Understanding Web Design – MRW Web Design

Conservative Design & Development in “The inaccessible web” [link]

A while back, I wrote about how I’m a “web conservative.” Recently, I was reading “The inaccessible web: how we got into this mess” by Mischa Andrews, and it perfectly described what I was getting at: When clients and executives and developers and — anyone, really — talk about digital innovation, do they always mean it? Or is ‘innovation’ also used to … Continue reading “Conservative Design & Development in “The inaccessible web” [link]”

What Makes Websites Expensive?

Websites can be really expensive or really cheap. Do you know what the difference is? It can be hard when you don’t understand the technical requirements to build a feature. Here’s an attempt at summarizing some things to watch out for.

How Websites are Like Porches (A Metaphor from CSS Tricks) [link]

How building a porch is like building a website.

The Digital Divide, Smart Phones, and Website Performance

The New York Times published a troubling-but-not-surprising article today on the effect of the “digital divide” on school children in the United States.

SEO for Humans Redux [link]

Google has guidelines for webmasters about the technical and content requirements sites must follow to stay in their good graces. You’ll probably be surprised how obvious their recommendations are.

Website Projects Are Like Pizza

It’s hard to get a good cheap website. To understand why, think of website pricing like making a pizza.

WordPress for All: Formatting Accessible Content

Saturday, October 24, 2015, I was at McCaw Hall at Seattle Center, presenting at WordCamp Seattle: Beginner Edition about web accessibility’s importance for all website users and four specific techniques that beginning WordPress users could implement on their sites.

Design Control is a Feature

I don’t know why it took me so long, but it just hit me that requests for controlling website design are feature requests just like just like an events calendar or Twitter widget.

The Sweet Spot for Website Features & Content [link]

Every idea you have for your website has to meet these four criteria.

Videos of Assistive Technology and Accessible Websites in Action!

To understand web accessibility, it’s important to understand all the ways a computer can be used to visit your website. Here are six short videos of “assistive technology.”

Who Sees Your Home Page?

What percentage of users view a home page? Is it as high as the name might imply?

Buy Expertise

The dangers of a DIY website and a suggestion for making better websites on the cheap.

“Doing Your Part” Presentation & Two Short Assistive Technology Videos

This past weekend, I attended and presented at WordCamp Seattle: Experienced. Even if you don’t understand the code behind the techniques, take a moment to watch users of “assistive technology.”

The New Yorker Explains HTML5 and the W3C

You’ve probably heard at least a passing reference or two to HTML5, but do you really have any clue what it is? The New Yorker recently wrote a fun primer on what HTML5 is, how it came to be, and the messy arguments and competing standards that popped up on the way toward becoming a formal … Continue reading “The New Yorker Explains HTML5 and the W3C”

When To Use PNG, JPG, and GIFs. [image]

Do you know your JPGs from your GIFs? How do you say “GIF” anyway? Answers to those questions and more in today’s episode.

Tips For Picking a Good WordPress Theme (Free or Paid)

The WordPress theme landscape is vast and wild. It is a terrifying place, really, with lots of hidden dangers and dark corners. There are many things to consider when looking for a WordPress theme for your website. Here are some of the pointers I often give when the topic arises.