Magento Administration Screencast Part 1 from dZero Design on Vimeo.

Their are two major issues that comprise most of the browser woes. First, there are plenty of different browsers out there to choose from (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Opera, Safari, Ice Weasel, etc.). And while having multiple choices is always a nice thing, the problem is that everyone of these browsers was created by different companies, with different programmers, so each browser has it’s own way of interpreting each web page it displays. Sadly, because of this, it’s not uncommon for bugs and glitches to occur. When they do pop up, they can most often be squashed by a simple software update or patch. In a perfect world, every web browser would be updated regularly and we would all be up to date and bug free. Sadly, this is not the case, and this leads us to our second biggest browser headache. There are far too many folks out there who are still using outdated browsers, some almost a decade old. For instance, one of the worst offenders in the Web world is the (still) popular Microsoft Internet Explorer 6. It was released in 2001 yet still holds a decent size market share in the browser world. The average American might not realize that his outdated browser is leaving him wide open for major security issues, or that upgrading will help to speed up his entire web surfing experience. Upgrading will also insure that the web pages he visits look their best. As I mentioned previously, some older browsers either get things wrong or can’t handle them at all, so keeping up to date will make sure you’re not missing anything.

So, what can you do? Well, first off, no matter what particular flavor of browser you choose (FireFox, Chrome, IE), just make sure it’s up to date. Then when installing, make sure you choose to keep automatic updates turned on (or at least manually update it often). This will make sure that you are always up to date and that your browser is kept as fast and secure as possible. It will also insure that every website you visit will look and function just as the designers and developers intended.

Here’s a few download links for some popular browsers: FireFox Internet Explorer 8 Google Chrome

1) Be prepared: Before starting any project, a client should take the time to prepare as much information as possible and build a requirements document. This is a detailed outline of what will be accomplished with the website/application and what is required. You should also list any features or must-have items you want to include, once again, with as much detail as possible. When drawing up this document, pretend you will be submitting it to a complete stranger. Would they be able to only read this document and fully understand what you’re trying to accomplish? It might sound like a lot of work to some but it will only help to save time and headaches both when asking for a quote and when the project actually begins. You’ll never hear a designer or developer complain about having too much information. This also relates to out next point…

2) Be specific: No one knows your business better than you. And because of this, you can’t assume that you’re web designer has the same understanding of your company as you. Being open and offering as much information as possible will help the designer deliver the best product possible. Email is a common communication tool in this business, so when replying, try to be as descriptive as possible. This will help to prevent mis-understandings and will also save time because it will help prevent follow-up clarification emails. This makes the entire design/development process much more efficient and faster.

3) Be open to ideas: Sometimes the best ideas and intentions just won’t translate right onto the web. A good designer/developer should have the confidence and knowledge to tell a customer when they think something isn’t a good idea. A good designer/developer should also be able to suggest a better way to accomplish the same task, so make sure you’re open to ideas and suggestions.

4) Be available: In this business, the two biggest challenges are information and communication. Throughout the project, the client will constantly be asked to provide approval or further clarification of something. If a client fails to respond in a timely fashion, this can quickly take it’s toll on a projects time line. Sadly, this is a very common problem in this industry. It is commonly preferred to do most communication through email for both accountability and reference. Most firms have multiple clients so it’s much easier to reference an email while working on a particular project. With this in mind, it is recommend that the client should try to check their email more often then normal, just to prevent any delays and keep the process moving along nicely.