Design Made Better

How does the CSS clear property work?

Hello, me again I’ve been struggling to no end to make sense of the “clear” property and I really don’t understand a) its purpose and b) how to implement it properly. Answer: The clear property specifies which sides of an element where other floating elements are not allowed. Basically it tells the browser – we [...]

How do I rebrand HTML on a page?

Hi. What I’d like to do is rebrand certain parts on a web page based on user input. For example, I’ll have a form that says “enter your user ID”, and based on what they enter certain parts on the page will be rebranded with their user ID. Here is an example of what I [...]

How do font-replacement techniques such as Cufon or @font-face work?

@font-face and Cufon text replacement are two great ways to bring typography to the web, however there are some things to keep in mind when using these techniques.

What does “usability” mean exactly?

Usability in terms of “web usability” is basically the ability or ease for a person to use a website or web application to reach a desired goal. Such as, how easy is it to use Travelocity.com to book a flight or check your bank account balance using Chase.com. When designing and building a website you [...]

What size do I make my PSD to start a web design?

The size of your PSD is determined by the minimum screen resolution (measured in pixels) your design is required to support.

Is it time to quit testing for Internet Explorer 6? Please say yes.

Ok, sit down for this one, I know it's going to be hard to hear. Ready for it? The answer is...**opens up the white envelope, fumbles, nervous laugh as she opens the winners card** ... "maybe". I know I know - anti-climatic at best, evil at the worst, but true all the same.

What’s a “mouse over” and how do I design for them?

A "mouse over" is whenever the cursor moves over an element on a webpage. Styling this action can help create a more interactive web design and usable website when done well.

What’s a “wireframe” and how does it affect my design?

Think of a wireframe as a skeleton for your design, the elements seen in a wireframe are the base on which your design should rest.

What is “accessibility”?

In a nutshell, web accessibility is making a website and its content accessible and usable to everyone, including those who have disabilities.

What are web-safe fonts?

Since there are so many issues (security, legal, usability, etc) with having users download fonts to use on your website, many designers fall back on what are called web-safe fonts.