Author: cvaughan

Using parallax well

In week 12 of this course, we were introduced to techniques to introduce movement into our websites. The use of parallax techniques to provide a sense of depth and dynamic motion to entice the user to interact with the material of the site is exciting to learn. What I found interesting is that as with all components of design, these techniques need to be used thoughtfully with the intent to enhance your user’s experience and not to distract from it. One resource website suggests that these techniques are best used for product or portfolio websites verses informational websites. As we mature as designers, need to consider how people interact with the material we are presenting and how people learn verses just using all the cool techniques we know on one site.

Designing from the ground up

When we began this adventure with Responsive Design, I had the misnomer that we would be creating the most intricate design and then pair down the design to the barebones version for the smaller screens. Once we started to code, I realized just how much it made sense to go the other way! It has been really helpful to challenge ourselves with the recent projects and then find the solution later. It allows me to be wrong, try and learn as long as I am trying. I am finding that walking through these solutions once I have researched and fought a little with the material, I then have a deeper understanding of the answer. Starting from the ground and working up is much more manageable and approachable overall.

Time flies when you are having fun!

This week the information about Responsive Design really made some concepts and functions of building a website come together. I have always thought of designing from big to small, but never knew that developing this from small to large would be more efficient!

Personally, this week was huge! I accepted a job, not in Web Design, but see opportunities to possibly use this skill to supplement my work. I am excited….and scared…for this new adventure, but all great things have a little of both. I think this is the perfect formula for an exhilarating future!

To truly design you often have release control to let things flex and float.

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Week 6 of Intermediate Web Design, we focused on positioning elements within a webpage. Often taking elements out of the flow of the document and placing them where we determined they should go. Whether we were floating images to wrap text around them or flexing the elements to put them in a different orientation, we often had to release the control of the parent to move the child.

This week, I found a parallel to my professional and personal life. I have been trying to control the path of my career. I have been trying to make logical steps to move myself along MY imagined path. I came to a point this last week that I literally had to release this control and allow the next steps to fall as they are designed to, I had that moment of realization that I am not The Designer of all the twists and turns of my path, but it will go the way it should go. Sometimes the design is revealed by letting go and letting things fall into position.

When what you thought you remembered finally comes back into the light.

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Well, the semester is in full swing now, and glimmers of what I learned more than 6 months ago and notes that I thought were so clear then are now coming into blurry focus. I am always so eager it get into the meat of a course and learn stuff, and I feel that we have been doing that. Building simple sites, writing code and doing the research to know the when-where-why’s of it all help me to get a sense of where I have been and where we are going.

Continue reading “4 Week Growth Spurt”

Growing is Learning and Learning is Growing: How do we go to “the edge” of what is comfortable, and then take another step?

When I am not reaching for a new goal, learning something new or exploring what is uncharted or scary for me, I am not growing.  The things that scare me are often the things that I know I have to step into to get to where I want to go. This semester, I have set some professional goals to broaden my horizons in web design, but this is not my only venture.  Public speaking has always been a fear of mine (and many of us).  I have decided to join a local chapter of Toastmasters, an organization that teaches and fosters positive feedback and an opportunity to face fears in public speaking.  I believe that this step of courage will benefit me in not only the professional world, but also in interpersonal communication. 

I hope in this class to answer these questions every week:

• How have I pushed “my edge” professionally?
• What have I learned in this web design class that I will take into the professional world?
• How have I pushed “my edge” personally?