With the addition of style tiles in the design process (along with wireframing and other UX activities) no longer does a designer need to stare at blank Photoshop file and wonder where to start!
I’ve found this makes my team a lot more efficient because once we have an approved wireframe and style tile, we only have to provide one design comp for the client to review before building out. Plus client feedback on the comp is more focused on the design as a whole rather than getting stuck on whether or not they like the fonts or colors.
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mpedrotti
In the spirit of the companion article in this issue, please receive this and a following comment as constructive criticism.
The second paragraph begins: “Websites are so much more than just usable interfaces: they tell a story”¦ a style tile illustrates how a designer translates a stakeholder’s brand to the web.”
You can find adjective 9 times in this article, but verb is not found?
To tell a story, consider page 108 in Write to the Point by William Stott: “Here is one of the most painful paragraphs I know. It is from John McPhee’s book about frontier Alaska, Coming into the Country. Note that it never tries to describe what a bad toothache feels like. It simply tells us in cool, flat words, how an isolated trapper reacted to a toothache.” [emphasis added]
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mpedrotti
Continued from above. To meet user goals, consider pages 92-94 in About Face 3 by Cooper, Reimann, and Cronin.
Experience goals: “Visual language studies, as well as mood or inspiration boards, which attempt to establish visual themes based on personna attitudes and behaviors, are a useful tool”¦”
End goals: “End goals represent the user’s motivation for performing the tasks associated with using a specific product”¦end goals should be among the most significant factors in determining the overall product experience.”
Life goals: “Interaction designers must translate life goals into high-level system capabilities, formal design concepts, and brand strategy. Mood boards and context scenarios can be helpful in exploring different aspects of product concepts, and broad ethnographic research and cultural modeling are critical for discovering users’ behavior patterns and deeper motivations.”
This article, published in Project Management and Workflow, begins: “When you engage in a new client project how do you get started? A solid process”¦” It would have improved this reader’s response if the introduction had said explicitly for which user goals it is relevant (one point for experience goals, half point for life goals) and for which goals it is not (one point for end goals, half point for life goals). Even so, a tie score is a good effort, so thank you for sharing with us.
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mpedrotti
“Designing our design process
“As web designers we craft experiences for users, but we often overlook the need to design the experience that clients have during the web design process.” [emphasis and bold added]
For a reader to interpret this article in the context of the entire design process, this sentence would have been better placed in the introduction paragraph than in the conclusion.
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Wild
Hi Paul and JP. Our terminology absolutely does matter when we’re changing it around only so we can start and sell a brand. If the idea really has merit, list all the possible names, acknowledge the idea is a riff from a standard practice, and don’t try to guide the audience to your own marketing initiative. Don’t come to an educated audience and pretend you have something new. Ending with a website all set up to reap the rewards of this commentary turned this piece from an interesting point of dialog to an advertisement. That isn’t why readers come to this site.
Instead of acting shocked at the “knee-jerk reaction” to this article, maybe you should consider it is a very valid criticism. Stop shilling and start communicating.
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Firstly, thank you, Samantha, really great post—even if some of the commenters missed the point. To say that Style Tiles is a marketing initiative and that there is some sort of agenda to subvert another method is misguided and cynical. Samantha has always been open about web designers sharing their process for the good of the industry.
Style tiles can be called whatever you want them to be called—though “Style Tile” is catchy and to the point. The idea of getting granular with visual design—separating style preferences from design goals—while involving the client early on frames the discussion in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the final design outcome. It starts to build consensus and trust that propels the rest of the process along a smoother tack.
Having a process that works is great and client education of that process is key. But, somewhere along the line, usually between wireframes and visual design comps, clients feel the creative process becomes nebulous. Likely, this is a result of legacy; the way ‘we’ve always done it’ or, a lack of respect for the client, playing a vital role success of the outcome. One commenter already proved that point when he said that a client wouldn’t know design element if it hit them in the face.
Evolving the process so that it becomes a partnership or a collaboration will net the best solutions to problems that can be solved by design. Style tiles accomplish this and have helped our shop become more efficient and nimble.
Interestingly, the stile tiles do not include real content. My colleagues and I have recently switched to an approach that revolves around having as good real content as possible in all design phases. This both serves the designers — they really understand what they’re designing around — as well as the client — who better comprehends what the final design will look like.
We too think that Google is getting smarter day by day and search engine optimization should be done meticulously and conciously. Not only variation in anchor texts are needed but your overall link profile should be diverse so that it looks natural.
Printnweb is an established UK provider of print design, company branding, promotional design, website development and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in Birmingham and the Midlands. All our products are developed with purpose and goals in mind insuring that your marketing strategy achieves the results needed to drive business within your company. All aspects of design including, web, and e-commerce are entirely custom built to your specific needs.
Thanks for your well thought out article Samantha. I do some similar processes that differ a bit in how I accomplish them… after my initial call or meeting with the client, I pick some existing sites and ask the client to comment on them and to pick design elements and color palettes they like. Once I have a solid idea of what they want I make a “Design and Content Worksheet” where all the job specs are detailed. I go back and forth with the client revising the document. Most of my “D & C“s are 6 pages but one went to 25 pages when we attached all our emails to it. Then I frame out a simple mockup. Sometimes I’ll copy that mockup with different design iterations so the client can do side by side comparisons. And I continue to revise until they are satisfied with every detail and we add the content. I like your style tile concept… I personally find it faster to build simple mockups because I use WordPress and I’m more a developer than an artist. Regards – Mal
I read the original article at http://styletil.es/ and I’m glad I followed the link here because this version filled in some of the gaps and answered some questions I had. I downloaded the template from the other site and was not quite sure what I needed to do with it. I think the concept is to use the right side for descriptive pieces and the left side as visual aids.
My take away from this article is that the style tile is another communication tool, if you will, for aiding the process of a “mind meld” with the client – another way to walk in their shoes, get in their mind – in order to end up with something that will make them say, “That’s exactly what I was thinking!” It also seems that style tiles would help move through the style guide creation on a more visual level for the client.
On another side of the coin, I see style tiles in the process right around questionnaires and wire frames for bringing more ‘reality’ or ‘life’ to a concept that is being conceived. I don’t think that mockups will go away because the typical client does not have the experience to translate a description, or just bits, into a fully imagined concept. A visual is important for them. When working with clients I have to consider them holistically – beyond just design, organization, deadlines, and process – and include their comfort level with and for the duration of the project. When I can do something at the onset to ease their mind it bodes well for everyone involved. I see style tiles as tool for this as well, introducing visuals before jumping into full on mockups.
I do like the idea of style tiles. I will work them into my process. Thanks for triggering the thoughts…
K
24 Reader Comments
Back to the ArticleEliciaPotter
I’m behind you all the way Samantha!
With the addition of style tiles in the design process (along with wireframing and other UX activities) no longer does a designer need to stare at blank Photoshop file and wonder where to start!
I’ve found this makes my team a lot more efficient because once we have an approved wireframe and style tile, we only have to provide one design comp for the client to review before building out. Plus client feedback on the comp is more focused on the design as a whole rather than getting stuck on whether or not they like the fonts or colors.
mpedrotti
In the spirit of the companion article in this issue, please receive this and a following comment as constructive criticism.
The second paragraph begins: “Websites are so much more than just usable interfaces: they tell a story”¦ a style tile illustrates how a designer translates a stakeholder’s brand to the web.”
You can find adjective 9 times in this article, but verb is not found?
To tell a story, consider page 108 in Write to the Point by William Stott: “Here is one of the most painful paragraphs I know. It is from John McPhee’s book about frontier Alaska, Coming into the Country. Note that it never tries to describe what a bad toothache feels like. It simply tells us in cool, flat words, how an isolated trapper reacted to a toothache.” [emphasis added]
mpedrotti
Continued from above. To meet user goals, consider pages 92-94 in About Face 3 by Cooper, Reimann, and Cronin.
This article, published in Project Management and Workflow, begins: “When you engage in a new client project how do you get started? A solid process”¦” It would have improved this reader’s response if the introduction had said explicitly for which user goals it is relevant (one point for experience goals, half point for life goals) and for which goals it is not (one point for end goals, half point for life goals). Even so, a tie score is a good effort, so thank you for sharing with us.
mpedrotti
“Designing our design process
“As web designers we craft experiences for users, but we often overlook the need to design the experience that clients have during the web design process.” [emphasis and bold added]
For a reader to interpret this article in the context of the entire design process, this sentence would have been better placed in the introduction paragraph than in the conclusion.
Found in the body of the article:
Wild
Hi Paul and JP. Our terminology absolutely does matter when we’re changing it around only so we can start and sell a brand. If the idea really has merit, list all the possible names, acknowledge the idea is a riff from a standard practice, and don’t try to guide the audience to your own marketing initiative. Don’t come to an educated audience and pretend you have something new. Ending with a website all set up to reap the rewards of this commentary turned this piece from an interesting point of dialog to an advertisement. That isn’t why readers come to this site.
Instead of acting shocked at the “knee-jerk reaction” to this article, maybe you should consider it is a very valid criticism. Stop shilling and start communicating.
derekangel
You might be interested in this backlink generation tools
“online backlink generator”:http://www.backlinkgeneration.com
“backlink generator”:http://www.backlinkgeneration.com
“backlink tool”:http://www.backlinkgeneration.com
“seo submission software”:http://www.backlinkgeneration.com
“automatic backlink software”:http://www.backlinkgeneration.com
“backlink building software”:http://backlinkgeneration.com
Rave Gear
The design has to appeal to the human eye so people can rate the style and it should have a good end result.
steeben
Firstly, thank you, Samantha, really great post—even if some of the commenters missed the point. To say that Style Tiles is a marketing initiative and that there is some sort of agenda to subvert another method is misguided and cynical. Samantha has always been open about web designers sharing their process for the good of the industry.
Style tiles can be called whatever you want them to be called—though “Style Tile” is catchy and to the point. The idea of getting granular with visual design—separating style preferences from design goals—while involving the client early on frames the discussion in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the final design outcome. It starts to build consensus and trust that propels the rest of the process along a smoother tack.
Having a process that works is great and client education of that process is key. But, somewhere along the line, usually between wireframes and visual design comps, clients feel the creative process becomes nebulous. Likely, this is a result of legacy; the way ‘we’ve always done it’ or, a lack of respect for the client, playing a vital role success of the outcome. One commenter already proved that point when he said that a client wouldn’t know design element if it hit them in the face.
Evolving the process so that it becomes a partnership or a collaboration will net the best solutions to problems that can be solved by design. Style tiles accomplish this and have helped our shop become more efficient and nimble.
lustigson
Interestingly, the stile tiles do not include real content. My colleagues and I have recently switched to an approach that revolves around having as good real content as possible in all design phases. This both serves the designers — they really understand what they’re designing around — as well as the client — who better comprehends what the final design will look like.
jhonadam@serpholic
We too think that Google is getting smarter day by day and search engine optimization should be done meticulously and conciously. Not only variation in anchor texts are needed but your overall link profile should be diverse so that it looks natural.
alkoonsoft
Hi the information was really helpful for me
Specially I’m beginner in web design and always be confuse about the page layout
printnweb
Printnweb is an established UK provider of print design, company branding, promotional design, website development and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in Birmingham and the Midlands. All our products are developed with purpose and goals in mind insuring that your marketing strategy achieves the results needed to drive business within your company. All aspects of design including, web, and e-commerce are entirely custom built to your specific needs.
malmilligan
Thanks for your well thought out article Samantha. I do some similar processes that differ a bit in how I accomplish them… after my initial call or meeting with the client, I pick some existing sites and ask the client to comment on them and to pick design elements and color palettes they like. Once I have a solid idea of what they want I make a “Design and Content Worksheet” where all the job specs are detailed. I go back and forth with the client revising the document. Most of my “D & C“s are 6 pages but one went to 25 pages when we attached all our emails to it. Then I frame out a simple mockup. Sometimes I’ll copy that mockup with different design iterations so the client can do side by side comparisons. And I continue to revise until they are satisfied with every detail and we add the content. I like your style tile concept… I personally find it faster to build simple mockups because I use WordPress and I’m more a developer than an artist. Regards – Mal
kappaluppa
I read the original article at http://styletil.es/ and I’m glad I followed the link here because this version filled in some of the gaps and answered some questions I had. I downloaded the template from the other site and was not quite sure what I needed to do with it. I think the concept is to use the right side for descriptive pieces and the left side as visual aids.
My take away from this article is that the style tile is another communication tool, if you will, for aiding the process of a “mind meld” with the client – another way to walk in their shoes, get in their mind – in order to end up with something that will make them say, “That’s exactly what I was thinking!” It also seems that style tiles would help move through the style guide creation on a more visual level for the client.
On another side of the coin, I see style tiles in the process right around questionnaires and wire frames for bringing more ‘reality’ or ‘life’ to a concept that is being conceived. I don’t think that mockups will go away because the typical client does not have the experience to translate a description, or just bits, into a fully imagined concept. A visual is important for them. When working with clients I have to consider them holistically – beyond just design, organization, deadlines, and process – and include their comfort level with and for the duration of the project. When I can do something at the onset to ease their mind it bodes well for everyone involved. I see style tiles as tool for this as well, introducing visuals before jumping into full on mockups.
I do like the idea of style tiles. I will work them into my process. Thanks for triggering the thoughts…
K