21 29 20 09
How to build a website the wrong way.
1] Take off pants. If at work, try to ignore pants. I firmly believe that everyone thinks better without them.
2] Get a legal pad and a pen. Sketch out designs without thinking about project goals or constraints. Ignore results, but save paper for later projects.
3] Write down the site’s mission statement as well as the site map requirements, like so: Website for actor, featuring resume, shows he’s been in and how to get in touch with him. He likes Shakespeare. Should be minimal and elegant.
4] Realize I try to make everything minimal and elegant. Jazz that shit up.
5] Realize I’m no good at jazzing shit up. Go back to minimal.
6] Keep sketching thumbnail layouts. Eventually hit upon one that does vaguely what I want. Sketch four or five more times in increasing detail.
7] Open up photoshop. 2000*1200. Realize I haven’t a clue about the colour scheme. Cuss and go looking for inspiration.
8] Create three-four failed layouts. Realize none of them are what I want. Cuss more. Have long rant to sympathetic friend. Have solution to problem smack me in the face during.
9] Whip out layout with few problems.
10] Code website. Feel guilty for not supporting IE6. Ponder what I’d have to do to insure compatibility. No longer feel guilty.
11] Grit my teeth and doggedly plow through the static content once all the fun layout work is done.
12] Test, validate, fiddle with code eight thousand times. Cuss.
13] Put live.
14] Fix unexpected issue that wasn’t broken before. Cuss more.
15] Threaten to destroy the birds outside my window unto the seventh generation for twirping so loudly in the morning.
16] Realize it is the morning.
17] Fix final issue. Vow never to stay up like that again. Crash harder than a steel-plated albatross in a jet engine intake.
18] Be eventually satisfied with website.
16 14 09
Valentin said:
“1] Take off pants. If at work, try to ignore pants. I firmly believe that everyone thinks better without them.”
I have to try this in the office :D
45 14 09
Markus said:
Great article! It’s funny to see that other people get problems solved in completely non-related situations as well ;) And for the pants-thing: I’ll try it in the office, too :D