Posted on September 8, 2006 in Web-Design, with 0 comments.

Every designer designs differently, and even the same designer approaches certain challenges with different methods. The one method, though, I always find myself falling back on (especially when I’m feeling less than inspired) is goal oriented design.

I’m sure a few of you are wondering why this should be considered a method, when we’re always supposed to achieve our goals when designing. Well, most of the time it happens and I don’t have to think about it. The few times, however, when I can’t readily create something good, I sit down, write out a list of goals (for every aspect of the website), and then design based on that list. I give things that I want to emphasize bigger space on the layout, brighter colors, bolder text.

I keep myself from drawing anything at all, just moving around blocks of text/content until everything is the right size, at the right spot, and then start prettying it up from there.

The main reason I’m writing this is because I think a lot of amateur designers try to create a look and a feel before deciding where the elements of the homepage will reside. I’m not saying thats the wrong way to design, but I’ve done it myself a few times, and ended up making sacrifices and putting some things where I didnt want them because I couldn’t change the layout. Just something to think about.

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