Top Ten Resources for Learning Web Design and Development

I've just been surfing about tonight, revisiting some old favourites and checking out some new sites friends have told me about. In the 12 years I have been working as a web designer/developer, I have often fallen back on other peoples code samples and tutorials to learn.

Some of my collegues on the design team have expressed an interest in learning some more technical, code based skills, such as JavaScript or ActionScript, and I am always keen to find tips and tricks for Illustrator, After Effects and Photoshop, as well as SQL, XML, or any one of many web design and development techniques, so, here's my top 10 resource sites if you're keen to learn...

1. W3 Schools. - If you want to learn about any of the web design and development languages, including HTML, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL and much much more, this site should be your first port of call. Hundreds of clear examples and references make this site indispensible. Bookmark it!
2. Webreference - Another indispensible site, for any of the popular web languages. Webreference is a HUGE site, and a great place to find new tips and tricks, from Multimedia and Internet Design to PHP and Active X programming. Essential!
3. WebDesign Tutorials - I had'nt seen this site before today, but I'm impressed by the amount of content. The frames based displaay is a little irritating, but, if you can ignore that, there's a huge amount of useful stuff to be found, covering 3d Studio Max, PhotoShop, Flash, C++, CSS and much more.
4. CSS Zen Garden - If you have'nt seen CSS Zen Garden, just go there. This site is the best illustration of the full potential of CSS when used well. A Stunning collection of stylesheets, showing how a single site can be completely redesigned, without touching the HTML mark-up. If you are into CSS, this is nirvana!
5. Web Pages That Suck - At the other end of the spectrum from CSS Zen Garden, this is the place to go if you want to learn how NOT to do it. Well worth checking out, some of the sites listed are truly shocking! Just make sure one of YOUR sites never appear on this site!
6. W3C HTML Validation and Jigsaw - These two sites are equally useful and important in the web designer/developers arsenal. If you want to be sure your site is vaild HTML and CSS, then you need to bookmark and use them both!
7. SitePoint - I'm a big fan of SitePoint, both for their website, and the books they publish. SitePoint has a real community feel, with hundreds of quality articles, books, videos, forums and more. Well worth checking out.
8. A List Apart - This is another indispensible site. With hundreds of authoratitive articles and tutorials about standards based and best practice web design, this is one you just can't do without.
9. Webmonkey - This site has been around for years, and had undergone a re-design over the last year or so. With tutorials, a code library and reference sections, this is another really good place to start...
10. Kirupa - This is a good site for those of you interested in Flash, Sliverlight, WPF and ASP.NET/PHP. Kirupa has been around for some time now, and has some top notch tutorials and artciles. Well worth a visit

If I've missed any, let me know! I'm always on the lookout for new sources of inspiration...

Powered by ScribeFire.

Adobe.TV - Your first stop for learning Adobe software

I'm a big fan of Adobe software, I use many of their tools every day of the week. To be honest, they don;t have a massive amount of competition when it comes to design and deveopment software. With a line-up including Flash, Photoshop, After Effects, Indesign and Illustrator, it's hardly surprising.

So, if you want to get an idea of just how powerful the software can be, what the latest techniques and developments are, or you want to take your design and development skills to the next level, it's well worth checking out Adobe.TV - With channels for different disciplines, such as Video Professional, Photographer, Designer or Developer, there's plenty to pique your interest. Just select a video, sit back, watch and learn, and best of all, it's free.

It's also a good example of what you can do with a bit of Actionscript 3 and Flex.

Powered by ScribeFire.

The Recipe for Corporate Design Success

One thing I'm always interested in is design theory (not sure if it shows or not!), and as I work for a "corporate" site, I like to keep my eye out for interesting articles and tutorials relating to corporate design.

As you are not doubt aware, good design is not just a case of throwing something together and running with it because "it looks good", so I found 7 Ingredients of Good Corporate Design on Smashing Magazine to be an interesting distraction.

What are the Smashing Magazine's 7 Ingredients?

1. A strong logo
2. Good typography
3. Considered use of colour
4. Strong brand objectives and identity
5. High quality
6. Community
7. Culture

Hmm, where is "user experience"? Surely if a product/brochure/site hits the spot it contributes to the strength of design. Otherwise my job is a waste of time!