What Is Your Background?

I began my career as a software engineer more than twenty five years ago. I wrote mission-critical applications in accounting, inventory control and payroll for Fortune 500 companies. I quickly started seeing the importance of writing good documentation and I came to the conclusion that the best program is one that doesn’t need documentation! I got hooked on how best to make programs that people enjoy using and that don’t need a lot of ‘explaining’. And that led me into design.

I formally began working in design in 2000, more out of frustration than anything else. At that time it was almost impossible to get good work done on the web that didn’t cost a fortune. You could see the potential, but most of the sites small organizations were putting together were just terrible. (Sadly, they still are.)

Now ‘design’ is a funny word. If you’re having a home designed and built, you get what you like. But a web site or a brand isn’t just about you. It’s about what your audience will respond to. Like all designers, I want you to look good, but my work tends to focus on what gets results. In other words, my work tends to look and work the way it does based on what has been shown to build an audience, not necessarily based on personal taste or current fads. And there is a big difference between sites that look ‘cool’ and sites that motivate visitors to take action.

My approach is to do what you need to best accomplish your goals. Sometimes that means high-fashion but sometimes it means utilitarian. The point for me is to find out what you need and put together a program that will give you measurable results for your investment.

Here is a link which discusses this philosophy with some specific examples.