[thelist] Making Mock Ups

Sean Preston razorwise at yahoo.com
Mon Apr 23 13:04:47 CDT 2001


Simon and All,

I figured this topic will take off, so I created a new thread for it.

Once upon a time, I did as you do and hand-coded and tweaked and sketched the whole layout on
whatever was handy with whatever was handy.  I still do when I'm testing out logic.  I build a
skeleton page (well, use something I've got in HomeSite) and then throw the javascript or form or
what have you in it.  Next, I would make everything pretty and then integrate the look with the
logic and test it some more.

When you're doing this for your own stuff, it's no problem, but as you start designing sites for
various clients who all have their own agendas, it's frustrating (at times) to spend a lot of time
on throwaway work and time is money.  Hence, it's nice to be able to slap together a rough look
and feel into an imaging program (I don't know if I'm alone here, but I am an avid PhotoImpact
user), and submit it to my clients for review.  As PhotoImpact actually will generate code (yes, I
can hear the shudders), I will use that for the cuts I make, just cleaning and tweaking.  In such
a fashion, I can create an entire site in a very short time that actual is functional, and I am
then able to let my clients review, make suggestions, and redesign it to theirs specs in less time
than my old way of doing things.

I am not sacrificing anything.  Sure, not everything will translate identical, but a good
designer, someone that knows how to hand code, can usually see that doing the initial layout.  It
took me a long time to come around to this way of thinking, but I've slapped myself on the
forehead for being too much a purist for trying this sooner.

That's my take on it.

Sincerely,


Sean Preston




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