Web Design History

Web site design has come a very long way since the Internet's very first web site back in the early 1990's. Like the Internet's very first web sites, the majority of sites are presented in a computer language called HTML (HyperText Markup Language). HTML is currently in its' 4th version, with the next major version, HTML 5 currently being rolled out. HTML 4 has been the core Internet Mark-Up language for nearly 10 years. Ever since the original conception of HTML, the Internet boom has spawned an array of hundreds if not thousands of other languages, software and mediums that are used in collaboration to produce modern, attractive and dynamic web sites.

Web Design & Development

In modern times, there are a whole host of features available to build a both stunning and interactive web site. The construction and completion of a web site can be categorised in two main areas:

1. The Design

The primary objective of a web site should be to meet the requirements of the client. In most cases this would be to attract then convert Internet users into customers, subscribers or in the case of charities, donators. The design of the web site is paramount to reassuring, educating and ultimately convincing the viewer that they have come to the right place, or that they have found what they are looking for. It is the responsibly of the web design company or sole designer, to produce a suitable design that is attractive to the target market, and doesn't deter people from exploring the web site. Designers often use a variety of techniques, programmes and software during the design of a web site. These may include any combination of the following:

• Hand Drawn designs
  and conceptions are used to quickly produce layouts and visuals for the design.
  
  
• Adobe Photoshop
  Can be used to produce mock-ups and 'Internet Ready graphics'.
  
  
• Adobe Illustrator
  Is another tool for producing mock-ups, graphics and design elements.
  
  
• Adobe Flash
  Can be used to produce animation, movement & interaction on a web site.
  
  
• Adobe Dreamweaver
  Is used to construct the web site as it is being constructed for the Internet. Some designers even use Dreamweaver to help them with the design process of a web site.
  
  
• CSS
  Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is used in conjunction with HTML to design and style the web site from a separate file. The use of CSS brings many advantages including advanced design features, lower file sizes and a universal styling document that updates the presentation and design of the site automatically from a single document.
  
  

2. The Development

Once the design of the web site is in place, either as a mock-up or coded HTML skeleton, the web site then requires developing. Development can be as basic as constructing the design as a web page in HTML, or it can be as complex as using the design to 'skin' a complex, Database driven web site. Development can be completed by the same designer, or in the case of bigger/complex projects, within a team of individuals who specialise in certain areas of construction. Web Developers or Web Designers can use any of the following to develop a web site to completion and the ongoing maintenance:

• HTML
  Hypertext Markup Language is the basic language for presenting a web-site.
  
  
• XHTML
  is the markup language with the same depth as HTML, but XHTML also conforms to XML syntax.
  
  
• XML
  is a custom language for creating custom markup.
  
  
• RSS
  Stands for 'Real Simple Syndication' and is a popular format for publishing frequently updated articles and stories like blogs.
  
  
• ASP.NET
  Is the Windows Framework used for dynamic applications.
  
  
• PHP
  Is a free (released under the PHP License) scripting language for constructing dynamic web sites.
  
  
• MySQL
  Is a Open Source Database platform (available under terms of the GNU General Public License) and used in conjunction with PHP and other languages to store and retrieve data.
  
  
• AJAX
  is a coding nickname for the combination technique of XML and Javascript for making rich internet applications.
  
  
• Javascript
  is an established client-side scripting language commonly used by web site developers.
  
  
• Perl / CGI
  is an aging scripting language that was developed originally for NASA in 1987.
  
  
• Actionscript
  is a scripting language primarily used within and to integrate Flash. The latest version of Actionscript is 3.0 but 2.0 is still widely used worldwide.
  
  

Web Site Accessibility

Another key consideration to think about when choosing a web design company is accessibility and usability. Modern Internet Browsers and web site programming allow web sites to be constructed to allow users to:

• Increase the font size on your web site.
• Narrate the text on your web site.
• Navigate around the site with Back & Forward buttons.

Whilst all of the above factors should be taken for granted when you choose a web design company, the unfortunate fact is that you can't. Ensure that accessibility and 'Cross Platform' support is a key objective of your chosen web designers.

Web Design Compliance & Standards

W3C (The World Wide Web Consortium) is the primary governing body for the web. W3C set out guidelines and offer verification tools to ensure that your web-site is built using Industry Standard coding. The W3C also govern a variety of other coding languages such as XML, SOAP and SSML to name a few. Web Designers who follow the guidelines set out by the W3C can expect their web sites to benefit from:

• Better Search Engine Rankings.
• Better Universal Browser Compatibility.
• Better collaboration between other designers and developers.

The 2 main W3C standards that we practice are XHTML and CSS. Click here to see if your web site has been constructed to the coding guidelines set out by the W3C.