There’s a substantial disconnect when businesses outsource their Web projects. Here’s the problem: in general, the agency is oriented towards discrete projects (y’know, where there’s a start and a finish), while any business is ongoing and ever-shifting. Maybe for initial designs and site redesigns this works, but quality Web sites are more organic than that […]

OK, I’m a reformed perfectionist, and there are times I still obsess over the smallest details. (In my own defense, my clients like that I fix their typos for them, so maybe obsession has a place…) But I love that the Web is a fluid medium, where changes are possible at any time, and that […]

I’ve been visiting a lot of artistic sites lately, and the right half of my brain is impressed with the amazing visuals that some designers have created. The left brain, however: not so impressed.
Folks, this isn’t Myst. As much as I admire the creative impulse, if a user has to hunt around just to figure […]

I’ve got a client who decided to start small, with a very basic site (something I often recommend for small businesses — get your feet wet, find out what works, limit your investment risk). But now that it’s time to launch, they’re balking.
We’re still speaking, and the relationship is solid enough, but for whatever reason, […]

I’m starting work on a small site — home page and five subpages — but the Web server has hundreds of files on it. Unused pages, drafts from who knows when, navigation graphics from previous versions, and who knows what else… I’ve dealt a lot in site management, including archiving strategies and site organization, so […]

It’s worth remembering that people don’t change as fast as the technology does, especially for those of us who work in technology every day and (perhaps) are more oriented to changing along with it. I’m not advocating that people adapt to change faster — I’m advocating that technology workers remember that with technology, people need […]

There’s a lot of talk about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) lately. It’s like it’s the second coming of Jello Pudding Pops — everybody’s just gotta have one. And as with most Internet things, where the buzz is, businesses have sprung up to meet the “need.” All these businesses need clients, so they set about creating […]

Lately, I’ve been talking to a lot of dreamers. People with big ideas, and that’s great — but I find myself advocating for a just-get-started approach. Have big dreams? Keep ‘em alive, and keep building on them. This country is built on people willing to dream.
But start small. On the Web, you don’t have to […]

Long ago, I heard a profound quote about projects, which went something like this:
There are three things that matter: quality, speed, and price. You can have any two of the three, but not all three. Which do you want?
Quality and speed? OK. It’ll cost more… Quality and a low price? OK — but it’ll take […]

…It’s nice to look at on clear nights, but it doesn’t much affect life.
Not long ago, co-workers separately came to me, amazed that an online form we posted was getting results. “We used to have to force people to fill out this form,” one gushed. “Already I’ve gotten some back — and we haven’t announced […]