Web Design

Sure I know Dreamweaver, Front Page and more

As a hiring manager I'm always skeptical when I get a resume filled with "technical" classes from one of the myriad of technical schools around the country. When I've worked with graduates of these programs it seems they have a marginal, but usually satisfactory, understanding of how technology is supposed to work. The problem is I rarely need people who can work with technology that is working. If technology is working and things are simple there is little that end-users need. Even relatively simple tasks like deploying computers depends upon a specific understanding of the complex situation that is most business networks. Few organizations do a "out of the box" installation of a Microsoft Active Directory and run 100% machines that work in that environment. These complexities mean a technical manager is quickly looking for skills that don't come from these technical schools. Ironically because they do tend to come in people who are self-motivated to learn the technology any way they can often the requisite skills are stronger in those who haven't been through this sort of program.

Rethinking Web Forms

SEOMoz points to an interesting study on form design. The study suggests that the convention of labels on the left with the entry box on the right is not as effective as a non-bolded label on the line above the input field. Many Drupal themes already do this pretty well but it is good to keep in mind. Many hours have gone into trying to get it "right" when we were chasing the wrong answer.

Subscribe to Web Design