book will have you web designing like a pro in no time.

  • Highlights the many significant changes in the world of web design since the previous edition, including the introduction of HTML5, new technologies for sharing media, mobile web design, and more

  • Zeroes in on effectively using color, text, and navigation

  • Reveals helpful advice for avoiding common pitfalls

  • Details ways to connect with social sites like Twitter and Facebook

Web Design For Dummies, 3rd Edition goes beyond just making a basic web site and instead encourages you to create a site that is appealing, practical, and useful.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Title Page
  4. Introduction
  5. Part I: The Web Design Kick-Off
    1. Chapter 1: So You're Designing a Website
      1. The People Involved
      2. Getting Started in Web Design
      3. Getting Experience
    2. Chapter 2: From Concept to Execution
      1. Phase 1: Definition
      2. Phase 2: Design
      3. Phase 3: Development
      4. Phase 4: Deployment
      5. Phase 5: Maintenance
  6. Part II: User-Friendly Design
    1. Chapter 3: Designing the Right Site for the Right Crowd
      1. Building an Outline for Your Site
      2. Creating a Sitemap
      3. Building a Map for a Site Redesign
      4. Developing a Marketing Plan
    2. Chapter 4: Organizing and Navigating Web Content
      1. Page-Level Planning
      2. Presenting Content on the Page
      3. Getting Around in Style
    3. Chapter 5: User Interface Design for the Web
      1. Interaction Design
      2. Visual Design’s Role in Usability
      3. Consistency Is Everything
      4. Maximizing Space
    4. Chapter 6: User Testing: Lab Coats Not Required
      1. Developing Testable Prototypes
      2. Prepping for the User Test
      3. Carrying Out the User Test
      4. “Houston, We Have a Problem . . .”: Evaluating Results
  7. Part III: Designing Web Graphics
    1. Chapter 7: Web Graphic Design 101
      1. Crafting the Visual Interface
      2. Establishing Visual Priority
      3. Adding Breathing Space
      4. Establishing a Design Style Guideline
    2. Chapter 8: Letter-Perfect Type Design
      1. Text That You Can Actually Read
      2. Controlling Text Display
      3. Working with CSS
    3. Chapter 9: Understanding Web Color, Resolution, and File Formats
      1. The Secret World of RGB
      2. Color Bit Depth
      3. Hexadecimal Color Code
      4. Image and Monitor Resolution
      5. Bitmap versus Vector Graphics
      6. Image Compression and File Formats
    4. Chapter 10: Building Your Web Comps
      1. The Usual Software Suspects
      2. Mood Boards: Setting the Tone
      3. Design Resources
      4. Building a Web-Page Template from Scratch
      5. Web Background Graphics
    5. Chapter 11: Getting Inspired: Web-Design Ideas
      1. Developing Design Directions
      2. Gathering Design Input
      3. Getting Ideas for Visual and Interaction Design
      4. Designing a Mobile-Friendly Version of Your Site
    6. Chapter 12: Presenting Your Design Masterpiece
      1. Assembling an Online Presentation
      2. Creating Sizzling Printed Presentations
      3. Presenting to Clients
  8. Part IV: Producing the Final Website
    1. Chapter 13: Building the Presentation Layer
      1. HTML: The Glue That Holds a Page Together
      2. HTML5
      3. DHTML, JavaScript, jQuery, and Ajax
      4. CSS
    2. Chapter 14: Platform Selection, Content Management, Analytics, and SEO
      1. Development Platform
      2. Content Management
      3. Web Analytics
      4. Search Engine Optimization
    3. Chapter 15: Websites on Steroids
      1. Extending Website Functionality
      2. E-commerce Websites
      3. Personalized Web Pages with Cookies
      4. Browser and Location Detection
      5. Global Website Performance
  9. Part V: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 16: Ten Tips for Managing Your Web-Design Business
      1. Presenting Your Work
      2. Developing a Proposal
      3. Winning the Bid
      4. Knowing What to Charge as an Independent Consultant
      5. How Agencies Charge
      6. Managing a Client’s Expectations
      7. Setting Client Responsibilities for the Project
      8. Getting Clients to Sign Off on Key Milestones
      9. Managing the Web Project’s Workflow
      10. Hiring and Managing Subcontractors
    2. Chapter 17: Ten Information and Interaction Design Tips
      1. Use Only Five to Seven Main Categories
      2. Develop Wireframes for Each Unique Page Layout
      3. Always Label Your Buttons and Icons
      4. Mind the Download Time
      5. Provide “You Are Here” Feedback
      6. Make It Easy to Get Back Home
      7. Visually Differentiate Clickable and Non-clickable Things
      8. “One of These Buttons Is Not Like the Others”
      9. Tread Lightly with Real-Life Metaphors
      10. Use Color-Coding Sparingly
    3. Chapter 18: Ten Things That Can Go Wrong
      1. “Can We Add Just One More Thing?”
      2. “We Don’t Have Time for a Sitemap.”
      3. “The Clients Want THAT Design?”
      4. “Who Needs Usability Testing When You Have Me?”
      5. “But I’m Sure I Can Make This New Technology Work!”
      6. “We’re Planning for an International Audience?”
      7. “The Site Needs to Work on Mobile Platforms?”
      8. “You Mean We Need to Maintain the Site Now?”
      9. “Oops, We Forgot to Add Analytics”
      10. “If We Build It, They Will Come.”
  10. Cheat Sheet

Product information

  • Title: Web Design For Dummies® 3rd Edition
  • Author(s): Lisa Lopuck
  • Release date: April 2012
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781118004906